Gaining too fast? Bulking side effects?

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Replies

  • VintageFeline
    VintageFeline Posts: 6,771 Member
    So, assuming that I have the details correct....here is what I have for you:

    Gender: female
    Age: 32
    Height: 5'7"
    Weight: 116lbs

    Basal Metabolic Rate 1,269 calories per day
    Sedentary 1,523 calories per day
    Light Exercise 1,745 calories per day
    Moderate Exercise 1,967 calories per day
    Heavy Exercise 2,189 calories per day
    Athlete 2,411 calories per day

    So, the BMR is exactly that. The PAL (Physical Activity Level) determines the "multiplier" used to determine your TDEE. I took the liberty to list all of them.

    If any of the details that I used to calculate this information is wrong (your age is the thing where I am not sure) please let me know as it will change the information for you.

    And, please keep in mind that these formulas and the results are simply starting points. Everyone is different (genetics, life style, nutritional history, et al) and these formulas generally provide a good starting point. So, I want to be very clear about this....the numbers above (assuming that the details I used are correct) are a STARTING POINT.

    And, keep in mind that the numbers above are your TDEE. So, if you are trying to gain weight then you would need to add calories appropriately. As an example, adding 500 calories a day (or, 3,500 calories a week) will generally result in a gain of 1lb a week. So, adjust according to your goal.

    Make sense?

    Thanks so much for your help! 32? I wish! I am 42. Everything else is correct, however today I did weigh in at 114.8. I know it's been one 116 all week so probably just a fluke thing.
    I will look for an update. I again really appreciate your help! I posted this before, didn't really get a clear-cut answer. So I'll ask you. Should I add in my exercise calories when trying to eat in a surplus?
    Thx!!

    Depends what method you are using. If TDEE then no, it's accounted for assuming you've picked the right activity level.

    If using MFP as intended then yes, you should eat those calories.

    Again, your own data will tell you if you're accounting for it correctly but you have to pick a method and stick with it.
  • rachelfetterley
    rachelfetterley Posts: 19 Member
    So, assuming that I have the details correct....here is what I have for you:

    Gender: female
    Age: 32
    Height: 5'7"
    Weight: 116lbs

    Basal Metabolic Rate 1,269 calories per day
    Sedentary 1,523 calories per day
    Light Exercise 1,745 calories per day
    Moderate Exercise 1,967 calories per day
    Heavy Exercise 2,189 calories per day
    Athlete 2,411 calories per day

    So, the BMR is exactly that. The PAL (Physical Activity Level) determines the "multiplier" used to determine your TDEE. I took the liberty to list all of them.

    If any of the details that I used to calculate this information is wrong (your age is the thing where I am not sure) please let me know as it will change the information for you.

    And, please keep in mind that these formulas and the results are simply starting points. Everyone is different (genetics, life style, nutritional history, et al) and these formulas generally provide a good starting point. So, I want to be very clear about this....the numbers above (assuming that the details I used are correct) are a STARTING POINT.

    And, keep in mind that the numbers above are your TDEE. So, if you are trying to gain weight then you would need to add calories appropriately. As an example, adding 500 calories a day (or, 3,500 calories a week) will generally result in a gain of 1lb a week. So, adjust according to your goal.

    Make sense?

    Thanks so much for your help! 32? I wish! I am 42. Everything else is correct, however today I did weigh in at 114.8. I know it's been one 116 all week so probably just a fluke thing.
    I will look for an update. I again really appreciate your help! I posted this before, didn't really get a clear-cut answer. So I'll ask you. Should I add in my exercise calories when trying to eat in a surplus?
    Thx!!

    Depends what method you are using. If TDEE then no, it's accounted for assuming you've picked the right activity level.

    If using MFP as intended then yes, you should eat those calories.

    Again, your own data will tell you if you're accounting for it correctly but you have to pick a method and stick with it.

    Makes sense! Thanks everyone!
  • worldofalice
    worldofalice Posts: 148 Member
    I thought I'd just chip in on this and let you know I'm in a similar boat... mine is a long story but 8 weeks ago I hired a coach and increased from 1700 (okay, it HAD been 1700 for ages, except the two weeks before I increased it had been more like 900-1400), to 2000. Four lifting sessions a week, walking anywhere between 5000-15000 steps a day. I've gained a steady 1lb a week, gone from 45.4 kg to 49.3. Weight & muscle gain was the goal but this feels SO fast and isn't showing any sign of slowing down! Even though in the past 4 weeks my measurements have barely changed. I'm at a loss and realllly hope it starts to ease off soon. I don't mind gaining, it's just the speed that's scaring me. These comments have been helpful!
  • LivingtheLeanDream
    LivingtheLeanDream Posts: 13,345 Member
    I thought I'd just chip in on this and let you know I'm in a similar boat... mine is a long story but 8 weeks ago I hired a coach and increased from 1700 (okay, it HAD been 1700 for ages, except the two weeks before I increased it had been more like 900-1400), to 2000. Four lifting sessions a week, walking anywhere between 5000-15000 steps a day. I've gained a steady 1lb a week, gone from 45.4 kg to 49.3. Weight & muscle gain was the goal but this feels SO fast and isn't showing any sign of slowing down! Even though in the past 4 weeks my measurements have barely changed. I'm at a loss and realllly hope it starts to ease off soon. I don't mind gaining, it's just the speed that's scaring me. These comments have been helpful!

    If your measurements have barely changed thats a positive thing.
    Its mostly just getting your head around seeing gain that would take getting used to I would imagine. You are at a low weight so you know that you need to gain. Track your intake accurately so you can be confident during this gaining process and if it doesn't level off to say 0.5lb per week gain over the next few weeks then adjust your calories accordingly.
  • LiftHeavyThings27105
    LiftHeavyThings27105 Posts: 2,086 Member
    edited September 2017
    @rachelfetterley - sorry for the late reply. Here are the BMR and TDEE numbers with the 'modified' details:

    Gender: female
    Age: 42
    Height: 5'7"
    Weight: 116lbs

    Basal Metabolic Rate 1,219 calories per day
    Sedentary 1,463 calories per day
    Light Exercise 1,676 calories per day
    Moderate Exercise 1,889 calories per day
    Heavy Exercise 2,102 calories per day
    Athlete 2,316 calories per day

    And, so that there is no confusion - the above numbers are *NOT* calculated from MFP (so no need to add in activity calories). The numbers above would be actual TDEE numbers (well, 'actual starting point TDEE numbers). :wink:

    Keep in mind - as well - that the above numbers are "maintenance" numbers so to cut fat you would need to be below those numbers and to bulk you would need to be above those numbers. Just wanted to be clear on that.
  • LiftHeavyThings27105
    LiftHeavyThings27105 Posts: 2,086 Member
    And agree with @VintageFeline - find one method and stick to it. So, if it is your intention to use MFP (as I suspect that it is) then please forgive my non-MFP numbers. Trying to be helpful. But, throwing in a second methodology might just be adding confusion to everything. :neutral:
  • donkey9512
    donkey9512 Posts: 60 Member
    edited September 2017
    I thought I'd just chip in on this and let you know I'm in a similar boat... mine is a long story but 8 weeks ago I hired a coach and increased from 1700 (okay, it HAD been 1700 for ages, except the two weeks before I increased it had been more like 900-1400), to 2000. Four lifting sessions a week, walking anywhere between 5000-15000 steps a day. I've gained a steady 1lb a week, gone from 45.4 kg to 49.3. Weight & muscle gain was the goal but this feels SO fast and isn't showing any sign of slowing down! Even though in the past 4 weeks my measurements have barely changed. I'm at a loss and realllly hope it starts to ease off soon. I don't mind gaining, it's just the speed that's scaring me. These comments have been helpful!

    If your measurements have barely changed thats a positive thing.
    Its mostly just getting your head around seeing gain that would take getting used to I would imagine. You are at a low weight so you know that you need to gain. Track your intake accurately so you can be confident during this gaining process and if it doesn't level off to say 0.5lb per week gain over the next few weeks then adjust your calories accordingly.

    Agreed. Also, I read a pound of fat takes up 4 times the space as a pound of muscle. Something to keep in mind when you measure yourself. So if your measurements barely changed, that is an awesome job! It means maybe you lost fat and gained muscle mass!
  • donkey9512
    donkey9512 Posts: 60 Member
    edited September 2017
    You need to measure and weigh often and take averages and compare at time points month by month. Certainly not daily comparisons and weekly comparisons need to be carefully averaged.

    I just reread and see you only started 8 weeks ago. I doubt you gained more than 1 lb of weight in a week( either muscle or fat). Water weight is a major factor that creates up to 4 lb fluctuations! It has only been eight weeks and early to draw conclusions. Any weight gain is good weight when you are very underweight.

    Just keep lifting weights and eating! Sometimes I wish I were underweight so I could eat alot. Maybe you did gain a significant amount of muscle.
  • rybo
    rybo Posts: 5,424 Member
    donkey9512 wrote: »
    I thought I'd just chip in on this and let you know I'm in a similar boat... mine is a long story but 8 weeks ago I hired a coach and increased from 1700 (okay, it HAD been 1700 for ages, except the two weeks before I increased it had been more like 900-1400), to 2000. Four lifting sessions a week, walking anywhere between 5000-15000 steps a day. I've gained a steady 1lb a week, gone from 45.4 kg to 49.3. Weight & muscle gain was the goal but this feels SO fast and isn't showing any sign of slowing down! Even though in the past 4 weeks my measurements have barely changed. I'm at a loss and realllly hope it starts to ease off soon. I don't mind gaining, it's just the speed that's scaring me. These comments have been helpful!

    If your measurements have barely changed thats a positive thing.
    Its mostly just getting your head around seeing gain that would take getting used to I would imagine. You are at a low weight so you know that you need to gain. Track your intake accurately so you can be confident during this gaining process and if it doesn't level off to say 0.5lb per week gain over the next few weeks then adjust your calories accordingly.

    Agreed. Also, I read a pound of fat takes up 4 times the space as a pound of muscle. Something to keep in mind when you measure yourself. So if your measurements barely changed, that is an awesome job! It means maybe you lost fat and gained muscle mass!

    That's very false. It's no where close to 4x. It's not nearly the difference most people think and what had been touted for many years. It's a lot close to 1.1x the volume, fairly minimal in the grand scheme.
  • LiftHeavyThings27105
    LiftHeavyThings27105 Posts: 2,086 Member
    They might be thinking about the 1g of Carb has 3.8g of Water? I mean, the numbers (4x1) make sense.

    Well, actually 1g of Glycogen is bound to 3.8g of Water.....a rose is still a rose by any other name, right? :smile:
  • donkey9512
    donkey9512 Posts: 60 Member
    edited September 2017
    rybo wrote: »
    donkey9512 wrote: »
    I thought I'd just chip in on this and let you know I'm in a similar boat... mine is a long story but 8 weeks ago I hired a coach and increased from 1700 (okay, it HAD been 1700 for ages, except the two weeks before I increased it had been more like 900-1400), to 2000. Four lifting sessions a week, walking anywhere between 5000-15000 steps a day. I've gained a steady 1lb a week, gone from 45.4 kg to 49.3. Weight & muscle gain was the goal but this feels SO fast and isn't showing any sign of slowing down! Even though in the past 4 weeks my measurements have barely changed. I'm at a loss and realllly hope it starts to ease off soon. I don't mind gaining, it's just the speed that's scaring me. These comments have been helpful!

    If your measurements have barely changed thats a positive thing.
    Its mostly just getting your head around seeing gain that would take getting used to I would imagine. You are at a low weight so you know that you need to gain. Track your intake accurately so you can be confident during this gaining process and if it doesn't level off to say 0.5lb per week gain over the next few weeks then adjust your calories accordingly.

    Agreed. Also, I read a pound of fat takes up 4 times the space as a pound of muscle. Something to keep in mind when you measure yourself. So if your measurements barely changed, that is an awesome job! It means maybe you lost fat and gained muscle mass!

    That's very false. It's no where close to 4x. It's not nearly the difference most people think and what had been touted for many years. It's a lot close to 1.1x the volume, fairly minimal in the grand scheme.

    It sounds extreme but I read it somewhere and looked at some pictures. It's pretty gross. I know that fat is all jiggily on the body. Maybe the fat has more water? A pound of muscle is hard and dense and a pound of fat is soft and squishy so it makes sense that there is more displacement. If its only 1.1x, then it means its equally dense and I'll skip body building and just put on some fat!
    Maybe we should split the difference and say 2.5x the volume.
  • AnvilHead
    AnvilHead Posts: 18,344 Member
    donkey9512 wrote: »
    I thought I'd just chip in on this and let you know I'm in a similar boat... mine is a long story but 8 weeks ago I hired a coach and increased from 1700 (okay, it HAD been 1700 for ages, except the two weeks before I increased it had been more like 900-1400), to 2000. Four lifting sessions a week, walking anywhere between 5000-15000 steps a day. I've gained a steady 1lb a week, gone from 45.4 kg to 49.3. Weight & muscle gain was the goal but this feels SO fast and isn't showing any sign of slowing down! Even though in the past 4 weeks my measurements have barely changed. I'm at a loss and realllly hope it starts to ease off soon. I don't mind gaining, it's just the speed that's scaring me. These comments have been helpful!

    If your measurements have barely changed thats a positive thing.
    Its mostly just getting your head around seeing gain that would take getting used to I would imagine. You are at a low weight so you know that you need to gain. Track your intake accurately so you can be confident during this gaining process and if it doesn't level off to say 0.5lb per week gain over the next few weeks then adjust your calories accordingly.

    Agreed. Also, I read a pound of fat takes up 4 times the space as a pound of muscle. Something to keep in mind when you measure yourself. So if your measurements barely changed, that is an awesome job! It means maybe you lost fat and gained muscle mass!

    False.

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  • ScubaGreaves
    ScubaGreaves Posts: 1 Member
    114 POUNDS? holy *kitten* buddy, you are tiny! Hit the buffet 3×Day for 2 years then come back.