Am I Gaining Muscle or Fat?

15bbarrett
15bbarrett Posts: 9 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
So in the past two weeks I've gone from 113 lb to 117.4, and I eat really clean 1300 calories a day. I also lift 6 days a week for 1 1/2-2 hours a day. So am I gaining muscle or fat? I know some of it could be water retention. I don't look very different looking in the mirror, and my clothes still fit the same. I'm just worried I might be gaining fat instead of muscle.

Replies

  • ninerbuff
    ninerbuff Posts: 48,919 Member
    2 weeks? It's not muscle for sure. And likely not fat IF you're really eating 1300 calories a day. Likely water retention.

    A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
    IDEA Fitness member
    Kickboxing Certified Instructor
    Been in fitness for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition
    9285851.png
  • robininfl
    robininfl Posts: 1,137 Member
    It's water. water is heavy! Large swing in short time frame is water gained or lost; muscle builds slooooowly and you aren't eating enough to build much of anything anyway, right? How are you lifting 1.5 hours a day on 1300 calories? I'd be starving.
  • 15bbarrett
    15bbarrett Posts: 9 Member
    I should have mentioned, I'm recovering from an eating disorder. It used to be 500 calories a day. I'm raising my calories gradually so I'm not painfully bloated 24/7.
  • HamsterManV2
    HamsterManV2 Posts: 449 Member
    What is your age/sex/weight? That will determine your TDEE.

    Eat +500 over that per day for 1lb of weight gain per week, or +250 over that for 0.5lb weight gain per week.

    This weight fluctuation is due to measuring yourself at different times in the day - there is always going to be some fluctuation. I.e. Look at this chart for weight loss. . It heavily fluctuates for a variety of reasons, but the general trend is moving down.

    So basically do not pay any mind to intense fluctuations of weight in a meagre 2 weeks. You literally cannot put on serious weight in such a short period of time (I suspect it is water weight, different weight measuring times, etc.). And since you are recovering from an eating disorder, you should be in constant communication with a professional, because anything to do with weight gain / loss can mess with your head. You have to be consistent and stick with it for MONTHS for real, long term change.
  • 15bbarrett
    15bbarrett Posts: 9 Member
    HamsterManV2 wrote: »
    What is your age/sex/weight? That will determine your TDEE.

    Eat +500 over that per day for 1lb of weight gain per week, or +250 over that for 0.5lb weight gain per week.

    This weight fluctuation is due to measuring yourself at different times in the day - there is always going to be some fluctuation. I.e. Look at this chart for weight loss. . It heavily fluctuates for a variety of reasons, but the general trend is moving down[

    I'm 19 F 117. I always weigh myself early in the morning before I've eaten or had anything to drink. I know weight gain is inevitable during recovery, but I just don't want to turn into a blimp like so many other people I've seen.


  • 15bbarrett
    15bbarrett Posts: 9 Member
    robininfl wrote: »
    It's water. water is heavy! Large swing in short time frame is water gained or lost; muscle builds slooooowly and you aren't eating enough to build much of anything anyway, right? How are you lifting 1.5 hours a day on 1300 calories? I'd be starving.

    I always eat before and after I lift so I'm not starving later. How much should I be eating to make muscle gains? I'm trying to get to at least 1500 kcal.

  • robininfl
    robininfl Posts: 1,137 Member
    edited April 2016
    15bbarrett wrote: »
    HamsterManV2 wrote: »
    What is your age/sex/weight? That will determine your TDEE.

    Eat +500 over that per day for 1lb of weight gain per week, or +250 over that for 0.5lb weight gain per week.

    This weight fluctuation is due to measuring yourself at different times in the day - there is always going to be some fluctuation. I.e. Look at this chart for weight loss. . It heavily fluctuates for a variety of reasons, but the general trend is moving down[

    I'm 19 F 117. I always weigh myself early in the morning before I've eaten or had anything to drink. I know weight gain is inevitable during recovery, but I just don't want to turn into a blimp like so many other people I've seen.



    Hi 15bbarrett. Do not worry about blowing up after eating disorder, please. I am here from the future to tell you this is not in any way inevitable or likely. Your body wants to be healthy, just be happy for it and help it to get to a healthy weight. I went from low 90s in teen years to a lean and healthy weight and have stayed lean my whole life, never blew up. You do NOT need to tightly control things to stay lean, and will not benefit from undereating if you are trying to build muscle and bone mass.

    If you are freaking out, try thinking of measurements you'd like, instead of pounds, and measure in inches. Pounds are GOOD not bad, you want more mass in less volume.

    The book "Thinner Leaner Stronger" has some good advice for going from skinny to lean and healthy. Your calorie goals depend on height, age, weight that you want and weight that you are. The weight may be higher than you think if you are looking to have good muscle mass, but probably lower than other ladies the same size if you have already damaged your bone mass by not eating as a teen.

    Are you working with your doctor to make sure you are on the right track?
  • IGbnat24
    IGbnat24 Posts: 520 Member
    Please focus on spending less time in the gym as well as increasing your calories. Work with a professional if possible.
  • 15bbarrett
    15bbarrett Posts: 9 Member
    IGbnat24 wrote: »
    Please focus on spending less time in the gym as well as increasing your calories. Work with a professional if possible.

    My team made me give up cardio, and I used to exercise for 4 hours a day. I'm slowly making progress, but I'm not as paranoid about gaining/losing weight as I used to be!

  • 15bbarrett
    15bbarrett Posts: 9 Member
    Hi 15bbarrett. Do not worry about blowing up after eating disorder, please. I am here from the future to tell you this is not in any way inevitable or likely. Your body wants to be healthy, just be happy for it and help it to get to a healthy weight. I went from low 90s in teen years to a lean and healthy weight and have stayed lean my whole life, never blew up. You do NOT need to tightly control things to stay lean, and will not benefit from undereating if you are trying to build muscle and bone mass.

    If you are freaking out, try thinking of measurements you'd like, instead of pounds, and measure in inches. Pounds are GOOD not bad, you want more mass in less volume.

    The book "Thinner Leaner Stronger" has some good advice for going from skinny to lean and healthy. Your calorie goals depend on height, age, weight that you want and weight that you are. The weight may be higher than you think if you are looking to have good muscle mass, but probably lower than other ladies the same size if you have already damaged your bone mass by not eating as a teen.

    Are you working with your doctor to make sure you are on the right track?[/quote]

    I just barely started working with a team of nutritionists/therapist a few weeks ago, but I started making changes myself after I started having some health problems. I'm more focused on becoming stronger instead of being stick thin. At my lowest I was 103, and I was doing 2 hours of cardio a day and lifting for another 2. I'm making slow progress, but I'm doing better.

  • robininfl
    robininfl Posts: 1,137 Member
    Good! For me the key was being grateful for my body, it's really an amazing thing when you think about it! I wish you the best of luck in your recovery.
    Talk to your therapist about MFP, it may not be good for you to track calories this closely. I'm 5'9" and maintain 135 and 20% bodyfat on about 2,000 calories a day with less exercise than you are doing, or 125 with slightly less when I'm less muscled so quite likely you are still not eating enough even to maintain healthy, but you are probably right to get there slowly, let your body and mind adjust. Real and positive body change is always slow, that's not a bad thing. Talk with your team, make a goal, get there! Then re-assess and make a new goal, get there :)
  • SezxyStef
    SezxyStef Posts: 15,268 Member
    HamsterManV2 wrote: »
    What is your age/sex/weight? That will determine your TDEE.

    Eat +500 over that per day for 1lb of weight gain per week, or +250 over that for 0.5lb weight gain per week.

    This weight fluctuation is due to measuring yourself at different times in the day - there is always going to be some fluctuation. I.e. Look at this chart for weight loss. . It heavily fluctuates for a variety of reasons, but the general trend is moving down.

    So basically do not pay any mind to intense fluctuations of weight in a meagre 2 weeks. You literally cannot put on serious weight in such a short period of time (I suspect it is water weight, different weight measuring times, etc.). And since you are recovering from an eating disorder, you should be in constant communication with a professional, because anything to do with weight gain / loss can mess with your head. You have to be consistent and stick with it for MONTHS for real, long term change.

    did you actually read where the OP is recovering from an eating disorder?

    telling her to eat tonnes of food is not going to help.

Categories