NEED FEMALE FRIENDS FOR SUPPORT

Glorious2day

I'm a skinny girl. 5'3 at a current weight of 103.9

I'm looking to gain weight in muscle.

In the last month, I've gained almost 5 lbs. I was 99 lbs on Oct 5th. Today is Nov 6th. So one month

I'm assuming most of this weight was fat because my belly is bigger and my jeans don't close anymore. I've been lifting as heavy as I can without losing form, but my lifts started getting weaker. So I assumed I was overtraining. So I decided to take 2 rest days. Tomorrow I'll be back at it again. I'm obviously doing something wrong bc I'm not trying to gain fat.

While I'm happy with the weight I've gained, I need to make sure that going forward, the rest of the weight I gain is in the form of muscle. How can I improve?

Please and thank you. Feel free to add me. I'm not very tech savy

sardelsa

When you start gaining, it is normal for the scale to jump and to feel/look a bit bloated.. extra water and food. It should even out soon, unless you are eating significantly higher than maintenance. However, keep in mind that you won't be gaining 100% muscle, typically at least half of what you gain will be fat.

Also, your programming could be an issue. What lifting program are you following?

Glorious2day

@sardelsa thanks for the reply!! It makes me feel better. I think you're right on the bloating/water weight bc yesterday I weighed 108.4 and today I'm 103.9 big difference overnight.

I'm not on any specific program. Budget won't allow it. So I've been watching Athlean X with Jeff Cavalier to educate myself on form, muscle groups, excersizes. And I try them out at the gym. I love his videos!!

Just an example of what I'll do. I'll do an upper body day, next day I'll do lower body (I neglected abs the first couple weeks. Now I'm incorporating them into every workout). If I'm not too sore, I'll do the upper body again but different excersizes, next day I'll do lower body again. And by day 5 I'll need a rest day.

But when I found myself getting weaker, I'm thinking that my body needs more frequent rest days perhaps. But it's so annoying. Because I rather not rest every other workout.

For example, my very FIRST squats were 55 lbs total. The bar plus 5 lb on each side.

I went up to 10 lbs on each side. Total 65.

Now I'm back to 5lbs on each side and struggling! Makes no sence.

We shall see how tomorrow goes now that I've rested for 2 days in a row.

Also TMI, but I lose an entire week (7-9 days) at the gym when I'm on my period. It's too heavy to work out. Cramps are unbearable to even walk. So that delays progress.

Sorry for the long response. But I'm really serious about getting fit!!

sardelsa

My very best advice, follow a proper program. I cannot stress that enough. Especially since you are bulking and now running into some trouble with your lifts. Here is a link with a list. community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10332083/which-lifting-program-is-the-best-for-you/p1

Many of them are free, or the books are very reasonable.

If you are a beginner, I would definitely start with a full body program vs upper/lower split, especially since you say you work different muscles each time ..which isn't great right now, you won't get enough frequency per muscle group.

Also working abs everyday is fine if you want... but it is not necessary (especially if you are doing compound lifts) it won't prevent belly fat or anything.

DancingMoosie

You can totally find a free program. I started with stronglifts 5x5. You can Google it and find their website, which has their program. 5 basic compound lifts in 3 day A/B rotation. Simple and straight forward. Also check out the link above since there are so many others listed...

LiftHeavyThings27105

Hey, lady! I second everything that has been stated here. Look at a proper program.

I am doing Strong Lifts 5x5 and I really like it. It is squat-dominant (you will squat with each work out) but it is not a bad thing. There is an Excel Spread Sheet that you can download and there is a smart phone app (both Android and iPhone) that makes this program a breeze to follow | track. Mendhi makes it easy. This program is all about compound movements. Three times a week with a rest day between each training session. Check it out.

It has an option for total newbies and it has an option for experienced lifters. I would suggest that you follow the total newbie option. The weight is set for you.....so, no need to know 5 rep max for each of the five lifts involved.

Also, consider Strong Curves. There are several facets to this program (Bret Contreras and Kellie Davis are the Glute Gods) and a lot of women run it.

Those are the two with which I have experience (one from doing and the other from several of the ladies that I know here in Winston-Salem). The list that Sardelsa provided you has lots of other choices.

Lots and lots of choices. Don't let the number of options create "information overload". Look at each, pick one that speaks to you and run it for the suggested time. It is best to run a program - as is - to completion. Most are short-ish....three months is not a long time (in the big picture).

Nutrition is the biggest part of this puzzle. I think that both of these wonderful ladies would agree with that. And, make no mistake - eating "a lot of food" is not as easy as one might think.

What does your nutrition look like right now?

LiftHeavyThings27105

I took the liberty to run your info through an on-line TDEE Calculator. So, based on a 23yo female who is 5'3" and weighs 104lbs the numbers look like this:

Basal Metabolic Rate 1,196 calories per day
Sedentary 1,435 calories per day
Light Exercise 1,644 calories per day
Moderate Exercise 1,854 calories per day
Heavy Exercise 2,063 calories per day
Athlete 2,272 calories per day

Now, this is a little bit different from how MFP does things. It uses the same formula that MFP does, so that is a good thing! The numbers above are your maintenance numbers. And, unlike MFP, the numbers include everything (BMR + PAL + NEAT + TEF) so there is no need - when looking at the numbers above - to add in your exercise numbers.

Also, the numbers above are from a formula. They are generic in nature. Meaning, they do not apply specifically to you. As such, they should be considered a good starting point. But....you need to play with your nutrition to figure out what your actual maintenance numbers really are. Please do not take the above numbers as "in cement". They are simply a good start (generally speaking).

So, what is all of that alphabet soup?

BMR is your Basal Metabolic Rate.
PAL is your Physical Activity Level
NEAT is your Non-exercise Activity Thermogenesis
TEF is your Thermal Effect of Food

So, what do those mean, in English? Good question!

BMR is the amount of energy (in the form of calories) that your body needs to do to simply do all of the things that it does. The human body is a system of systems. Each of those systems does "stuff". In order to do that "stuff" you need fuel. Welcome, Calories!

PAL is the amount of actual "training" that you do. Talking about in the gym type training. There are five multipliers (as you can see: Sedentary, Light Exercise, Moderate Exercise, Heavy Exercise and Athlete). Generally speaking, a lot of people (not saying 'most'......just saying "a lot") are Moderate Exercise.

NEAT is all of the other non-gym stuff that you do. Talking a walk around the neighborhood, walking the dog, cleaning house, doing the laundry, taking the steps at work instead of the elevator, et al).

TEF is simply the 'cost' of digesting your food. That takes energy, too, right?

So, there is an overview. Again (yes, I know - I have said this several times), take the numbers above as a starting point....generally speaking, this is the case (a good starting point). It is not perfect, though.

wcgrandaddoo

I am not a female friend but I still offer my support. I have recently returned to a healthier nutrition and fitness lifestyle. My goal is to become the 2007-2009 version of me again. I have a fairly reasonable understanding and personal experience with getting in shape. With that said I offer the following.

What ever your reason, desire or motivation it is exactly that...it is YOURS! No amount of posting or pep talk will give you direction. You must know why your doing it, what your goal is and a reasonable & realistic time in which to achieve it. It seems by your post you have a handle on that already so that's good.

Back in the day I did the same mistakes. Beyond my opinion and much can be read about this, overtraining is a top obstacle to achieving your goal. It can lead to fatigue, undue stress to joints and muscles and can contribute to work-out injury and long recovery times. I have done the same, wanting to work harder only to see minimal gain and in some cases actually opposite results. Depending on your fitness level three times a week is plenty for a begginer status. I myself have done that and after some time I am now lifting 4-5 times a week and running 5-6 times a week. I must point out this took time to get to this level.

As for strength training I strongly recommend conditioning your core first. I can say without a doubt this is the #1 most important thing to achieve first. Your core condition is paramount to being able to train safer, more efectively and will help reduce the possibilities of injury.

My opinion on abs...Lots of machines and exercises to strengthen abs but control was a huge and benificial factor to defining abs for me. How did I do it? Put on a Shakira concert video and try to follow her moves. I'm not talking about using my hips to shake wildly as so many people I've seen on the dance floor do. Controlled, deliberate muscle group movement takes decipline and lots of hard work. Do some research and learn the functions of all the muscles we call a six pack. Overtraining should be avoided I found a routine that works for me. I do a major workout of my abs once every five days. The results are above my expectations. Remember no amount of a work is going to automatically result in a washboard tummy, that is where nutrition kicks in.

Now nutrition, we're all here in this community together. Has anyone noticed any trends if your logging your meal diary honestly and consistently? Personally I am amazed how quickly sodium content and fat calories can sneak in and derail my desired progress. As I mentioned above washboard abs didn't just show up because I did a zillion planks and crunches. The abs were already there but covered by an obscuring layer of tummy fat. I'm not sure I understood a statement that fat gain could be an expected result in stages of strength training. My research and experience has shown me when I gain fat instead of desired muscle I am doing something not productive to my goal. One culprit is obviously eating higher than desired fat calories often unaware of the sneaky carbs that almost automatically convert to fat if not used for fuel. The second is OVERTRAINING! Reading and personal experience has proven to me what an amazing chemical converting to energy factory our bodies are! I have read, researched and applied all that I have learned about the bodies processes in regards to weight loss, gaining mass and improving endurance. Too much to explain but put in simplest terms the body and brain are incredible and powerful. If the conditions are not right you will not see your desired results. What you eat is obviously an important factor. Whether working out in a fasting state or consuming a meal before or after a workout is also key. You have to educate yourself on metabolism and how your body produces energy as well as why it stores unused energy as fat. If your not aware, in certain states your body will cannibalize muscle for energy resulting in loss of mass. This occurs if the body is not nutritionally balanced.

Well, if you made it this far thanks for reading. I hope you found something useful. I went on longer than I intended but there is A LOT to understand. There is no shortcut to knowledge, decipline and commitment when it comes to fitness and nutrition and they both go hand in hand. Best wishes to all in achieving your goals.

Oh and don't forget to reward yourself for achieving your goals even the baby step size ones!

Stay motivated and Stay hydrated...

sardelsa

wcgrandaddoo wrote: »

I am not a female friend but I still offer my support. I have recently returned to a healthier nutrition and fitness lifestyle. My goal is to become the 2007-2009 version of me again. I have a fairly reasonable understanding and personal experience with getting in shape. With that said I offer the following.

What ever your reason, desire or motivation it is exactly that...it is YOURS! No amount of posting or pep talk will give you direction. You must know why your doing it, what your goal is and a reasonable & realistic time in which to achieve it. It seems by your post you have a handle on that already so that's good.

Back in the day I did the same mistakes. Beyond my opinion and much can be read about this, overtraining is a top obstacle to achieving your goal. It can lead to fatigue, undue stress to joints and muscles and can contribute to work-out injury and long recovery times. I have done the same, wanting to work harder only to see minimal gain and in some cases actually opposite results. Depending on your fitness level three times a week is plenty for a begginer status. I myself have done that and after some time I am now lifting 4-5 times a week and running 5-6 times a week. I must point out this took time to get to this level.

As for strength training I strongly recommend conditioning your core first. I can say without a doubt this is the #1 most important thing to achieve first. Your core condition is paramount to being able to train safer, more efectively and will help reduce the possibilities of injury.

My opinion on abs...Lots of machines and exercises to strengthen abs but control was a huge and benificial factor to defining abs for me. How did I do it? Put on a Shakira concert video and try to follow her moves. I'm not talking about using my hips to shake wildly as so many people I've seen on the dance floor do. Controlled, deliberate muscle group movement takes decipline and lots of hard work. Do some research and learn the functions of all the muscles we call a six pack. Overtraining should be avoided I found a routine that works for me. I do a major workout of my abs once every five days. The results are above my expectations. Remember no amount of a work is going to automatically result in a washboard tummy, that is where nutrition kicks in.

Now nutrition, we're all here in this community together. Has anyone noticed any trends if your logging your meal diary honestly and consistently? Personally I am amazed how quickly sodium content and fat calories can sneak in and derail my desired progress. As I mentioned above washboard abs didn't just show up because I did a zillion planks and crunches. The abs were already there but covered by an obscuring layer of tummy fat. I'm not sure I understood a statement that fat gain could be an expected result in stages of strength training. My research and experience has shown me when I gain fat instead of desired muscle I am doing something not productive to my goal. One culprit is obviously eating higher than desired fat calories often unaware of the sneaky carbs that almost automatically convert to fat if not used for fuel. The second is OVERTRAINING! Reading and personal experience has proven to me what an amazing chemical converting to energy factory our bodies are! I have read, researched and applied all that I have learned about the bodies processes in regards to weight loss, gaining mass and improving endurance. Too much to explain but put in simplest terms the body and brain are incredible and powerful. If the conditions are not right you will not see your desired results. What you eat is obviously an important factor. Whether working out in a fasting state or consuming a meal before or after a workout is also key. You have to educate yourself on metabolism and how your body produces energy as well as why it stores unused energy as fat. If your not aware, in certain states your body will cannibalize muscle for energy resulting in loss of mass. This occurs if the body is not nutritionally balanced.

Well, if you made it this far thanks for reading. I hope you found something useful. I went on longer than I intended but there is A LOT to understand. There is no shortcut to knowledge, decipline and commitment when it comes to fitness and nutrition and they both go hand in hand. Best wishes to all in achieving your goals.

Oh and don't forget to reward yourself for achieving your goals even the baby step size ones!

Stay motivated and Stay hydrated...

Your experience is different since you were in a deficit to lose fat. Not sure if you missed it.. but OP is BULKING.. she is gaining weight. It is impossible, especially for a female (without the use of enhancements) to gain pure muscle. Not eating fat or carbs will not prevent this (actually if anything it will make muscle building harder)

Also working out fasted and strict meal timing has nothing to do with fat gain. Some people love it which can be a factor, but others hate it and perform poorly.. it may give a 1% edge in a super ultra lean bodybuilder, we are talking very minuscule differences here at very competitive levels.

Not sure where you are getting your information from.

wcgrandaddoo

Thanks for pointing out some important differences. I appreciate your critique. I rarely post anything for fear of responses to what I may say.

I understand mass gaining is the goal. We are all unique in our methods and abilities to achieve those goals. I did not intend to "preach" to any person who might read my post. Carbs and fat consumption are important and hopefully it is agreed that protein intake whether by diet or supplementation is very critical to building muscle mass.

My point, the one key thing that compelled me to attempt some form of meaningful support is this...overtraining should be recognized and avoided. This holds true no matter if the goal is weight loss, weight management or gaining mass.