Help...I'm gaining muscle...AND fat! Why.
hcarb001
Posts: 28 Member
I track my macros, and I'm pretty consistent with it. 5/7 days a week, just so I'm not so type A and obsessed with it like I have been in the past. I've recently been lifting way heavier weights, and I have noticed muscle gain, especially in my back and shoulders. My lower body has also put on muscles in my quads and it seems like my butt has gotten bigger too. But I've definitely lost definition my my abdomen. Last night, I broke my personal rule of not using a scale....and I'm currently at 138, where in the past I had gotten down to 127. I'm not happy with that number increase. Please help me so I don't look like a fat piece of poop that can lift heavy things.
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Replies
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How are you measuring muscle gain? How recently did you start lifting? How much muscle do you think you gained? Do you count your calories? Are you trying to eat in a surplus?
Any time you put on muscle, you will gain fat. You can't just gain muscle.4 -
First, what are your goals...are you trying to gain weight? If you are bulking.. you will gain fat along with muscle (although you can reduce the amount you gain), there is really no way around that. Then once a desired look or amount is gained, many will typically run a cut to strip the fat gained to reveal the muscle.
If you are trying to recomp (maintain your weight), then you should not be gaining (unless it is a fluctuation of 5lbs or so). Your calorie intake may be too high especially if you aren't tracking (weighing your food) as accurate as you should be.
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The extra weight could just be muscle built since using heavier weights....now losing definition in the abs could be excess water .....to many things play a factor....btw your not fat....build your swlf confidence as you build your body12
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I haven't been measuring just pure muscle gain, but it's obvious appearance wise to me and others. I've been measuring myself though. I've been lifting for about 2 years with some brief set backs occasionally. I track macros..so yes I also count cals. I eat in a very slight surplus, 1650 cals a day. 143p, 186 c, 37 f.0
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You will always gain some fat with muscle because you have to be in calorie surplus. You can circumvent this with substances (steroids, prohormones or SARMs) or you can tweek your diet a bit and just be in Nitrogen surplus (higher protein). Jeff Cavallieri(sp?) has an excellent video on how to fix your diet for clean gains with minimal fat gain and still be a natural athlete. Otherwise you have to clean bulk, then cut every 8-12 weeks. It’s more of a no brainer strategy but it works.10
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If you eat a surplus to gain muscle you will also gain fat. You cannot only gain muscle. Once you have reached an a weight at which you don't feel comfortable going any higher you could do a cut which would reduce your body fat % and reveal the muscle you have built. Alternatively eat at maintenance and accept a slower process to gaining muscle and strength but less fat gains.3
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Ok well if you are eating in a surplus, then you will gain fat along with muscle. How tall are you? 1650 doesn't seem like much a surplus unless you are very short.
In order to reduce the amount of fat gained, you will have to reduce your surplus (which will also reduce your muscle).. I like to stay 1-2lb per month, any more than that and as a woman your fat gains will be more significant.
Also, what does your programming look like? Inadequate programming can play role in excess fat vs muscle gain as well2 -
I'm just about 5"4'. I'm almost a CPT so the programming most likely isn't the issue. My macros I believe are good, probably just need to be tweaked a bit on levels like DocRootCanal suggested. I know that with any muscle gain, you'll gain fat as well. I just wasn't expecting such a dramatic (about 10lbs) increase. As a woman especially, that creates some concern. But like I said, I have put on quite a bit of muscle recently.5
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You look great. Keep in mind, some of that gain will be water weight. I gained 12 lbs during my bulk, some was muscle, some was fat and some water. I say you embrace the gain.. and once you get to the point where you are really uncomfortable (for everyone that is different, for me it is around 25% or so) then you can start a cut. You can either do a small cut and resume bulking, or you can do a full cut to get really lean and then see where you are.6
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I'm just about 5"4'. I'm almost a CPT so the programming most likely isn't the issue. My macros I believe are good, probably just need to be tweaked a bit on levels like DocRootCanal suggested. I know that with any muscle gain, you'll gain fat as well. I just wasn't expecting such a dramatic (about 10lbs) increase. As a woman especially, that creates some concern. But like I said, I have put on quite a bit of muscle recently.
I'm sure you've made muscle gains but, again, how are you sure you've put on 'quite a bit' of muscle? If you are eating in a proper surplus with the right training you can only really gain about 1 lb of muscle a month as a lady. Over how long a period have you put on 10 pounds?2 -
If you eat to gain then you can't really be surprised to gain. If you've gained too much and aren't happy with the results just run a cut. As for the too much muscle thing, that 10lbs isn't going to be pure muscle. Say optimally you got 5lbs of muscle out of your gain, think about two big jars of peanut butter spread out all over your body. it's not really that much, certainly not enough to add huge measurement changes.
I'm sorry if the idea of spreading peanut butter all over yourself triggers some odd fantasy...........10 -
And to add, if you've lost ab definition then that's down to fat gain, not muscle.0
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Well obviously...if I'm losing definition I know that would equal fat gain...hence my topic title. Just because you gain fat in one area, that doesn't mean you're not gaining muscle in another area. I always gain fat in my abdomen and hips first. Some people notice fat increase in their legs first, etc. I never had the expectations of gaining purely muscle, other reasons for gaining weight follow with that of course, again I was surprised by the numbers. That's it.1
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Sometimes I lose definition in my waist after a refeed.. so extra food, bloat etc. not fat.
While the scale is important to gauge your rate of gain, I would recommend you use a trend weight app to sort through the fluctuations if not already, also take measurements, take progress photos (try to use the same outfit, same time of day, same lighting etc)2 -
Well obviously...if I'm losing definition I know that would equal fat gain...hence my topic title. Just because you gain fat in one area, that doesn't mean you're not gaining muscle in another area. I always gain fat in my abdomen and hips first. Some people notice fat increase in their legs first, etc. I never had the expectations of gaining purely muscle, other reasons for gaining weight follow with that of course, again I was surprised by the numbers. That's it.
Over what time period did you gain the 10lbs? Do you track your waist and hip measurements? Since you don't weigh yourself often, you may have caught your scale weight on a high fluctuation day and it might not be a true 10lb gain (I weigh daily and have a 5lb swing with water weight fluctuations)
I ran a 6 month bulk and gained about 16lbs. I'm coming towards the end of my cut and even though I'm 7lbs heavier than than when I started, my measurements are now only a little bit bigger than my pre-bulk measurements - this is just to show that ultimately the scale weight doesn't mean the same thing when you're building muscle. (But you will have to run a cut to lean out to get your definition back)
Oh...and I can't remember what the ratio is, but for women, even if their training and diet are optimal the weight gain is going to be more fat than lean mass...it's definitely more than half fat gains.4 -
Well obviously...if I'm losing definition I know that would equal fat gain...hence my topic title. Just because you gain fat in one area, that doesn't mean you're not gaining muscle in another area. I always gain fat in my abdomen and hips first. Some people notice fat increase in their legs first, etc. I never had the expectations of gaining purely muscle, other reasons for gaining weight follow with that of course, again I was surprised by the numbers. That's it.
Over what time period did you gain the 10lbs? Do you track your waist and hip measurements? Since you don't weigh yourself often, you may have caught your scale weight on a high fluctuation day and it might not be a true 10lb gain (I weigh daily and have a 5lb swing with water weight fluctuations)
I ran a 6 month bulk and gained about 16lbs. I'm coming towards the end of my cut and even though I'm 7lbs heavier than than when I started, my measurements are now only a little bit bigger than my pre-bulk measurements - this is just to show that ultimately the scale weight doesn't mean the same thing when you're building muscle. (But you will have to run a cut to lean out to get your definition back)
Oh...and I can't remember what the ratio is, but for women, even if their training and diet are optimal the weight gain is going to be more fat than lean mass...it's definitely more than half fat gains.
The 10lbs has been since the beginning of July til now. I've been measuring my hip/waist ratio for a while just to keep myself in check. I did weigh myself at a bad time...(10pm, after a workout and lots of water, and during my period week) so I'm doubting the accuracy of the numbers at this point lol.
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Well obviously...if I'm losing definition I know that would equal fat gain...hence my topic title. Just because you gain fat in one area, that doesn't mean you're not gaining muscle in another area. I always gain fat in my abdomen and hips first. Some people notice fat increase in their legs first, etc. I never had the expectations of gaining purely muscle, other reasons for gaining weight follow with that of course, again I was surprised by the numbers. That's it.
Over what time period did you gain the 10lbs? Do you track your waist and hip measurements? Since you don't weigh yourself often, you may have caught your scale weight on a high fluctuation day and it might not be a true 10lb gain (I weigh daily and have a 5lb swing with water weight fluctuations)
I ran a 6 month bulk and gained about 16lbs. I'm coming towards the end of my cut and even though I'm 7lbs heavier than than when I started, my measurements are now only a little bit bigger than my pre-bulk measurements - this is just to show that ultimately the scale weight doesn't mean the same thing when you're building muscle. (But you will have to run a cut to lean out to get your definition back)
Oh...and I can't remember what the ratio is, but for women, even if their training and diet are optimal the weight gain is going to be more fat than lean mass...it's definitely more than half fat gains.
The 10lbs has been since the beginning of July til now. I've been measuring my hip/waist ratio for a while just to keep myself in check. I did weigh myself at a bad time...(10pm, after a workout and lots of water, and during my period week) so I'm doubting the accuracy of the numbers at this point lol.
That's kind of important information.....
I doubt you are actually up 10 lbs, probably 5+ lbs is from eating and being bloated from TOM.5 -
It's because you are human.1
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Abs are built in the kitchen. Something needs tweaked in your diet. Usual culprits seem to be carbs and sugar.14
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WayTooHonest wrote: »Abs are built in the kitchen. Something needs tweaked in your diet. Usual culprits seem to be carbs and sugar.
I still have a firm v line still, just a lot of bloating and extra fluff than normal. I eat 75/80% clean, limited processed sugars and a lot of raw vegetables. I refuse to give up my carbs. Carbs are my best friend and are completely needed to build.
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WayTooHonest wrote: »Abs are built in the kitchen. Something needs tweaked in your diet. Usual culprits seem to be carbs and sugar.
No. She has put on fat which is why she has lost definition. She just needs to cut and it will come back. Nothing to do with carbs or sugar.8 -
WayTooHonest wrote: »Abs are built in the kitchen. Something needs tweaked in your diet. Usual culprits seem to be carbs and sugar.
OP is bulking. If she is in a surplus, even if the foods are carb/sugar free, she will gain some fat. Carbs are very important during a bulk for muscle building as well as energy for lifting sessions.4 -
Hi there first of all you wI'll always put on a little fat when building muscle as you eat more calories then you burn.second of all buy some bodyfat calipers which is a good way of determine bf measure under arms bicep area and love handles.0
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@hcarb001 - you are bulking, right? You need to do this....you are lifting heavy and you need to 'feed the machine'. Part of a bulk is body fat gain. Honestly, not much you can do (unless you are genetically gifted....) as this is a "calorie in / calorie out" thing. Slight surplus or not, still a net gain. Lots of good advice in here. Like I always do (well, not always....just every so often) - pay attention to Miss Sardelsa. That lady knows her stuff.
And, you answered the question that I was going to ask. If this is "your week" then there is going to be bloating and weight gain....I would say that you stepped on the scale at a bad time ("your week") and that I would not worry. You look great....keep up the hard work.1 -
The culprit is that the OP is in a caloric surplus in an attempt to bulk, and fat gain is inevitable when bulking regardless of the macro composition of your diet. Fat and muscle is usually going to be at least a 1:1 ratio, if not more (especially for females).WayTooHonest wrote: »Abs are built in the kitchen. Something needs tweaked in your diet. Usual culprits seem to be carbs and sugar.
Oh, by the way - know what macronutrient converts to fat even more easily and efficiently than carbs?
(Hint: Fat)
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Well obviously...if I'm losing definition I know that would equal fat gain...hence my topic title. Just because you gain fat in one area, that doesn't mean you're not gaining muscle in another area. I always gain fat in my abdomen and hips first. Some people notice fat increase in their legs first, etc. I never had the expectations of gaining purely muscle, other reasons for gaining weight follow with that of course, again I was surprised by the numbers. That's it.
Over what time period did you gain the 10lbs? Do you track your waist and hip measurements? Since you don't weigh yourself often, you may have caught your scale weight on a high fluctuation day and it might not be a true 10lb gain (I weigh daily and have a 5lb swing with water weight fluctuations)
I ran a 6 month bulk and gained about 16lbs. I'm coming towards the end of my cut and even though I'm 7lbs heavier than than when I started, my measurements are now only a little bit bigger than my pre-bulk measurements - this is just to show that ultimately the scale weight doesn't mean the same thing when you're building muscle. (But you will have to run a cut to lean out to get your definition back)
Oh...and I can't remember what the ratio is, but for women, even if their training and diet are optimal the weight gain is going to be more fat than lean mass...it's definitely more than half fat gains.
The 10lbs has been since the beginning of July til now. I've been measuring my hip/waist ratio for a while just to keep myself in check. I did weigh myself at a bad time...(10pm, after a workout and lots of water, and during my period week) so I'm doubting the accuracy of the numbers at this point lol.
Wait until at least a week after your TOM is over and weigh again. You will most likely get a much different number.
Regardless, are you trying to bulk or to recomp?
If you are trying to recomp and you've gained weight (after you weigh again), you are eating too much and might need to tighten up your logging.
If you are bulking, then you will lose some definition as you put on muscle and fat. That's why you have to cut after you bulk, to get rid of the extra fat you are going to get from your bulk.
Maybe for sanity you should continue to weigh yourself once a week, just to get used to the different fluctuations you are likely to see over time. And NEVER just randomly decide to weigh yourself at night during TOM - that way lies madness
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Weigh yourself tomorrow morning and then come back...0
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Just to point out that for every 1 lb a women gains, roughly 75% will be fat. Its just how the process works.
What is your workout routine?5 -
You look awesome. If I look anything like that (strong but feminine, curves in all the right places) after 2 years of working out, I will be putting the pictures in the Success Stories forum. Just a bit of perspective for you. Ultimately only you get to decide your goals.1
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