"You're probably gaining muscle."

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MzPix
MzPix Posts: 177 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
To get straight to the point:
How long does it take to gain a pound of muscle?

I often will complain to my support system that I worked hard all week and didn't lose any weight and they will respond "You probably lost fat and gained muscle." To which I roll my eyes and they promptly apologize and then we sit down and figure out what I /really/ did wrong that week and how to fix it.

I also often log onto fitness sites and read the forums and I see this same sentence being used.
You're probably gaining muscle....

So, I need to know, is this an accurate statement or this just something being said to soothe the ego?

Is it even possible to lose a pound of fat in a week AND gain a pound of muscle?
How much strength training would that end up being in real life?
How much do body builders pack on in muscle in a week's time?

Anyone know the info on this topic?

PS - Sorry I ask so many questions.

Replies

  • bjohs
    bjohs Posts: 1,225 Member
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    To get straight to the point:
    How long does it take to gain a pound of muscle?

    I often will complain to my support system that I worked hard all week and didn't lose any weight and they will respond "You probably lost fat and gained muscle." To which I roll my eyes and they promptly apologize and then we sit down and figure out what I /really/ did wrong that week and how to fix it.

    I also often log onto fitness sites and read the forums and I see this same sentence being used.
    You're probably gaining muscle....

    So, I need to know, is this an accurate statement or this just something being said to soothe the ego?

    Is it even possible to lose a pound of fat in a week AND gain a pound of muscle?
    How much strength training would that end up being in real life?
    How much do body builders pack on in muscle in a week's time?

    Anyone know the info on this topic?

    PS - Sorry I ask so many questions.

    From what I have been reading, it takes approximately one month of dedicated strength and weight training to build one pound of muscle.
  • plumpncurvy
    plumpncurvy Posts: 68 Member
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    I wish I had the answer was wondering the same thing myself
  • aippolito1
    aippolito1 Posts: 4,894 Member
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    Definitely not a week, lol! But seriously... it could be water weight. I tell everyone this. When you work out hard (or just do something different), your body usually needs time to adjust and it will hold water to compensate (muscles require water to function just like the rest of our body)... drink lots of water and make sure you're measuring your body as well as weighing.
  • Dabbles
    Dabbles Posts: 367
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    A pound of muscle weighs the same as a pound of fat. Take your measurements. You'll be able to tell if you're losing inches/fat.
  • fat2fab4life
    fat2fab4life Posts: 253 Member
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    I don't know the answer to your question, but i find it very annyoying for people to claim the reason i am not losing is b/c I am gaining muscle when that is not possible to do over night. I hope you get some great responses b/c I too would like to know the answer
  • alexg94
    alexg94 Posts: 44
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    If you do weight training 3 times a week, you can gain 1 pound of muscle a month and about 12-15 pounds a year.

    Don't worry about the scale. Buy a tape measurer and measure each week. The best way to know you are doing good progress, measure your body fat.
  • brandenocs
    brandenocs Posts: 146 Member
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    I'm with the above statements. Focus more on inches than the scale. Take measurements like crazy. Do your clothes feel looser, are you feeling better, etc? Unlikely that it is muscle every week but very PROBABLE that it could be water weight if you're weight lifting. Deep breaths, take measurements. It's more about quality of life than a number anyway.
  • CrimsonScotty
    CrimsonScotty Posts: 47 Member
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    take your measurements once a month and don't worry so much about the scale, it only gives a small indication of your overall progress. If your nutrition is right and you're exercising, you're going in the right direction. And be patient, you probably didn't get out of shape overnight, and you definitely won't get in shape that way either, it takes time and hard work.
  • tigersword
    tigersword Posts: 8,059 Member
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    An average person can gain about 1-4 pounds of muscle a month, depending on training regimen. Saying that you're gaining muscle is half right. While you aren't necessarily gaining pounds of muscle overnight, your muscles retain water to assist in repair. So you may have a few extra pounds of water hanging around while your muscles repair and grow.
  • marcusisntfunny
    marcusisntfunny Posts: 33
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    For me, it takes about 3 weeks of hard lifting and high protein to build 1 pound of muscle.

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