Newbie Muscle Gains

Mike02209

I started StrongLifts 5x5 about a month ago, and have been really enjoying it and seeing considerable strength gains. However, I have not lost any weight in the past 7 weeks. I have read threads on this forum referring to gains in muscle and water retention being higher for "newbies". I was curious if that was a common result in such cases.
A little history: I am 49 years old, and lost 52 pounds in 14 months. I still have 63 to go to hit my goal weight. From reading various threads I had assumed that strength training while on a deficit would tend to preserve muscle while losing fat. My belt is a bit looser, so I assume I have gained some muscle, is it possible for a new lifter to have gained 3-4 pounds of muscle in a month? Or is it more likely water retention during the repair phase. Just looking for some insight into what may be occurring while I try to smash through this weight loss plateau I have been on.
Thanks in advance for your time.

VisofSer

Yes it is possible although unlikely. First months gains for a total newbie either not in deficit or is overweight and on a mild-to-moderate deficit? 4 pounds of gain is not outlandish. 2-3lbs a month average for your first year of serious lifting with supporting diet and rest would be reasonable and common, with the number going down the longer you have been lifting. As water retention happens as well, you will probably not know until at least 3 months in.

I do suggest adding in multi-point tape measurements on a weekly basis as well as weighing on a scale. Having some strength training is very beneficial to both calorie partitioning and recomposition but as you can be losing fat and gaining muscle at the same time early on or if you are obese, the training can mask the fat loss if you go my scale alone and the mirror lies. Scale + tape + pictures will give you the best measurements and better information.

Mike02209

I will start measuring with the tape, are there a standard set of measurements that should be tracked?

jonthemusse

Yeah, 40 and lifting with a deficit. Most of the day's a very large deficit. I'm still packing on lost muscle mass, and my weight hasn't moved in five weeks.

I lift 3x5 three times a week, and burn brobably 5000-6000 kcal on the weekends just by building stuff, though I don't log those days and eat everything in sight.

I was starting to worry if I'm starving myself, but the weights keep on going up.

The fat is melting off.

If you keep the protein up, and lift close enough heavy, the weights will tell you if you're building muscle. The moment you hit a wall at a newbie stage, the weight should start dropping. Do you want that too soon? It'll happen eventually anyway.

Edit: the point being: it's muscle and water, man. Congrats.

McCloud33

For me I generally measure:
neck
chest
waist (narrowest point)
waist (at naval)
hips (measured at mid buttocks)
thigh (measured halfway between knee and hip)
calf
bicep
forearm

It's also beneficial to have your wrist and ankle measurements if you want to try and do any tape measure based BF% estimates. You're doing great though if you've been going for 4 weeks so far and your pants are looser