How did building muscle effect your weight?

2»

Replies

  • cwolfman13
    cwolfman13 Posts: 41,865 Member
    Stop obsessing about the silly number on the scale. As others have stated, it's pretty much meaningless when you're lifting weights. I've basically maintained my weight of 182 Lbs for the last two months, but I've lost about another inch around my waist and gone from 21% BF to 19% BF...all while maintaining a weight of 182 Lbs. I'm losing fat, and that's what's important...not some arbitrary number on the scale.
  • MeIShouldB
    MeIShouldB Posts: 578 Member
    thats what I am aiming for too, to shift the fat that is sat on top of my muscles... I am doing small amounts of resistance to help build muscle to help with the fat burning process, when I am happy that I have lost the fat gained from my meds, then I will bury my scale in the cupboard and start training properly...

    That's exactly how I feel, I wanna get some more of the top fat off first.
  • Reinventing_Me
    Reinventing_Me Posts: 1,053 Member
    OP, out of curiosity, what's your lifting routine? I know you said you do an arm day and leg day, but what do they consist of?
  • wswilliams67
    wswilliams67 Posts: 938 Member
    When lifting heavy you gain muscle weight (although slowly) and retain a LOT more water due to muscle repair. If you do compound lifts using more muscle groups then the water gain can be even more than isolation/split routines. If you take creatine you will gain even more water weight than if you didn't take it. When lifting heavy i only use the scale to get my weight so I can plug it into my Omron fat meter. My weight can go up and down 5-7 pounds daily just because of water retention.

    The key to true tracking when weightlifting is a tape measure, the mirror and your clothes. Your waist should be getting smaller while other muscle groups may be getting larger over time. Also remember that it takes a LONG time to gain significant muscle weight naturally. Men can gain an average of 2 pounds of lean muscle per month (again NO roids/drugs). Women have a harder time gaining lean muscle naturally and can expect 0.5 pound per month.

    Of course individual muscle gain is also all about genetics, intensity, supplementation, diet, etc.
  • ruggedBear
    ruggedBear Posts: 295
    I understand how important it is to keep a measure of your progress. My scale was my measure for a very long time. I haven't updated my ticker in months because my weight hasn't really changed much since January when I started progressively lifting heavier. Other measures can replace the same feeling you get when the scale drops every few days. Lots of posters mention using a tape measure - and that's a great tool. Here are some other suggestions that help me:

    1. Goal pants - buy a couple of cheap pairs of pants in the next two sizes down from where you are now
    2. For women - buy a smaller bra (not so cheap, I know - but maybe more motivating when you've invested $$)
    3. Speed/endurance measures - I'm a runner, and use Runkeeper to track my goals. Can I run faster or farther than I did last month?
    4. MFP! Hitting my macros can be hard some weeks, and when I get a rally going I feel great!

    I lift because being strong makes me feel good, and because it suits my body composition. Even though I like to run, I'm not built like a runner. I know that eventually the last of the extra body fat will burn off, but what I actually weigh is no longer important to me. I am 5'2" and weigh 170 pounds - and no one would ever guess. My friend, 150 lbs, same height - thinks I am smaller than her!

    Good luck finding what works for you and stay motivated!
  • MeIShouldB
    MeIShouldB Posts: 578 Member
    OP, out of curiosity, what's your lifting routine? I know you said you do an arm day and leg day, but what do they consist of?

    Lat pull-down 50LBS 3 sets of 10
    Bench press- 30LBS 3 sets of 10
    Military press- 30 LBS 3 sets of 10
    Tricep Extension- 40 LBS-3 sets of 10
    Bicep curl- 30 LBS 3 sets of 10
    Hip Abduct- 50lbs 3 sets of 10
    Hip Adduct- 50 lbs 3 sets of 10
    Leg Extension- 40 lbs 3 sets of 10
    Prone leg curl- 40 lbs-3 sets 10
  • MeIShouldB
    MeIShouldB Posts: 578 Member
    I understand how important it is to keep a measure of your progress. My scale was my measure for a very long time. I haven't updated my ticker in months because my weight hasn't really changed much since January when I started progressively lifting heavier. Other measures can replace the same feeling you get when the scale drops every few days. Lots of posters mention using a tape measure - and that's a great tool. Here are some other suggestions that help me:

    1. Goal pants - buy a couple of cheap pairs of pants in the next two sizes down from where you are now
    2. For women - buy a smaller bra (not so cheap, I know - but maybe more motivating when you've invested $$)
    3. Speed/endurance measures - I'm a runner, and use Runkeeper to track my goals. Can I run faster or farther than I did last month?
    4. MFP! Hitting my macros can be hard some weeks, and when I get a rally going I feel great!

    I lift because being strong makes me feel good, and because it suits my body composition. Even though I like to run, I'm not built like a runner. I know that eventually the last of the extra body fat will burn off, but what I actually weigh is no longer important to me. I am 5'2" and weigh 170 pounds - and no one would ever guess. My friend, 150 lbs, same height - thinks I am smaller than her!

    Good luck finding what works for you and stay motivated!

    Helpful! Thanks
  • MeIShouldB
    MeIShouldB Posts: 578 Member
    When lifting heavy you gain muscle weight (although slowly) and retain a LOT more water due to muscle repair. If you do compound lifts using more muscle groups then the water gain can be even more than isolation/split routines. If you take creatine you will gain even more water weight than if you didn't take it. When lifting heavy i only use the scale to get my weight so I can plug it into my Omron fat meter. My weight can go up and down 5-7 pounds daily just because of water retention.

    The key to true tracking when weightlifting is a tape measure, the mirror and your clothes. Your waist should be getting smaller while other muscle groups may be getting larger over time. Also remember that it takes a LONG time to gain significant muscle weight naturally. Men can gain an average of 2 pounds of lean muscle per month (again NO roids/drugs). Women have a harder time gaining lean muscle naturally and can expect 0.5 pound per month.

    Of course individual muscle gain is also all about genetics, intensity, supplementation, diet, etc.

    Thanks, and about the creatine, the only thing I do is whey protein.

Categories