Am I gaining muscle?

tinabell153

I have been exercising 5-6 days a week for months now and easily maintained my weight eating 1450-1500 net cals until this week I have my goal set to 1450 and I am gradually gaining weight. Could it be that I'm gaining muscle? Or maybe I'm not eating enough? I'm not sure what's going on. Can anyone help? My diary is public.

Cyclink

With such a small calorie intake (which is almost certainly a deficit), it's highly unlikely.

I'm betting on water retention.

37434958

Whats your height, weight, and age if u dont mind? U can PM me

concordancia

How tall are you?

trogalicious

you're retaining water from working out so much... AND probably undereating for the workouts you're doing.

tinabell153

Whats your height, weight, and age if u dont mind? U can PM me

I'm 24 years old and 5'0" 107lbs (I was 105 three weeks ago)

FitMrsR

With such a small calorie intake (which is almost certainly a deficit), it's highly unlikely.

I'm betting on water retention.

True^^

Your sodium has been really high. Even the days you don't go over, it's still high so I'm also guessing water retention.

tinabell153

Even though I've been drinking plenty of water, does that mean I still have more water retention?

37434958

Whats your height, weight, and age if u dont mind? U can PM me

I'm 24 years old and 5'0" 107lbs (I was 105 three weeks ago)

I think you should eat more.. BMR calculator said 1200 calories but I dont agree with it. Not sure about your situation. :frown: Sorry Tinaaa

tinabell153

I should mention that I've been lifting weights and recently increased them.

NovemberJune

Really people think someone 5' tall and relatively small *netting* 1450 calories is under-eating? I honestly don't think so.

I assumed that when you said netting 1450 you meant that you log exercise calories and then "eat them back"?

2 lbs to me isn't really much of a gain and my best guess is water weight too. Are you trying to gain muscle?

tinabell153

Really people think someone 5' tall and relatively small *netting* 1450 calories is under-eating? I honestly don't think so.

I assumed that when you said netting 1450 you meant that you log exercise calories and then "eat them back"?

2 lbs to me isn't really much of a gain and my best guess is water weight too. Are you trying to gain muscle?

Yeah net as in eating my exercise calories too. I'm definitely trying to gain muscle and I feel like I may be doing something wrong =\
Hopefully it's just water weight and I'll see it dissipate soon.

DrMAvDPhD

Start tracking measurements in addition to weight. As women, we can retain a lot of water and see major fluctuations which could be masking fat loss. I think it is pretty unlikely that you are putting on significant muscle at the amount that that you are eating.

Edit: Actually, I take that back a bit. I looked through your diary and you are eating a lot more than 1450. It could be muscle, although if you are truly eating more than your TDEE you WILL put fat and muscle on together. It is the only way to gain muscle. I would keep track of your measurements and continue doing what your doing until you reached a point that you don't want to get any bigger, and then maybe start eating at a small deficit again to get rid of any fat you put on with all those awesome muscle gains.

NovemberJune

Really people think someone 5' tall and relatively small *netting* 1450 calories is under-eating? I honestly don't think so.

I assumed that when you said netting 1450 you meant that you log exercise calories and then "eat them back"?

2 lbs to me isn't really much of a gain and my best guess is water weight too. Are you trying to gain muscle?

Yeah net as in eating my exercise calories too. I'm definitely trying to gain muscle and I feel like I may be doing something wrong =\
Hopefully it's just water weight and I'll see it dissipate soon.

If you are trying to gain muscle, then you will need to up the calories a bit. You'd want to go OVER the maintenance goal about 200 per day, including exercise. And that's assuming a good strength training routine. Another strategy is to eat a few hundred over on lifting days and eat around maintenance on rest days.

tinabell153

If you are trying to gain muscle, then you will need to up the calories a bit. You'd want to go OVER the maintenance goal about 200 per day, including exercise. And that's assuming a good strength training routine. Another strategy is to eat a few hundred over on lifting days and eat around maintenance on rest days.

Ok! I just upped it to 1550 net cals and I'm going to see how it goes. I'll eat more on lift days and hope that I'm gaining more muscle than fat. But I do eat pretty clean and try to get a lot of protein.

climbamnt

http://iifym.com/tdee-calculator/

Put your numbers in here and see where it sets your calories to.

RunHardBeStrong

I should mention that I've been lifting weights and recently increased them.

If you've upped the intensity then, yes, it's water retention from muscles repairing themselves.

jlapey

Whats your height, weight, and age if u dont mind? U can PM me

I'm 24 years old and 5'0" 107lbs (I was 105 three weeks ago)

Doesn't sound to me like you NEED to lose weight. I am also 5'0" tall and I weigh 151(definitely need to lose). The last time I weighed under 110, I looked rather sickly. If you are unhappy with your appearance, I bet weight lifting to shape/build your muscles would do wonders. I'm lifting now, and the changes are happening. Today's 151pounds looks so much better than the 151 pounds of two months ago.

Just a suggestion: try eating at your TDEE and weight lifting for a month or two just to see what happens.

ETA: Sorry, I guess I misread. I don't know why I thought you were trying to lose weight. So, umm, yeah....up your cals and keep lifting.

NovemberJune

I agree with the others that it's a good idea to check your TDEE. MFP just happens to match up well with my TDEE when I set it to maintenance and log my exercise calories but I'm sure that's not the case for everyone.

cwolfman13

Really people think someone 5' tall and relatively small *netting* 1450 calories is under-eating? I honestly don't think so.

I assumed that when you said netting 1450 you meant that you log exercise calories and then "eat them back"?

2 lbs to me isn't really much of a gain and my best guess is water weight too. Are you trying to gain muscle?

Yeah net as in eating my exercise calories too. I'm definitely trying to gain muscle and I feel like I may be doing something wrong =\
Hopefully it's just water weight and I'll see it dissipate soon.

Keep in mind that weight isn't static, just as weight loss isn't linear. When I maintain, I easily fluctuate 2-3 Lbs either way due to water retention/release, food in/out, fluids in/out, waste in the intestines, etc. Your muscles are also going to retain water when you switch up your exercise...increase intensity/weight, etc as that water and glycogen are needed for repair.

To actually gain muscle, you'll need to eat at a slight surplus...it is the only way to gain muscle. If the surplus is modest...say 100 calories or so over your maintenance you really won't put on fat, but muscle growth will be slow...maybe 2-3 pounds or so in a year. Keep in mind that it is also very difficult for women to pack on a lot of muscle.

tinabell153

Doesn't sound to me like you NEED to lose weight. I am also 5'0" tall and I weigh 151(definitely need to lose). The last time I weighed under 110, I looked rather sickly. If you are unhappy with your appearance, I bet weight lifting to shape/build your muscles would do wonders. I'm lifting now, and the changes are happening. Today's 151pounds looks so much better than the 151 pounds of two months ago.

Just a suggestion: try eating at your TDEE and weight lifting for a month or two just to see what happens.

ETA: Sorry, I guess I misread. I don't know why I thought you were trying to lose weight. So, umm, yeah....up your cals and keep lifting.

I'm maintaining not trying to lose, and I am lifting! I think I need to increase my calorie intake.