Gaining muscle?

nas24
nas24 Posts: 880 Member
edited October 2024 in Motivation and Support
So i've only been "dieting" and using MFP for 3 days now. I know it's way to early to feel discouraged. Well ive always stayed under my cal limit and worked out each day. Well yesterday, i was well under my cal limit and burned 210 cals from working out, which is pretty good for me with just starting out. Well i got on the scale today and it said i gained back that one lost pound. What gives? Could i have gained muscle? Or am i fooling myself and actually gained that pound back far and square?

Replies

  • hroush
    hroush Posts: 2,073 Member
    You did not gain muscle at least in a measurable sense. Try to eat all your calories, or as close as possible, and make sure your ner calories stay over 1200 (so if you are allowed 1300 and you burn 200, you should consume at least 1400 calories).

    This is probably water retention or small fluctuations in your weight. When was the last time you weighed? Try not to weigh in more than once a week as small fluctuations in your weight will vastly outweigh any real changes you've seen.
  • Loko_Ino
    Loko_Ino Posts: 544 Member
    muscle weighs same as fat..a pound of feathers is the same as a pound of gold..a pound.

    the body can fluctuate in weight by up to 6-7lbs in a day depending on water intake, food, bowel movements, sodium intake, quality of scale, etc.
    I would look for consistancy in your weight over a longer period time before questioning.
  • erickirb
    erickirb Posts: 12,294 Member
    Could not be muscle, muscle takes a lot of work to build (heavy weights and a caloric surplus). Most likely what you are seeing is water weight. This could be due to an increase in sodium intake, TOM, or from working out your muscle hold water to protect them and aid in recovery.
  • amfaery
    amfaery Posts: 267 Member
    it could be water retention, muscle it has only been 3 days dont be discouraged my scale fluctuates every day!
  • lbrower731
    lbrower731 Posts: 1
    I would make sure that you are eating right up to your calories, and don't forget that you have to eat back those 200 calories that you burned exercising too. I've heard that you "gain muscle" but I've also heard that's a myth...so idk. But I DO know for sure that you can fluctuate a lot day to day, up to 2-4lbs daily! Sooo I wouldn't worry about one lb at all!!

    I've been just weighing in ONCE a week. It's really tempting to jump on the scale daily and then get depressed about numbers. So I've found that if I just weigh in once a week - and stay right around my calorie goal (gasp...sometimes I'm even over a little too). That's what works best.
  • sophjakesmom
    sophjakesmom Posts: 904 Member
    I really recommend you only weigh yourself once a week. Your body needs time to adjust to the increase in exercise and the lower calories. When you weigh every day (or many times a day) you are not seeing true gain or loss, but normal body fluxuations. You will drive yourself nuts. I weigh once a week, at the gym (so a really good scale) and don't obsess about it the rest of the time.

    Good luck to you and be patient! If you are honest with your logging and disciplined, (and drink the water!) you will lose!
  • AveryWays
    AveryWays Posts: 150 Member
    It depends on what your daily caloric intake is. One thing I learned from trial and errors, it's ok to be under your caloric intake for a few days but once your body get used to this even with your work out, it will think it's under starvation mode. Once this occurs, it will hold on to fat instead of burning it off because it will think there's not enough food to maintain the body. I give myself a grace of 100-150 lbs calories over if necessary but what I also do is I try to up my exercise to compensate this. You could have also gained muscle if you are doing serious weight training. Don't forget our weight fluctuates daily too. That's why I only get on a scale once a week for an official weigh in. Just keep up what you're doing. Know your body and go with what works.
  • JulieBoBoo
    JulieBoBoo Posts: 642
    Could not be muscle, muscle takes a lot of work to build (heavy weights and a caloric surplus). Most likely what you are seeing is water weight. This could be due to an increase in sodium intake, TOM, or from working out your muscle hold water to protect them and aid in recovery.

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    this

    Also, remember that you're in this for the long haul, one week's results are not important for the big picture. I've had many weeks with no losses or small gains. It's the way it works. Losing weight is not linear. The best advice I can give you is don't give up.
  • nas24
    nas24 Posts: 880 Member
    Don't know about water retention, because i don't feel bloated, clothes feel great on me, even loose, and i've been drinking water like crazy. Of course anything is possible. I guess i should stay closer to my caloric intake. I was over 300 cals way from goal yesterday.
  • TluvK
    TluvK Posts: 733 Member
    Others have said this, but I'd just like to reiterate it and be more specific. The MOST a woman can gain from adding muscle is around 2-2.5 lbs in one month and that is with some serious weight lifting going on. Obviously, there are exceptions to this, but on average, this is the rule. AND, this is really the high end of muscle gain. One pound is probably more realistic.

    My suggestion would be to start measuring yourself. I still weigh myself on occasion, but I don't really rely on it. I've lost 2 inches in my waist and 2.5 inches in my hips and I've only lost 1 pound in the last 5 weeks. Good luck. Don't be a slave to the scale!!
  • elleinadarak
    elleinadarak Posts: 2 Member
    Don't be discouraged! And please don't weigh every day. I did that when I started and I felt the same way you do. Truth is, a single bottle of water will add a good pound of weight to the scale... but your body will benefit MUCH more from drinking that bottle of water than your mind will from seeing that number one digit lower.

    And yes, a pound of muscle weighs the same as a pound of fat... but it takes up MUCH less space on your body, since muscle is far more dense than fat. If you keep at what you're doing... there will be times when the number doesn't change much, but you'll start to notice your clothes fitting a lot better. Give it some time. :-)

    I've only lost 5 lbs (number-wise)... but I'm down from large, to a medium. :-D And that's enough proof for me!
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