Trying to build muscle, but still losing weight

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thatsnumberwang
thatsnumberwang Posts: 398 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
A question for the trainer/muscle-savvy members out there: For the last 3 or 4 weeks, I've been doing a lot of strength training (New Rules of Lifting for Women) and eating above what MFP says is maintenance or higher calories, plus exercise cals. (I weigh 121 and I'm eating around 1900 calories per day, +150 extra calories on days I lift.) I'm trying to gain muscle while minimizing fat gain, but for some reason I'm still losing weight. Not quickly, but an average of a lb or two over those few weeks. Does this mean I'm in a calorie deficit, and therefore not gaining muscle? And does this mean I need to eat more calories? (I'm trying to eat healthy foods, too, which makes it a high volume of food. And I'm getting tired of nuts.) OR is it more likely to be something else, like water weight? I don't want to be wasting my time in the gym...

Thanks in advance!

Replies

  • bluefever
    bluefever Posts: 93 Member
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    I am not totally sure, but it sounds like a deficit.

    Another thing that NROL4W doesn't talk about is the importance of a post workout meal or shake. Something consisting of a protein and carb immediatly after your weights, like a shake with a banana if you don't want to spend money on a premade PWO>

    Also, are you doing the HIIT in the program. Try cutting that out to just SS cardio.
  • thatsnumberwang
    thatsnumberwang Posts: 398 Member
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    Thanks. I've definitely been doing protein shakes and now that I've found a powder I like, I can't get enough of them. Does it seem sensible to bump up my calorie goal a bit and add another one in the evening if I haven't hit my cals?
  • Jenlwb
    Jenlwb Posts: 682 Member
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    I think there's a section in the NRL4W book about reassessing your cal intake after the first 4 weeks, if you lose weight i think you are supposed to up the cals a little. I don't have the book here, but check it out, it might answer your query. You wouldn't want to NOT build muscle after all the hard work!
  • Dave198lbs
    Dave198lbs Posts: 8,810 Member
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    the only way to lose weight is in a caloric deficit or some kind of illness that causes a deficit
  • AntWrig
    AntWrig Posts: 2,273 Member
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    I am not totally sure, but it sounds like a deficit.

    Another thing that NROL4W doesn't talk about is the importance of a post workout meal or shake. Something consisting of a protein and carb immediatly after your weights, like a shake with a banana if you don't want to spend money on a premade PWO>

    Also, are you doing the HIIT in the program. Try cutting that out to just SS cardio.
    HIIT, cardio of any kind is taking calories away, neither is needed. Walking is perfecty fine for coniditioning.

    thatsnumberwa, what are your current macros?
  • Quickster34
    Quickster34 Posts: 209 Member
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    Thanks. I've definitely been doing protein shakes and now that I've found a powder I like, I can't get enough of them. Does it seem sensible to bump up my calorie goal a bit and add another one in the evening if I haven't hit my cals?

    yes, if your trying to build your body will need more calories, and you seem to be going about it the right way, i.e eating more of the heathly foods and protein rather than empty calories so add another shake or lean meats. and make sure you get your EFAs daily
  • Rae6503
    Rae6503 Posts: 6,294 Member
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    If you are losing weight you are eating at a calorie deficit. MFP's maintenance is WAY low for me. I have to set it to "very active" (even though I'm not) to get it up where I'm supposed to be.

    So what is your goal? Do you want to gain muscle?

    I'm just finishing up a "bulk". I started eating about 300 calories over maintenance (which was a good 600 over what MFP thought my maintenance was). I wasn't really gaining so I upped it to 500 over. I've gained 10lbs in the last 4 months but haven't gone up in clothing size.
  • taso42
    taso42 Posts: 8,980 Member
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    I'm trying to gain muscle while minimizing fat gain, but for some reason I'm still losing weight. Not quickly, but an average of a lb or two over those few weeks. Does this mean I'm in a calorie deficit, and therefore not gaining muscle? And does this mean I need to eat more calories?

    Yes.
  • moiramab
    moiramab Posts: 26 Member
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    I have nothing to add to this thread except that OP I loooooove your screen name :D
  • thatsnumberwang
    thatsnumberwang Posts: 398 Member
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    Thanks all! :drinker: I'm trying to gain muscle, so I definitely don't want all my work in the gym to be for nothing. It's hard to get over the irrational fear that if I increase my calories more I'll suddenly gain a whole bunch of weight out of nowhere, though - especially since I've been eating even more than NROL4W suggests as a starting point. But since that almost definitely won't happen, I'll probably just keep increasing very slowly until I stop losing.

    To answer the questions, I'm trying to get at least my body weight (lbs) in protein per day. I don't always get all the way there, but I usually get at least my lean body mass. I haven't been doing much cardio since starting lifting, but I do walk a lot to and from work every day (2 miles total).
  • Rae6503
    Rae6503 Posts: 6,294 Member
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    It is totally scary. I remember feeling the same. A MFP friend of mine basically explained it to me like this: Do you know how freaking hard it is for a woman to gain muscle? Do you really want to make it harder by a fear of fat? Losing fat is sooooo much easier than gaining muscle. Don't sabotage your efforts with fear of fat.

    Add 300 calories to what you are eating now and see where that puts you in terms of weight gain. You may want to add more later.

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