New to weight gain/building muscle

Lizzyhopetk
Lizzyhopetk Posts: 5 Member
edited December 2022 in Goal: Gaining Weight and Body Building
Hi, I’m new to this, I’ve always been really skinny so I decided to start trying to gain weight and muscle but I’m not sure of the best way possible. I set my goal to +0.5lbs per week which I think is a bit too much as I’ve gained 2lbs in the past 10 days. I’m 5’6 and 104lbs. I’m aiming for at least 120lbs although will probably end up being more. Any tips would be appreciated!

Replies

  • Jmess_Bond
    Jmess_Bond Posts: 3 Member
    edited December 2022
    Consider learning about kettle bells to train with. Squats are the best all around exercise to keep you strong and build muscle. Muscle weight is the kind of weight you want, not from simple carbs and sugar. Increase your protein intake and healthy fats. Plenty of nuts /seeds and other high quality protein. Start out easy doing squats without weights. Sets of 4 at a time and increase as you feel stronger. do 4 reps squats, 30 second breaks in between sets. Start slow. good luck
  • ecjim
    ecjim Posts: 1,001 Member
    did you just start lifting ? that 2 lbs could be water retention due to exercise/ time of the month. Stick with the 1/2 lb / week for a longer period. - are you logging every bit of food or drink? Are you lifting weights? What program? Look at Starting Strength or Strong Curves for good beginner programs
  • Lizzyhopetk
    Lizzyhopetk Posts: 5 Member
    striperjim wrote: »
    Consider learning about kettle bells to train with. Squats are the best all around exercise to keep you strong and build muscle. Muscle weight is the kind of weight you want, not from simple carbs and sugar. Increase your protein intake and healthy fats. Plenty of nuts /seeds and other high quality protein. Start out easy doing squats without weights. Sets of 4 at a time and increase as you feel stronger. do 4 reps squats, 30 second breaks in between sets. Start slow. good luck
    Thanks! I eat about 100g of protein everyday. I generally lift weights at the gym, I have several different workout plans set up and they seem to work as I’m sore after every one. I did gymnastics for several years so I’m pretty strong to start with, I can leg press 320lbs (not rep it though so I generally don’t do that much) so I’m not sure if bodyweight squats would quite be my thing. I should’ve clarified about the working out thing which is my fault. I’ve been eating pretty healthy I think, I’ve been tracking it in MFP. I’ll look into the kettle bells, honestly they’ve always scared me a little not sure why. But thank you again!
  • Lizzyhopetk
    Lizzyhopetk Posts: 5 Member
    ecjim wrote: »
    did you just start lifting ? that 2 lbs could be water retention due to exercise/ time of the month. Stick with the 1/2 lb / week for a longer period. - are you logging every bit of food or drink? Are you lifting weights? What program? Look at Starting Strength or Strong Curves for good beginner programs

    I’ve lifted on and off, back when I was in school I took a strength training class and that’s what got me started. Then after school I started going to the gym for a few months until I was involved in an accident so I had to wait several months to heal before I could start again. I did gymnastics for a long time when I was young and ever since I quit I’ve still practiced at home so I would say I’m decently strong to start out with. I have several workout plans that I made in my note app and they seem to work really well, most are from Krissy Cela. I don’t do a lot of cardio, I generally just lift weights bc I don’t have good stamina although I’d like to build that up. I’m not sure how water retention works but I’m never bloated in the morning while weighing more than the previous day if that tells you anything. I make sure to log every food and drink in MFP and I’m not one to eat junk food 24/7, I’d say I’m pretty healthy. I also have a lot of food allergies so I really have to watch what I eat.
  • AnnPT77
    AnnPT77 Posts: 34,168 Member
    edited December 2022
    Lizzyhopetk wrote: »
    ecjim wrote: »
    did you just start lifting ? that 2 lbs could be water retention due to exercise/ time of the month. Stick with the 1/2 lb / week for a longer period. - are you logging every bit of food or drink? Are you lifting weights? What program? Look at Starting Strength or Strong Curves for good beginner programs

    I’ve lifted on and off, back when I was in school I took a strength training class and that’s what got me started. Then after school I started going to the gym for a few months until I was involved in an accident so I had to wait several months to heal before I could start again. I did gymnastics for a long time when I was young and ever since I quit I’ve still practiced at home so I would say I’m decently strong to start out with. I have several workout plans that I made in my note app and they seem to work really well, most are from Krissy Cela. I don’t do a lot of cardio, I generally just lift weights bc I don’t have good stamina although I’d like to build that up. I’m not sure how water retention works but I’m never bloated in the morning while weighing more than the previous day if that tells you anything. I make sure to log every food and drink in MFP and I’m not one to eat junk food 24/7, I’d say I’m pretty healthy. I also have a lot of food allergies so I really have to watch what I eat.

    Have you had an allergic reaction recently? That's one of the things that could increase water retention. (As could any minor injury or infection, among dozens of other things. It wouldn't necessarily show up as visible bloating, either: 2 pounds of water spread around your body including some of it potentially in internal organs (as it could be from inflammation) . . . that's a pretty thin layer, not very visible.)

    I think the basic right answer is that 2 weeks isn't long enough to evaluate the bodyweight effect of a new eating/activity regimen. Go for at least 4-6 weeks to average, and if you have menstrual cycles, use body weight at the same relative point in at least two different monthly cycles.

    I can understand your anxiety about this, but try to take a deep breath and ride it out. While we can individually differ from the statistical estimates MFP uses to give us a starting calorie goal, most people are pretty close to average. To be gaining over a pound a week when you told MFP you wanted to gain half a pound a week, you'd have to be off by 250+ calories per day, which is statistically unusual (but not impossible).

    Since you've always been thin, best guess would be that you'd be more likely to be statistically unusual in being able to eat extra without gaining, if anything unusual at all (but that's not guaranteed, either: just talking probabilities.) On top of that, being more muscular than average for your demographic would be likely to put you in the "need more calories than average" category, too. (Again, just talking probability, not guarantees.)

    Give it more time. Then adjust based on results. It'll be OK. If you get good nutrition, do some kind of good progressive strength training program, you'll end up in the right place in the longer term, I'm pretty sure. A tiny bit of extra body fat can help fuel strength/muscle progress in the long-term picture, as long as the strength program and nutrition (especially protein intake) are sound, and you adjust calories if needed once you have enough data to do that sensibly.

    Hang in there!
  • Lizzyhopetk
    Lizzyhopetk Posts: 5 Member
    AnnPT77 wrote: »
    Lizzyhopetk wrote: »
    ecjim wrote: »
    did you just start lifting ? that 2 lbs could be water retention due to exercise/ time of the month. Stick with the 1/2 lb / week for a longer period. - are you logging every bit of food or drink? Are you lifting weights? What program? Look at Starting Strength or Strong Curves for good beginner programs

    I’ve lifted on and off, back when I was in school I took a strength training class and that’s what got me started. Then after school I started going to the gym for a few months until I was involved in an accident so I had to wait several months to heal before I could start again. I did gymnastics for a long time when I was young and ever since I quit I’ve still practiced at home so I would say I’m decently strong to start out with. I have several workout plans that I made in my note app and they seem to work really well, most are from Krissy Cela. I don’t do a lot of cardio, I generally just lift weights bc I don’t have good stamina although I’d like to build that up. I’m not sure how water retention works but I’m never bloated in the morning while weighing more than the previous day if that tells you anything. I make sure to log every food and drink in MFP and I’m not one to eat junk food 24/7, I’d say I’m pretty healthy. I also have a lot of food allergies so I really have to watch what I eat.

    Have you had an allergic reaction recently? That's one of the things that could increase water retention. (As could any minor injury or infection, among dozens of other things. It wouldn't necessarily show up as visible bloating, either: 2 pounds of water spread around your body including some of it potentially in internal organs (as it could be from inflammation) . . . that's a pretty thin layer, not very visible.)

    I think the basic right answer is that 2 weeks isn't long enough to evaluate the bodyweight effect of a new eating/activity regimen. Go for at least 4-6 weeks to average, and if you have menstrual cycles, use body weight at the same relative point in at least two different monthly cycles.

    I can understand your anxiety about this, but try to take a deep breath and ride it out. While we can individually differ from the statistical estimates MFP uses to give us a starting calorie goal, most people are pretty close to average. To be gaining over a pound a week when you told MFP you wanted to gain half a pound a week, you'd have to be off by 250+ calories per day, which is statistically unusual (but not impossible).

    Since you've always been thin, best guess would be that you'd be more likely to be statistically unusual in being able to eat extra without gaining, if anything unusual at all (but that's not guaranteed, either: just talking probabilities.) On top of that, being more muscular than average for your demographic would be likely to put you in the "need more calories than average" category, too. (Again, just talking probability, not guarantees.)

    Give it more time. Then adjust based on results. It'll be OK. If you get good nutrition, do some kind of good progressive strength training program, you'll end up in the right place in the longer term, I'm pretty sure. A tiny bit of extra body fat can help fuel strength/muscle progress in the long-term picture, as long as the strength program and nutrition (especially protein intake) are sound, and you adjust calories if needed once you have enough data to do that sensibly.

    Hang in there!

    Ok that sounds good, thank you so much!
  • ecjim
    ecjim Posts: 1,001 Member
    Lizzyhopetk wrote: »
    ecjim wrote: »
    did you just start lifting ? that 2 lbs could be water retention due to exercise/ time of the month. Stick with the 1/2 lb / week for a longer period. - are you logging every bit of food or drink? Are you lifting weights? What program? Look at Starting Strength or Strong Curves for good beginner programs

    I’ve lifted on and off, back when I was in school I took a strength training class and that’s what got me started. Then after school I started going to the gym for a few months until I was involved in an accident so I had to wait several months to heal before I could start again. I did gymnastics for a long time when I was young and ever since I quit I’ve still practiced at home so I would say I’m decently strong to start out with. I have several workout plans that I made in my note app and they seem to work really well, most are from Krissy Cela. I don’t do a lot of cardio, I generally just lift weights bc I don’t have good stamina although I’d like to build that up. I’m not sure how water retention works but I’m never bloated in the morning while weighing more than the previous day if that tells you anything. I make sure to log every food and drink in MFP and I’m not one to eat junk food 24/7, I’d say I’m pretty healthy. I also have a lot of food allergies so I really have to watch what I eat.

    It sounds like you have a good foundation - Like I said before I would start a proven program like Starting Strength to start - basic full body exercises - squat, Deadlift, Press - to build some strength, muscles, after some time you can also look at Gray Skull - or Strong Curves if you want to work on the booty. Muscle growth is slow - especially with a female. You said you get 100gm protein I would call that a minimum - have a little more - eat some eggs, have a protein drink , eat some carbs, adjust that according to the scale weight - and the mirror
  • cwolfman13
    cwolfman13 Posts: 41,865 Member
    Lizzyhopetk wrote: »
    ecjim wrote: »
    did you just start lifting ? that 2 lbs could be water retention due to exercise/ time of the month. Stick with the 1/2 lb / week for a longer period. - are you logging every bit of food or drink? Are you lifting weights? What program? Look at Starting Strength or Strong Curves for good beginner programs

    I’ve lifted on and off, back when I was in school I took a strength training class and that’s what got me started. Then after school I started going to the gym for a few months until I was involved in an accident so I had to wait several months to heal before I could start again. I did gymnastics for a long time when I was young and ever since I quit I’ve still practiced at home so I would say I’m decently strong to start out with. I have several workout plans that I made in my note app and they seem to work really well, most are from Krissy Cela. I don’t do a lot of cardio, I generally just lift weights bc I don’t have good stamina although I’d like to build that up. I’m not sure how water retention works but I’m never bloated in the morning while weighing more than the previous day if that tells you anything. I make sure to log every food and drink in MFP and I’m not one to eat junk food 24/7, I’d say I’m pretty healthy. I also have a lot of food allergies so I really have to watch what I eat.

    Water retention from exercise isn't the bloating kind. When we engage in new or increased intensity of exercise your muscles hold onto water to aid in repair of damaged tissue. What were you doing exercise wise prior to this 10 days? Is what you're doing new after a hiatus? Is what you're doing now at a higher intensity than what you were doing before?

    I recently got back into the weight room after a 3 month hiatus and I put on 5 Lbs in about 1.5 weeks...all water being retained by my muscles. Also, simply increasing calories will cause an increase in body water composition just like cutting calories causes a decrease in body water composition and you would likely also have more inherent waste in your system from eating more. It's kind of like when people go on a diet and they lose really quickly the first couple of weeks and then that rate slows dramatically...same often happens when trying to gain weight.

    At this point, you don't really have enough data points and time to do any kind of meaningful analysis. It is likely that those 2 Lbs are a combination of your surplus along with increased water composition. Or it could be absolutely nothing more than normal fluctuations. I can easily fluctuate 2-3 Lbs day to day.

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