10 answers to common questions

Positively_Me

Nice post!

Barneystinson

Thank you for this (especially #7!!!!!) :drinker:

mworld

6) Q: Am I not losing weight because I'm gaining muscle mass?
A: Probably not. Muscle is a lot harder to build than people would have you believe. For someone to put on 10 lbs of pure muscle in a year is a remarkable feat. Not impossible per say, but not something that most of us can easilly accomplish. There are, of course, exceptions. Those who focus on muscle building to the exclusion of other types of activity (like competitive body builders for example) who closely monitor (I mean REALLY closely) their nutrition and follow specifically designed muscle building routines, can have this kind of gains (and even greater in some cases), likewise someone with very low muscle mass who begins a training routine can develop muscle very quickly at the begining. But generally when you begin a new training regimin, you don't gain muscle right away (despite significant early strength gains and muscle size gains). The reasoning is basically that you are activating your current muscles that were in a partially dormant state, which gives you more strength, and also requires more glycogen at the muscle site (which makes the muscle look bigger and work with more force), but you aren't gaining muscle, you're gaining essentially water weight, which is fine, but it's something to note.

You are definitely wrong on this account. I have seen many people on here that start a challeging routine, such as p90x for example, and gain 7+ pounds of muscle during their first 30 days on the program!

smuehlbauer

Thanks!

DizzieLittleLifter

Thanks for taking the time to post this awesome info! :flowerforyou:

SHBoss1673

6) Q: Am I not losing weight because I'm gaining muscle mass?
A: Probably not. Muscle is a lot harder to build than people would have you believe. For someone to put on 10 lbs of pure muscle in a year is a remarkable feat. Not impossible per say, but not something that most of us can easilly accomplish. There are, of course, exceptions. Those who focus on muscle building to the exclusion of other types of activity (like competitive body builders for example) who closely monitor (I mean REALLY closely) their nutrition and follow specifically designed muscle building routines, can have this kind of gains (and even greater in some cases), likewise someone with very low muscle mass who begins a training routine can develop muscle very quickly at the begining. But generally when you begin a new training regimin, you don't gain muscle right away (despite significant early strength gains and muscle size gains). The reasoning is basically that you are activating your current muscles that were in a partially dormant state, which gives you more strength, and also requires more glycogen at the muscle site (which makes the muscle look bigger and work with more force), but you aren't gaining muscle, you're gaining essentially water weight, which is fine, but it's something to note.

You are definitely wrong on this account. I have seen many people on here that start a challeging routine, such as p90x for example, and gain 7+ pounds of muscle during their first 30 days on the program!

I can almost guarantee they didn't gain actual muscle. did they gain strength? Yes, but (and this isn't some wacky theory, you can ask any trainer about this and they will agree) it wasn't muscle mass, it was the incorporation of dormant muscle fibers, which causes the increase in glycogen at the muscle site, which makes the muscle look bigger and allows them to user more power from that muscle, but they did NOT gain muscle mass. That 7+ lbs was glycogen gain, not muscle mass (Or very little, most likely any muscle gained would be at the end of that month, after they've incorporated all available fibers, water is very heavy, it doesn't take much added glycogen to add a few lbs).

mworld

sarcasm didn't translate too well I guess....

Iceprincessk25

You forgot questions about heart rate monitors and "THAT" time of the month. I vote those be Questions #11 and #12. :bigsmile:

I love your patience for these things! Much props.

theartsymom

Thank you for posting this, because I wonder constantly about why my weight could be less one day and then 3lbs more the next when I'm eating on plan. I've always known it's not ACTUAL weight gain, but the curiosity was killing me! You also addressed some other questions I had.

hiddensecant

sarcasm didn't translate too well I guess....

:laugh: didn't see it either ...

SHBoss1673

sarcasm didn't translate too well I guess....

You're killin me!

cardigirl

Bumpin' to keep in my queue. Thanks for the great info!

nikhil_c8

Thanks for posting..Common Question with easy answers..really nice

Thx once again

mworld

Ghanie/Boss - yes, as you can see from here http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/101814-is-weighing-yourself-everday-a-bad-thing?page=1#posts-1405558

I still need a lot of practice at it - my bad!

SHBoss1673

Ghanie/Boss - yes, as you can see from here http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/101814-is-weighing-yourself-everday-a-bad-thing?page=1#posts-1405558

I still need a lot of practice at it - my bad!

yes, you very badly need forum sarcasm lessons. <--(lesson 1, smiley tongue is a sarcasm imperative)

Rengaldoll

Thanks for thoughts and info! this is helpful, reminds me to keep it to the basics. I really like to know eating 5 meals a day won't change much, cuz I don't really like eating small meals 300 calories each, FEELS to small and then I overeat

:laugh:

mworld

True that :smooched:

You forgot questions about heart rate monitors and "THAT" time of the month. I vote those be Questions #11 and #12. :bigsmile:

I love your patience for these things! Much props.

I think you and Azdac aught to field those 2 in a separate thread --- if i undertand it correctly though, you basically cannot lose weight without a HRM on during exercise and with respect to TOM you can gain all the weight you want during that period of time without consequence

---

but i could be oversimplifying it

lotusfromthemud

Ghanie/Boss - yes, as you can see from here http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/101814-is-weighing-yourself-everday-a-bad-thing?page=1#posts-1405558

I still need a lot of practice at it - my bad!

yes, you very badly need forum sarcasm lessons. <--(lesson 1, smiley tongue is a sarcasm imperative)

Yet another reason we need a "sarcasm font". But, yeah I use this one: or this one: a lot! Also this one: :flowerforyou: I use for "I mean you no harm, I come in peace."

:flowerforyou: I come in peace to bump the bejeebus out of this, banks.

vjjoseph

Thanks these are great. This is my first week with my food journal and it hasn't been to bad. it is wonderful to be able to receive all of this great information. Have a wonderful weekend.

hiddensecant

I think you and Azdac aught to field those 2 in a separate thread --- if i undertand it correctly though, you basically cannot lose weight without a HRM on during exercise and with respect to TOM you can gain all the weight you want during that period of time without consequence

---

but i could be oversimplifying it

Yay, smiley...

You know, I'm surprised none of your tidbits found its way into a chainletter and snopes! :laugh: