How do you know if you're gaining muscle and not fat??

tigerblue
tigerblue Posts: 1,526 Member
edited October 3 in Health and Weight Loss
Okay, I have been maintaining my 40+ pound loss for almost a year now with very good success (staying within 3 lbs of lowest weight). I'm continuing to exercise (especially cardio, which I like best), and I stay within a net calorie goal that has worked for 11 months now. Until. . .

Just last week I've gained about 5 pounds. I did do a little bit more weight training recently, but not a lot. So I am hoping that perhaps it is muscle gain. But I am TERRIFIED to gain weight, since I don't really know if I am gaining muscle, or if the fat is flying back on!!

I lowered my calorie goal back to what it was when I was actively dieting, and I hope to lose the small gain before it becomes a large gain.

I don't want to be obsessive about this, but I don't want to lose my hard work either, which is what has always happened before.

If I knew I was gaining muscle, I would relax and be happy. But how can I know?

(I do have a fat measuring scale, but I don't think it is accurate at all, since I am very slim now (BMI is just under 20), and have a good bit of muscle definition, but the scale still says I have a high body fat percentage. It also jumps around wildly from day to day.)

Does anyone have any suggestions?

Replies

  • ebramlett
    ebramlett Posts: 306 Member
    Measure your waist, arms, legs, etc. If everything is still the same, then its muscle gain.
  • mrau719
    mrau719 Posts: 288 Member
    take your measurements. If you're gaining muscle you will either have the same measurements or being going down in inches regardless of what the scale says
  • vim_n_vigor
    vim_n_vigor Posts: 4,089 Member
    If you started adding weight bearing exercise to your routine, you can expect temporary weight gain as your body holds on to water to protect and heal your muscles from your workout. Some people can gain up to 10 pounds temporarily and once your body adjusts, the weight will come back off. Don't stop the weight training - it is very good for you!
  • mrau719
    mrau719 Posts: 288 Member
    Measure your waist, arms, legs, etc. If everything is still the same, then its muscle gain.

    yea what he said ^
  • scapez
    scapez Posts: 2,018 Member
    From what I've read a woman has to do a LOT of repetitive strength training before she starts to actively gain muscle.
  • pander101
    pander101 Posts: 677 Member
    Like everyone else said. Measure. If you had a lot sodium the day before you weighed yourself then that could be it as well. You wouldn't gain 5lbs of muscle in a week though.
  • Korrinn
    Korrinn Posts: 24
    Like everyone else said. Measure. If you had a lot sodium the day before you weighed yourself then that could be it as well. You wouldn't gain 5lbs of muscle in a week though.

    Or 5lbs of fat for that matter either.

    The culprit is probably just water.
  • cruiseking
    cruiseking Posts: 338 Member
    It would be impossible to gain 5 lbs of muscle in a weeks time. However, as it has been stated above, when you lift weights your muscles retain water. I would guess that the water retention is not showing up in undesirable places, so your measurements would be close to the same thing, as before the weights. Keep it going, if at the end of six months, you are back down to the same weight, but have added that 5lbs of muscle, you will notice an extreme difference in appearance for the better.
  • dryfli
    dryfli Posts: 39 Member
    i agree with the water thing. i am 5'4" and if i work it out hardcore and i'm sore for a few days, my weight is always up.
    i have done a mix of bodycombat, bodypump, bodystep and then easier stuff like walking the dogs around the hills near my home and gardening, yardwork. the days when i work like a dog, i am always up 2-4 lbs the next day or 2. the scale always goes back done if i don't exercise for a few days. in fact some of my lowest weigh ins have been on day 3 or 4 post exercise. don't panic. so hard to see the numbers go back up. the tape measure doesn't lie, and if your non stretch jeans still feel good, go with it. :)
  • koosdel
    koosdel Posts: 3,317 Member
    I use a mirror.
  • koosdel
    koosdel Posts: 3,317 Member
    I use a mirror.
  • RAFValentina
    RAFValentina Posts: 1,231 Member
    Lots of regular long cardio sessions (such as running every day for about 40 minutes and fairly fast- not sprint butr a high sustained effort) will mean you retain both water and glycogen in your fatigued muscles. In a way, this is why rest days are important. With that you may or may not get a bit of bloating. If you're taking enough or perhaps too much sodium or other electorlytes, despite being in your calorie limits (for example potassium rich foods like banana or even electrolyte mixes such as dioralyte for rehydration) then you will retain more water yet.

    Glycogen is fairly heavy and will be stored in your muscles in order for you to have ready energy stores... the benefits of this I suppose is that the energy is not being stored in your body by lumpy horrible fat, but in a lovely rich glycogen in your muscles which is ready for you to use ready for your next workout. I've not lost much weight since upping training, but I have lost about 1/2inch roundmy waist and my hips have shrunk about an inch and there is no where near as much "wobble"

    Mostly measuring your physical size will help indicate to you whether it's "fat" or "muscle" but, it could be water and/or glycogen too ...especially water if hormonal! :)

    Hope that helps!
  • afwg1979
    afwg1979 Posts: 170 Member
    Invest in a good quality digital scale which displays weight, fat, water, muscle and bone. I purchased an Ozeri Touch via Amazon after another MFP member's suggestion -- I love it!
  • RAFValentina
    RAFValentina Posts: 1,231 Member
    Oh and unless you're eating in excess of 17500 over your MAINTENANCE calories, there is no way it's going to be fat! Most likely water, possibly some muscle and possibly some glycogen. :)
  • ihavebeenherkind
    ihavebeenherkind Posts: 17 Member
    Invest in a good quality digital scale which displays weight, fat, water, muscle and bone. I purchased an Ozeri Touch via Amazon after another MFP member's suggestion -- I love it!

    I agree with this. Tanita makes some good ones too. I don't find them terribly expensive and worth the added information.
  • thetiwi1890
    thetiwi1890 Posts: 239 Member
    Measure your waist, arms, legs, etc. If everything is still the same, then its muscle gain.

    yea what he said ^

    ^^^^^^^^This
  • AdAstra47
    AdAstra47 Posts: 823 Member
    From what I've read a woman has to do a LOT of repetitive strength training before she starts to actively gain muscle.

    Not really. I don't do any strength training at all, unless you count housecleaning. :smile: But as long as I limit my carbs and eat plenty of protein, I gain muscle & lose fat. My doc says I've lost about 42 lb of fat & water weight, and gained about 4 lb of muscle, since I started this.

    I agree with those who suggest taking measurements. If your measurements are same or smaller, you've probably gained muscle & not fat. Also, give it a few days. If you upped your activity level recently, your muscles may just be retaining water, and it will go back down in a few days.

    If you really want to know, officially, find a clinic or gym or doctor who will do a body composition test. There's a special device, you hold on to the handles and it sends a very mild electrical current up one arm, through your body, and down the other arm. The machine times how long it takes. Since the current will travel at a different speed through fatty tissue than it travels through muscle, that can give you a pretty accurate reading of how much muscle & fat you have.

    Good luck!
  • RAFValentina
    RAFValentina Posts: 1,231 Member
    bump
  • SWEETS1234
    SWEETS1234 Posts: 243 Member
    Like the others already said it's probably just water because your not going to gain muscle that fast. BUT if you reall want to see fat vs muscle stand in front of a full length mirror (underwear or naked) and do the shaky shaky test (shaking your body side to side) fat and muscle move very differently you see. :wink:
  • lucyhoneychurch
    lucyhoneychurch Posts: 576 Member
    Bump
  • Rae6503
    Rae6503 Posts: 6,294 Member
    But I expect my biceps, quads and shoulders to get bigger as I gain muscle.....

    But if it is 5lbs in a week it's probably water. Strength training makes your muscles retain water for awhile. They also visibly swell.

    I would agree that the mirror is the best way to judge muscle vs. fat gain.

    Also, you won't gain pounds of muscle unless you are eating MORE than your maintenance calories.
  • SkittlesMeLove
    SkittlesMeLove Posts: 12
    If you started adding weight bearing exercise to your routine, you can expect temporary weight gain as your body holds on to water to protect and heal your muscles from your workout. Some people can gain up to 10 pounds temporarily and once your body adjusts, the weight will come back off. Don't stop the weight training - it is very good for you!

    Thank you!! I was wondering what was going on with me. Ever since I've added weight training to my workout I've gained 5 pounds already! I was freaking out!!! LOL!!!
  • krogers810x
    krogers810x Posts: 92 Member
    If you started adding weight bearing exercise to your routine, you can expect temporary weight gain as your body holds on to water to protect and heal your muscles from your workout. Some people can gain up to 10 pounds temporarily and once your body adjusts, the weight will come back off. Don't stop the weight training - it is very good for you!

    How long does this adjustment tend to take?
    I started 30DS 17 days ago. At first, I shot up 4-5 pounds. It's come down, but I am still a half pound or so above my starting weight. I AM losing inches, and feeling stronger/better, so I am sticking to it - but I am wondering if this lack of loss is normal or if I should be expecting to eventually see a drop.
  • RHachicho
    RHachicho Posts: 1,115 Member
    Ok well 5lb in a week isn't all muscle but there could be a number of factors involved that aren't fat. If you up your exercise regime your muscles tend to start storing more water and glycogen. This can make the scale go up quite a bit. I would say don't panic cos honestly unless you have been absolutely stuffing yourself. Like, training for an eating competition stuffing yourself you certainly have not gained 5lb of fat in a week.

    It would probably be best for you to use one of those body fat% meters to take your reading about once a month. If that starts to creep up you probably need to make some changes.
  • dbmata
    dbmata Posts: 12,950 Member
    Sweet necro.
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