How much weight gain does muscle building cause?

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RGJeff
RGJeff Posts: 32
in Fitness and Exercise
I've been losing weight pretty regularly until I started doing some muscle building about 3 weeks ago. Haven't lost a pound since. Any chance the work outs are to blame? How much weight gain can muscle building cause?

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  • absolament
    absolament Posts: 278 Member
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    'Tis better to gain muscle than fat. When I up my strength training, I usually pack on an extra 2 pounds for a few days. Then it eases back down. Feeling strong and able is my motivation. The scale is just for fun and bewilderment.
  • dawniewest
    dawniewest Posts: 37 Member
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    When I was lifting weights, ( heavey weights increasing as reps lower to failure) I looked better and smaller than ever. I never gained weight from lifting, but I stopped loosing weight. However, I would imagine that men do gain weight with muscle since you naturally have more to begin with. Keeping track of inches lost, especially in the "softer" areas as well as how your clothes are fitting should give you a better idea of how you are progressing than the scale . At any rate, I would cut back on sodium and drink plenty of water, so you don't have puffiness on top of those muscles and tip the scales in the wrong direction! B6 will help with that as well!
  • StevLL
    StevLL Posts: 921 Member
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    You would probably need to do a fat percentage test to know for sure, but in the beginning of a weight training program there is a lot of inflamation as your muscle fibers stretch and grow and rebuild. The inflamation will cause some water weight gain, but once you get into a routine and your body adjusts you should level out and begin to lose again. If you've got a killer routine going you could also be putting on solid lean muscle and thats always better than solid fat. Good luck!
  • tross0924
    tross0924 Posts: 909 Member
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    I agree with inflammation and new routine being the cause of your stall.

    As to answer your topic question. According to his book, when Arnold Schwarzenegger was lifting 2 times a day 6 days a week and trying to gain as much mass as possible he put on about 20 lbs in one year. Your results may vary. :-)
  • RGJeff
    RGJeff Posts: 32
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    Thanks everyone! Inflamation- I've never heard of that. It sounds about right.

    I hope I didn't sound like I was complaining... Other than the scale, I do feel like I look and feel better as a result of the work outs. I didn't want to cut more calories because I wanted the energy for the muscle repair, etc. I'll give it another week then cut calories if nothing happens...

    Thanks!
  • Dawntodusk
    Dawntodusk Posts: 262 Member
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    At this early stage, I would agree that it is inflammation (glycogen and water), and not muscle yet. Apparently it's hard to gain a pound a week of muscle, and if you're on a calorie restrictive diet (which I assume you are), you won't gain any muscle, you will just maintain what you have.

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