Muscle gains advice

I am a 19 yearold female.
My weight is 112lbs.
I am 5'4
my BMI is 19.
My BMR is like ****. So let's say 1212 making my tdee currently 1880. Or something.

I am getting a gym membership again on Saturday so I can start lifting and I was wondering what the best way for me to go about this way.

I have a goal of 125lbs of muscle, I am just extremely friggen nervous about fat gain. I know fat gain is needed when building, but I would love if I could bipass massive gains.

Would carb cycling or IF work? Or even a body recomp type diet where I eat a surplus of my TDEE on train days and TDEE or -10% on rest days?

Sorry if this totally seems silly. But I would really appreciate advice.
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Replies

  • thesophierose
    thesophierose Posts: 754 Member
    thank you!
  • rachelakai2
    rachelakai2 Posts: 51 Member
    That video was hilarious !!! If everyone could understand just how simple it is!!!
  • jacksonpt
    jacksonpt Posts: 10,413 Member
    Stop over complicating things. Carb cycling, IF, blah blah blah...

    Set a slight calorie surplus. The "surplus" part of it will help you gain, the "slight" will keep those gains as lean as possible.
  • mud7urtle
    mud7urtle Posts: 500
    Stop over complicating things. Carb cycling, IF, blah blah blah...

    Set a slight calorie surplus. The "surplus" part of it will help you gain, the "slight" will keep those gains as lean as possible.

    Agreed for the most part but by complicating I would say things like

    "fasting diets", "high protein no carb".. stuff like that.

    ^ gimmicky chit. Carb cycling and IF actually work.. but for OP, once again I agree.. no need to over complicate.
  • HMVOL7409
    HMVOL7409 Posts: 1,588 Member
    I agree with what's been posted but my advice is to also have realistic goals. Are you wanting to be 125lbs with a good amount of solid LBM or have a total of 125lbs LBM plus additional fat mass?
  • Dalker
    Dalker Posts: 44 Member
    I'm in the same boat here...want to build some muscle up but terrified of fat gain. I know some fat gain is inevitable....

    If I eat at a small surplus will I still start to look flabby or will I 'tone up' as well (sorry I know everyone hates that phrase!)

    And how much weight do I have to gain to put on a worthwhile amount of lean body mass? I am guessing there's little point in gaining then losing the same few pounds?
  • waldo56
    waldo56 Posts: 1,861 Member
    People grossly overimagine how fast you gain fat and how noticable it is unless your doing a crazy dirty bulk with a massive surplus.

    Gaining 1-2 lbs fat a month is for the most part imperceptible except for little things like softening details. Fat gain when bulking is pretty much invisible when in clothes.
  • thesophierose
    thesophierose Posts: 754 Member
    I agree with what's been posted but my advice is to also have realistic goals. Are you wanting to be 125lbs with a good amount of solid LBM or have a total of 125lbs LBM plus additional fat mass?

    I will set a slight surplus to my food intake. My goal is to have muscle, and to look like I do but to look feminine? Does that make sense?
  • HMVOL7409
    HMVOL7409 Posts: 1,588 Member
    I agree with what's been posted but my advice is to also have realistic goals. Are you wanting to be 125lbs with a good amount of solid LBM or have a total of 125lbs LBM plus additional fat mass?

    I will set a slight surplus to my food intake. My goal is to have muscle, and to look like I do but to look feminine? Does that make sense?


    No. Lose the mindset that muscle makes you manly. I have a good amount of muscle and lift well. I'm still feminine and very much a woman. Just bc I looked more pumped than most flexed or post workout doesn't change anything. I was just trying to gauge what you meant in your OP when your wrote a goal of "125 lbs of muscle."
  • nonstopper
    nonstopper Posts: 1,108 Member
    get your fukn fiber
  • BeachGingerOnTheRocks
    BeachGingerOnTheRocks Posts: 3,927 Member
    Simple advice. Start out with 100-150 calories over TDEE and aim for 1/2 pound gain a week. That's 2 pounds a month. Make it easy on yourself. Aim for 1950 calories. If you don't gain anything after 2 months, up the calories another 50 or so a week.

    Lift really heavy. Make sure your protein is high. Eat 1 gram per pound lean body mass minimum, and aim for 1 gram per pound of body weight (so setting your goal at an easy 125 grams is fine). Eat enough fats, .35-.4 grams per pound body weight.

    Don't slack off the lifting program. 3 days a week, every week. You're a beginner so use a beginner program that allows for really good progressive overload like Stronglifts or Starting Strength. I wouldn't recommend NROL for a bulk, it doesn't have the same progressive overload guidelines.

    It will be a long, slow process. Re-evaluate when you get to 125 pounds. If you don't like the mass yet and want more, then keep going up to 130 or 135, or even 140, then cut back down to 125. At your height, I'd say 125 is a great goal. If you don't like where it is going, you can always change that goal.

    If you don't stick to the lifting, though, you will gain mostly fat, so be committed to this.
  • thesophierose
    thesophierose Posts: 754 Member
    Simple advice. Start out with 100-150 calories over TDEE and aim for 1/2 pound gain a week. That's 2 pounds a month. Make it easy on yourself. Aim for 1950 calories. If you don't gain anything after 2 months, up the calories another 50 or so a week.

    Lift really heavy. Make sure your protein is high. Eat 1 gram per pound lean body mass minimum, and aim for 1 gram per pound of body weight (so setting your goal at an easy 125 grams is fine). Eat enough fats, .35-.4 grams per pound body weight.

    Don't slack off the lifting program. 3 days a week, every week. You're a beginner so use a beginner program that allows for really good progressive overload like Stronglifts or Starting Strength. I wouldn't recommend NROL for a bulk, it doesn't have the same progressive overload guidelines.

    It will be a long, slow process. Re-evaluate when you get to 125 pounds. If you don't like the mass yet and want more, then keep going up to 130 or 135, or even 140, then cut back down to 125. At your height, I'd say 125 is a great goal. If you don't like where it is going, you can always change that goal.

    If you don't stick to the lifting, though, you will gain mostly fat, so be committed to this.

    Well I was going to lift heavy, and go 4 days in one day rest. But that calorie intake seems reasonable so I will do that :) Thank you for the advice!! :)
  • SopranogirlCa
    SopranogirlCa Posts: 188 Member
    bump
  • erickirb
    erickirb Posts: 12,294 Member
    I would suggest TDEE + 10%, get 5-10 lbs above your goal weight, then cut back down to goal. Also you will gain the most amount of lean muscle working in the 8-12 rep ranges/set. Though I would suggest doing the larger compound moves at lower rep ranges (5-8) and do accessory and isolation lifts at the 8-12 rep range
  • erickirb
    erickirb Posts: 12,294 Member
    Simple advice. Start out with 100-150 calories over TDEE and aim for 1/2 pound gain a week. That's 2 pounds a month. Make it easy on yourself. Aim for 1950 calories. If you don't gain anything after 2 months, up the calories another 50 or so a week.

    Lift really heavy. Make sure your protein is high. Eat 1 gram per pound lean body mass minimum, and aim for 1 gram per pound of body weight (so setting your goal at an easy 125 grams is fine). Eat enough fats, .35-.4 grams per pound body weight.

    Don't slack off the lifting program. 3 days a week, every week. You're a beginner so use a beginner program that allows for really good progressive overload like Stronglifts or Starting Strength. I wouldn't recommend NROL for a bulk, it doesn't have the same progressive overload guidelines.

    It will be a long, slow process. Re-evaluate when you get to 125 pounds. If you don't like the mass yet and want more, then keep going up to 130 or 135, or even 140, then cut back down to 125. At your height, I'd say 125 is a great goal. If you don't like where it is going, you can always change that goal.

    If you don't stick to the lifting, though, you will gain mostly fat, so be committed to this.

    You are going to gain a lot less if you do strong-lifts or starting strength as that is a strength program, not a muscle building (though there is some cross over) they just have you do 5 reps/set, where optimal growth is usually in the 8-12reps, and for some women can even be the10-15.
  • BeachIron
    BeachIron Posts: 6,490 Member
    Simple advice. Start out with 100-150 calories over TDEE and aim for 1/2 pound gain a week. That's 2 pounds a month. Make it easy on yourself. Aim for 1950 calories. If you don't gain anything after 2 months, up the calories another 50 or so a week.

    Lift really heavy. Make sure your protein is high. Eat 1 gram per pound lean body mass minimum, and aim for 1 gram per pound of body weight (so setting your goal at an easy 125 grams is fine). Eat enough fats, .35-.4 grams per pound body weight.

    Don't slack off the lifting program. 3 days a week, every week. You're a beginner so use a beginner program that allows for really good progressive overload like Stronglifts or Starting Strength. I wouldn't recommend NROL for a bulk, it doesn't have the same progressive overload guidelines.

    It will be a long, slow process. Re-evaluate when you get to 125 pounds. If you don't like the mass yet and want more, then keep going up to 130 or 135, or even 140, then cut back down to 125. At your height, I'd say 125 is a great goal. If you don't like where it is going, you can always change that goal.

    If you don't stick to the lifting, though, you will gain mostly fat, so be committed to this.

    You are going to gain a lot less if you do strong-lifts or starting strength as that is a strength program, not a muscle building (though there is some cross over) they just have you do 5 reps/set, where optimal growth is usually in the 8-12reps, and for some women can even be the10-15.

    There is plenty of crossover, and the details may matter after she is a much more experienced lifter. At this stage, lifting any reasonable number of reps will add muscle mass to her frame. Eat and lift. Keep it simple.

  • Just get your ****ing fiber.
  • Joe9420
    Joe9420 Posts: 1 Member
    check out Venus Index! It might just change your mind about things!
  • check out Venus Index! It might just change your mind about things!

    That has nothing to do with her question :flowerforyou: looks like a good workout though.
  • No_Finish_Line
    No_Finish_Line Posts: 3,661 Member
    i only have two ways of eating. a little under or way over
  • FrnkLft
    FrnkLft Posts: 1,821 Member
    I agree with what's been posted but my advice is to also have realistic goals. Are you wanting to be 125lbs with a good amount of solid LBM or have a total of 125lbs LBM plus additional fat mass?

    I will set a slight surplus to my food intake. My goal is to have muscle, and to look like I do but to look feminine? Does that make sense?

    You're going to look feminine no matter what. Your muscle gain is going to be very slow, slower than a man, who can mostly only hope to put on 1/2 lb of muscle per week if he's lucky and eating the right macros & calories. And think of it this way... if right now it's fat that's providing your shape... if you don't replace the fat volume with building muscle volume, where is your feminine shape going to come from?

    Even at that rate, the guy would notice WELL ahead of time if he was bulking past his goals. In fact, there's no way you can get bulky by accident as a man, much less a woman whose physiology won't let her grow nearly as much as a man.

    Don't worry about it, start with a 200 cal surplus, and if in a few weeks you don't notice movement on the scale week to week, up it by another 100-200 cal. You'll find your target, and keep lifting heavy and safely.
  • Bump for reading later!
  • Bump for reading later!
  • husseycd
    husseycd Posts: 814 Member
  • thesophierose
    thesophierose Posts: 754 Member
    Thanks everyone for the advice. <3
  • alyhuggan
    alyhuggan Posts: 717 Member
    Simple advice. Start out with 100-150 calories over TDEE and aim for 1/2 pound gain a week. That's 2 pounds a month. Make it easy on yourself. Aim for 1950 calories. If you don't gain anything after 2 months, up the calories another 50 or so a week.

    Lift really heavy. Make sure your protein is high. Eat 1 gram per pound lean body mass minimum, and aim for 1 gram per pound of body weight (so setting your goal at an easy 125 grams is fine). Eat enough fats, .35-.4 grams per pound body weight.

    Don't slack off the lifting program. 3 days a week, every week. You're a beginner so use a beginner program that allows for really good progressive overload like Stronglifts or Starting Strength. I wouldn't recommend NROL for a bulk, it doesn't have the same progressive overload guidelines.

    It will be a long, slow process. Re-evaluate when you get to 125 pounds. If you don't like the mass yet and want more, then keep going up to 130 or 135, or even 140, then cut back down to 125. At your height, I'd say 125 is a great goal. If you don't like where it is going, you can always change that goal.

    If you don't stick to the lifting, though, you will gain mostly fat, so be committed to this.

    You are going to gain a lot less if you do strong-lifts or starting strength as that is a strength program, not a muscle building (though there is some cross over) they just have you do 5 reps/set, where optimal growth is usually in the 8-12reps, and for some women can even be the10-15.
    ^ If I could give you a medal I would, swear everyone on this site loves a bit of 5x5 and strongman lifts even though they are powerlifter workouts...I agree heavier weight for compound movements but most of my friends that do those workouts have made very minimal gains and constantly ask me and my workout friend for advice then blow it off when we say cut the 5x5 rubbish...
  • JulesAlloggio
    JulesAlloggio Posts: 480 Member
    If you want to lose body fat, try carb cycling

    a good starter program is Jamie Easons Live Fit

    THIS helped transform me a year ago!


    http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/jamie-easons-livefit-introduction.html
  • Fithealthyforlife
    Fithealthyforlife Posts: 866 Member
    Awesome advice in the previous post on carb cycling...she really knows what she is talking about...but it may be a bit much for a beginner if you're not the sort of person who is into experimenting.

    As for not wanting to look masculine, I understand. Usually what girls mean by that is they don't want to lose too much body fat. It's not muscle that will make you look manly; it's a very low body fat percentage.
  • TheMetalMan0
    TheMetalMan0 Posts: 64 Member
    Haha that's great! Get your phuken fibre...