How much can you gain/lose (of fat/muscle) in 3 weeks?

upgetupgetup

Going from:

- 3 x / week full-body strength training + maintenance calories to
- one workout every 1.5 weeks, and 500 extra cals? < did that for 2-3 weeks, and gained 5 lbs on the scale.

Did I do something dumb like gain 8 lbs of fat and lose 3 of muscle?

30s, female. I've only been lifting (8-20 reps, with light/med/heavy days) for the past 4 months. I was probably 22-25% body fat before the gain, and I feel really puffy now.

Also, how much can I reverse this in the next 2 weeks? I've only ever been able to manage a 15% deficit.

drmerc

how did you lose 3lbs of muscle and gain fat eating maintenance?

Crankstr

BUMP


lol i didnt see you there Dr

DavPul

Going from:

- 3 x / week full-body strength training + maintenance calories to
- one workout every 1.5 weeks, and 500 extra cals? < did that for 2-3 weeks, and gained 5 lbs on the scale.

Did I do something dumb like gain 8 lbs of fat and lose 3 of muscle?

probably. nay, definitely

30s, female. I've only been lifting (8-20 reps, with light/med/heavy days) for the past 4 months. I was probably 22-25% body fat before the gain, and I feel really puffy now.

Also, how much can I reverse this in the next 2 weeks? I've only ever been able to manage a 15% deficit.

pretty sure it's permanent. what is done cannot be undone

DopeItUp

As a woman, in 3 weeks? You might be able to gain .5lb, maybe 1lb of muscle if you're lucky.

If I'm reading your extremely confusing post right, you ate at a 500 calorie surplus for 3 weeks and only worked out twice (once every 1.5 weeks you state?). I'm guessing you actually gained a very miniscule amount of muscle, if any at all. Any other weight beyond that is likely a combination of fat and water weight.

MoreBean13

LOLWUT?!

ironmonkeystyle

cmcollins001

Going from:

- 3 x / week full-body strength training + maintenance calories to
- one workout every 1.5 weeks, and 500 extra cals? < did that for 2-3 weeks, and gained 5 lbs on the scale.

Did I do something dumb like gain 8 lbs of fat and lose 3 of muscle?

30s, female. I've only been lifting (8-20 reps, with light/med/heavy days) for the past 4 months. I was probably 22-25% body fat before the gain, and I feel really puffy now.

Also, how much can I reverse this in the next 2 weeks? I've only ever been able to manage a 15% deficit.

I've read this about 8 times and I'm still confused. Are you saying that in less than a month you think you lost 3 lbs of muscle and gain 8 lbs of fat because you scale show an increase of 5 lbs one time?

upgetupgetup

Haha, wow, I'd thought I was being economical.

I've read this about 8 times and I'm still confused. Are you saying that in less than a month you think you lost 3 lbs of muscle and gain 8 lbs of fat because you scale show an increase of 5 lbs one time?

Yes, this is more or less what I meant. Except I've weighed myself a bunch of times.

Idk - I'd been steady at 125 for 6 months, maybe 1-2 lbs either way. At that time I ate ~ 1900-2200 calories a day. Workouts were basically 'metabolic' bodyweight. Previously, I'd lost 60 lbs, via running + small (15%) deficit.

Then I started lifting, and eating more in the range of 2100-2300. I felt a little firmer over the first couple of months.

Stopped lifting as often and ate ****-tons more than that (not FOR muscle gain, it was stress and injury related). The total gain on the scale is probably more than 5 lbs, I'm just scared to check

I think, as Dope it Up said, I've been slowly gaining a bit of muscle and way more fat since I was at maintenance, and these past few weeks have tipped the ratio right over to chub, probably. I definitely look more fluffy than firm.

stanluoser

Eat right, bulk up right. To get bigger you need to bulk and to bulk you need to take in more calories. After the bulk you can cut again but cut healthy and you will see definition

MoreBean13

OK. Now I understand a little better. Here's the scoop- it doesn't really matter what it was that you gained. Damage is done. Get back on track and go back to a slight deficit- If your maintenance is say 2000, try going back to 1800 for a couple weeks, if you can. Whatever damage was done, you will be able to correct with a small deficit. Don't let it derail you much- you know what you're doing and you're way ahead of the game, plus you have a pretty reasonable understanding of your maintenance needs. You got this.

upgetupgetup

nevermind!

upgetupgetup

OK. Now I understand a little better. Here's the scoop- it doesn't really matter what it was that you gained. Damage is done. Get back on track and go back to a slight deficit- If your maintenance is say 2000, try going back to 1800 for a couple weeks, if you can. Whatever damage was done, you will be able to correct with a small deficit. Don't let it derail you much- you know what you're doing and you're way ahead of the game, plus you have a pretty reasonable understanding of your maintenance needs. You got this.

WHEW!!

Thank you, hugely appreciated

***
Thanks EVERYONE for bothering to try to make sense of my post!

Nataliaho

I think this thread was so confusing because unlike 99% of people you didn't come in claiming to have definately gained 5lb of muscle. Your realism and self-depricating assessment blew the MFP collective mind

upgetupgetup

Haha, well, thank you!