Gaining muscle but also gaining fat around legs and hips?
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teamwellness9119
Posts: 7 Member
Hey guys! So my goal is to build lean mass muscle and I've been very consistent in hitting my calorie goals. I have been gaining muscle in my arms which is great because before I could fit a wrist watch over my bicep and triceps.
However, I have been noticing my body has gained fat in my hips and legs. Has this happened to any of you? For guys, I hear fat accumulates in the stomach and for women, it goes to the hips, stomach and legs. I've been eating pretty clean but haven't been doing much cardio because I don't want the muscles on my arms and rest of my body to go away.
Should I do more cardio?? And why is it that I am gaining fat on my lower body and my upper body is like shredding fat and my lower body is just not letting the fat go?
However, I have been noticing my body has gained fat in my hips and legs. Has this happened to any of you? For guys, I hear fat accumulates in the stomach and for women, it goes to the hips, stomach and legs. I've been eating pretty clean but haven't been doing much cardio because I don't want the muscles on my arms and rest of my body to go away.
Should I do more cardio?? And why is it that I am gaining fat on my lower body and my upper body is like shredding fat and my lower body is just not letting the fat go?
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Replies
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You can't gain muscle and not gain fat, it is impossible.
Also, there is no such thing as lean mass, there is just mass.
You can't control where you add muscle or fat,it just happens.0 -
I not inclined to agree with the poster above about his first line. It would seem to me if your calories are correctly matched to your activities and your protein is right, you should be able to gain muscle and not fat, in the same way that when people are cutting they can cut fat and not lose the muscle.
So I am sure its quite difficult to work out the exact right amount of calories and macros to achieve what you want but the perhaps the thing to do is increase your exercise burn so that you don't have any excess calories that can settle on your body as fat.
I do'nt think it would matter what sort of exercise you do. But if you don't want to spend a lot of time on it, then try doing some sprint type exercise ie interval training. Reason being that sprinting burns more calories than slower activities. Its also excellent for increasing your fitness.0 -
Patttience wrote: »I not inclined to agree with the poster above about his first line. It would seem to me if your calories are correctly matched to your activities and your protein is right, you should be able to gain muscle and not fat, in the same way that when people are cutting they can cut fat and not lose the muscle.
So I am sure its quite difficult to work out the exact right amount of calories and macros to achieve what you want but the perhaps the thing to do is increase your exercise burn so that you don't have any excess calories that can settle on your body as fat.
I do'nt think it would matter what sort of exercise you do. But if you don't want to spend a lot of time on it, then try doing some sprint type exercise ie interval training. Reason being that sprinting burns more calories than slower activities. Its also excellent for increasing your fitness.
Are you just making this all up as you go along?0 -
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Not this.Patttience wrote: »I not inclined to agree with the poster above about his first line. It would seem to me if your calories are correctly matched to your activities and your protein is right, you should be able to gain muscle and not fat, in the same way that when people are cutting they can cut fat and not lose the muscle.
So I am sure its quite difficult to work out the exact right amount of calories and macros to achieve what you want but the perhaps the thing to do is increase your exercise burn so that you don't have any excess calories that can settle on your body as fat.
I do'nt think it would matter what sort of exercise you do. But if you don't want to spend a lot of time on it, then try doing some sprint type exercise ie interval training. Reason being that sprinting burns more calories than slower activities. Its also excellent for increasing your fitness.
ThisYou can't gain muscle and not gain fat, it is impossible.
Also, there is no such thing as lean mass, there is just mass.
You can't control where you add muscle or fat,it just happens.
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Patttience wrote: »I not inclined to agree with the poster above about his first line. It would seem to me if your calories are correctly matched to your activities and your protein is right, you should be able to gain muscle and not fat, in the same way that when people are cutting they can cut fat and not lose the muscle.
So I am sure its quite difficult to work out the exact right amount of calories and macros to achieve what you want but the perhaps the thing to do is increase your exercise burn so that you don't have any excess calories that can settle on your body as fat.
I do'nt think it would matter what sort of exercise you do. But if you don't want to spend a lot of time on it, then try doing some sprint type exercise ie interval training. Reason being that sprinting burns more calories than slower activities. Its also excellent for increasing your fitness.
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I just want to add that genetics determine where you put on fat.
Personally I'm a pear shape, so most fat on me goes to my hips. Someome who's an apple shape stores most fat in their belly area.
No matter how clean you eat, in a bulk you will gain some fat, and genetics deterimines where it goes.0 -
Patttience wrote: »I not inclined to agree with the poster above about his first line. It would seem to me if your calories are correctly matched to your activities and your protein is right, you should be able to gain muscle and not fat, in the same way that when people are cutting they can cut fat and not lose the muscle.
So I am sure its quite difficult to work out the exact right amount of calories and macros to achieve what you want but the perhaps the thing to do is increase your exercise burn so that you don't have any excess calories that can settle on your body as fat.
I do'nt think it would matter what sort of exercise you do. But if you don't want to spend a lot of time on it, then try doing some sprint type exercise ie interval training. Reason being that sprinting burns more calories than slower activities. Its also excellent for increasing your fitness.
sorry, but almost everything in your post is wrong.
First - carbs are more important than protein when bulking. Protein is more important during a cut when one wants to preserve existing muscle.
Second - we are in the gaining forum and OP wants to gain weight, but you go and recommend increasing activity to burn off excess calories which would put OP at maintenance. So why are you recommending activity that burns off calories????
Third - Yes, the type of exercise matters when bulking. If you want to take advantage of the insulin spike from increased carbs and excess energy from surplus calories then you should be on a progressive weight lifting program to maximize gains.
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I just want to add that genetics determine where you put on fat.
Personally I'm a pear shape, so most fat on me goes to my hips. Someome who's an apple shape stores most fat in their belly area.
No matter how clean you eat, in a bulk you will gain some fat, and genetics deterimines where it goes.
HAhaha "pear shaped" - that is also how I describe myself :P
Once again we find common ground! XD
OP, I'm on a similar course to yours and I was REALLY depressed over the past couple of days as I noticed an increased influx on top of my belly (where I have some hanging skin from my drastic weight loss). I woke up today, went to the gym...and when I saw myself in the mirror - it was gone.
My guess? Water weight. So don't fret TOO much about it - leave that for when you cut! (At least that's what I keep telling myself! XD)
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teamwellness9119 wrote: »Hey guys! So my goal is to build lean mass muscle and I've been very consistent in hitting my calorie goals. I have been gaining muscle in my arms which is great because before I could fit a wrist watch over my bicep and triceps.
However, I have been noticing my body has gained fat in my hips and legs. Has this happened to any of you? For guys, I hear fat accumulates in the stomach and for women, it goes to the hips, stomach and legs. I've been eating pretty clean but haven't been doing much cardio because I don't want the muscles on my arms and rest of my body to go away.
Should I do more cardio?? And why is it that I am gaining fat on my lower body and my upper body is like shredding fat and my lower body is just not letting the fat go?
Sorry, but genetics are fact. I start to lose my abs as soon as I start bulking, just like every other male. A lot of people here mention that bulking is a mind game, which I think is a very astute observation. More cardio won't help; you just have to accept that some fat gain comes with the muscle gain.0 -
I totally do not want to hear this....and too bad...You can't gain muscle and not gain fat, it is impossible.
Also, there is no such thing as lean mass, there is just mass.
You can't control where you add muscle or fat,it just happens.
IT'S TRUE 100%
This is our double edge sword. How big do we want to get given the reality of fat gains along with the muscle?
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Are you weight training? Is your strength going up?
If the answer is yes, then cut back on your calories slightly. You may be eating too many calories required for adding lean mass.0 -
It's not possible to naturally add lean mass without some of the gains being fat as well.Are you weight training? Is your strength going up?
If the answer is yes, then cut back on your calories slightly. You may be eating too many calories required for adding lean mass.
When you gain weight, some is muscle...and some is fat.
No getting around this without PED abuse which is a fast road to ill health and a shortened life.
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Patttience wrote: »I not inclined to agree with the poster above about his first line. It would seem to me if your calories are correctly matched to your activities and your protein is right, you should be able to gain muscle and not fat, in the same way that when people are cutting they can cut fat and not lose the muscle.
So I am sure its quite difficult to work out the exact right amount of calories and macros to achieve what you want but the perhaps the thing to do is increase your exercise burn so that you don't have any excess calories that can settle on your body as fat.
I do'nt think it would matter what sort of exercise you do. But if you don't want to spend a lot of time on it, then try doing some sprint type exercise ie interval training. Reason being that sprinting burns more calories than slower activities. Its also excellent for increasing your fitness.
No, just no!!0 -
Patttience wrote: »I not inclined to agree with the poster above about his first line.
you can be not as inclined as you'd like.
he's still correct.0 -
Right, nature cares not about our platitudes.Patttience wrote: »I not inclined to agree with the poster above about his first line.
you can be not as inclined as you'd like.
he's still correct.
Nature...just is...
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Pinnacle_IAO wrote: »
Right, nature cares not about our platitudes.Patttience wrote: »I not inclined to agree with the poster above about his first line.
you can be not as inclined as you'd like.
he's still correct.
Nature...just is...
egggzactly.0 -
Have you actually measured a difference, or just noticed it? I notice my thick thighs more when I get leaner overall. (I notice my arm muscles more too when I get leaner, which isn't necessarily muscle gain). Fat lingers around my hips, butt, and thighs longer than any other place on my body. Still, even though I notice them more, my hip measurement is smaller, and my thigh measurement is stubbornly the same.0
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Pinnacle_IAO wrote: »It's not possible to naturally add lean mass without some of the gains being fat as well.
When you gain weight, some is muscle...and some is fat.
I agree with you, but surely a lower calorie surplus will help minimise fat gain.
Adding surplus calories until you see strength gains in your training, but not going overboard with them.
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