Overweight women with very high LBM?

Fithealthyforlife

I've talked in the past about how I've noticed that eating at a surplus unintentionally can cause overweight but highly active adults in their 20s to generate decent LBM gains over time along with fat, especially for men but also for women despite lower testosterone. I dubbed it "accidental bulking". When they slim down, there's already decent muscle there waiting to be revealed.

Yet, someone recently brought it to my attention that there are also "overweight" women of normal bodyfat percentage with *extremely high* LBM--higher than you'd expect, even. For example, 160-170 lbs of LBM alone coupled with 25-31% body fat at a height of 5'4-5'7. I don't know if these are former athletes (or maybe fitness models/bodybuilders) getting back into shape, or just normal people. That amount of LBM on a female at that height would seem phenomenal, and would mean that these individuals could simply cut down fat while maintaining LBM by lifting...and then be competition ready.

One thing is clear--these individuals are all eating a lot of calories. (I know of one woman who was eating more than I am...and I'm a guy who is bulking!)

Anyone here who fits this description? Just wondering how you built up so much LBM as a female non-bodybuilder, and how long you think it took...even if it was accidental. Apparently, it's all in the eating, more so than the working out...

Motivation behind posting this: My cautiousness with my own bulking has caused me to plateau recently. I'm going to have to up calories by another 50...to a 350-cal surplus. I feel I can learn a lot from those who did it by accident, as well as on purpose...both men and women.

Thanks!

Shannonpurple

Yes and yes, I am 5' 7" and I am 176lbs I am very strong and I can out eat most body builder men and I love cake.


I lifted heavy in college and now I run a lot up hill and Bike, I mostly have a huge *kitten* and legs, I call the my horsey legs but I am not a race horsey I am a work Horsey LOL

Shannonpurple

Sorry I never finished reading what you wrote so I as I read it I edit my post LOL. I dated a body builder and had to cook for him for awhile, Eggs like 3 a day, rice and beans and chicken, I also ate brownies, cake and anything chocolate I could get my hands on. Once I ate 1lb in one day that was when I knew I had a problem and had to do something. My heaviest I was only 185lbs- my lightest was 150lbs but I was so hungry and mad I would have beat up a handicapped child for a burger.

Fithealthyforlife

Sorry I never finished reading what you wrote so I as I read it I edit my post LOL. I dated a body builder and had to cook for him for awhile, Eggs like 3 a day, rice and beans and chicken, I also ate brownies, cake and anything chocolate I could get my hands on. Once I ate 1lb in one day that was when I knew I had a problem and had to do something. My heaviest I was only 185lbs- my lightest was 150lbs but I was so hungry and mad I would have beat up a handicapped child for a burger.

Thank you so much for the reply. That is seriously awesome! I feel like I could totally learn how to eat to get big from someone like you. I've been increasing my calories so slowly...I gain a few lbs, and then it stops for a few weeks and I have to increase again. I'd like to get to the point where I'm not wasting so much time with this bulking program! Feel free to send a friend request if you think you'd be a good influence on me, lol.

heatherloveslifting

Hmm...I don't eat a ton now (usually :laugh:), but I'm a former gymnast and calculations put me at a pretty high level of LBM
(still only 103 lbs at 5'4" though- I believe I read the average is like 95 lbs for my height) 160 lbs LBM seems like it would would be QUITE a lot for 5'4".

ETA- I'm not overweight anymore, so I guess you can maybe disregard

Fithealthyforlife

Hmm...I don't eat a ton now (usually :laugh:), but I'm a former gymnast and calculations put me at a pretty high level of LBM
(still only 103 lbs at 5'4" though- I believe I read the average is like 95 lbs for my height) 160 lbs LBM seems like it would would be QUITE a lot for 5'4".

ETA- I'm not overweight anymore, so I guess you can maybe disregard

Heather, would have been interesting if you'd had LBM measured before. Hopefully you didn't lose much or any in the process.

And yes, 160 is a lot of LBM for 5'5 or so. But you have to understand these women also have a total body weight of 235-275.

It really seems to come down to how much food is eaten...for both fat and LBM.

heatherloveslifting

Hmm...I don't eat a ton now (usually :laugh:), but I'm a former gymnast and calculations put me at a pretty high level of LBM
(still only 103 lbs at 5'4" though- I believe I read the average is like 95 lbs for my height) 160 lbs LBM seems like it would would be QUITE a lot for 5'4".

ETA- I'm not overweight anymore, so I guess you can maybe disregard

Heather, would have been interesting if you'd had LBM measured before. Hopefully you didn't lose much or any in the process.

And yes, 160 is a lot of LBM for 5'5 or so. But you have to understand these women also have a total body weight of 235-275.

It really seems to come down to how much food is eaten...for both fat and LBM.

I only started measuring about 15 lbs ago, so was maybe BMI 25-26 then. It *appears* I've only lost 1 lb LBM.

ETA, oh yes, then I see how they would require a lot of muscle.

Fithealthyforlife

Thanks for the reply, Heather.

Athena98501

Hmm...I don't eat a ton now (usually :laugh:), but I'm a former gymnast and calculations put me at a pretty high level of LBM
(still only 103 lbs at 5'4" though- I believe I read the average is like 95 lbs for my height) 160 lbs LBM seems like it would would be QUITE a lot for 5'4".

ETA- I'm not overweight anymore, so I guess you can maybe disregard

I suppose I'll reply then. I'm 5' 2.75" (39 yrs old), and this spring had my LBM hydrostatically measured at 113.6. The guy measured it a few times (all the same reading), and afterward asked if I'd been an athlete. I was certainly active in my 20s (mostly karate), but not an athlete.

For me, I believe it's genes. I'm built very much like my dad, and he had lean mass in the 170s at 5' 7" in his late 30s without working out at all. I have a very large frame, especially for my height, and I've always been a bit stronger than the average lady who doesn't lift. I once helped a boyfriend move, and he had more trouble with his end of his couch than I did.

sweet_blasphemy

Ok, so I don't know how much help I can be as of right now but... I'm 5'8 and have LBM of about 140lbs but also a high body fat percentage (for now). I've never been athletic in my life, and only recently started exercising regularly so I guess it's my natural build. I am definitely interested in getting started with lifting within the month or two but I still have a lot of fat to lose and don't know how that will (if at all) affect the process? I'm not even sure if there's even a point to lifting at this stage for me since I'm eating at a pretty large deficit... I do resistance along with cardio 4-5 times a week at the moment... I don't even know where I'm going with this, I guess I had sort of a question but also wanted to say that hopefully one day I'll have some useful input to add to this thread? haha...

Natihilator

Ok, so I don't know how much help I can be as of right now but... I'm 5'8 and have LBM of about 140lbs but also a high body fat percentage (for now). I've never been athletic in my life, and only recently started exercising regularly so I guess it's my natural build. I am definitely interested in getting started with lifting within the month or two but I still have a lot of fat to lose and don't know how that will (if at all) affect the process? I'm not even sure if there's even a point to lifting at this stage for me since I'm eating at a pretty large deficit... I do resistance along with cardio 4-5 times a week at the moment... I don't even know where I'm going with this, I guess I had sort of a question but also wanted to say that hopefully one day I'll have some useful input to add to this thread? haha...

START LIFTING NOW! I'm also 5'8 and started lifting 3 months into my 50 lb weight loss, and I'm so glad I did.

MrsFowler1069

hmm...Years ago, I was working really hard physically. I ate freely in mostly group settings where we were all really comfortable - I'm sure I took in a lot of calories (didn't care how many, so I don't know). I was 5'9" and between 170-180 depending on which recreational activities (ahem) we were partaking of and I was not fat. I wouldn't say I was bulky for my size (although I'm a pretty big girl to begin with), but I was very strong and muscular and I could work those boys into the ground!

All of this did not serve me well in terms of eating or purposeful exercise habits once my work changed, I became a mom, etc. I have always been strong, but now it's because I was carrying around about 350 pounds everywhere I went!

But even now, thinking of long-term goals, I have recently said that if I could get below 199 and was strong and fit, I'd be pretty darned close! No 125 (my daughter's goal - which she is super close to) for me....and that's okay.

Also, there was a gorgeous member who posted the other day in Success Stories (jinjin8) and she is at goal at 176, having lost 101 pounds. She looks great!

I don't know if any of this answers your question at all! lol

Fithealthyforlife

Also, there was a gorgeous member who posted the other day in Success Stories (jinjin8) and she is at goal at 176, having lost 101 pounds. She looks great!

I don't know if any of this answers your question at all! lol

Have her on my friends list. She doesn't post much anymore, probably b/c she met her goal.

btw, thanks for the post. From what I've learned (PM me if you're interested) there's a good chance you have even more LBM now than back then. Hopefully you can preserve most of it by lifting. 199 is probably a reasonable goal weight considering all that.

Also, I'm sorry to hear you had to go through that (I interpreted what you said in your post a certain way, and maybe I'm wrong).

michellekicks

I think I fit the bill.

When I was maybe 20 or so I got a fitness test done at a gym and was found to have 133 lbs LBM at 5'7". Basically, I was a chubby teen who went to the gym and ate whatever teenager food I wanted but lifted weights on whatever program the "gym people" gave me. I was inconsistent, but managed to put on a lot of muscle by the time I stopped lifting weights around the age of 22.

In the best shape of my youth I was about 19 yrs old, 175 lbs and about 24% BF at 5'7". Following that I gained up to a high of 218 lbs at about 24 yrs old and then in my late 20's I lost 60 lbs and was left with 120 lbs LBM at 158 lbs.

After 2 pregnancies and the need to lose another 30+ lbs my LBM dropped to about 116 lbs. I think I've managed to put a little back on in the last year since through body recomposition. So I figure I'm back to about 120 lbs LBM at 160 lbs. I can maintain my weight eating about 2700 calories daily but I'm pretty active and not trying to lose right now.

Your question about what did I eat? I don't know... whatever. Cookies, pizza, pop... pasta. Never been a big fruit or meat eater. I actually want to try and put back some of that muscle I lost over the time I dieted, but I don't really need to be able to eat more so I wonder why I would bother :laugh:

Belinda658

I had a dexa scan a couple of months ago when I was a bit over 160lb (I'm 5,3). Bf calculators put my bf I the high 30s but the dexa scan put me at 32% bf with 112lbs of lbm which is apparently very high for my height. I only started consistent weight training this year and whilst I lift as heavy as I can its not a lot compared to many

romyhorse

I am 5'2" with 33% body fat which puts my lbm at around 117lb (I weigh 175lb). Now, my goal weight was 119lb, so I think I am going to have to reassess that! Also my BMI is in the obese range but my body fat is in the healthy range for a woman of my age.

michellenichole83

I'm 5'3", with a lbm of 122lbs. Hw:240, cw: 189. The "experts" say I "should" have a lbm in the mid 90s. I've maintained my lbm since the beginning of my weight loss with strength training. I was 126lb in high school, but I worked very physical jobs in my early and mid 20s (and ate whatever the hell I wanted, probably 3k cals/day or more).

AmykinsCatfood

I'm 5'6 with a LBM of 141. It's not unheard of.. I've always been able to put on muscle quickly, I was a dancer for 6 years and my legs were like tree trunks. Not exactly the most flattering for a dancer, but oh well.. they carried me wonderfully.

sweet_blasphemy

double post, my bad

sweet_blasphemy

Ok, so I don't know how much help I can be as of right now but... I'm 5'8 and have LBM of about 140lbs but also a high body fat percentage (for now). I've never been athletic in my life, and only recently started exercising regularly so I guess it's my natural build. I am definitely interested in getting started with lifting within the month or two but I still have a lot of fat to lose and don't know how that will (if at all) affect the process? I'm not even sure if there's even a point to lifting at this stage for me since I'm eating at a pretty large deficit... I do resistance along with cardio 4-5 times a week at the moment... I don't even know where I'm going with this, I guess I had sort of a question but also wanted to say that hopefully one day I'll have some useful input to add to this thread? haha...

START LIFTING NOW! I'm also 5'8 and started lifting 3 months into my 50 lb weight loss, and I'm so glad I did.

Sweet. I was hoping to hear that, thanks!

SuperSexyDork

I'm not in the right height range for you but I'm 5'9" 208lbs with a LBM of about 150.

I'm currently at 28% bodyfat and wear a size 14 pants.

I've always been very active and I've also always been overweight. In my teens, I used running as stress relief, lifted weights, ran track. I played all the sports that I possibly could and I did yoga. I just also ate a lot.

Most of my adult life I've worked 8-12 hour shifts on my feet... and running around like a chicken with my head cut off.

Also, now (well not right now since I'm injured) I run at least 2x a week, lift weights 3-4 times a week, walk my step-daughter to school every morning, do yoga 3-5 times a week and hike when possible.

Edit: clarification

QueenBishOTUniverse

Hmmmm, to answer your question..... I was a lacrosse player through college. At the time I was 5'8" usually between 150 and 165 pounds, was benching around 120 and leg pressing around 300. I just always liked lifting weights and would always try to lift heavier than every other girl in the room, just competitive that way. I had always been very strong growing up and liked to show off....

I never officially had my LBM calculated, but I do know that while I was on a semester abroad in Australia I confused the hell out of the physical trainer trying to run a fitness test on me because my body fat % was only in the 50% range for the "average" Australian and I clearly could stand to lose a little weight, but my strength, flexibility and cardiovascular fitness were all in the top 2% of the nation.....for Australia.

At the time, I was eating anything and everything I wanted. A late night snack at McDonalds for me was 20 chicken nuggets a big mac and 2 cheese burgers. If we got pizzas for the evening to eat while watching a movie marathon, there was a big new yorker with pepperoni for me, and then what everyone else was having, you get the idea.

Today, yea that eating got me in to trouble. I'm about 185 now down from my highest at 196. My ideal weight today will probably be in the low 160's. I'm not even sure I CAN safely drop below 160 any more and I know even when I was in college, my rib cage etc expanded ALOT in my early 20's so by JR SR year, my athlete in training weight was several pounds higher then it was when I was a freshman.

So, at least for me, yes during the early 20's if you are extremely active, you can just cram whatever you want down your gullet and as long as you use it, you'll make muscle/weight gains. And it does seem to keep up with you as you get older, my weight has gone up over the years, but my muscle tone and strength comes back very quickly once I start working on it again...

lovebig30

iam 5foot 4inches with a lbm of 130lb at 40 percent bf I weigh 220. ive always worked jobs where iam on my feet since high school. with the lbm I have right now I will never fit into the bmi normal charts without being under fat by bf measurements. my goal is 170 which is still overweigh for my height.

Fithealthyforlife

Ok, so I don't know how much help I can be as of right now but... I'm 5'8 and have LBM of about 140lbs but also a high body fat percentage (for now). I've never been athletic in my life, and only recently started exercising regularly so I guess it's my natural build. I am definitely interested in getting started with lifting within the month or two but I still have a lot of fat to lose and don't know how that will (if at all) affect the process? I'm not even sure if there's even a point to lifting at this stage for me since I'm eating at a pretty large deficit... I do resistance along with cardio 4-5 times a week at the moment... I don't even know where I'm going with this, I guess I had sort of a question but also wanted to say that hopefully one day I'll have some useful input to add to this thread? haha...

START LIFTING NOW! I'm also 5'8 and started lifting 3 months into my 50 lb weight loss, and I'm so glad I did.

Sweet. I was hoping to hear that, thanks!

It's easier to do a recomp when you have more muscle and more resources (fat). Yep, definitely start now. You'll be happy you did!

lifeinpink09

For me it's actually more than likely just genetic. Even as a kid I tended to weigh more than my peers, but you couldn't look at me and tell because I have a high muscle mass. I am currently 174 and 5'3" and my BF% is a healthy 26% and that's after sitting on my butt all summer! I've only JUST started working out last week since the semester has begun. It's been suggested that I consider lifting because I have the build for it. I've always had natural upper and lower body strength even while a lazy non athletic teenager lol. Even though sports were mandatory at my school, I always found a way to opt out, or do an easy one.

Reasons I love it: I put on fat easily, but I gain muscle easily too. I don't mind gaining a little weight because I know I can shed it easily with minimal work.

Reasons I hate it: Never gonna have those fashionably skinny legs my generation is obsessed with. Oh well! Also...I always GAIN weight before I lose when I start a new regimen.

riccoismydog

Sometimes I wonder if these women have a high LBM because of carrying extra weight all the time. I know if I carried an extra fifty pounds everywhere I would increase my muscle pretty quickly....just an idea.

I do see a lot of women at my gym who are clearly overweight but perhaps don't realize that they have way more muscle under there than what they think. Then I wonder why I am lifting more than them. They should embrace their bodies strength and use it as a way to lose more weight (muscle burning more calories than fat ect.)

Overweight doesn't mean weak. My bestie is 260, and according to her husband she hits harder than any man he has ever met.

Fithealthyforlife

Sometimes I wonder if these women have a high LBM because of carrying extra weight all the time. I know if I carried an extra fifty pounds everywhere I would increase my muscle pretty quickly....just an idea.

I do see a lot of women at my gym who are clearly overweight but perhaps don't realize that they have way more muscle under there than what they think. Then I wonder why I am lifting more than them. They should embrace their bodies strength and use it as a way to lose more weight (muscle burning more calories than fat ect.)

Overweight doesn't mean weak. My bestie is 260, and according to her husband she hits harder than any man he has ever met.

You raise some great points. IMO, it's surely a combination of the caloric surplus and the extra weight, as you said. But you're right, they should be embracing their strength. Too many diet down and lose all that great LBM and become average in terms of strength performance...just for the sake of weight reduction. Thankfully MFP culture is mostly against this and approves of women lifting and being strong. Honestly, I think a lot of these heavy women have a bikini-competitor body already inside...hiding. So, rather than losing LBM and than having to bulk and then cut again, they should be lifting from the start to preserve it.

lifeinpink09

Valid point...though I think for a lot of people it depends on build, body type and how much extra weight they are carrying. I was 28% body fat at 180 which basically means that if I had absolutely NO fat whatsoever I would still but 130. I had gotten down to the mid 140's in high school just dieting and without exercise and I actually started to look TOO thin, like visible ribs and spine. Even my doctor was concerned, though my weight was still "overweight" for my height.

That's cz BMI is a crock of bull...

I find that I look and feel best 155-160.

QueenBishOTUniverse

I second the BMI being a crock, and every doctor I've had has agreed that I'm in great shape at 170 even though BMI says I'm overweight.

I always giggle about all the lifting heavy on MFP. I just assumed I was weird cause that's what I've ALWAYS done, but I'm glad to see other women starting to get serious about it. Personally I always took it as a compliment when kickboxing instuctors made sure I was partnered with other guys. I did a class with a friend one time, she had to brace against a support beam, and that was just for punching, she wouldn't even try to hold for me when it was time to start kicking!

hungryhobbit1

I'm 5 feet tall with a lean body mass of 108.3 pounds, according to the military calculator. (The "meanest" calculator for us short girls, the kindest one says I have 117.8 pounds of lean body mass.) That is fairly massive for a person my height, as many women my height weigh less than 108 pounds, total.

I'm still at 28-32% body fat and 160 pounds. But when I was younger and this weight I was much bigger around and vastly less fit. I have this funny chubby girl six pack, you can see my abs even though there is still some jiggle over them.

I lost quite a bit of weight 10 years ago, and had a regular lifting routine, between then and now I gained a bunch of weight back and put on quite a bit of lean mass, which is making things look much better as the weight comes off this time. I'm not interested in looking competition lean but 19-21% body fat would be awesome. 22 more pounds to go! At my goal weight I will still be "overweight" according to BMI.

geekyjock76

By default, overly fat and sedentary adults will have higher than average LBM simply to support their larger frames. The extra weight requires that the hips and knees, in particular, become reinforced with additional connective tissue, bone density and muscle.