Muscle mass gain for women

nbuehrmann
nbuehrmann Posts: 47 Member
edited September 18 in Health and Weight Loss
Does anyone know how much muscle gain should be expected for women when working out?
Just curious... I put on about 8lbs of muscle in the last two months and that seems high to me.

Replies

  • nbuehrmann
    nbuehrmann Posts: 47 Member
    Does anyone know how much muscle gain should be expected for women when working out?
    Just curious... I put on about 8lbs of muscle in the last two months and that seems high to me.
  • neverbeenskinny
    neverbeenskinny Posts: 446 Member
    It really depends on you and what you are doing. I'm not an expert on anything, except this issue. I use to be a competitive powerlifter, so I know about muscle mass.

    It is not common for a female to gain that much muscle mass in a short time. But it is possible, you must have increased your protein intake quite a bit. And it also depends on if you are doing any weight bearing exercises and how you are doing your weight bearing exercises. You can increase quite a bit of muscle mass if you are doing heavy weights with low reps. If you are not wanting to build muscles, then decrease the weights that you are lifting and increase the reps.

    The other thing is if you use to be athletic, then stop working out for whatever reason, then started again, you will build quickly as muscle cell memory is an amazing thing. Your body will actually remember what it use to be like with muscles and running efficiently, it will try hard to get it back.

    Lot of lean body mass is not a bad thing, the more muscles you have the faster your metabolism. `
  • cmriverside
    cmriverside Posts: 34,449 Member
    neverbeenskinny!

    Question?? I am trying to meet my nutrition needs suggested by my trainer. He has suggested 40-20-40% and I am unable to get enough protein AND calories without going over in carbs or fat. I was looking at protein powders (and actually bought a small can of the Designer Whey) it had the lowest carbs. I don't usually eat much protein from animal sources- as you read in a previous post, I am post-menopause and I do consume soy (yumm edamame) and nuts and avocado much more than animal products.

    Do you have a favorite low-carb-high-calorie-high-protein suggestion? I'm stumped at how to rearrange my eating. I am just trying to lose another 22 pounds and tone up. I can only stomach so many egg substitutes omelets. The only meat I've been having is chicken breast, turkey breast, occasional tuna. I do take an Omega 3.6.9. supplement that has 14g fat. So I'm only taking 1/2 portion while in weight loss.

    Any ideas much appreciated!

    ~Cheryl
  • nbuehrmann
    nbuehrmann Posts: 47 Member
    Thank you neverbeenskinny! I think for me it's muscle cell memory and I've never heard of that before. It's really interesting! Thank you
  • neverbeenskinny
    neverbeenskinny Posts: 446 Member
    Hey Cheryl,
    I personnally like a nice green salad with egg salad on top, one whole egg and 2 additional egg whites. I don't make it with mayo, although you could with a low fat subsitute, I make it with a little small cured cottage cheese or non-fat sour cream and add a little pickle juice, salt & pepper. Yummy, this will up your protein intake without much carbs. I can't seem to cut the one whole egg, it's just not the same. I'm post menopausal as well, full hysterectomy due to a 13 pound ovarian tumor, so I do the soy thing too.

    Yes nbuehrman, muscle cells have memory and it's a wonderful thing. It will take you a little less effort each time to develope lean body mass which will heighten your metabolism. But if you don't want to build too much muscle, you will have to watch your workout and protein intake.
  • cmriverside
    cmriverside Posts: 34,449 Member
    Thanks, neverbeenskinny. Wow - that was a shocker, huh? (the tumor) Were you forced into early menopause? Sorry, if that's too personal - feel free to ignore me!

    Thanks for the salad suggestion. It had to be salad, huh? And it had to be egg? I so don't like egg on a regular basis.....but it is the perfect food to fit this particular slot. I'll play around with it.

    ~cm
  • neverbeenskinny
    neverbeenskinny Posts: 446 Member
    cmriverside,
    Dark salad greens pack a lot of nutrition without a lot of calories or carbs, and egg whites and fat free cottage cheese pack a lot of protein without fat, so if you need protein and low carbs & fat it will work. How about turkey? Do you eat it? Turkey breast has more protein per gram than anything else without much fat.
  • cmriverside
    cmriverside Posts: 34,449 Member
    neverbeen,

    LOL ! I bought some turkey (AGAIN!) yesterday and tried to fix it in a new way. And it wasn't very tasty. I need to stick to what I know....I also already love spinach, collards, and prefer low fat mozzarella. I'm able to make it work. I am just going to fit in the protein shake every day, too. I don't know what kind to buy, and wonder if you have a favorite? Everyone has a different opinion.....

    I like your new picture! We can see your cute face. Thanks for trying to help!

    ~cheryl
  • neverbeenskinny
    neverbeenskinny Posts: 446 Member
    You're welcome cmriverside. And thanks on the picture, it's my best friend and I at the Relay for Life this year. He is my biggest supporter and the very best friend any one could ever ask for.

    My favorite protein shake is from Herbalife. I have a hard time with protein shakes, I can't stomach most of them, I think it's due to drinking them for so many years while powerlifting, so the Herbalife is the only one that I can get down. The protein shake thing is also very personal, you just have to make sure that you pick one without lots of carbs in it, many of them are loaded with sugar.
  • cmriverside
    cmriverside Posts: 34,449 Member
    neverbeen,

    10-4 on the carbs. I did figure that out. I found a good chocolate one at Costco today.

    Cheryl
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