I'm just a skinny girl trying to get thick...

2»

Replies

  • taahirac001
    taahirac001 Posts: 35 Member
    psulemon wrote: »
    psulemon wrote: »
    Clearly, you have to eat in a surplus (more than maintenance calories) and if working out, you need to make sure you eat back whatever calories you are burning. A lot of MFP members say that "all calories are the same" and that it doesn't matter if you meet this calorie allowance by eating junk food or eating clean, but from my experience, it does make a difference. Like you, I am small and while I had a nice foundation of booty and legs, I still struggle to "gain." I've found that eating low sugar (around 50-60 grams) and high carbs (150 grams)/proteins (114 grams - your body weight should be your goal - so if you are 95 lbs. eat 95 grams of protein) has helped me actually gain in areas that I want to gain and build that muscle. Of course, you are going to have to lift along with eating in a surplus. There are tons of great fitness enthusiasts that you can follow on Instagram for exercises and getting a trainer to show you the ropes would be a good idea. Focus on squats, squat variations, kick backs, cable and band work, leg press, and building that weight up slowly but surely. You should see results in no time!

    It would be very difficult for a person to meet their nutritional needs by eating a lot of junk food, considering junk is typically ultra processed and has little nutrients. And if you, too, struggle to gain weight, it it possible that is because of your limitations on foods.

    And personally, I would rather advise people to followed a structured lifting routine as opposed to specific moves as it will provide adequate volume and maximize efficiency. Ideally, you want a hypertrophy program that focuses on compound moves (targeting multiple major muscle groups) that will maximize training volume (generally, hitting the major muscle every 48 hours). And if you have extra time, then add in some isometric moves.

    Limitations on foods? I eat only high protein, low-sugar foods = non-processed, organic homemade meals that are full of healthy and nutrition packed calories. And I was NOT suggesting eating junk food, but the majority of people on here SWEAR that as long as you meet your cals/stay at your deficit then you are "eating healthy," which is something I disagree with.

    I also disagree. My diet is same as yours. Everything is non gmo, organic, low to zero sugars, homemade. Your body also feels great when you get rid of all the junk.

    No one is suggesting a diet high in junk (again, this isn't an all or nothing thing, its a dietary context discussion). Like I said before, I eat highly nutritious foods (I aim for fish 3-4x a week, fiber at 30-40g a day, unsaturated fats, whole grains with minimal additives, etc...). But if you can't reach your calorie goal because dietary limitations, than you are going to be spinning your wheels. There is no superiority by only eating non GMO, organic, low sugar foods. That is personal choice. And it doesn't guarantee that your body or health will be better.

    But keep in mind, sugar, in the context of spiking insulin, to enable growth, is key. And the best way to spike insulin is by eating sugar.

    Oh, I am not saying that my way is better than anyone else's. I do agree on sticking to healthy eating, but that also doesn't mean that I haven't enjoyed my guilty pleasures every now and then. Lol

    But as I mentioned before, weight gain is not the problem. I am gaining eating the way I am eating, faster than expected too. I just need some help/advice on avoiding/ getting rid of muffin top while continuing to gain.

    Or if I should focus on one before the other.
  • taahirac001
    taahirac001 Posts: 35 Member
    edited February 2016
    Add some 'heavy' starches - whole grain pasta, breads, etc. Not a lot, for example on days you work out eat a nice big bowl of pasta for dinner. Keep eating good and clean but try spreading your meals out a bit so you can increase your calories without being bloated and full. When I bulked I went from 5-6 moderate meals to sometimes 8 just to hit my calories (I would hit 6-8000 daily back in my younger days as a bodybuilder). Try a weight gain type protein after your workout (watch labels, some are better than others and you don't necessarily HAVE to take the full serving which might be 4+ scoops). Bottom line is gaining weight is the opposite of losing - you need to take in more than you expend. However to keep from spilling over and being fat or having a 'pot' as you said you need to work out the right way.

    If you want a 'booty' (sorry, but that's what my clients have said in the past!) here's the secret - slow, low, heavy squats with proper form. Bottom your *kitten* out to your heels with a slow, controlled negative, then explode back up to the top squeezing your butt and driving with your hips. Go heavy!!! It shouldn't be easy. Another secret that nobody wants to hear is to smash that stairmaster for 20-30 minutes at a moderate rate progressing to 30-60 minutes. Hit it 3-4 times a week. It's not easy but it will work your thighs and *kitten* like nothing else will and the calories you burn will help keep your stomach tight. You can even stretch your calves as you step to tone them as well. Then throw your in dumbbell lunges and learn how to do still legged deadlifts with either a smith machine or dumbbells and you'll be on your way. Those female - themed workouts from curves and magazines will only get you so far before you will eventually realize to get those thicker thighs and *kitten* you want you'll need to start moving weight. Good Luck!!!

    Wow! Thanks so much! I am going to go hard!!! Thanks for the advice. I know I have to go heavy, but getting out to a gym right now is not possible. Anything I can use at home?

    @triggerpuller702 have to admit not excited about the stairmaster
  • AliceDark
    AliceDark Posts: 3,886 Member
    Add some 'heavy' starches - whole grain pasta, breads, etc. Not a lot, for example on days you work out eat a nice big bowl of pasta for dinner. Keep eating good and clean but try spreading your meals out a bit so you can increase your calories without being bloated and full. When I bulked I went from 5-6 moderate meals to sometimes 8 just to hit my calories (I would hit 6-8000 daily back in my younger days as a bodybuilder). Try a weight gain type protein after your workout (watch labels, some are better than others and you don't necessarily HAVE to take the full serving which might be 4+ scoops). Bottom line is gaining weight is the opposite of losing - you need to take in more than you expend. However to keep from spilling over and being fat or having a 'pot' as you said you need to work out the right way.

    If you want a 'booty' (sorry, but that's what my clients have said in the past!) here's the secret - slow, low, heavy squats with proper form. Bottom your *kitten* out to your heels with a slow, controlled negative, then explode back up to the top squeezing your butt and driving with your hips. Go heavy!!! It shouldn't be easy. Another secret that nobody wants to hear is to smash that stairmaster for 20-30 minutes at a moderate rate progressing to 30-60 minutes. Hit it 3-4 times a week. It's not easy but it will work your thighs and *kitten* like nothing else will and the calories you burn will help keep your stomach tight. You can even stretch your calves as you step to tone them as well. Then throw your in dumbbell lunges and learn how to do still legged deadlifts with either a smith machine or dumbbells and you'll be on your way. Those female - themed workouts from curves and magazines will only get you so far before you will eventually realize to get those thicker thighs and *kitten* you want you'll need to start moving weight. Good Luck!!!

    Wow! Thanks so much! I am going to go hard!!! Thanks for the advice. I know I have to go heavy, but getting out to a gym right now is not possible. Anything I can use at home?

    Find a bodyweight progressive lifting program like You Are Your Own Gym or Convict Conditioning. This site is also very informative: www.strengthunbound.com. The guy who runs it bulks while doing non-gym workouts.
  • psuLemon
    psuLemon Posts: 38,426 MFP Moderator
    psulemon wrote: »
    psulemon wrote: »
    Clearly, you have to eat in a surplus (more than maintenance calories) and if working out, you need to make sure you eat back whatever calories you are burning. A lot of MFP members say that "all calories are the same" and that it doesn't matter if you meet this calorie allowance by eating junk food or eating clean, but from my experience, it does make a difference. Like you, I am small and while I had a nice foundation of booty and legs, I still struggle to "gain." I've found that eating low sugar (around 50-60 grams) and high carbs (150 grams)/proteins (114 grams - your body weight should be your goal - so if you are 95 lbs. eat 95 grams of protein) has helped me actually gain in areas that I want to gain and build that muscle. Of course, you are going to have to lift along with eating in a surplus. There are tons of great fitness enthusiasts that you can follow on Instagram for exercises and getting a trainer to show you the ropes would be a good idea. Focus on squats, squat variations, kick backs, cable and band work, leg press, and building that weight up slowly but surely. You should see results in no time!

    It would be very difficult for a person to meet their nutritional needs by eating a lot of junk food, considering junk is typically ultra processed and has little nutrients. And if you, too, struggle to gain weight, it it possible that is because of your limitations on foods.

    And personally, I would rather advise people to followed a structured lifting routine as opposed to specific moves as it will provide adequate volume and maximize efficiency. Ideally, you want a hypertrophy program that focuses on compound moves (targeting multiple major muscle groups) that will maximize training volume (generally, hitting the major muscle every 48 hours). And if you have extra time, then add in some isometric moves.

    Limitations on foods? I eat only high protein, low-sugar foods = non-processed, organic homemade meals that are full of healthy and nutrition packed calories. And I was NOT suggesting eating junk food, but the majority of people on here SWEAR that as long as you meet your cals/stay at your deficit then you are "eating healthy," which is something I disagree with.

    I also disagree. My diet is same as yours. Everything is non gmo, organic, low to zero sugars, homemade. Your body also feels great when you get rid of all the junk.

    No one is suggesting a diet high in junk (again, this isn't an all or nothing thing, its a dietary context discussion). Like I said before, I eat highly nutritious foods (I aim for fish 3-4x a week, fiber at 30-40g a day, unsaturated fats, whole grains with minimal additives, etc...). But if you can't reach your calorie goal because dietary limitations, than you are going to be spinning your wheels. There is no superiority by only eating non GMO, organic, low sugar foods. That is personal choice. And it doesn't guarantee that your body or health will be better.

    But keep in mind, sugar, in the context of spiking insulin, to enable growth, is key. And the best way to spike insulin is by eating sugar.

    Oh, I am not saying that my way is better than anyone else's. I do agree on sticking to healthy eating, but that also doesn't mean that I haven't enjoyed my guilty pleasures every now and then. Lol

    But as I mentioned before, weight gain is not the problem. I am gaining eating the way I am eating, faster than expected too. I just need some help/advice on avoiding/ getting rid of muffin top while continuing to gain.

    Or if I should focus on one before the other.

    For the most part, it will be unlikely you will get rid of a muffin top while you bulk. When you add muscle, you add fat. It sucks and is the main reason why bulking is more difficult than cutting because the psychological component of intentionally gaining fat is rough. And no matter what you eat, you will gain fat. And for women, if done slow, for even 1 lb gained, 75% will be fat. Men are typically 50%. Now genetics, size of the surplus and training can impact that for the good or bad. Bad training will equal less muscle more fat. And similarly with eating. Gaining us abouy consistency. You dont want to play catchup like you can with dieting. So if you have a bad week, just start again.
  • taahirac001
    taahirac001 Posts: 35 Member
    AliceDark wrote: »
    Add some 'heavy' starches - whole grain pasta, breads, etc. Not a lot, for example on days you work out eat a nice big bowl of pasta for dinner. Keep eating good and clean but try spreading your meals out a bit so you can increase your calories without being bloated and full. When I bulked I went from 5-6 moderate meals to sometimes 8 just to hit my calories (I would hit 6-8000 daily back in my younger days as a bodybuilder). Try a weight gain type protein after your workout (watch labels, some are better than others and you don't necessarily HAVE to take the full serving which might be 4+ scoops). Bottom line is gaining weight is the opposite of losing - you need to take in more than you expend. However to keep from spilling over and being fat or having a 'pot' as you said you need to work out the right way.

    If you want a 'booty' (sorry, but that's what my clients have said in the past!) here's the secret - slow, low, heavy squats with proper form. Bottom your *kitten* out to your heels with a slow, controlled negative, then explode back up to the top squeezing your butt and driving with your hips. Go heavy!!! It shouldn't be easy. Another secret that nobody wants to hear is to smash that stairmaster for 20-30 minutes at a moderate rate progressing to 30-60 minutes. Hit it 3-4 times a week. It's not easy but it will work your thighs and *kitten* like nothing else will and the calories you burn will help keep your stomach tight. You can even stretch your calves as you step to tone them as well. Then throw your in dumbbell lunges and learn how to do still legged deadlifts with either a smith machine or dumbbells and you'll be on your way. Those female - themed workouts from curves and magazines will only get you so far before you will eventually realize to get those thicker thighs and *kitten* you want you'll need to start moving weight. Good Luck!!!

    Wow! Thanks so much! I am going to go hard!!! Thanks for the advice. I know I have to go heavy, but getting out to a gym right now is not possible. Anything I can use at home?

    Find a bodyweight progressive lifting program like You Are Your Own Gym or Convict Conditioning. This site is also very informative: www.strengthunbound.com. The guy who runs it bulks while doing non-gym workouts.

    Thank you so much! Going to definitely check it out!
  • taahirac001
    taahirac001 Posts: 35 Member
    psulemon wrote: »
    psulemon wrote: »
    psulemon wrote: »
    Clearly, you have to eat in a surplus (more than maintenance calories) and if working out, you need to make sure you eat back whatever calories you are burning. A lot of MFP members say that "all calories are the same" and that it doesn't matter if you meet this calorie allowance by eating junk food or eating clean, but from my experience, it does make a difference. Like you, I am small and while I had a nice foundation of booty and legs, I still struggle to "gain." I've found that eating low sugar (around 50-60 grams) and high carbs (150 grams)/proteins (114 grams - your body weight should be your goal - so if you are 95 lbs. eat 95 grams of protein) has helped me actually gain in areas that I want to gain and build that muscle. Of course, you are going to have to lift along with eating in a surplus. There are tons of great fitness enthusiasts that you can follow on Instagram for exercises and getting a trainer to show you the ropes would be a good idea. Focus on squats, squat variations, kick backs, cable and band work, leg press, and building that weight up slowly but surely. You should see results in no time!

    It would be very difficult for a person to meet their nutritional needs by eating a lot of junk food, considering junk is typically ultra processed and has little nutrients. And if you, too, struggle to gain weight, it it possible that is because of your limitations on foods.

    And personally, I would rather advise people to followed a structured lifting routine as opposed to specific moves as it will provide adequate volume and maximize efficiency. Ideally, you want a hypertrophy program that focuses on compound moves (targeting multiple major muscle groups) that will maximize training volume (generally, hitting the major muscle every 48 hours). And if you have extra time, then add in some isometric moves.

    Limitations on foods? I eat only high protein, low-sugar foods = non-processed, organic homemade meals that are full of healthy and nutrition packed calories. And I was NOT suggesting eating junk food, but the majority of people on here SWEAR that as long as you meet your cals/stay at your deficit then you are "eating healthy," which is something I disagree with.

    I also disagree. My diet is same as yours. Everything is non gmo, organic, low to zero sugars, homemade. Your body also feels great when you get rid of all the junk.

    No one is suggesting a diet high in junk (again, this isn't an all or nothing thing, its a dietary context discussion). Like I said before, I eat highly nutritious foods (I aim for fish 3-4x a week, fiber at 30-40g a day, unsaturated fats, whole grains with minimal additives, etc...). But if you can't reach your calorie goal because dietary limitations, than you are going to be spinning your wheels. There is no superiority by only eating non GMO, organic, low sugar foods. That is personal choice. And it doesn't guarantee that your body or health will be better.

    But keep in mind, sugar, in the context of spiking insulin, to enable growth, is key. And the best way to spike insulin is by eating sugar.

    Oh, I am not saying that my way is better than anyone else's. I do agree on sticking to healthy eating, but that also doesn't mean that I haven't enjoyed my guilty pleasures every now and then. Lol

    But as I mentioned before, weight gain is not the problem. I am gaining eating the way I am eating, faster than expected too. I just need some help/advice on avoiding/ getting rid of muffin top while continuing to gain.

    Or if I should focus on one before the other.

    For the most part, it will be unlikely you will get rid of a muffin top while you bulk. When you add muscle, you add fat. It sucks and is the main reason why bulking is more difficult than cutting because the psychological component of intentionally gaining fat is rough. And no matter what you eat, you will gain fat. And for women, if done slow, for even 1 lb gained, 75% will be fat. Men are typically 50%. Now genetics, size of the surplus and training can impact that for the good or bad. Bad training will equal less muscle more fat. And similarly with eating. Gaining us abouy consistency. You dont want to play catchup like you can with dieting. So if you have a bad week, just start again.

    Hmm, I see. So I guess I should focus on bulky and then cut after.
  • JoRocka
    JoRocka Posts: 17,525 Member
    psulemon wrote: »
    Clearly, you have to eat in a surplus (more than maintenance calories) and if working out, you need to make sure you eat back whatever calories you are burning. A lot of MFP members say that "all calories are the same" and that it doesn't matter if you meet this calorie allowance by eating junk food or eating clean, but from my experience, it does make a difference. Like you, I am small and while I had a nice foundation of booty and legs, I still struggle to "gain." I've found that eating low sugar (around 50-60 grams) and high carbs (150 grams)/proteins (114 grams - your body weight should be your goal - so if you are 95 lbs. eat 95 grams of protein) has helped me actually gain in areas that I want to gain and build that muscle. Of course, you are going to have to lift along with eating in a surplus. There are tons of great fitness enthusiasts that you can follow on Instagram for exercises and getting a trainer to show you the ropes would be a good idea. Focus on squats, squat variations, kick backs, cable and band work, leg press, and building that weight up slowly but surely. You should see results in no time!

    It would be very difficult for a person to meet their nutritional needs by eating a lot of junk food, considering junk is typically ultra processed and has little nutrients. And if you, too, struggle to gain weight, it it possible that is because of your limitations on foods.

    And personally, I would rather advise people to followed a structured lifting routine as opposed to specific moves as it will provide adequate volume and maximize efficiency. Ideally, you want a hypertrophy program that focuses on compound moves (targeting multiple major muscle groups) that will maximize training volume (generally, hitting the major muscle every 48 hours). And if you have extra time, then add in some isometric moves.

    Limitations on foods? I eat only high protein, low-sugar foods = non-processed, organic homemade meals that are full of healthy and nutrition packed calories. And I was NOT suggesting eating junk food, but the majority of people on here SWEAR that as long as you meet your cals/stay at your deficit then you are "eating healthy," which is something I disagree with.

    There comes a point where you cannot eat more chicken and veggies- "healthy nutrition packed food"- if you are staying toward low calorie- dense food- you're never going to make it.

    in a bulk- SURPLUS is king. Not macros. So you can have perfect macros and "clean- healthy- nutrious" food all you want- but if you never make it to a surplus- you're never going to gain.

    north of 3000K for 6 months and all the sudden eating another 8 oz of chicken starts getting nauseating- time to break out the milk and oreos my friend.
  • psuLemon
    psuLemon Posts: 38,426 MFP Moderator
    JoRocka wrote: »
    psulemon wrote: »
    Clearly, you have to eat in a surplus (more than maintenance calories) and if working out, you need to make sure you eat back whatever calories you are burning. A lot of MFP members say that "all calories are the same" and that it doesn't matter if you meet this calorie allowance by eating junk food or eating clean, but from my experience, it does make a difference. Like you, I am small and while I had a nice foundation of booty and legs, I still struggle to "gain." I've found that eating low sugar (around 50-60 grams) and high carbs (150 grams)/proteins (114 grams - your body weight should be your goal - so if you are 95 lbs. eat 95 grams of protein) has helped me actually gain in areas that I want to gain and build that muscle. Of course, you are going to have to lift along with eating in a surplus. There are tons of great fitness enthusiasts that you can follow on Instagram for exercises and getting a trainer to show you the ropes would be a good idea. Focus on squats, squat variations, kick backs, cable and band work, leg press, and building that weight up slowly but surely. You should see results in no time!

    It would be very difficult for a person to meet their nutritional needs by eating a lot of junk food, considering junk is typically ultra processed and has little nutrients. And if you, too, struggle to gain weight, it it possible that is because of your limitations on foods.

    And personally, I would rather advise people to followed a structured lifting routine as opposed to specific moves as it will provide adequate volume and maximize efficiency. Ideally, you want a hypertrophy program that focuses on compound moves (targeting multiple major muscle groups) that will maximize training volume (generally, hitting the major muscle every 48 hours). And if you have extra time, then add in some isometric moves.

    Limitations on foods? I eat only high protein, low-sugar foods = non-processed, organic homemade meals that are full of healthy and nutrition packed calories. And I was NOT suggesting eating junk food, but the majority of people on here SWEAR that as long as you meet your cals/stay at your deficit then you are "eating healthy," which is something I disagree with.

    There comes a point where you cannot eat more chicken and veggies- "healthy nutrition packed food"- if you are staying toward low calorie- dense food- you're never going to make it.

    in a bulk- SURPLUS is king. Not macros. So you can have perfect macros and "clean- healthy- nutrious" food all you want- but if you never make it to a surplus- you're never going to gain.

    north of 3000K for 6 months and all the sudden eating another 8 oz of chicken starts getting nauseating- time to break out the milk and oreos my friend.

    As Alan Aragon puts it, you don't get extra credit once you meet your nutritional goals.
  • JoRocka
    JoRocka Posts: 17,525 Member
    psulemon wrote: »
    JoRocka wrote: »
    psulemon wrote: »
    Clearly, you have to eat in a surplus (more than maintenance calories) and if working out, you need to make sure you eat back whatever calories you are burning. A lot of MFP members say that "all calories are the same" and that it doesn't matter if you meet this calorie allowance by eating junk food or eating clean, but from my experience, it does make a difference. Like you, I am small and while I had a nice foundation of booty and legs, I still struggle to "gain." I've found that eating low sugar (around 50-60 grams) and high carbs (150 grams)/proteins (114 grams - your body weight should be your goal - so if you are 95 lbs. eat 95 grams of protein) has helped me actually gain in areas that I want to gain and build that muscle. Of course, you are going to have to lift along with eating in a surplus. There are tons of great fitness enthusiasts that you can follow on Instagram for exercises and getting a trainer to show you the ropes would be a good idea. Focus on squats, squat variations, kick backs, cable and band work, leg press, and building that weight up slowly but surely. You should see results in no time!

    It would be very difficult for a person to meet their nutritional needs by eating a lot of junk food, considering junk is typically ultra processed and has little nutrients. And if you, too, struggle to gain weight, it it possible that is because of your limitations on foods.

    And personally, I would rather advise people to followed a structured lifting routine as opposed to specific moves as it will provide adequate volume and maximize efficiency. Ideally, you want a hypertrophy program that focuses on compound moves (targeting multiple major muscle groups) that will maximize training volume (generally, hitting the major muscle every 48 hours). And if you have extra time, then add in some isometric moves.

    Limitations on foods? I eat only high protein, low-sugar foods = non-processed, organic homemade meals that are full of healthy and nutrition packed calories. And I was NOT suggesting eating junk food, but the majority of people on here SWEAR that as long as you meet your cals/stay at your deficit then you are "eating healthy," which is something I disagree with.

    There comes a point where you cannot eat more chicken and veggies- "healthy nutrition packed food"- if you are staying toward low calorie- dense food- you're never going to make it.

    in a bulk- SURPLUS is king. Not macros. So you can have perfect macros and "clean- healthy- nutrious" food all you want- but if you never make it to a surplus- you're never going to gain.

    north of 3000K for 6 months and all the sudden eating another 8 oz of chicken starts getting nauseating- time to break out the milk and oreos my friend.

    As Alan Aragon puts it, you don't get extra credit once you meet your nutritional goals.

    exactly.
  • taahirac001
    taahirac001 Posts: 35 Member
    edited February 2016
    Hi guys!

    I'm eating healthy and clean and have always stayed in surplus which is why I'm gaining 1.5 - 2 ibs a week. I think that while it is hard for some, even me at times, to eat healthy and get those calories doesn't mean it can't be done.

    Honestly I'm not sure what eating healthy means for some people. Because I actually do not eat as much veggies as I should... Barely any actually. In fact most of what I eat is carbs. Less chicken more steak. But everything I eat is organic, and as for fats I stay with avocado, nuts, homemade coconut milk, etc

    Well, what I really want to say is Let's agree to disagree, this thread isn't about healthy eating vs not healthy. To each his own!! ;);)
  • Slimfast shake after every meal. Ain't come one, but many tine tanies!
  • MarziPanda95
    MarziPanda95 Posts: 1,326 Member
    But everything I eat is organic

    Just wanna point out that organic really doesn't mean any healthier. Organic and non-organic foods have the same nutritional makeup - just non-organic uses pesticides that have been safety approved and organic uses more 'natural' but often more dangerous and untested pesticides.

    As for where you gain weight, as others have said, it's hard to actually choose. Since about 75% of what you gain will be fat, you cannot choose where it goes. That's down to genetics. The rest - the muscle - goes on whatever muscles you work the most. Get those squats in! Good luck :)
  • AliceDark
    AliceDark Posts: 3,886 Member

    I'm eating healthy and clean and have always stayed in surplus which is why I'm gaining 1.5 - 2 ibs a week. I think that while it is hard for some, even me at times, to eat healthy and get those calories doesn't mean it can't be done.
    Wow, wait, you're gaining 1.5-2 pounds per week? That's really fast for a woman, if you're consistently gaining at that rate. (When you first start eating at a surplus you can see a jump on the scale of up to 5 pounds, which is water/glycogen and not "real" weight. If you saw that, it's normal. I'm not talking about that). When we're doing a progressive lifting program and everything is going really well, women can usually gain in the neighborhood of 0.25 pounds of muscle per week. That's why we get told to aim for 0.5 pounds of gain per week (ideally, half is muscle and half is fat, but that's the best case scenario.) If you're gaining 1.5 pounds per week and maybe 0.25 pounds of that is muscle (less if you're not doing resistance training), you're putting on a lot of fat. If that's what you want, great. If not, slow your roll.

  • taahirac001
    taahirac001 Posts: 35 Member
    edited February 2016
    But everything I eat is organic

    Just wanna point out that organic really doesn't mean any healthier. Organic and non-organic foods have the same nutritional makeup - just non-organic uses pesticides that have been safety approved and organic uses more 'natural' but often more dangerous and untested pesticides.

    As for where you gain weight, as others have said, it's hard to actually choose. Since about 75% of what you gain will be fat, you cannot choose where it goes. That's down to genetics. The rest - the muscle - goes on whatever muscles you work the most. Get those squats in! Good luck :)

    So far I have been gaining exactly where I want the most, probably because of all the squats I do. I also gain some in my tummy, which I think I'm just going to cut after I reach my goal.

    Thanks :):)
  • taahirac001
    taahirac001 Posts: 35 Member
    edited February 2016
    AliceDark wrote: »

    I'm eating healthy and clean and have always stayed in surplus which is why I'm gaining 1.5 - 2 ibs a week. I think that while it is hard for some, even me at times, to eat healthy and get those calories doesn't mean it can't be done.
    Wow, wait, you're gaining 1.5-2 pounds per week? That's really fast for a woman, if you're consistently gaining at that rate. (When you first start eating at a surplus you can see a jump on the scale of up to 5 pounds, which is water/glycogen and not "real" weight. If you saw that, it's normal. I'm not talking about that). When we're doing a progressive lifting program and everything is going really well, women can usually gain in the neighborhood of 0.25 pounds of muscle per week. That's why we get told to aim for 0.5 pounds of gain per week (ideally, half is muscle and half is fat, but that's the best case scenario.) If you're gaining 1.5 pounds per week and maybe 0.25 pounds of that is muscle (less if you're not doing resistance training), you're putting on a lot of fat. If that's what you want, great. If not, slow your roll.

    You know I read about that somewhere, that I should gain .05 - 1 ib

    But.. I gained overall 8 ibs in one month and I am not at all fat. While doing squats with eating 2700+ calories a day I gained mainly in my thighs very little in my butt and some in my tummy.

    Sooo idk maybe my body is different lol. what I can say for sure is that I am loving the results with the minor setback of the muffin top. Which, like I mentioned before, I think I will continue to gain at this pace since I am also doing abs and start cutting after I reach my goal.
  • psuLemon
    psuLemon Posts: 38,426 MFP Moderator
    edited February 2016
    AliceDark wrote: »

    I'm eating healthy and clean and have always stayed in surplus which is why I'm gaining 1.5 - 2 ibs a week. I think that while it is hard for some, even me at times, to eat healthy and get those calories doesn't mean it can't be done.
    Wow, wait, you're gaining 1.5-2 pounds per week? That's really fast for a woman, if you're consistently gaining at that rate. (When you first start eating at a surplus you can see a jump on the scale of up to 5 pounds, which is water/glycogen and not "real" weight. If you saw that, it's normal. I'm not talking about that). When we're doing a progressive lifting program and everything is going really well, women can usually gain in the neighborhood of 0.25 pounds of muscle per week. That's why we get told to aim for 0.5 pounds of gain per week (ideally, half is muscle and half is fat, but that's the best case scenario.) If you're gaining 1.5 pounds per week and maybe 0.25 pounds of that is muscle (less if you're not doing resistance training), you're putting on a lot of fat. If that's what you want, great. If not, slow your roll.

    You know I read about that somewhere, that I should gain .05 - 1 ib

    But.. I gained overall 8 ibs in one month and I am not at all fat. While doing squats with eating 2700+ calories a day I gained mainly in my thighs very little in my butt and some in my tummy.

    Sooo idk maybe my body is different lol. what I can say for sure is that I am loving the results with the minor setback of the muffin top. Which, like I mentioned before, I think I will continue to gain at this pace since I am also doing abs and start cutting after I reach my goal.

    8 lbs, depending on where, may not have an impact. But yea, that is a fast rate, especially considering you arent progressive lifting.

    In all reality the first several lbs of that is probably glycogen and additional food in your gi system. And that is probably why its not overly noticeable.