How do I know if I am gaining muscle?

mcgeevercaitlin

I have been working out 5-6 times a week for the last month and still haven't seen a change in weight, could I be gaining muscle? I feel good and my clothes fit good just having trouble losing the last 10-15. I am a little scale obsessed I think that doesn't help. Any tips?

DanSanthomes

Tape measure - best £3 I've ever spent. If the scales move in the wrong direction, I check my measurements!

Good luck - keep going!

JacobNicolaus

An easy estimate would be to measure your body fat % - calipers and certain scales can do that. This should give you an estimate you can work against.

Take a look at the following articles, to get acquainted with the term, and how to measure against it, I hope it helps:
http://www.blogilates.com/blog/2011/05/12/5427378002/
http://www.leighpeele.com/body-fat-pictures-and-percentages
https://www.nerdfitness.com/blog/body-fat-percentage/

malibu927

The most accurate way to find out would be to get a Bodpod or DEXA scan. But if you aren't losing, it's more likely that you're eating more than you think. Are you tracking your calories and logging/weighing your food?

VintageFeline

Unless you are doing progressive overload strength training, you're not gaining muscle. If you are maintaining your weight it's even less likely (to gain muscle you need to eat at a surplus, much like to build an extension on a house, you need extra bricks etc). There are exceptions, such as newbie gains or recomp. Recomp wouldn't be any appreciable gain in a month though.

If you're not seeing a weight change, it's more likely to be an error in your food logging.