How to tell if weight gain is muscle?

menchi
menchi Posts: 297 Member
edited September 30 in Fitness and Exercise
I'm supposed to be maintaining so I make a point to weigh myself every morning to figure out just how much I'm supposed to eat since the MFP recommendations were a little high when I followed them. My weight has been sneaking up this week and I'm reasonably sure it is due to the snacking at night. But I also have way lots of exercise (~600Cal today, average about 400Cal/day this week) in the last few weeks (summer = glorious). It's mostly ballroom dancing, ultimate frisbee, biking, swimming, weight machines at the gym and a little jogging. I do make sure to get plenty of protein esp on high exercise days. Could the weight also be partly muscle? According to my impedance fat measuring device, I'm hovering around 20% fat which is on the border between healthy and athletic for a 30 yr old female. It also means I have trouble seeing observable changes in my measurements (I track waist, hip, thigh and calf) since I'm already pretty lean for an average person (super excited to fit in size 6 pants while being 5'6").

So, any thoughts on how to figure out if it might be muscle? I do feel stronger and the amounts I can lift at the gym are slowly increasing. Do you just not worry too much about the weight # as long as you feel good and your clothes fit? (Probably a good idea, but then I am still curious about my question b/c I wanna know!)

Replies

  • stanvoodoo
    stanvoodoo Posts: 1,023 Member
    If lost fat and gained muscle you lose inches.
  • fitplease
    fitplease Posts: 647 Member
    If your measurements are getting smaller, then it is probably muscle weight.
  • rae125
    rae125 Posts: 25
    I'd go with clothes and body measurements. I'm sure there are ways online to figure out your body fat percentage based on height, weight, and measurements. :)
  • billkirby
    billkirby Posts: 2 Member
    I think most experts would agree that you should only get weighed once a week. Your weight is bound to change from day to day and getting odd readings can sometimes be frustrating. I get weighed every Sat. morning as soon as i get up.
  • menchi
    menchi Posts: 297 Member
    Perhaps I was unclear.

    1. I do take measurements, but I think the changes are too small to indicate that it is actually real. I don't trust the precision in the measurement when the change is only say 0.5 inches. I try to be consistent in the measuring so I don't pull the tap too snug or suck in my gut, but the inches are just not going to go down as quickly as before.
    2. I can take fat % measurements pretty reliably, I have this http://www.amazon.com/Omron-HBF-306C-Loss-Monitor-Black/dp/B000FYZMYK/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1311375289&sr=8-1
  • menchi
    menchi Posts: 297 Member
    I think most experts would agree that you should only get weighed once a week. Your weight is bound to change from day to day and getting odd readings can sometimes be frustrating. I get weighed every Sat. morning as soon as i get up.

    Oh I know I will get random jumps and they are nothing to freak out about. I'm not freaking out, I'm mostly curious since I know I can return to my target weight with hard work. I weigh first thing everyday after going to the bathroom and I make sure to be only in my undies. This week, the scale pretty much steadily added 0.5 lbs each day. I know it's probably not that much, but it's a pretty steady trend upwards.
  • bgelliott
    bgelliott Posts: 610 Member
    I think most experts would agree that you should only get weighed once a week. Your weight is bound to change from day to day and getting odd readings can sometimes be frustrating. I get weighed every Sat. morning as soon as i get up.

    Oh I know I will get random jumps and they are nothing to freak out about. I'm not freaking out, I'm mostly curious since I know I can return to my target weight with hard work. I weigh first thing everyday after going to the bathroom and I make sure to be only in my undies. This week, the scale pretty much steadily added 0.5 lbs each day. I know it's probably not that much, but it's a pretty steady trend upwards.

    JUST an FYI - it is impossible to gain 0.5lbs of muscle weight each day! Bodybuilders will bulk for months and months and do heavy weight training to gain muscle. It's a very difficult thing to do and takes long periods of time, not days.
  • Oishii
    Oishii Posts: 2,675 Member
    That's the thing now, isn't it, looking for trends...

    I ignore sudden leaps or drops from day to day, but when I'm consistently gaining or losing, then I react.

    I find the tape measure just as fickle as the scales. The only measurement I take is my waist, and it can go up or down by .5 of an inch per day!

    Sorry I'm no help :blushing:
  • DizzieLittleLifter
    DizzieLittleLifter Posts: 1,020 Member
    I think most experts would agree that you should only get weighed once a week. Your weight is bound to change from day to day and getting odd readings can sometimes be frustrating. I get weighed every Sat. morning as soon as i get up.

    Oh I know I will get random jumps and they are nothing to freak out about. I'm not freaking out, I'm mostly curious since I know I can return to my target weight with hard work. I weigh first thing everyday after going to the bathroom and I make sure to be only in my undies. This week, the scale pretty much steadily added 0.5 lbs each day. I know it's probably not that much, but it's a pretty steady trend upwards.

    JUST an FYI - it is impossible to gain 0.5lbs of muscle weight each day! Bodybuilders will bulk for months and months and do heavy weight training to gain muscle. It's a very difficult thing to do and takes long periods of time, not days.

    Yes, this! Also; You should be able to tell if it's muscle or fat by your bf%. Sounds like it just may be a little water weight from snacking as you say. :smile:
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