Can I gain muscle without gaining weight?
Girlrose
Posts: 127 Member
I'm at 110 pounds and my ultimate goal weight is 105. I just started 30 Day Shred and I'm going to actively try to gain muscle. However, I still want to get down to 105. Is it possible or am I going to see scale increases because muscle weighs more than fat?
Btw, I'm 5'2" and I usually eat ~1300 on average. I haven't eaten too many more calories to account for the 30 Day Shred...yet!
Btw, I'm 5'2" and I usually eat ~1300 on average. I haven't eaten too many more calories to account for the 30 Day Shred...yet!
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Replies
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To gain muscle you have to gain weight - in a caloric deficit it isn't gona happen, and it isn't gonna happen properly unless you lift actual weights. Sure you may gain a slight amount of muscle at first but it won't be much because your body isn't going to be doing anything that's actually really muscle building - if that makes sense?0
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To gain muscle you have to gain weight - in a caloric deficit it isn't gona happen, and it isn't gonna happen properly unless you lift actual weights. Sure you may gain a slight amount of muscle at first but it won't be much because your body isn't going to be doing anything that's actually really muscle building - if that makes sense?
^ pretty much this, unless you wanna tren hard0 -
I don't think the 30 day shred will put on that much muscle but yes a cubic inch of muscle weighs more that fat so yes if you put on muscle you will put on weight but you may actually get smaller. Worry about your percentage of body fat and how your clothes fit more than the actual number on the scale. My former trainer is 5'2 and a size 2 to 4 but if you go by her weight the ridiculous thing is she is actually consider obese because she use to compete as a weight lifter.0
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I don't think the 30 day shred will put on that much muscle but yes a cubic inch of muscle weighs more that fat so yes if you put on muscle you will put on weight but you may actually get smaller. Worry about your percentage of body fat and how your clothes fit more than the actual number on the scale. My former trainer is 5'2 and a size 2 to 4 but if you go by her weight the ridiculous thing is she is actually consider obese because she use to compete as a weight lifter.
I thought muscle was just denser than fat, but does not weight more..
OP - 30 day shred and eating in deficit will not put muscle on...
If you want to put muscle on eat a little over maintenance and do compound lifts...the less over maintenance you are, the less fat you will put on ...but you will have to experiment and see what works for you ...0 -
yes fat is less dense it, a pound of fat takes up more room than a pound of muscle , so yes if you gain muscle and lose fat you may weigh the same or even a bit more, its your measurements you need to work with, not what the scale says.0
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The only way, in theory, that you could stay the exact same weight (or drop weight) and gain muscle, is if you have fat to burn. In theory, it might be possible for some people (depending on your body's hormones, etc.) to gain muscle in that way, assuming nutrition and training were dialed in absolutely perfectly and the fat was being used to supply energy for protein synthesis. It's unlikely to happen easily as a matter of fact or accidently, though. That said, I'll bet a few people have done it. If you're a naturally thin, decently muscled person normally who gained weight over teh years, it might work for you.
if you want to give it a shot, I would try eating right at maintenenance or maybe 50 calories above it (plus workout calories), and make sure to lift hard 3 days a week, always doing your cardio immediately prior to lifting. There's no guarantee though. Worst case, it doesn't work, but you lose the fat and maintain muscle. You can always intentionally gain muscle later on if you desire more.0 -
30 Day Shred with not make you put up a lot of muscle, although you should be able to see nice definition.
The important question though is: why do you care about your weight so much? Let's say you finish the program, gain some muscle, lose some fat, you lean out, lose inches, you're more fit, and more healthy. Would it really be so bad if you didn't lose on the scale or even gained a pound or two?
I know that getting down to your dream weight seems like the confirmation you worked hard enough, and I like to see weight losses too. But getting toned and having more lean body weight is such a great accomplishment by itself
Plus, muscle burns fat so the more muscle you have the more you can eat 
Not only looks good, but is also useful 0 -
I don't think the 30 day shred will put on that much muscle but yes a cubic inch of muscle weighs more that fat so yes if you put on muscle you will put on weight but you may actually get smaller. Worry about your percentage of body fat and how your clothes fit more than the actual number on the scale. My former trainer is 5'2 and a size 2 to 4 but if you go by her weight the ridiculous thing is she is actually consider obese because she use to compete as a weight lifter.
I thought muscle was just denser than fat, but does not weight more..
Hense the clarification of a cubic inch of … lol0 -
Strength training is done with a barbell and big wheels, not a DVD.0
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I would say you are going to have trouble building muscle with that DVD.
But if you start proper strength training and eating is a surplus you will gain muscle, but yes you will also gain weight, inavoidable. However when you are happy with the muscle built you can focus on maintaining that and losing body fat which will bring your weight back down again. The number really isn't worth worrying about, you will look better at 110lb with muscle and low body fat than at 105lb with no muscle and higher body fat.0 -
I don't think the 30 day shred will put on that much muscle but yes a cubic inch of muscle weighs more that fat so yes if you put on muscle you will put on weight but you may actually get smaller. Worry about your percentage of body fat and how your clothes fit more than the actual number on the scale. My former trainer is 5'2 and a size 2 to 4 but if you go by her weight the ridiculous thing is she is actually consider obese because she use to compete as a weight lifter.
I thought muscle was just denser than fat, but does not weight more..
Hense the clarification of a cubic inch of … lol
Thank you I thought I was pretty clear0 -
Thanks, guys! Yeah, I was planning on going harder with the weights after the DVD. That being said, I absolutely will gain muscle from the DVD because I have very little upper body strength. I can do two push-ups and can barely life 4-pound weights more than 10 times. 30DS requires a lot of weight exercises that are killing me!
Anyway, I suppose I'll see how my weight is after 30DS and I might decide to continue with cardio instead (training for races). Of course, I'll take an after picture and if I look better, I won't care if I weigh more! Thanks again. :-)0 -
Are you going to be eating in a surplus?Thanks, guys! Yeah, I was planning on going harder with the weights after the DVD. That being said, I absolutely will gain muscle from the DVD because I have very little upper body strength. I can do two push-ups and can barely life 4-pound weights more than 10 times. 30DS requires a lot of weight exercises that are killing me!
Anyway, I suppose I'll see how my weight is after 30DS and I might decide to continue with cardio instead (training for races). Of course, I'll take an after picture and if I look better, I won't care if I weigh more! Thanks again. :-)0 -
I don't think the 30 day shred will put on that much muscle but yes a cubic inch of muscle weighs more that fat so yes if you put on muscle you will put on weight but you may actually get smaller. Worry about your percentage of body fat and how your clothes fit more than the actual number on the scale. My former trainer is 5'2 and a size 2 to 4 but if you go by her weight the ridiculous thing is she is actually consider obese because she use to compete as a weight lifter.
I thought muscle was just denser than fat, but does not weight more..
Hense the clarification of a cubic inch of … lol
Thank you I thought I was pretty clear
your original post did not refer to a cubic inch...so no it was not clear, hence my question...0 -
I'm sure you will see great results from the 30 day shred, but you've got to eat your calories, especially your exercise calories. No cheating yourself because you're worried about weight gain! And try not to get back on that scale until you complete the 30 days! The mirror is your friend. 0
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What is up with females and weight!!!
BODY COMPOSITION BODY COMPOSITION BODY COMPOSITION >
THROW AWAY YOUR CHIT USELESS SCALE!!!0 -
its impossible for you to put on weight if you're eating at a deficit.
it will be very hard to gain muscle at a deficit (it can be done - mostly in the first few months) and certainly not with 30 DS, imo.0 -
What is up with females and weight!!!
BODY COMPOSITION BODY COMPOSITION BODY COMPOSITION >
THROW AWAY YOUR CHIT USELESS SCALE!!!
As a (formerly skinny fat) female who used to be obsessed with the scale, I COMPLETELY agree with this!!!0 -
You can maintain muscle mass, drop fat and in effect be lighter (or the same weight if you do gain any muscle) but relatively stronger and have an improved body composition.0
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I couldn't have put it more eloquently myself.What is up with females and weight!!!
BODY COMPOSITION BODY COMPOSITION BODY COMPOSITION >
THROW AWAY YOUR CHIT USELESS SCALE!!!0 -
Thanks, guys! Yeah, I was planning on going harder with the weights after the DVD. That being said, I absolutely will gain muscle from the DVD because I have very little upper body strength. I can do two push-ups and can barely life 4-pound weights more than 10 times. 30DS requires a lot of weight exercises that are killing me!
Anyway, I suppose I'll see how my weight is after 30DS and I might decide to continue with cardio instead (training for races). Of course, I'll take an after picture and if I look better, I won't care if I weigh more! Thanks again. :-)
You can gain a lot of strength without gaining any muscle mass. Over the past 6 months my squats have gone from a starting point of 45 lbs to 115 lbs while I have lost a small amount of scale weight. I may have gained a few ounces of muscle due to newbie gains, but that's about all I can expect eating at a deficit. Strength =/= mass, necessarily.0 -
"You can't gain muscle without eating at a surplus"
This is absolutely the number one biggest bit of bro science that I see every day. Absolutely you can. Not as much, and not as quickly, but you very much can gain muscle and lose fat at the same time.
Caveat: It's not easy.
If you are eating at a slight deficit, and are working out with weights heavy enough to be in the 2-8 rep range before failure, and are getting enough protein (THIS IS KEY) then you will gain strength and muscle.
You don't need to eat at a surplus, but you do need to take in enough protein. How much is enough? That's up for debate and is another hotbed of bro science. I tend to err on the side of caution and take in about 1g of protein for every pound of lean body mass (which you can find calculators to estimate for you).
Eating gobs of food to make up a huge surplus is the reason why a lot of gym people get into harmful bulk/cut cycles. You don't need to put on a pound of fat for every pound of muscle, then lose muscle trying to burn that fat off. It's dumb, and I don't get why people think it's the right way to do it.
The calories you burn working out and generally living will come from the food you eat first, and when that runs out, your body will attack fat stores, and only when those are gone (or nearly gone) will it work on metabolizing muscle tissue. Unless you're eating at a severe deficit, your body will have enough calories from the food you eat and the fat you have on you to use the protein you're eating to repair damage. It won't be as fast, or efficient as putting on muscle while you are swimming with calories from eating a lumberjack's diet, but it will go on.
If you are eating at a severe deficit, about the most you can hope for is that the lifting you do will offset the loss of muscle, but if you can find a balance (that's the hard part), then you can gain muscle and lose fat.
Note, you will not do either quickly. If you are looking to crash your fat, or bulk up in a hurry, you should probably concentrate on one or the other. If you're happy to make a lifestyle change to lift heavy and eat right for the foreseeable future, then you absolutely, 100%, assuredly CAN lose fat and gain muscle.0 -
Just realized I forgot the link. :laugh:
http://www.bodyrecomposition.com/muscle-gain/general-philosophies-of-muscle-mass-gain.html0 -
A pound is a pound regardless of what it is. 1 pound of muscle does not weigh more than one pound of fat. 1.1 pounds of muscle weighs more than 1 pound of fat or vice versa. Muscle is more dense and takes up less room.0
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What is up with females and weight!!!
BODY COMPOSITION BODY COMPOSITION BODY COMPOSITION >
THROW AWAY YOUR CHIT USELESS SCALE!!!
Love this!!!
If you're serious about lifting and recomp it's time to put the shred away and focus on an actual weight lifting program. 30DS is cardio based, and getting stronger doing it doesn't mean you're gaining muscle. For someone new look into New Rules of Lifting, Nia Shanks or Stronglifts.0 -
"You can't gain muscle without eating at a surplus"
This is absolutely the number one biggest bit of bro science that I see every day. Absolutely you can. Not as much, and not as quickly, but you very much can gain muscle and lose fat at the same time.
Caveat: It's not easy.
If you are eating at a slight deficit, and are working out with weights heavy enough to be in the 2-8 rep range before failure, and are getting enough protein (THIS IS KEY) then you will gain strength and muscle.
You don't need to eat at a surplus, but you do need to take in enough protein. How much is enough? That's up for debate and is another hotbed of bro science. I tend to err on the side of caution and take in about 1g of protein for every pound of lean body mass (which you can find calculators to estimate for you).
Eating gobs of food to make up a huge surplus is the reason why a lot of gym people get into harmful bulk/cut cycles. You don't need to put on a pound of fat for every pound of muscle, then lose muscle trying to burn that fat off. It's dumb, and I don't get why people think it's the right way to do it.
The calories you burn working out and generally living will come from the food you eat first, and when that runs out, your body will attack fat stores, and only when those are gone (or nearly gone) will it work on metabolizing muscle tissue. Unless you're eating at a severe deficit, your body will have enough calories from the food you eat and the fat you have on you to use the protein you're eating to repair damage. It won't be as fast, or efficient as putting on muscle while you are swimming with calories from eating a lumberjack's diet, but it will go on.
If you are eating at a severe deficit, about the most you can hope for is that the lifting you do will offset the loss of muscle, but if you can find a balance (that's the hard part), then you can gain muscle and lose fat.
Note, you will not do either quickly. If you are looking to crash your fat, or bulk up in a hurry, you should probably concentrate on one or the other. If you're happy to make a lifestyle change to lift heavy and eat right for the foreseeable future, then you absolutely, 100%, assuredly CAN lose fat and gain muscle.
It isn't really bro science at all, I know exactly what you're saying, but a body re-composition takes longer a simple surplus and then a cut cycle makes much more sense. You called cutting and bulk cycles harmful so it's not really worth listening to much else you said.0 -
To gain muscle you have to gain weight - in a caloric deficit it isn't gona happen, and it isn't gonna happen properly unless you lift actual weights. Sure you may gain a slight amount of muscle at first but it won't be much because your body isn't going to be doing anything that's actually really muscle building - if that makes sense?
^ pretty much this, unless you wanna tren hard
Lol0 -
You can, but it requires a lot of caveats.
Not eating too little, not eating too much, getting enough rest, properly working the muscle groups etc. You can gain muscle, but it's going to be at a very slow rate even if you're new to lifting. You can try to follow a lean gains program, but for me.. I just have found bulking and cutting cycles just to work better.0 -
105 is just a number.. Add some muscle and definition you may weigh more but you will look better overall. Work on getting numbers like body fat percentage down. stop looking at the scale and start looking in the mirror0
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Why do you need to be at that magic number? For YEARS I have weighed myself every day and been devastated/ecstatic at the results. I had NEVER done a push up until 4 weeks ago and now I smash them. I couldn't even lift shopping bags as I was so weak.
I am now training to climb Everest and the only thing I need to be is strong. I have noticed a spectacular change in my body shape, definition, etc. and I am eating more than I ever did, and training hard with weights.
I would much rather be in better overall shape and weigh more
Good luck in your training!0
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