5lb dumbells ok?
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@TavistockToad im sorry for the confusion. im not pregnant. yet. just needed the info. planning to.0
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@ndj1979 i did gain almost 10 lbs, but havent changed the way i wanted to. i look the same
thats why im aiming 20. i dont know why all this calorie surplus ppl were advising me to commit to hasnt helped me see results. thats why i asked about the dumbbells. jus want to kno if the 5lb dumbells with consistent workout will help. thanks for all of your information, i appreciate it 
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Here is a realistic answer:
Gaining 20 lb's in the "right places" is impossible. When you are on a caloric surplus, you will gain a lot of fat with the muscle. Guys usually pack on more muscle, where women gain less muscles. Either case, a lot more than half of that 20lb's will be fat.
Most people "bulk" basically staying on caloric surplus while on a good weight-lifting program, with isolation moves included gain the fat & muscles, and then cut, continuing the weight-lifting, losing as little muscle as possible while shedding the fat. You might see immediate results at first after activating the said muscles but that wont really be a "real" gain. The location of the fat gain is purely genetic, you can't really help that.
As for the "right places", I am going to assume thighs and glutes, which 5 lb dumbbells will not create optimal results to be honest. You need to have bigger loads on your muscles for them to grow. Things like Barbell Hip Thrusts, heavier squats, and deadlifts. This might be the reason why you aren't seeing results, you are not pushing the muscles enough to increase in size.
I would get on a small caloric surplus, and get in a serious lifting program if I wanted to build that kind of serious muscle (20 lb's of muscle is serious stuff), or lower my expectations and aim for something realistic that I can achieve with 5 lb dumbbells, which is not so much. You can take your time and increase the weight slowly anyways. None starts their lifting journey with super heavy lifts.
As for pregnancy.. I have no idea.7 -
5lbs might feel heavy to start with but you will soon progress (trust me,I felt the same!)
If you do become pregnant you should get advice from your doctor about lifting.2 -
This from subcounter ^^^ is great advice. From what I have read, it is a lot easier to be fat and work your way down to muscle than to be skinny and work your way up; I started at 180 and have worked down to 140 while preserving the muscle that I have, and there may or may not have been an incidental dirty bulk over Christmas.
I think the rule of thumb I have read is that women can put on a pound of muscle a month with a very dedicated program and correct nutrition. Another thing that you should look into is the matter of "newbie gains." Basically, when you start, you have a sweet spot of a few months where you may be able to put on more muscle than average just because you are brand new. So, you are going to want to take advantage of that. I looked around a little and thought this was a good article for someone who is skinny: http://bonytobeastly.com/ectomorphs-newbie-gains-guide/
One of the lifts mentioned in the article are goblet squats, and this is something where you will probably rapidly progress to needing more weight. The good thing about a lift like this is that you could use something heavy around the house, for example, a large rock or a jar filled with coins, if you don't want to invest in heavier weights right now. But goblet squats and glute bridges are something where you will rapidly progress into 20, 30, 40 or more lbs. You might also want to consider buying a single DB or kettlebell at the higher weights if your budget allows it. As you progress, you can use the single weight to do single-leg Romanian deadlifts, single arm floor presses, single arm rows, Kroc rows, KB or DB swings, step-ups, lunges, etc.
Bottom line, you don't want to waste your potential for newbie gains.2 -
you can always look into "you are your own gym" and start there..once you have maxed that program out maybe you can join a gym or get heavier dumbbells..1
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@subcounter , thank you SO much for taking the time to write and offer advice. Actually everything you have said makes a lot of sense. Looks like you know your stuff. It's cause everyone offers diff advise so it gets confusing. You see, i never cared for muscles or 20 lbs, my real goal was just to gain weight in my thighs and arms as i have always been underweight, period. but everywhere you ask for advice ppl always say to pack on muscle and not fat. i could settle for 10lbs, but i HAVE gained almost 10 lbs recently after the calorie surplus, just not sure where it all went i appreciate your advice and opinion. Thank you ! 0
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@French_Peasant
wow, your words, very very helpful and inspiring. I think im going to take your word on the goblet squat , etc. it's reassuring considering i have heard it in a few places but wasnt sure. Can i start with the 5lb? or 10lb? or must the beginning be a higher dumbbell?
THANKS SO MUCH FOR YOUR ADVICE. XOXO 0 -
@comptonelizabeth can i still see some results with the 5lbs, or thats just to start me off and then i have to progress to higher weights?
Thanks for your words 0 -
If you are looking for strength based workouts that do not require a gym you can also try looking for 'body-weight' or 'calisthenic' exercises. These exercises certainly aren't going to get you the 'gains' that you would get from an actual lifting program but I am also a petite lady, and they have helped me build a lot of strength.1
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@comptonelizabeth can i still see some results with the 5lbs, or thats just to start me off and then i have to progress to higher weights?
Thanks for your words
you will but they will be slight and it will not take long for that 5# dumbbell to feel too light..
I would suggest starting with "you are your own gym" and when you have maxed that out move on to something more advanced. Maybe try to save x-amount of money per week that you can put towards a gym membership or equipment...2 -
@subcounter , thank you SO much for taking the time to write and offer advice. Actually everything you have said makes a lot of sense. Looks like you know your stuff. It's cause everyone offers diff advise so it gets confusing. You see, i never cared for muscles or 20 lbs, my real goal was just to gain weight in my thighs and arms as i have always been underweight, period. but everywhere you ask for advice ppl always say to pack on muscle and not fat. i could settle for 10lbs, but i HAVE gained almost 10 lbs recently after the calorie surplus, just not sure where it all went i appreciate your advice and opinion. Thank you !
the thing is if you gain weight you wont just gain it in your thighs and arms. you will gain it everywhere. you cant pick and choose where the fat goes. muscle is better than fat though and to me its healthier.if you want to see your thighs and arms get bigger you will have to follow a progressive lifting program along with the surplus.
you will still gain fat but you will build some muscle too,it takes time though.Basically what Im saying is the same thing subcounter said.you cant gain weight where you want. and you cant lose where you want. I wish it were that easy.1 -
Also, to get to the crux of your problem....you want to be able to put on weight in specific places and your body doesn't work that way. You either A) are an apple shape and you will put on considerable belly weight before it starts showing up on your arms and legs or
you are lucky and evenly distribute your fat in which case you will need to gain more overall for it to show where you want. By adding an exercise program as people have suggested with progressive overload and eating at a surplus, you will also be adding muscle which will increase your size, but it's going to be rather slow. The fat gain will come faster and you can't control where that goes. 1 -
@CharlieBeansmomTracey
thank you so much for your advice. im okay with "gain it everywhere" im just not understanding where all the weight i gained this past month went to? i have gained almost 10lbs after increasing my calories, but no change in my body, i just see my stomach appears a lil more flabby. Any thoughts on that?
Also, the progressive lifting program, does that include working out everyday? can i work out consecutively? cause i want to. But some ppl r confusing me with allowing your muscles to heal a day or two. whats the proper workout schedule for a skinny gal like me looking to put on some weight? which schedule would give me results if i do follow a progressive lifting program?
thank you again for your advice. Means a lot. 0 -
@rolenthegreat thanks for your words.
so your saying i will never be able to gain weight, just strength? even if i work hard for gaining weight? 0 -
@mom23mangos
i like how you broke it down, it's starting to make more sense now. I just want to know one thing though.. is all the working out at home, squats, lunges, bicep tricep curls all a waste of time? wud it help a little? cause im doing it every other day with 5lb pair dumbbells and i feel the pain too. And im doing 3 sets/12 reps for each exercise. 0 -
@CharlieBeansmomTracey
thank you so much for your advice. im okay with "gain it everywhere" im just not understanding where all the weight i gained this past month went to? i have gained almost 10lbs after increasing my calories, but no change in my body, i just see my stomach appears a lil more flabby. Any thoughts on that?
Also, the progressive lifting program, does that include working out everyday? can i work out consecutively? cause i want to. But some ppl r confusing me with allowing your muscles to heal a day or two. whats the proper workout schedule for a skinny gal like me looking to put on some weight? which schedule would give me results if i do follow a progressive lifting program?
thank you again for your advice. Means a lot.
sometimes you cant really see where you put on the weight. as for your belly being a little more flabby then a lot of the fat has most likely went there.as for the structured lifting program,it depends on how its structured. if it tells you to take a rest day here and there then do that.you do need to let the muscles heal though,if you dont you can end up with an overuse injury.so follow whatever the program states.
on days you dont lift you can swim,walk,etc if you want.you just dont want to work those muscles you already worked the next day.as for schedule its going to depend on the lifting program and what you can do.It also varies Im sure by person,what works for one person may not work for another.as for what rolenthgreat said. yes you can gain weight and strength too.I
If you are eating in a surplus you will gain weight..lifting will build strength and you will build muscle. it will take awhile to build muscle,but it will be worth it in the long run.
here is a page where you can look up all the lifting programs and see which one works best for you.http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10332083/which-lifting-program-is-the-best-for-you/p11 -
@mom23mangos
i like how you broke it down, it's starting to make more sense now. I just want to know one thing though.. is all the working out at home, squats, lunges, bicep tricep curls all a waste of time? wud it help a little? cause im doing it every other day with 5lb pair dumbbells and i feel the pain too. And im doing 3 sets/12 reps for each exercise.
In my opinion, anything that makes you stronger is not a waste of time. And it really depends on where you are starting from. If you've never exercised before, starting off with at home body weight exercises and 5lb dumbbells is going to take you fairly far (at least for a few weeks/months). You could continue to add mass to your arms by doing 'You Are Your Own Gym' or similar body weight programs. And your legs for a little while, but if you really want to add mass to your legs you will most likely need to either hit the gym where you can use considerable weight or get into something like cycling. But you are going to have to eat quite a bit and work really hard.1 -
@mom23mangos
i like how you broke it down, it's starting to make more sense now. I just want to know one thing though.. is all the working out at home, squats, lunges, bicep tricep curls all a waste of time? wud it help a little? cause im doing it every other day with 5lb pair dumbbells and i feel the pain too. And im doing 3 sets/12 reps for each exercise.
it is not a waste but with only 5 pound dumbbells you are going to hit a point where 3x12 or 4x12 is not heavy for you any more and without adding any weight, at that point, your progress will stall.2
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