Building muscle, losing weight but pants are too tight

melissadsims

I have been losing a lot of fat and can clearly see my stomach and waist shrinking. I'm building muscle at the same time. Now, before I had gained weight a year or so ago, I was a pants size smaller. Now I can barely fit into the pants I've been wearing which are a pant size bigger! Is this only because of muscle gain? Will I ever go down a pant size? Or will my muscles get bigger and I need to go up? I purposely haven't bought new pants since April because I wasn't sure what my body would do.....but I need new pants because I have been waiting......but now I think I need to because only 2 pairs fit!! What is going on??

JessHealthKick

could be in relation to bloating? Are you drinking lots of fluids? Are you taking days off from muscle training?

Your are almost certainly not gaining muscle (besides newbie gains) as when you are eating below maintenance, your body isn't going to make muscle. It is going to use muscle for energy. When you eat under maintenance, your body (unfortunately) doesn't exclusively lose fat, but also some muscle

edit: It is possible to lose fat whilst gaining, but very difficult and you need to be counting your macros and following a pretty strict regime, so I have made the assumption that you aren't doing so (since you're posting here)

melissadsims

Actually I am. I do 30 mins of cardio 4 days a week with 30 mins of strength training directly afterwards, and run in HIIT for 3 miles 1-2 days on the weekend with my dog. I eat at a -15% of my TDEE and count calories while trying daily to balance my macros. I drink primarily water and only have coffee 2 times a week and 6 oz of OJ with breakfast. Other than that I drink water. I sleep 7 hours a night and follow a routine. I work hard daily to make healthy choices and work out 5 days a week. Occasionally 6 if it's beautiful out.

I can physically see and feel my muscle gain and fat loss. Look at my pictures if you doubt me. It is absolutely possible to burn and build all at once. I know because I'm doing it! My weight on the scale has remained the same, yet my fat loss is extremely evident and when I flex now you see my muscles. My quads have started to pop, boots no longer fit over my calves, sweaters are tight in my shoulders and biceps. I take pictures weekly to compare my progress. Trust me. I'm losing fat and building muscle

What I'm wondering is if I'm ever going to drop a pant size or if my muscles are going to bump me up. Maybe I am better off asking this in a body building forum.

Mokey41

You're seeing muscles because you're losing the fat that was over top of them so you couldn't see them before. It's very difficult for women to build significant muscle and especially not at a deficit.

I have no idea why your pants are too tight now but it's more than likely not muscle gain.

littleburgy

Maybe you did something to the pants. Wrong temperature and tumble dry can be a killer. :happy:

Though the only way to know for sure is getting to know the old measuring tape.

Greenrun99

No way to know if the area got bigger without measurements.. seeing muscle doesn't mean you gained muscle.. as previous stated just means some fat is gone from the area.

stealthq

...

Maybe I am better off asking this in a body building forum.

Maybe. Trust me on this one, though - you're going to get an avalanche of "you can't build muscle in a deficit" replies.

RGv2

You're seeing muscles because you're losing the fat that was over top of them so you couldn't see them before. It's very difficult for women to build significant muscle and especially not at a deficit.

I have no idea why your pants are too tight now but it's more than likely not muscle gain.

^^^
+1

kramalicious

I think you generally build muscle under the fat first, so I can see pants getting a bit tighter, but I don't think you are going to put on several pounds of muscle.
I lost weight, then gained muscle, then gained some weight again but was still smaller due to my weight lifting workouts. Make yourself a chart of your weight and measurements and monitor them for a few weeks and you'll be able to figure out what is happening. something that works for someone else might not work for you, so what matters is what results YOU see.

heybales

Actually I am. I do 30 mins of cardio 4 days a week with 30 mins of strength training directly afterwards, and run in HIIT for 3 miles 1-2 days on the weekend with my dog. I eat at a -15% of my TDEE and count calories while trying daily to balance my macros. I drink primarily water and only have coffee 2 times a week and 6 oz of OJ with breakfast. Other than that I drink water. I sleep 7 hours a night and follow a routine. I work hard daily to make healthy choices and work out 5 days a week. Occasionally 6 if it's beautiful out.

I can physically see and feel my muscle gain and fat loss. Look at my pictures if you doubt me. It is absolutely possible to burn and build all at once. I know because I'm doing it! My weight on the scale has remained the same, yet my fat loss is extremely evident and when I flex now you see my muscles. My quads have started to pop, boots no longer fit over my calves, sweaters are tight in my shoulders and biceps. I take pictures weekly to compare my progress. Trust me. I'm losing fat and building muscle

What I'm wondering is if I'm ever going to drop a pant size or if my muscles are going to bump me up. Maybe I am better off asking this in a body building forum.

You'll notice the difference in terminology will really get blasted at you on the lifting forums.

Building muscle - as the words imply - something new, building from raw materials new muscle mass.
Building strength - using existing muscle - can improve greatly before the body feels the need to add more muscle, but must have the right diet and lifting routine to get that response. But you can use existing which will be made stronger.
Building size - using existing muscle - now used muscle is filled with glucose and matching water storage, so they appear larger most the time.

Combine the last option that is actually happening to you, with losing fat over the muscle, and you are seeing the muscle better, and it's bigger. But there isn't more of it actually.

As to why bigger?

I'm going to bet your HIIT really isn't HIIT, but just high effort almost total carb burn anaerobic cardio for decent amount of time.
If you are doing your lifting right, you shouldn't have the strength left over for proper HIIT, unless Friday is not leg day, then possible. You burn high carbs in an effort - body responds by store more, along with required water. More weight (water) and more size taken up.

If you are able to do the HIIT correctly, then your lifting on Mon, if leg day, is not really what it could be, so you aren't overloading it for weight to get the body to respond by trying to build more muscle. Which the diet isn't going to allow right now.

Doing all the best fat-burning exercises together that you've heard about isn't really the best way - jack of all trades, master of none. It just means one or the other isn't as effect as it could be, for it's focus, or for even fat burn.

I only mention HIIT probably not done right because most seem to add it to their routine as a fad recommendation that is all the rage lately, but don't really get in to when and how to do it, nor to tell if doing it right.
You may be doing it right, how long is the hard part, and the recovery part? How many reps? How high does the HR get on the hard part, 1st and last rep? How low on the recovery part?

JessHealthKick

Actually I am. I do 30 mins of cardio 4 days a week with 30 mins of strength training directly afterwards, and run in HIIT for 3 miles 1-2 days on the weekend with my dog. I eat at a -15% of my TDEE and count calories while trying daily to balance my macros. I drink primarily water and only have coffee 2 times a week and 6 oz of OJ with breakfast. Other than that I drink water. I sleep 7 hours a night and follow a routine. I work hard daily to make healthy choices and work out 5 days a week. Occasionally 6 if it's beautiful out.

I can physically see and feel my muscle gain and fat loss. Look at my pictures if you doubt me. It is absolutely possible to burn and build all at once. I know because I'm doing it! My weight on the scale has remained the same, yet my fat loss is extremely evident and when I flex now you see my muscles. My quads have started to pop, boots no longer fit over my calves, sweaters are tight in my shoulders and biceps. I take pictures weekly to compare my progress. Trust me. I'm losing fat and building muscle

What I'm wondering is if I'm ever going to drop a pant size or if my muscles are going to bump me up. Maybe I am better off asking this in a body building forum.

all I can say is take a week off exercising. Your body increases fluids in your muscle when healing, hence increasing weight (and size). You are not gaining muscle (unless you have a hormonal disorder), but are seeing fat loss combined with muscles pumped with water.

Take 1-2 weeks off. Weigh. Be astonished.

JessHealthKick

Actually I am. I do 30 mins of cardio 4 days a week with 30 mins of strength training directly afterwards, and run in HIIT for 3 miles 1-2 days on the weekend with my dog. I eat at a -15% of my TDEE and count calories while trying daily to balance my macros. I drink primarily water and only have coffee 2 times a week and 6 oz of OJ with breakfast. Other than that I drink water. I sleep 7 hours a night and follow a routine. I work hard daily to make healthy choices and work out 5 days a week. Occasionally 6 if it's beautiful out.

I can physically see and feel my muscle gain and fat loss. Look at my pictures if you doubt me. It is absolutely possible to burn and build all at once. I know because I'm doing it! My weight on the scale has remained the same, yet my fat loss is extremely evident and when I flex now you see my muscles. My quads have started to pop, boots no longer fit over my calves, sweaters are tight in my shoulders and biceps. I take pictures weekly to compare my progress. Trust me. I'm losing fat and building muscle

What I'm wondering is if I'm ever going to drop a pant size or if my muscles are going to bump me up. Maybe I am better off asking this in a body building forum.

You'll notice the difference in terminology will really get blasted at you on the lifting forums.

Building muscle - as the words imply - something new, building from raw materials new muscle mass.
Building strength - using existing muscle - can improve greatly before the body feels the need to add more muscle, but must have the right diet and lifting routine to get that response. But you can use existing which will be made stronger.
Building size - using existing muscle - now used muscle is filled with glucose and matching water storage, so they appear larger most the time.

Combine the last option that is actually happening to you, with losing fat over the muscle, and you are seeing the muscle better, and it's bigger. But there isn't more of it actually.

As to why bigger?

I'm going to bet your HIIT really isn't HIIT, but just high effort almost total carb burn anaerobic cardio for decent amount of time.
If you are doing your lifting right, you shouldn't have the strength left over for proper HIIT, unless Friday is not leg day, then possible. You burn high carbs in an effort - body responds by store more, along with required water. More weight (water) and more size taken up.

If you are able to do the HIIT correctly, then your lifting on Mon, if leg day, is not really what it could be, so you aren't overloading it for weight to get the body to respond by trying to build more muscle. Which the diet isn't going to allow right now.

Doing all the best fat-burning exercises together that you've heard about isn't really the best way - jack of all trades, master of none. It just means one or the other isn't as effect as it could be, for it's focus, or for even fat burn.

I only mention HIIT probably not done right because most seem to add it to their routine as a fad recommendation that is all the rage lately, but don't really get in to when and how to do it, nor to tell if doing it right.
You may be doing it right, how long is the hard part, and the recovery part? How many reps? How high does the HR get on the hard part, 1st and last rep? How low on the recovery part?

I agree a lot with this reply.

I can do HIIT for about 15 mins then feel totally exhausted! Sprinting at 11km/hr on 10~15 inclines really takes it our of you. As recommended, try to specialise somewhere for a while. Make a weights plan. If you want to lose fat, make that your focus, but don't expect to be losing lots of fat and gaining all this muscle whilst eating at -15% TDEE and not letting your body rest.

Mards808

hello there! i messaging you not because i have solution from your posted back on 2013. we do have the same problem and like you i also watch my food doung 40 , 30, 30 CBO carb protein oil.. i do carb cyclingon to switch my metabolism and i look good not until i start doing weight.. all my clothes are getting tight and my weight still the same.. to make my post short .. i wanna know hows your body changing now? i hope you got better , and your concern on previous post was resolved.