How much muscle in weight can you gain within a week?

Zichu
Zichu Posts: 542 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
Hey, I just wanted to know what is the most weight gained from muscle? I wanted to know this because this is my first week in strength training. I've worked on Chest, Back, Legs and Abs so far this week. I've got Arms and Shoulders to do today. I've upped my calories to maintain my weight, but also because I am trying to build muscle. I weighed myself on Saturday which was pretty much the time I upped my calories. I weighed about 121lb. After this whole week of healthy eating, with maybe a few treats here and there, but staying within my calorie goal, my carbs, protein and fat don't seem to bad. I am getting just about 150g of protein a day. I weighed myself today just to see how I was progressing and I now weigh 125lb.

So I have put on 4lb within 6 days, could this be because of muscle or am I gaining weight because I'm gaining fat? I'm just a little confused. My waist has gone down by an inch. I was stuck at a 30 inch waist, but it's not at 29 inches. I've measured my chest, which I think I was stuck at like 34 inches, which is now 32 inches. I also measure my bum, which was 36 inches and is now 35 inches. Could this weight gain, and measurement decrease be muscle gain?


I'm only lifting 40lb at the moment and even some workouts are quite hard for me to lift. I was going to do cardio yesterday, but my legs were like jelly and it hurt to walk after do Deadlifts, Squats and Lunges on Wednesday. So I could only manage to do it Tuesday.

Replies

  • xraychick77
    xraychick77 Posts: 1,775 Member
    its hard to gain muscle mass..but if you are a beginner you can expect to gain muscle at a faster rate. a trained person will of course have a harder time. its the whole adaptation thing. the more efficient you become at something, the harder it is to push beyond that. just like losing body fat or weight.

    the most you can expect to gain in a week is maybe 1/2 to 1 OUNCE. over the course of a half a year, maybe 5 lbs.
  • Zichu
    Zichu Posts: 542 Member
    Well I have noticed my arms look a bit more defined than they used to. My thighs are slightly smaller. I can see the difference in my chest. I guess mixing everything together, cardio and a bit of strength training has maybe burnt a little bit of fat or something.

    Not sure how I gained 4lb. Maybe it was that Toblerone I had last night. It's still in my system >.<
  • pmaxson
    pmaxson Posts: 137
    Disclaimer: I am not an expert.

    But I wonder if you are retaining water as your muscles are recovering. I often fluctuate 2 pounds a week simply in water, and I always weigh more after working out more.

    Just a thought.
  • JadeRabbit08
    JadeRabbit08 Posts: 551 Member
    its hard to gain muscle mass..but if you are a beginner you can expect to gain muscle at a faster rate. a trained person will of course have a harder time. its the whole adaptation thing. the more efficient you become at something, the harder it is to push beyond that. just like losing body fat or weight.

    the most you can expect to gain in a week is maybe 1/2 to 1 OUNCE. over the course of a half a year, maybe 5 lbs.

    Wow really 1 ounce? Thats depressing when I think about me just starting up weights now, but a little funny when I read all those posts from women not wanting to weight train cause they think they will wake up the next day muscle bound.

    1 ounce = 28.3495231 grams
    1000 grams make a kilo
    35 weeks roughly to gain a kilo of muscle
    I have a new appreciation of those who lift.
  • Zichu
    Zichu Posts: 542 Member
    I'm hoping I am just holding in water lol. Seems strange I have put on 4lb within 6 days and if muscle gain is that slow, than I guess it could be slight muscle maybe even less than half an ounce and water weight.

    I can drink about 8 pints of water a day. Some days I go over my sodium levels because of fish, but yesterday I 750mg left...
  • chrishgt4
    chrishgt4 Posts: 1,222 Member
    As you are just starting you will definitely see initial gains, even hough you are only on maintenance levels. To keep it up you would need to eat more, however.

    I would say that you will have to see how it pans out over the coming week(s) as I can fluctuate by that easily in a day.
  • Zichu
    Zichu Posts: 542 Member
    Cheers. I will keep an eye on my weight and measurements once a week to see how it's going.
  • theMightyAnt
    theMightyAnt Posts: 75
    Disclaimer: I am not an expert.

    But I wonder if you are retaining water as your muscles are recovering. I often fluctuate 2 pounds a week simply in water, and I always weigh more after working out more.

    Just a thought.

    I second this, I am no expert either but have always found after starting a new routine or exercising muscles hard for the first time in a while (particularly if you are doing it consistently as part of a whole body programme) then I always end up weighing more than I would expect in the first few weeks. Keep at it
  • thefuzz1290
    thefuzz1290 Posts: 777 Member
    I believe you can only gain 10-15lbs, on average, a year (without steroids) and on a good diet.
  • mmapags
    mmapags Posts: 8,934 Member
    This slight looking like your muscles have grown is actually typical of what happens when you begin strength training. Your muscles get worked and get delpleted of glycogen so in response they store as much glycogen as they can hold over the next day or so. Along with the glycogen they store water to make the glycogen available. This make it look visually like your muscles have grown. This normalizes to some degree over time but you'll get a little of this after every workout. It what lifters refer to as a "pump". As others have said, muscle tissue grows very slowly. that doesn't mean you can't make the muscle tissue you have stronger and train it. It just means that you won't grow a lot of new muscle tissus very quickly.
  • sammys1girly
    sammys1girly Posts: 1,045 Member
    Disclaimer: I am not an expert.

    But I wonder if you are retaining water as your muscles are recovering. I often fluctuate 2 pounds a week simply in water, and I always weigh more after working out more.

    Just a thought.

    That's my thought too.
  • katherinemm31
    katherinemm31 Posts: 163
    Good thread. I don't lift, but I've increased my walking and other exercise significantly. I can see muscle showing up. Problems: my legs are actually bigger, according to my pants, and I know I'm retaining huge amounts of water even though I drink way more non-caffeinated liquids than what's recommended. When I look down and my legs look worse than when I started, I get pretty bummed out. Plus, my belly is distended a lot. I hate feeling fat. --sigh--
  • Classalete
    Classalete Posts: 464 Member
    Mad muscle can be developed in short periods of time. You've just got to be diligent, disciplined, and determined. You apply those three D's to other aspect of your life and you'll be one paid *kitten* successful baller. Trust me.

    I herd that money grew on trees so I grew one. Left my old chick at home, got a new one.
  • Zichu
    Zichu Posts: 542 Member
    I weighed myself again this morning and I am currently 121.2lb so I am putting it down as water retention yesterday.
  • jaymek92
    jaymek92 Posts: 309 Member
    I know I'm retaining huge amounts of water even though I drink way more non-caffeinated liquids than what's recommended.
    maybe try drinking just plain water? that should help with the water retention and "distended" belly.

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