Is 1/2lb a week enough?
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rf1583
Posts: 65
I'm new to all of this and I've been figuring out my calories to see where i need to be to gain. I'm female, very petite, 5'2", 99lbs. I weightlift 3 times a week doing Deadlifts, squats, overhead press, bench press, rows, lat pulldowns, and a couple isolation exercises thrown in. I have been increasing weight as I can as well. (It's pathetic how weak I am. I started out doing dumbbell Deadlifts with 12lb weights. Last night I deadlifted 50lbs!) so I'm at least gaining some strength. Last week I gained 1/2 a pound and looks like this week I'm on track to gain at least that again. Is this enough or should I aim to gain more like a pound a week? Also, at 99lbs how much should I gain before I do a cut? 10lbs?
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Replies
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Well done on the strength gains!
1/2 lb is really good. It's actually what everyone says a female should shoot for in order to keep fat gain as low as possible.
When it comes to how much to gain, it's all preferences really. See how you feel as you get along. Once you feel to uncomfortable to keep gaining start cutting or maintaining for a bit. A warning though, don't start cutting the second you think you get 'fat' cause if you have followed this group you will have noticed everyone get it all the time
stick it out for a couple of days before you change anything... 0 -
Well done on the strength gains!
1/2 lb is really good. It's actually what everyone says a female should shoot for in order to keep fat gain as low as possible.
When it comes to how much to gain, it's all preferences really. See how you feel as you get along. Once you feel to uncomfortable to keep gaining start cutting or maintaining for a bit. A warning though, don't start cutting the second you think you get 'fat' cause if you have followed this group you will have noticed everyone get it all the time stick it out for a couple of days before you change anything...
This.
Females on average, only have the ability to gain a minimal amount of muscle per week and even under perfect circumstances it doesn't happen the way everyone thinks it does. That's why many say to average it out to aim for a 1/2lb gain a week. Forewarning though, bulking over a period of time will show you weight gain like a loss isn't linear. You will not and no one has, perfectly gained 1/2lb every week. Some weeks the scale might fluctuate more or less but keep moving. There are way too many factors that play into it over the month in weight fluctuations.
Set a goal of 10-15lbs or 12-16wks and reeval from there on how much longer you should bulk. At 5'2 99lbs is rather small but I don't know your build. FWIW I'm 5'2 and I've been everywhere. I started MFP at 130lb with a high BF and got down to 108lb with a low BF and little muscle. Worked my way back up and I'm now 135lb and will most likely not cut below 130lb.0 -
Like Holly said, it's hard with not knowing your body type, but with being 99lbs currently and doing a nice slow bulk you might find that at the end of it you don't even want to cut! You could very well love your look after a 10lb gain. Good luck!0
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Thanks for the replies! I have one other pic on my profile to show what my body looks like. I have little muscle and I do have some body fat I could stand to lose. I used calipers and determined I'm 24-25% body fat. I will just keep doing what I'm doing and monitoring each week and adjust as needed. It's amazing how much my whole mentality has changed since I started all this with regards to just everything! I'm so determined to achieve my goals! I know it's a slow process but I wish it wasn't!0
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Are you relatively new to lifting too? If so, you are primed for great newbie gains!
On a completely different subject, just noticed where you are from. I was born and raised in Monmouth County! Don't live there anymore but loved growing up there.0 -
Yes I'm a newbie and I do hope to see those newbie gains! I was actually raised in ocean county but I moved to monmouth county about 4-5 years ago.0
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Good luck and enjoy the journey! Bulking is such a fantastic place to be for body and mind! Do a super slow cut after. You should know your numbers well enough by then to control the cut without losing any LBM.0
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Are you relatively new to lifting too? If so, you are primed for great newbie gains!
On a completely different subject, just noticed where you are from. I was born and raised in Monmouth County! Don't live there anymore but loved growing up there.
that's a nice area- I don't go up there much- but I like visiting.
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Thanks for the replies! I have one other pic on my profile to show what my body looks like. I have little muscle and I do have some body fat I could stand to lose. I used calipers and determined I'm 24-25% body fat. I will just keep doing what I'm doing and monitoring each week and adjust as needed. It's amazing how much my whole mentality has changed since I started all this with regards to just everything! I'm so determined to achieve my goals! I know it's a slow process but I wish it wasn't!
Saw your pic, you look amazing and I don't think you're that high of BF as you think. I do think with your newbie status, an extended bulk of 4-6 mths would do you good.0 -
Thanks but Wow YOU look amazing! I hope I can get half the arm and leg muscle you have! I do plan to do this bulk for at least 4-6 months (maybe longer) depending on my progress. I don't know I feel my body fat is probably about that but maybe I just wear it well? There's definitely soft fat in the back of my arms, and it mostly goes in my butt and thighs.0
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It really is a nice area. People who make fun of NJ rarely see the beautiful parts of it and judge it only on the north end of the Turnpike. My husband was amazed at what else there was to offer when we would go back and visit.Are you relatively new to lifting too? If so, you are primed for great newbie gains!
On a completely different subject, just noticed where you are from. I was born and raised in Monmouth County! Don't live there anymore but loved growing up there.
that's a nice area- I don't go up there much- but I like visiting.0 -
I have a relatively similar body type as you. When I started bulking in Jan. I weighed around 102 lbs., and now I'm up to 107. I'm 5'4". Prior to Jan. of this year, I was trying to build muscle, but it took me a loooong time to figure out how much I actually had to eat. It sounds like you're right on target though if you're gaining 0.5 lb per week- that's what I shoot for. For this month I've just been trying to maintain, and I'll probably commence bulking again in a week or two. If you feel like you're gaining too quickly, you can always just try and find your maintenance (instead of doing a drastic cut). I've determined that's the best thing for me to do. I do have more BF I'd like to lose, but I know I have to get my weight up before I even think about cutting. Most likely I'm going to be doing bulking/maintenance cycles for the rest of the year.0
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I'm interested in your progress since we do have similar body types. It's weird because I'm excited about gaining weight!0
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It really is a nice area. People who make fun of NJ rarely see the beautiful parts of it and judge it only on the north end of the Turnpike. My husband was amazed at what else there was to offer when we would go back and visit.Are you relatively new to lifting too? If so, you are primed for great newbie gains!
On a completely different subject, just noticed where you are from. I was born and raised in Monmouth County! Don't live there anymore but loved growing up there.
that's a nice area- I don't go up there much- but I like visiting.
No kidding- I moved from Ca and everyone was like OH OH OH WHERE ARE YOU MOVING
new Jersey....
Oh. <flat>
I was surprised myself at how much this area has to offer- and clearly not 'unhappy' I'm down by Trenton- so not amazing- but I have easy access to all parts of everything within 1-2 hrs- it really is not so bad! lol0 -
Hi! I don't really have anything to offer that hasn't been said yet. Good luck and keep us posted!0
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Thanks I will!0
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I'm interested in your progress since we do have similar body types. It's weird because I'm excited about gaining weight!
That's good you're excited, that's the way to be! I was scared at first, but now I like it after I got over the initial 'I feel fatter and tired' feeling. Not that I don't still have days like that, but I also had days like that even when I was 99 lbs. All in all, I feel much, much better at a heavier weight (like 107 is really heavy lol). I still have a long ways to go, but gaining 5 lbs. was a big deal and made a huge difference for me. I'm excited to see how I'll feel at 110 lbs.0 -
Hello, I started gaining at a similar weight to you: 5'1 and 92 lbs. Initially I planned to gain/bulk to 105 but in the end I carried on to 130! I also took it very slow and it took me 2 years to gain those 40 lb - I wouldn't change that for anything, so glad I took my time. 1/2 lb per week is pretty much perfect, so you can maximise muscle growth and minimise fat gains. Sounds like you are lifting on a good program too, just make sure you are pushing yourself very hard. Don't worry about when you'll have to cut yet, but bear in mind you want to be at least 5-10 lb above the minimum healthy weight for your own body, which for you might take quite a while.0
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Hello, I started gaining at a similar weight to you: 5'1 and 92 lbs. Initially I planned to gain/bulk to 105 but in the end I carried on to 130! I also took it very slow and it took me 2 years to gain those 40 lb - I wouldn't change that for anything, so glad I took my time. 1/2 lb per week is pretty much perfect, so you can maximise muscle growth and minimise fat gains. Sounds like you are lifting on a good program too, just make sure you are pushing yourself very hard. Don't worry about when you'll have to cut yet, but bear in mind you want to be at least 5-10 lb above the minimum healthy weight for your own body, which for you might take quite a while.
Wow I can't believe how much you gained! Congrats! Yeah I'm in no hurry to cut. I want to make sure I build enough muscle to support it anyway. I love seeing the success stories because it definitely gives me hope and motivation!0 -
Hello, I started gaining at a similar weight to you: 5'1 and 92 lbs. Initially I planned to gain/bulk to 105 but in the end I carried on to 130! I also took it very slow and it took me 2 years to gain those 40 lb - I wouldn't change that for anything, so glad I took my time. 1/2 lb per week is pretty much perfect, so you can maximise muscle growth and minimise fat gains. Sounds like you are lifting on a good program too, just make sure you are pushing yourself very hard. Don't worry about when you'll have to cut yet, but bear in mind you want to be at least 5-10 lb above the minimum healthy weight for your own body, which for you might take quite a while.
Wow I can't believe how much you gained! Congrats! Yeah I'm in no hurry to cut. I want to make sure I build enough muscle to support it anyway. I love seeing the success stories because it definitely gives me hope and motivation!
Thanks, and yep, even at my heaviest of 130 I managed to keep my body fat around 19% from going slow... but am now finding that even at this weight I am really lacking in muscle in some areas
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