Gaining muscle or fat?

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kayleyfc
kayleyfc Posts: 3 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
Hi everyone,

I've been on a 1,520 calories/day diet for about two weeks without having any weight loss. This is while eating my exercise calories. I read the "TOPIC: For those confused or questioning "Eating your exercise calories" thread but am hoping for some more personalized advice.

I burn about 1,000 calories/day by cycling (I replaced my chair with an exercise bike about two weeks ago and so I cycle constantly for hours.) This means that, while including exercise calories, I eat 2,300-2,500 calories a day. I'm wondering if this is contributing to my problem. However, when I didn't eat exercise calories, I would get really dizzy and even had to go to a doctor. She's the one who advised me to eat the calories I'd burned, since at that point I'd been eating net 800 calories (I was eating 1,800/day - 1,000 calories exercise.)

So, here's the problem: I weigh myself twice a week and so far haven't had much progress. These are my measurements:
02/20: 178lb (yep, I gained 3lb in my first week >_<)
02/24: 175lb (back to my starting weight...)
02/27: 176.5lb (ugh...)

This has been very frustrating for me. I'm hoping to lost 20lb by June 9, but I don't seem to be on the path to doing that.

My hypothesis is this: I'm losing lbs of fat, but gaining lbs of muscle. I mean, I am cycling for hours everyday now and eating a good amount of protein. It would be understandable if I gained some muscle from that, and I've heard that muscle weighs more than fat. I wouldn't mind this so much since my main goal is to be healthy. However, how can I measure this? How can I know that I'm gaining muscle instead of fat?

I see definition in my body, but that could be all in my head. It's hard to tell from observing gradually, rather than all at once.

Additionally, I know that my eating can be improved and I am working on it. My problem in that regard is that I basically am never hungry for anything other than dessert. I am trying to reduce my dessert intake, but it's been difficult because it's the only food I ever crave. However, maybe I'll be able to succeed in reducing my consumption of such unhealthy food and the problem will be fixed automatically. I have considered going to the 1,260/day calorie intake because it might convince me that I don't have room in my diet for desserts. Right now, I can eat the desserts and still be withing my normal calorie range.

Anyway, I know this is a long post. Thank you for reading. I'm sorry if this is in the wrong section; let me know if I should post it elsewhere. These are my main two questions:
1) Is there a way to measure if I'm gaining lbs of muscle vs fat?
2) Should I go down to the 1,260calories/day plan in order to lose 20lb by June 9?
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Replies

  • Alexfit12
    Alexfit12 Posts: 54
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    Take your measurements! Waist, legs, arms, neck. everything. That's how you can tell.

    Also, you're probably gaining muscle, but not too much muscle. Muscle doesn't build up so fast in large quantities, except if you're really a beginner, which might be the case. And if that is so, muscle gain will stall soon.

    You might try buying one of those scales that gives you the fat percentage. They're not completely accurate, but I use mine as a trend indicator. I know there's an error in the percentage it gives me, but assume the error is constant, and can still see if the body fat percentage is going down or going up.
  • bcattoes
    bcattoes Posts: 17,299 Member
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    Yeah, measure with a measuring tape. If you are getting smaller, don't worry about the scale. You won't gain much muscle while losing fat, but you can gain strength and lose inches.

    And if you weigh often you should expect fluctuations. That's natural. But if you are consistently not seeing a loss after a few weeks, then you should probably drop your calories a little.
  • laylaness
    laylaness Posts: 262 Member
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    Muscles can also retain water to use for repair when you exercise more than your body is used to.

    Also, you will probably need more than 2 weeks to see results when you're exercising a lot and frequently readjusting calories.

    To gain muscle, you need to be eating in surplus of your TDEE.
  • TavistockToad
    TavistockToad Posts: 35,719 Member
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    You don't need to exercise for hours to lose weight... It's quality not quantity!
  • Hellbent_Heidi
    Hellbent_Heidi Posts: 3,669 Member
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    My hypothesis is this: I'm losing lbs of fat, but gaining lbs of muscle. I mean,
    Very common misconception around here...and people will even TELL you that this is the case. Its unlikely, but if you're doing strength training, its possible that you have some slight muscle gains (probably not 'pounds' though).

    Try taking measurements, and honestly, just give it time to see success on the scale. "About two weeks" is not long enough to be frustrated at this point. June is still a ways off, and if you stick to it, you can probably lose 20 lbs (or close to it) by then....
  • TR0berts
    TR0berts Posts: 7,739 Member
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    Muscles can also retain water to use for repair when you exercise more than your body is used to.

    Also, you will probably need more than 2 weeks to see results when you're exercising a lot and frequently readjusting calories.

    To gain muscle, you need to be eating in surplus of your TDEE.


    This. You have likely lost some fat - and maybe even some muscle, if you're doing cardio - but are simply retaining water.
  • Fffrick
    Fffrick Posts: 9 Member
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    Agree with the thread that 2 weeks is not enough time to see results and weighing yourself 2x per week is too much. Relax, keep up the cardio (Good Job!) and perhaps reduce calories to ~2200 for a good pace of weight loss. 1 lb per week is healthy. You didn't get overweight over night, so don't expect to lose it overnight either.

    Also, I would invest in a cheap body fat caliper (Fat tracker II is the one that I use, about $25) Those BFP scales are +/- 10% off and not worth it.

    Good luck on your journey and I hope that you are able to change your lifestyle for the long haul.
  • tryNaBFit4ife
    tryNaBFit4ife Posts: 3 Member
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    Take your measurements! Waist, legs, arms, neck. everything. That's how you can tell.

    Also, you're probably gaining muscle, but not too much muscle. Muscle doesn't build up so fast in large quantities, except if you're really a beginner, which might be the case. And if that is so, muscle gain will stall soon.

    You might try buying one of those scales that gives you the fat percentage. They're not completely accurate, but I use mine as a trend indicator. I know there's an error in the percentage it gives me, but assume the error is constant, and can still see if the body fat percentage is going down or going up.

    I would use a fat analyzer also to measure trend. I measure once every week on the same day as soon as i wake up( after i use the bathroom since i heard that can mess up the measurements). I bought the one that measures using your hands compared to your feet. My hands tend to stay the same moisture level while my feet can get dry and mess up the measurements( dry skin is less conductive)
  • Fffrick
    Fffrick Posts: 9 Member
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    ...also a pound of muscle weighs as much as a pound of fat (or feathers, or rocks). It just takes up less space. It is 3x more DENSE than fat, so as you build muscle your clothes will fit better. That measurement beats using a scale any day.
  • now_or_never13
    now_or_never13 Posts: 1,575 Member
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    A few weeks is not enough time to see results. Your muscles retain water when you exercise or switch up your normal routine. Your body has a lot of reasons why a loss won't show on the scale.

    Unfortunately, if you are eating at a calorie deficit you are not gaining muscle. You will most likely be losing some muscle as we all do on a deficit.

    Why are you cycling for hours a day? You don't need to in order to lose weight.

    Ensure you are eating fresh, minimally processed foods and drinking enough water while not allowing your deficit to be too large.
  • NicholeElizabeth92
    NicholeElizabeth92 Posts: 186 Member
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    let us do the math here....1lb=1lb no matter what the matter is to gain 3+lbs of muscle in less then a week is unlikely...ok impossible. My guess is it's water weight i would weigh yourself less then twice a week.
  • Ge0rgiana
    Ge0rgiana Posts: 1,649 Member
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    Fluid.
  • shinkalork
    shinkalork Posts: 815 Member
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    Cardio burns fat..... with proper form.
    Weight lifting creates muscles and burn fats (all the time).

    You need to eat well and never go under.... Small meals more often.
    It will activate your system to burn everything.

    Drink water....a lot

    Eat lots of protein, medium carbs, low fat, low sugar, low salt.

    It should help.

    Oh and like many said before....Scale don't tell you crap!...doesn't count the bones,structure,water and muscles..
    So take a measuring tape and measure yourself..... This is the best best best way! ;)
  • Klem4
    Klem4 Posts: 399 Member
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    Doesn't really add up to me... there is no reason to be cycling for hours upon hours in a day.... 60 minutes is just fine most likely. I would focus more on your eating habits, and accurately measuring/weighing everything. Get plenty of water and rest. Also doing something other than just cycling may help. A few weeks is really not a great indicator, give it 3-4 more and then re-evaluate.
  • Pudders3
    Pudders3 Posts: 9 Member
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    Quote: "However, when I didn't eat exercise calories, I would get really dizzy and even had to go to a doctor"

    I get this as well! It's really frustrating. Diffrerent things work for different people, but I've found a couple of ways round it. One way round it is to exercise first thing in the morning (sucks getting up early but then it's done!). I used to just assume that I wouldn't have the energy to get up and go for a run first thing, or I'd be too hungry, but when I tried it it was no problem at all - just have a big glass of water first or take water with you so you rehydrate after your night's sleep. Another thing to try is if you have to exercise near the end of the day, after work for example, have a small snack (small 30g bag of dried apricots / small banana) about 20 min before beginning exercise - it's not enough to cause you problems like a stitch etc and is quick release energy to give you the buzz to get going. It's between 50-100 calories, so easy to incorporate into your daily goals and you'll probably burn far more than that with whatever exercise you do, and won't then feel the need to eat back all your exercise calories.

    I've only been with MFP 2 weeks, but I have lost 2lb in the first week and my jeans are hanging a lot looser so I hope I'll have lost more when I'm next due to weigh myself in 2 days time. I'm really hoping it isn't beginner's luck! When I joined, I was already active (walk 3 miles each day to and from work, run 4 times a week) but had been struggling with my weight for about 2 years and realised it must be down to eating too much - I ate healthily but my appetite is huge and I reward myself with food, so every time I'd do some exercise I'd overeat afterwards "because I earned it". I decided at the start that for the first month I would try really hard NOT to eat back my exercise calories as I think that having this mindset is what's been stopping me lose weight before joining. First week hasn't been too bad but if I end up feeling weak / dizzy / getting injured I'll rethink it.

    I'm no expert, but maybe you need to exercise smarter, not harder? Your body's probably adjusted to the constant background effort of being on the bike, and I've seen lots of theory in fitness magazines that your bidy gets used to exercise or diet if it's the same all the time, and you need to change it up to keep getting results. Try a beginners couch-5k running programme maybe, or build in some high-intensity intervals? Or get on the bike outside where you'll be forced to react to gradeient / headwinds and expend more energy? As I said, I know I'm not an expert, but trying a different approach may kick-start things for you.

    Good luck, don't give up! xx
  • shinkalork
    shinkalork Posts: 815 Member
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    let us do the math here....1lb=1lb no matter what the matter is to gain 3+lbs of muscle in less then a week is unlikely...ok impossible. My guess is it's water weight i would weigh yourself less then twice a week.



    true... to gain lean muscle mass takes LONG LONG TIME!
    to get the natural and healthy no steroid way i mean...
  • lizziebeth1028
    lizziebeth1028 Posts: 3,602 Member
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    I'm in agreement with some of the other posters - unless you're training for the tour de france cycling for hours is not necessary for weight loss. Plus - if this is just sedately pedaling while at your desk working you're probably over estimating the calorie burn. My advice - schedule an hour in your free time and work out in the proper setting like it's no one's business!!!

    Also LOG LOG LOG every single bit you eat. Log honestly, accurately and consistently!

    Give yourself more than 2 weeks to see results!
  • chimp517
    chimp517 Posts: 185 Member
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    You will not gain pounds of muscle of in 2 weeks
  • ShutUpAndLift257
    ShutUpAndLift257 Posts: 71
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    I wouldn't go that low. Just have to give it more time. Focus more on what the tape measure says and a bit less on the scale. You probably are gaining muscle but you won't really be able to tell unless you keep going. Keep at it and go easy on the biking. Just eat right and move everyday
  • lizziebeth1028
    lizziebeth1028 Posts: 3,602 Member
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    You will not gain pounds of muscle of in 2 weeks

    ^^^^^^This This This!!! If only it was that easy to gain muscle in just 2 weeks. We'd all look amazing!

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