Gaining muscle and not losing fat?

hannahsharratt27

I began my journey in October to lose around a stone and get more defined. I do two cardio classes a week, and weight train four times a week (leg day, shoulders day, back and biceps, chest and triceps). I weigh myself once a week in the morning and I've been losing around a pound each week, which is what I would expect as MFP is set for losing 1 lb a week. My muscles are getting bigger, especially in my arms but they are still hiding under a fair amount of fat. When lifting weights or using the machines they seem to be popping out which they never used to so I know they are coming along, and the fact I can feel my arms getting harder.

My confusion is here, from the research I've done so I don't waste time in making mistakes, I thought it was either losing weight OR gaining muscles. And I thought for gaining muscle you had to be eating more calories, not be in a calorie deficit like I am. Am I doing something wrong? There is no way I am not logging my calories accurately as I weigh everything and if in the slightest bit of doubt I'll overestimate. I am also usually just under my calorie goal, before taking exercise into account. I do not eat back calories most of the time unless I'm out for dinner/eating at a friends.

.....or am I just being impatient and this is just the process and the fat will be slowly going as the muscle builds? I'm still a newbie at all of this so any help is appreciated. Sorry if this a daft post, just wanting to make sure I'm doing it right.

mom23mangos

You may be gaining a little muscle, but the bigger thing at play is that you are losing fat. You said yourself you are losing around a lb a week. Because there is less fat covering your muscles, they are becoming more apparent. They are popping more at the gym because they have pump. So yes, just be patient and continue to slowly lose fat while you strength train to retain your muscles.

sardelsa

When you start lifting, your muscles can retain water and looked pumped up, there can be some newb gains when you start but I would not say it is very significant to make a huge visual impact (as in you won't naturally start to look like a pro bodybuilder in a deficit), the main reason to lift in a deficit will be to retain muscle... so you are mostly retaining the muscle you already have in your body. You can get stronger though (which doesn't always equate to more muscle). In order to gain significant muscle, you will want to be in a surplus, but I wouldn't worry about that now (or perhaps at all depending on your goals).

Just keep being patient...fat comes off slowly in certain places and in order to see definition you may have to get fairly lean.

Silentpadna

If you've never lifted before, you may also be in that rare exception area, where for a short time you'll make gains in muscle mass. This is only true, however, if you are doing progressive overload (i.e. a stress-recovery-adaptation cycle with increasing loads) without having ever lifted before. As @sardelsa says, the main reason to lift in a deficit is to maintain the muscle you have. It's rare to gain muscle in a deficit, but that should not stop you from doing everything you can to still build it. The concepts are the same, but progress is slower when it comes to progressing in strength.

RoxieDawn

To echo the above posts, and to comment that making your progress as optimal as possible comes down to three things: One keeping your calorie deficit not too aggressive, if you are reaching weight goal (last 10-5 pounds), you want to slow that down to .5 a week. Keep up with a progressive overload strength training program and consume enough protein to support your training and calorie deficit. Its hard to build muscle as women, so give your progress ample time and patience, you can choose to move to recomp when you reach the last few pounds or your initial weight goal and keep going. Later on if you wish you can go the bulk/cut cycles route if you choose.

Well done on your progress!

sriesenbeck

What is the bulk/cut cycle?. I've been struggling for over a year to lose 10 lbs. No matter how I change my diet I can't seem to lose it. I lift heavy 4-5 days a week and do cardio 2-3 times a week.

sardelsa

sriesenbeck wrote: »

What is the bulk/cut cycle?. I've been struggling for over a year to lose 10 lbs. No matter how I change my diet I can't seem to lose it. I lift heavy 4-5 days a week and do cardio 2-3 times a week.

Bulking is basically eating in a surplus for a period of time while lifting with the goal to put on muscle. Unfortunately, that does come with fat gains so that is where the cutting comes into play, so after you gain you eat in a deficit to lose the fat but maintain the muscle. You do this as many times as you need to achieve your desired goals.

The last 10lbs can be difficult as you have less wiggle room in your deficit and be masked by water weight fluctuations. Being more accurate with logging...weighing and measuring everything can help.

cwolfman13

sriesenbeck wrote: »

What is the bulk/cut cycle?. I've been struggling for over a year to lose 10 lbs. No matter how I change my diet I can't seem to lose it. I lift heavy 4-5 days a week and do cardio 2-3 times a week.

bulk = eat in a calorie surplus while lifting and you gain both muscle and fat...bulk cycles are typically run for months and are started at a relatively low BF%.

cut = losing weight (fat)...when you bulk you put on both muscle and fat so you have to cut the fat to reveal the muscle you just built.

It's not really something that is appropriate for the vast majority of people...the vast majority of people would do well to just eat and train and build their physiques over time (re-comp). Bulking and cutting cycles are appropriate for people with advanced body composition goals...body building, physique competition, etc...they may also be appropriate for someone who's just skinny and they need to put on weight...better to have that weight be more muscle than fat.

It's not a willy nilly thing though...it takes some knowledge and you have to accept the fact that you're going to get a little fat along the way.

mom23mangos

@cwolfman13, that's exactly what I ended up doing. I just ate and trained and my body recomposition changed over time. However, it ended up being sort of bulkish where I gained a few pounds of fat too that I had to cut. It was just over a really, really long time. But I agree, if you aren't in a rush just live your life and enjoy the changes that come with living a healthy lifestyle.

Chieflrg

Just a pump from lifting that is temporary is what you are seeing.

You are correct, to keep it simple...

You are either in a surplus and possibly gaining muscle and some fat.

Or in a deficit and losing fat and possibly retaining some muscle. It is possible to gain some muscle initially with very little stress to the muscle, but it doesn't last long and isn't anything substantial.