Gaining muscle??? How do you know?

LiqueLique89
LiqueLique89 Posts: 75 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
The last 3 months i've been stuck between 165 and 170lbs. Ive been eating right, exercising, and even lowered my cal intake to 1545. I've also tried to maintain at 1750 for a week and lowered them again (I'm currently trying to maintain for 2 weeks then lower them again) but nothing happens. I weigh myself every 2 weeks and the last few times i been going up a pound instead of down.....i've added more strength training (considering i've dont close to none before this) in my exercise routine. Could i be gaining muscle? Or am i not lowering my calories enough?

Replies

  • SideSteel
    SideSteel Posts: 11,068 Member
    The last 3 months i've been stuck between 165 and 170lbs. Ive been eating right, exercising, and even lowered my cal intake to 1545. I've also tried to maintain at 1750 for a week and lowered them again (I'm currently trying to maintain for 2 weeks then lower them again) but nothing happens. I weigh myself every 2 weeks and the last few times i been going up a pound instead of down.....i've added more strength training (considering i've dont close to none before this) in my exercise routine. Could i be gaining muscle?

    COULD you be gaining muscle? It's remotely possible, but keep in mind that one big mistake that people tend to make (IMO) is to assume they are gaining muscle when they stall out. I know you are simply asking the question (and not assuming) and that's good.

    Additionally, if you are truly in a caloric deficit, I would expect your total mass to reduce.


    Or am i not lowering my calories enough?

    This is also entirely possible.

    Are you using a food scale to weigh and measure everything? Do you log anything with calories? In what areas do you estimate intake?

    I would consider making an effort to first double-check your accuracy with food intake as this is a big contributor to people who think they're in a deficit but really aren't.


    Lastly, as far as how to tell whether or not you're gaining LBM, bodyfat analysis would really be the best method, but I don't think it's necessary for you to do so.
  • findingme07
    findingme07 Posts: 156 Member
    I am at 1290 calories, do at home strength training 3 days a week and aerobic activity 3 days a week and have been maintaining a consistent weight loss of 1.5 lbs. per week since June 10, 2012.
  • SJCon
    SJCon Posts: 224
    It is my understanding that when you are doing strength training you will retain weight in the form or water and electrolytes to ease the stress on the muscles and help them repair. It is not unusual for this to look like a plateau but yours seems extended. Try changing your exercise routine and see what happens eg. stop or reduce weight training and focus on core like running walking. etc. You could be toning / training your existing muscles but when in a calorie deficit you are probably not making new muscle. If this does not work re-evaluate your measurement and in and out calculations especially if you are "eating back" your exercise calories.
  • LiqueLique89
    LiqueLique89 Posts: 75 Member
    I try to weigh and measure out everything before consuming it, when i can't find it in MFP then i add my food using the info on the package and go from there. When i'm not able to do either i find something that is close to it [but that rarely happens]. I do log everything [even when i know it's something "bad"].

    I will make sure to check the accuracy to the best of my ability. Hopefully i see a change [i'm really starting to get frustrated and discouraged].

    Thanks!
  • SideSteel
    SideSteel Posts: 11,068 Member
    It is my understanding that when you are doing strength training you will retain weight in the form or water and electrolytes to ease the stress on the muscles and help them repair.

    ^ This is essentially true but I wouldn't reduce weight training in order to reduce this effect. It's temporary and after the initial fluid retention one would reasonably expect that weight would start dropping again if you're in an energy deficit.

    It certainly can and does mask weight loss for a short time.
  • crafty_65
    crafty_65 Posts: 41
    How do you clothes fit? Have you been taking other measurements besides your weight? I would think this would be a good indicator of whether or not you are gaining muscle.
  • heyitsadam
    heyitsadam Posts: 70 Member
    If you want to confirm "muscle" gains. Check your watch band, check your jeans' waist, and check your belts. Are you going past the standard notches?
  • Flixie00
    Flixie00 Posts: 1,195 Member
    I do a lot of strength training also. Hit a plateau for 3 months and only just started to see the weight move again. Whilst my weight did not move during those 3 months, I dropped a dress size. Get your tape measure out, inches lost mean more than what the scales tell you.
  • C00lCountry
    C00lCountry Posts: 282
    Are you eating your exercise calories?
    How much are you deficit?
    Are you drinking enough water?

    Just a few things I don't see answers to in your post.
  • jgsparks89
    jgsparks89 Posts: 85 Member
    I think one of the best judges of if you are gaining muscle vs. just not loosing weight is as simple as how your clothes are fitting. Take a garment that it usually a little tight, and see if it feels more comfortable. Also, taking regular measurements of your waist, hips, thighs, arms, etc could give you an idea. Overall, if you aren't loosing pounds, but you are shrinking, you are likely gaining muscle.
  • LiqueLique89
    LiqueLique89 Posts: 75 Member
    Thank you all for all the information :happy:

    I've been only using the scale [even though some of my clothes are fitting a bit looser]. I'm going to start using other measurements to record my progress
  • jpvieira
    jpvieira Posts: 50 Member
    One thing you might try as well is a scale that measures weight as well as body fat percentage. They aren't 100% accurate but can give you an idea of trends. If your weight stays the same, but your bf % goes down that is a good indicator that you've lost fat and put on a little muscle. Good luck!
  • flynnfinn
    flynnfinn Posts: 209 Member
    If you want to confirm "muscle" gains. Check your watch band, check your jeans' waist, and check your belts. Are you going past the standard notches?

    i agree with this.

    i am trying to lose 5lbs and for the life of me, i can't seem to shake them. i am strength training like a beast and doing jillian michaels 30DS. i don't do any serious cardio other than 30ds which is only a 20 minute workout or a brisk 30 minute walk. i eat at TDEE minus 15% but i only made this change recently. before that, i was barely netting 900 calories a day. a lot of people tell me i'm already lean and to just focus on building up lean body mass.

    since i've been on MFP (3 months now), i haven't lost a lb but my clothes fit better. it's just that tiny little bit of progress that keeps me going. so now i try not to focus on the scale so much and just base my progress on how my clothes are fitting.
  • LiqueLique89
    LiqueLique89 Posts: 75 Member
    Are you eating your exercise calories?
    How much are you deficit?
    Are you drinking enough water?

    Just a few things I don't see answers to in your post.


    I don't always eat back my exercise calories...i try not to for the most part.
    I usually have a deficit of 330-400...210 at minimum
    I drink 64oz of water a day
  • joyw37
    joyw37 Posts: 38
    This is me!! I have been fluctuating up and down the same 5 lbs for two months now and it is really getting discouraging! BUT, last night, I went shopping and fit in a size smaller jean! I vowed this morning to myself to only weigh once a month now. It's not worth the grief!
  • Lady_Bane
    Lady_Bane Posts: 720 Member
    The last 3 months i've been stuck between 165 and 170lbs. Ive been eating right, exercising, and even lowered my cal intake to 1545. I've also tried to maintain at 1750 for a week and lowered them again (I'm currently trying to maintain for 2 weeks then lower them again) but nothing happens. I weigh myself every 2 weeks and the last few times i been going up a pound instead of down.....i've added more strength training (considering i've dont close to none before this) in my exercise routine. Could i be gaining muscle?

    COULD you be gaining muscle? It's remotely possible, but keep in mind that one big mistake that people tend to make (IMO) is to assume they are gaining muscle when they stall out. I know you are simply asking the question (and not assuming) and that's good.

    Additionally, if you are truly in a caloric deficit, I would expect your total mass to reduce.


    Or am i not lowering my calories enough?

    This is also entirely possible.

    Are you using a food scale to weigh and measure everything? Do you log anything with calories? In what areas do you estimate intake?

    I would consider making an effort to first double-check your accuracy with food intake as this is a big contributor to people who think they're in a deficit but really aren't.


    Lastly, as far as how to tell whether or not you're gaining LBM, bodyfat analysis would really be the best method, but I don't think it's necessary for you to do so.

    This, use a tape measure, thats the ONLY way to know for sure.

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