What's Happening? Looking much different after just one week ...

youdoyou2016

I have a question for those with more knowledge / experience than I:

I'm just able to get into the gym to lift weights after 7 months of not being able to do anything due to an injury. This week, I've gone to the gym and lifted weights (only upper body until my leg heals) three times for about 20-25 minutes total.

I am really surprised how different I look after such a short time: arms noticeably firmer, belly flatter, etc. (I'm 5' 1" and 120 lbs, in a deficit and thinking I could lose 10 lbs., I guess.)

I'm curious what is happening (the number on the scale hasn't changed). Am I losing fat in such a short amount of time with what occurs to me as fairly short sessions? I guess I must be, but I'm curious how the body reacts with weight training. I can't have burned that many calories, so what's happening? (I hope this makes sense ...)

arsenalocus

Fat can be burned extremely quick, depending on what kind of fat your holding. First 6 months of going to the gym are the most important for building blocks, as your body is shocked into a shape by surprise. After 6 months your body then starts to understand and suddenly the workouts get less results! Then you turn your workouts around and reshock etc.

Don't use scales for fat loss, because muscle will easily outweigh fat. You need to take a few pictures and measurements of yourself and give yourself a month of hardwork and recheck yourself.

If you want to keep an eye on your fat, either buy a body fat caliper or maybe some body fat scales, but only check yourself first thing AM as water retention and food consumption will give false readings 4 hours prior to weighing in.

elfin168

google "muscle pump" after workou

youdoyou2016

elfin168 wrote: »

google "muscle pump" after workou

Yeah, I thought about that, but that's not what I'm talking about. I was last in the gym for weights on Tu, and now it's Sat.

I have lifted in the past, so understand what to do in the gym and what to expect. Just curious what "happens" -- the things that are going on in there.

Like when I'm able to start running again, I know more capillaries are created, etc. I've read about X happening in the first minutes, then Y happens as you continue. Then, after a few weeks, Z occurs, etc. Just curious about the equivalent for weights.


*Edited for spelling

size102b

Muscle does not outweigh fat 1 lb muscle weighs the same as 1 lb fat 1lb
Muscle takes up less room hence toned but it doesn't weigh more

ThatUserNameIsAllReadyTaken

arsenalocus wrote: »

Fat can be burned extremely quick, depending on what kind of fat your holding. First 6 months of going to the gym are the most important for building blocks, as your body is shocked into a shape by surprise. After 6 months your body then starts to understand and suddenly the workouts get less results! Then you turn your workouts around and reshock etc.

Don't use scales for fat loss, because muscle will easily outweigh fat. You need to take a few pictures and measurements of yourself and give yourself a month of hardwork and recheck yourself.

If you want to keep an eye on your fat, either buy a body fat caliper or maybe some body fat scales, but only check yourself first thing AM as water retention and food consumption will give false readings 4 hours prior to weighing in.

I have never heard this before. What kinds of fat are there? Are we talking visceral brown fat and yellow fat or some other kind?

usmcmp

youdoyou2016 wrote: »

elfin168 wrote: »

google "muscle pump" after workou

Yeah, I thought about that, but that's not what I'm talking about. I was last in the gym for weights on Tu, and now it's Sat.

I have lifted in the past, so understand what to do in the gym and what to expect. Just curious what "happens" -- the things that are going on in there.

Like when I'm able to start running again, I know more capillaries are created, etc. I've read about X happening in the first minutes, then Y happens as you continue. Then, after a few weeks, Z occurs, etc. Just curious about the equivalent for weights.


*Edited for spelling

You said you lifted 3 times, but they were all Tuesday or before?

It's still muscle pump and since you're not obese the fuller muscles are showing more. There's in the gym pump and then there's the swollen muscles for a while after you lift. Swollen muscles are part of the healing process because you create damage while lifting and your body has to send blood/nutrients there to fix the damage (sort of like when you get a cut on your skin, it swells for a bit).

comptonelizabeth

I'm not sure what's going on but I'm living proof that lifting doesn't give you a flatter belly - at least not if you're eating in a surplus

youdoyou2016

usmcmp wrote: »

youdoyou2016 wrote: »

elfin168 wrote: »

google "muscle pump" after workou

Yeah, I thought about that, but that's not what I'm talking about. I was last in the gym for weights on Tu, and now it's Sat.

I have lifted in the past, so understand what to do in the gym and what to expect. Just curious what "happens" -- the things that are going on in there.

Like when I'm able to start running again, I know more capillaries are created, etc. I've read about X happening in the first minutes, then Y happens as you continue. Then, after a few weeks, Z occurs, etc. Just curious about the equivalent for weights.


*Edited for spelling

You said you lifted 3 times, but they were all Tuesday or before?

It's still muscle pump and since you're not obese the fuller muscles are showing more. There's in the gym pump and then there's the swollen muscles for a while after you lift. Swollen muscles are part of the healing process because you create damage while lifting and your body has to send blood/nutrients there to fix the damage (sort of like when you get a cut on your skin, it swells for a bit).

Yeah, before Tu. Cool -- I'm pumped! Go figure!

se015

I think you should start taking actual measurements and should also monitor your body fat %, this is a pretty good indicator of how much muscle/fat your body is made up of. I'm not sure that you should be necessarily at a calorie deficit if you want muscle. Muscles need to be fed so they calories, carbs, protein, and fat, all 3. Yes Carbs are also good for muscle building, not just protein. Anyways, I'm not really sure what your goals are and don't know your history very well, but I think your diet should have enough calories to at least maintain your weight.

youdoyou2016

Seth1825 wrote: »

I think you should start taking actual measurements and should also monitor your body fat %, this is a pretty good indicator of how much muscle/fat your body is made up of. I'm not sure that you should be necessarily at a calorie deficit if you want muscle. Muscles need to be fed so they calories, carbs, protein, and fat, all 3. Yes Carbs are also good for muscle building, not just protein. Anyways, I'm not really sure what your goals are and don't know your history very well, but I think your diet should have enough calories to at least maintain your weight.

Thanks for the response. My question was just out of curiosity about how the body works, and I wasn't thinking about my own goals.

But now you've got me thinking.

I do take measurements, photos, etc. I just figured I have about 10 lbs left to lose by looking in the mirror. I should ("should" taken with a grain of salt) weigh about 105-110, I think. I'm just playing it by ear at this point.

An immediate goal I have is to get stronger, but I haven't given any thought about how to measure that. I've gotten really weak and am noticing it doing everyday things like carrying a grocery bag. I'm finally well enough to do upper body stuff, so I went to the gym and am using the machines (bc they're a little easier for me right now). I think -- being as short as I am (5'1") -- that carrying around some extra weight, even if it's "just" 5 or 10 pounds, makes things more difficult than they were pre-injury. I can get stronger while still in a deficit, right? I really didn't think I was ready for a recomp.

se015

I believe you can get stronger while on a deficit. To gain overall strength you should always challenge your strength which is why at least for me lifting low reps with heavy weight works. So pick weights that you can lift 4-6 reps and do 3 or 4 sets even 5 sets if you want more work done for your muscles. Do key compound lifts that engage several muscles at once. Your Rows, pull ups, lat pull downs, bench press, shoulder press are key for you at this stage especially. You said your legs are recovering from injury, but when you're ready and it's safe to do so you should start doing deadlifts and not sure for you if squats will benefit so you can use leg press as an alternative to prevent possible re-injury. Use what's call the Smith machine for some of these if you're not ready for free weights, but machines can only help so much, they do help build strength, but free weights require use of balance, stability, and core which help you gain OVERALL body strength if that makes sense. For example doing a free barbell bench press requires a lot more of your body strength than flys on a machine or chest press machine. You will still gain strength. Also if you're able to do dips or pull ups, I'd suggest doing weighted dips and pull ups, those really helped me gain lots of strength as well.

youdoyou2016

I broke out the tape measure this morning.

After 2 wks of lifting (3xs a wk), I lost 1" off each arm, 1 1/4" off my belly, 1 3/4" off my waist, and 1 off my neck. (I can't do anything with my lower body yet.) I'm pretty pleased and pleasantly surprised. My intention was just to start getting active again and increase my strength, but shrinking is pretty good and very welcome, too.

I'm still not sure what is happening exactly or how it works, but whatever it is it's pretty sweet.

Rusty740

You were asking how to measure your strength progress. Here's how. Add volume to your exercises.

Lets says you do bench press 3 sets of 8 reps at 75 lbs. That's 1800 lbs. Next week do 9 reps for 2025 lbs, next week do 10 reps for 2250 lbs.

Now drop the reps back to 8 and up the weight to 80 lbs. 3 x 8 x 80 = 1920, 3 x 9 x 80 = 2160, 3 x 10 x 80 = 2400.

Congratulations you just went from 1800 lbs to 2400 lbs. It's a bit simplistic, but that's one way of measuring your progress. The one thing to remember is you gotta write this stuff down. You're going to be doing several exercises with a bench of sets and reps and weights and you won't remember a thing. Heres' a great example. http://jamesclear.com/workout-journal

lorrpb

size102b wrote: »

Muscle does not outweigh fat 1 lb muscle weighs the same as 1 lb fat 1lb
Muscle takes up less room hence toned but it doesn't weigh more

For the same volume, muscle weighs more, example 5 cubic inches of muscle weighs more than 5 cubic inches of fat. That's what it means.

AnnPT77

No matter how much fat and muscle weigh, or how big they are, a week worth of lifting is not going to build any amount of muscle measurable outside a lab (especially for a woman, sadly). One week may burn measurable fat, but not a whole lot in a 120-pound person who isn't very overweight, who isn't literally starving.

I'm with the muscle repair kind of explanation, personally. I don't have a technical explanation why it would be so, but I can imagine things kind of tightening up for reasons related to re-starting the exercise program.

Congrats, OP, on getting back in the swing of things, and seeing some happy results so fast.