Muscle weight vs fat weight? Anyone actually know?

ARGriffy

So if you were to stop exercising (weight bearing) from injury and see a visible loss of muscle (inches too, for example I've lost an inch off my bicep) and see a visible increase in jiggly fat (again, gained inches on my love handle area) but the scale hadn't moved? Would you say that the loss of muscle but gain of fat (I've been eating over maintenance more than before for sure, "treating" myself when feeling low so im not surprised I gained a little) would balance out?

Does this mean that when I can train again I need to lose a few lbs rather than remaining in maintenence? Or would getting my lovely muscle back be enough to help my metabolism burn off the little exes?

Or, option number three... have I lost my arms (newbie gains will get them back id say when I start back) but covered the rest (abs let's say) with a fat layer so I think theyre gone but it's actually a little fat I need to strip back? (Although I can feel my mid section isn't as firm!)

Basically I'm just a bit confused how my jeans don't fit but I weigh the same and hoped someone could shed light

Cheers!

StealthHealth

Summary: You stopped exercising. You can see and measure a reduction in muscle. You can see and feel an increase in fat. You weigh the same.

Conclusion: You've lost some muscle and gained an equal weight in fat.

In your case, I would re-start the training regime without significantly changing my eating. Monitor for a few weeks and then if required drop the cals slightly. I advise this because you will see composition and weight changes when resuming the training and messing about with the calories during this highly fluid (no pun intended) period will just make monitoring a whole lot more of a guesstimate.

ARGriffy

StealthHealth wrote: »

Summary: You stopped exercising. You can see and measure a reduction in muscle. You can see and feel an increase in fat. You weigh the same.

Conclusion: You've lost some muscle and gained an equal weight in fat.

In your case, I would re-start the training regime without significantly changing my eating. Monitor for a few weeks and then if required drop the cals slightly. I advise this because you will see composition and weight changes when resuming the training and messing about with the calories during this highly fluid (no pun intended) period will just make monitoring a whole lot more of a guesstimate.

Boom great resonse cheers. I'll need to take it slower than I was (won't be able to lift whole body weight as the injury will need to re build strength slowly) but im eating far better now so for the last month of being off work / exercise ill 100% not gain any more fat at least.

AJF230

I think the rule of thumb is to consume 1.1 - 1.4 grams of protein per day per pound of lean body mass, to maintain and not atrophy. So that my help while healing. (consult your doctor or nutritionist!)

sijomial

If you want to be ultra nerdy about it.....
Someone recomping (adding muscle, losing fat) and maintaining the same weight is actually in a slight calorie deficit.
Someone in your situation (muscle atrophy, gaining fat) and maintaining weight is actually in a slight surplus.

The forgotten part of CICO is stored energy and 1lb of body fat represents more stored energy than 1lb of muscle.

But "in the real world" it doesn't actually really matter, so suggest you just maintain your weight, rehab and then get back to full training. Keep it simple, over the long term this is just a bump in the road.

trigden1991

AJF230 wrote: »

I think the rule of thumb is to consume 1.1 - 1.4 grams of protein per day per pound of lean body mass, to maintain and not atrophy. So that my help while healing. (consult your doctor or nutritionist!)

Protein at 0.8-1g/lb of lean mass is the generally accepted values. Any more is wasted for sedentary or low activity individuals.

ARGriffy

I'd say I understood about 30% of those stats but the general message of watch the weight and re train when healed came through

ARGriffy

Oh and I asked my gp about it today and got a blank look. .. doctors are a bit different in the UK haha

ARGriffy

trigden1991 wrote: »

AJF230 wrote: »

I think the rule of thumb is to consume 1.1 - 1.4 grams of protein per day per pound of lean body mass, to maintain and not atrophy. So that my help while healing. (consult your doctor or nutritionist!)

Protein at 0.8-1g/lb of lean mass is the generally accepted values. Any more is wasted for sedentary or low activity individuals.

So.. If I'm 126 lbs I need about 126g of protein a day? I was told to make sure I eat lots of protein to make sure my broken bone isn't using my muscle protein to repair but that could easily be absolute bull

EDIT: just checked macros and I'm no where near that lol I'm having about 70g a day oops!

redperphexion

ARGriffy wrote: »

So.. If I'm 126 lbs I need about 126g of protein a day? I was told to make sure I eat lots of protein to make sure my broken bone isn't using my muscle protein to repair but that could easily be absolute bull

EDIT: just checked macros and I'm no where near that lol I'm having about 70g a day oops

But if I understand correctly, a fit gal is likely 3/4 LEAN mass (everyone needs some fat and connective tissue to live well)... 0.8-1.0g protein/lb lean mass * 126/~.75 = ~75-85g a day.

cwolfman13

StealthHealth wrote: »

Summary: You stopped exercising. You can see and measure a reduction in muscle. You can see and feel an increase in fat. You weigh the same.

Conclusion: You've lost some muscle and gained an equal weight in fat.

In your case, I would re-start the training regime without significantly changing my eating. Monitor for a few weeks and then if required drop the cals slightly. I advise this because you will see composition and weight changes when resuming the training and messing about with the calories during this highly fluid (no pun intended) period will just make monitoring a whole lot more of a guesstimate.

This exactly...

I've been on IR for about 12 weeks and this is exactly what I'm doing...

JoRocka

ARGriffy wrote: »

trigden1991 wrote: »

AJF230 wrote: »

I think the rule of thumb is to consume 1.1 - 1.4 grams of protein per day per pound of lean body mass, to maintain and not atrophy. So that my help while healing. (consult your doctor or nutritionist!)

Protein at 0.8-1g/lb of lean mass is the generally accepted values. Any more is wasted for sedentary or low activity individuals.

So.. If I'm 126 lbs I need about 126g of protein a day? I was told to make sure I eat lots of protein to make sure my broken bone isn't using my muscle protein to repair but that could easily be absolute bull

EDIT: just checked macros and I'm no where near that lol I'm having about 70g a day oops!

PER LEAN mass.

Not per pound

That's different- so say you're 10% body fat (to use an even number)
- that's 12.6- roughly 113 pounds of muscle- so- 113 grams of protein.

Really if you want just aim for anything over 100. it's a good mark to aim for.

ARGriffy

redperphexion wrote: »

ARGriffy wrote: »

So.. If I'm 126 lbs I need about 126g of protein a day? I was told to make sure I eat lots of protein to make sure my broken bone isn't using my muscle protein to repair but that could easily be absolute bull

EDIT: just checked macros and I'm no where near that lol I'm having about 70g a day oops

But if I understand correctly, a fit gal is likely 3/4 LEAN mass (everyone needs some fat and connective tissue to live well)... 0.8-1.0g protein/lb lean mass * 126/~.75 = ~75-85g a day.

Aaahhhh so as I'm about 25% fat the amount im eating is about right then! Learning so much! I never paid attention to macros always just cal counted and enjoyed hauling my body weight about!

JoRocka

it's 0.8 per POUND

or 1 per LEAN mass.

They get swapped around a lot.

so 0.8 per 126 = 100.

so 100 vs 113.

like I said- anything over 100 is generally adequate for most peoples needs.