Muscle Replacing Fat

Articeluvsmemphis

Okay so I may just be answering my own question here, but how much does weight-training affect the number on the scale?

Some say that if you haven't lost weight in weeks that you could just be replacing fat with muscle. How long does this process really take? I do Jillian Michaels and use 5/8pound weights. And I use the gym machines once a week and do leg/upper body work {depending on the exercise} 10pounds all the way up to 90pounds.

So yeah thoughts, ideas, tips. Whatever is welcome. Thanks.

jbucci1186

i want to know too.

ninerbuff

Okay so I may just be answering my own question here, but how much does weight-training affect the number on the scale?

Some say that if you haven't lost weight in weeks that you could just be replacing fat with muscle. How long does this process really take? I do Jillian Michaels and use 5/8pound weights. And I use the gym machines once a week and do leg/upper body work {depending on the exercise} 10pounds all the way up to 90pounds.

So yeah thoughts, ideas, tips. Whatever is welcome. Thanks.

It is very difficult to build muscle on a calorie deficit. In fact it's almost impossible. Your weight will be affected if you're new to training or did an extremely heavy and hard workout. The effect would be water and glycogen retention which could result in an increase of 1 to 5 lbs on average. It's absolutely normal and once your body adapts, weight loss will continue and may even be faster.

taso42_DELETED

If you're eating around your maintenance level, doing weight training, and eating a good diet, then it is certainly possible to shift your body composition. Most of the people on this site are trying to lose weight, hence eating at a deficit. Building muscle at a deficit is difficult to impossible for the vast majority of the population - Some people can - it has to do with genetics. That said, there is something I've heard called "the beginner's effect", when just starting out a diet and fitness plan, people do gain a small amount of muscle.

While you might not gain muscle, strength training and proper eat are still crucial in your weight loss, because it will at least minimize how much lean mass that you lose. You want to preserve as much lean mass as possible, because the more you have, the more calories you will burn at rest.

donbet69

Okay so I may just be answering my own question here, but how much does weight-training affect the number on the scale?

Some say that if you haven't lost weight in weeks that you could just be replacing fat with muscle. How long does this process really take? I do Jillian Michaels and use 5/8pound weights. And I use the gym machines once a week and do leg/upper body work {depending on the exercise} 10pounds all the way up to 90pounds.

So yeah thoughts, ideas, tips. Whatever is welcome. Thanks.

It is very difficult to build muscle on a calorie deficit. In fact it's almost impossible. Your weight will be affected if you're new to training or did an extremely heavy and hard workout. The effect would be water and glycogen retention which could result in an increase of 1 to 5 lbs on average. It's absolutely normal and once your body adapts, weight loss will continue and may even be faster.

And the reason you retain water is because the muscles need it to repair themselves. So if you have a very hard workout, you may notice a gain. But, it is not a sudden increase of muscle density.

MrBrown72

For a male weight lifter. For females it seems to be about 50% of male numbers.

If you're a beginner on a decent training and nutrition program, you might be able to build 25 pounds of lean muscle in your first year of training.

However, muscle growth is not a linear process, and you won't keep growing at the same rate forever.

In year two, we can cut that number in half, giving you a gain of 10-12 pounds. In year three, the gains will be halved again, giving you 5-6 pounds of new muscle.

Unless you're a teenager with lots of natural anabolic hormones flooding your system, someone with a genetic predisposition towards rapid muscle growth, or you're using anabolic drugs, gaining more than 25 pounds of muscle in one year or less is very hard to do.

kdiamond

I have done a recomp - which is replacing fat with muscle eating at maintenance, but I was already at a pretty low weight. As the OP said, it is next to impossible to gain muscle on a deficit.

TheDeviation

It is very difficult to build muscle on a calorie deficit. In fact it's almost impossible.

/thread

Articeluvsmemphis

okay thanks. good info to know.

CommittohealthCHANGED

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