Muscle Gain for women

anticheer101

I have very recently started into strength training and really enjoy it. However, before I started I was able to cut my weight down to 120lbs and ignore a fantasy weight of 115lbs realizing that it was just unrealistic for my body. Now that I am exercising rather than being stuck in my couch potato ways, I have had a gain around 3lbs. I was expecting a weight gain, but not that quickly. (2 weeks)

So REALLY my question here is, for women, how fast did you a notice a weight gain in MUSCLE? Could you tell at first/ how could you tell?

Right now I'm allowing myself to eat a bit more on gym days and my normal calorie goal on days that I don't, my concern is that I might not be adding as much muscle weight as I think and am giving myself too much food to create a large enough calorie deficit to still get rid of extra fat.

susanp57

Stick the scale in the closet and get out the measuring tape.

Additionally, part of building 'new' muscle is breaking down the 'old.' Your muscles will hold onto water as part of that repair process.

If you must weigh, try weighing only after a rest day when you might have let go of some of that water.

ebr250

I agree the scale is just going to mess with your head. I would take measurements instead. Also, if you are really enjoying strength training as you said, why worry about numbers on a scale? Strength training can only help your confidence and health - ditch that scale!

Gallowmere1984

3 lbs. is easily a water retention fluctuation.

Keep in mind that it's very possible to get temporary cuts or gains in weight that appear pretty drastic, just by tooling with water. For example, I could lose ten to fifteen pounds by tomorrow, easily, but it wouldn't be real loss, as I'd just be dehydrating myself.

brainfreeze72

bump

denezy

I'd recommend you serious think about what your goals are. Do you REALLY want to be 115 lbs or do you just want to be a little smaller? I'd assume it is the latter, so stop allowing the scale to ruin you. Set a measurement or size goal and you'll feel much better.

acpgee

And measure muscle gains by increase in reps/weight used at the gym.

Crankstr

3 lbs. is easily a water retention fluctuation.

Keep in mind that it's very possible to get temporary cuts or gains in weight that appear pretty drastic, just by tooling with water. For example, I could lose ten to fifteen pounds by tomorrow, easily, but it wouldn't be real loss, as I'd just be dehydrating myself.

this.

and it takes months for women to put on a few pounds of muscle...and you have to be eating in a surplus...i just gained 14 pounds in the last 3 months and am hoping to have added 2 or 3 pounds of muscle.

sweatymuscles

your muscles hokd some water when you work them out. dont worry about it. and yeah, you can gain 3 pounds in 2 weeks. The funny thing is that in 2 days you could weight 3 pounds less because our bodies are always fluctuating.

Sarauk2sf

You did not gain muscle. It is glycogen and water retention in the muscle as they repaid. To gain actual you need to be doing a progressive loading program, getting enough protein and, with 3 exceptions, need to be eating at a surplus. The exceptions are 'newbie' or returning lifter gains and these will only be a few pounds, or of you are obese, where you can make some gains, the extent of which will depend on how overweight you are, age, training routine etc.

Eating at a surplus and will all the right conditions, women can only put on about 12lb in their first year of training and half that the next...and this continues to decrease.

geekyjock76

If you just started lifting, you may increase lean body mass but not by any significant margin even after 6 months while in a calorie deficit. New trainees will either experience a small loss or minimal gain. Reading your statements, it seems you are bouncing between a calorie deficit and close to maintenance. Actual maintenance, though, is achieved when you eat the maximum amount of calories until you reach weight homeostasis after the initial gain, mainly due to normal storage of glycogen and water. I am not sure you are noticing extra water retention due to being a new lifter and upping calories closer to maintenance.

You can realistically gain 1 lb of actual muscle per month when at a calorie surplus each day. To gain muscle, you have to gain fat mass. Although there is a limit to how much muscle you can gain in a month, there isn't for fat mass. With that said, your surplus above maintenance should be around 250 calories. This will allow a net gain of 1 lb of muscle and 1 lb of fat mass, which is a acceptable partitioning.

You can read more about a calorie surplus and the gains here:
http://www.bodyrecomposition.com/muscle-gain/general-philosophies-of-muscle-mass-gain.html

BaileyBoo13524

So then do women HAVE to eat at a surplus on lifting days to look leaner and become stronger? I've heard so many different things, but mostly to eat at a smaller deficit than cardio days. So confused!

viviennemayer

Personally it took me about a month to really notice a difference in muscle tone. That being said I was instructed by the pros I worked with to ditch the scale and pull out the tape measure. That was a tremendous help. Also I do light weights with more reps to keep it toning and not bulking up. I'm really pleased with the results so far. Don't lose hope, the weight gain/loss isn't that serious if you're still trimming inches. Good luck.

Sarauk2sf

So then do women HAVE to eat at a surplus on lifting days to look leaner and become stronger? I've heard so many different things, but mostly to eat at a smaller deficit than cardio days. So confused!

Lean = lower body fat, so you need to eat at a deficit.

Stronger = lifting weights. Strength gains can be made at a deficit.

To increase muscle mass, you need to eat at a surplus once 'newbie' gains are exhausted.

You can try calorie cycling to eat at a surplus on lifting days and a deficit on non lifting days, but it is a very long slow process and really leaves very little room for estimation errors in intake and activity.

anticheer101

THANK YOU ! All of these posts were very helpful. I'll be changing towards fitness goals rather than reaching a digit on the scale... Its hard when you see it every morning not to just jump on and see where you are at.

Measurements will be taken and will be the new goal.

Love all yo faces!

(feel free to add for support and motivation! )

KarenJanine

THANK YOU ! All of these posts were very helpful. I'll be changing towards fitness goals rather than reaching a digit on the scale... Its hard when you see it every morning not to just jump on and see where you are at.

Measurements will be taken and will be the new goal.

Love all yo faces!

(feel free to add for support and motivation! )

You've got this!

Ignoring the scale is a must. I have many friends on here who've been lifting around a year. Many have gained lbs but are smaller than ever and are finally getting the body they always wanted. I'm on that road too, still got a long way to go though!

BaileyBoo13524

So then do women HAVE to eat at a surplus on lifting days to look leaner and become stronger? I've heard so many different things, but mostly to eat at a smaller deficit than cardio days. So confused!

Lean = lower body fat, so you need to eat at a deficit.

Stronger = lifting weights. Strength gains can be made at a deficit.

To increase muscle mass, you need to eat at a surplus once 'newbie' gains are exhausted.

You can try calorie cycling to eat at a surplus on lifting days and a deficit on non lifting days, but it is a very long slow process and really leaves very little room for estimation errors in intake and activity.

Ok thank you so much for your response that really helps clear things up!

mmapags

3 lbs. is easily a water retention fluctuation.

Keep in mind that it's very possible to get temporary cuts or gains in weight that appear pretty drastic, just by tooling with water. For example, I could lose ten to fifteen pounds by tomorrow, easily, but it wouldn't be real loss, as I'd just be dehydrating myself.

this.

and it takes months for women to put on a few pounds of muscle...and you have to be eating in a surplus...i just gained 14 pounds in the last 3 months and am hoping to have added 2 or 3 pounds of muscle.

And another vote for this! It's water and glycogen. Especially in light of the fact that you recently started the strength program.

bostonwolf

Stick the scale in the closet and get out the measuring tape.

Additionally, part of building 'new' muscle is breaking down the 'old.' Your muscles will hold onto water as part of that repair process.

If you must weigh, try weighing only after a rest day when you might have let go of some of that water.

This. Measure the following once a week on the same day at the same time:

Neck
Around each arm at each bicep
Around your belly button
Around your hip bones
Around each thigh at mid point.

You'll be surprised how these change as you start transforming fat to muscle.

SuperCork

Looks like everyone has said everything worth saying, but don't forget this: http://www.myfitnesspal.com/blog/SuperCork/view/if-you-like-poo-469445

bostonwolf

THANK YOU ! All of these posts were very helpful. I'll be changing towards fitness goals rather than reaching a digit on the scale... Its hard when you see it every morning not to just jump on and see where you are at.

Measurements will be taken and will be the new goal.

Love all yo faces!

(feel free to add for support and motivation! )

Good luck and keep in mind as a woman you'll have some fluctuations every month when our friend comes to visit that have nothing to do with your eating and workout plan.