Dear people that say large weight gain is muscle..

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d2footballJRC
d2footballJRC Posts: 2,684 Member
To those that say that. Please just stop it... just stop.. I see tons of posts on here daily where someone has gained 5-8lbs in a couple days to a week and the answer people give is "You've gained muscle" No... Not even likely if they are on a prohormone/gear(steroids)

This extra weight is usually water.

When you start doing more exercise, your body begins storing more fuel in your muscle cells, where it can be used easily and quickly to fuel your workouts. The process of converting glucose (carbohydrates) into fuel that your muscles actually store and use (glycogen) requires three molecules of water for every molecule of glucose. As your muscles are building up glycogen stores, your body has to retain extra water for this purpose. That's what causes most of the initial weight gain or lack of weight loss. This is a good thing—not something to worry about.

However, despite what the scale says, you are actually losing fat during this time. The extra water retention will stop once your body has adjusted to its new activity level.

Other reasons if they aren't working out included:
•Sodium intake
•Food weight (especially if eating more heavy proteins than usual)
•If they had ate low carb for a few days then carbing up.
•They aren't measuring their food right and estimating wrong.
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Replies

  • budhandy
    budhandy Posts: 305 Member
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    your telling me my 5 pound weight gain in a week isnt muscle...you lie. no no no no no no....crys in the corner
  • momma2Lulu
    momma2Lulu Posts: 74
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    thank you :) both hubby and are are new to this and while we are losing weight he isn't losing as fast as he expected to since he cut out all soda cold turkey... that might explain... he went from 6-12 cans a day to lots of water, i wish he tracked it better so we would know for sure how much but we think the average is 6 refills of his water bottle which holds probably around 16 ounces or so.... if not more :)
  • BigMike915
    BigMike915 Posts: 112 Member
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    Glad you posted this. I actually laugh out loud whenever I read, "don't worry you are gaining muscle." Oh how I wish I could gain 8 pounds of muscle in two weeks.
  • d2footballJRC
    d2footballJRC Posts: 2,684 Member
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    Glad you posted this. I actually laugh out loud whenever I read, "don't worry you are gaining muscle." Oh how I wish I could gain 8 pounds of muscle in two weeks.

    You and me both!
  • IpuffyheartHeelsinthegym
    IpuffyheartHeelsinthegym Posts: 5,573 Member
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    no no no, the fat turns INTO muscles.... and it WEIGHS more!
  • d2footballJRC
    d2footballJRC Posts: 2,684 Member
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    no no no, the fat turns INTO muscles.... and it WEIGHS more!

    Oh snap, if that is true when all my fat turns I'm going to need a bigger scale!!!
  • terri0527
    terri0527 Posts: 678 Member
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    To those that say that. Please just stop it... just stop.. I see tons of posts on here daily where someone has gained 5-8lbs in a couple days to a week and the answer people give is "You've gained muscle" No... Not even likely if they are on a prohormone/gear(steroids)

    This extra weight is usually water.

    When you start doing more exercise, your body begins storing more fuel in your muscle cells, where it can be used easily and quickly to fuel your workouts. The process of converting glucose (carbohydrates) into fuel that your muscles actually store and use (glycogen) requires three molecules of water for every molecule of glucose. As your muscles are building up glycogen stores, your body has to retain extra water for this purpose. That's what causes most of the initial weight gain or lack of weight loss. This is a good thing—not something to worry about.

    However, despite what the scale says, you are actually losing fat during this time. The extra water retention will stop once your body has adjusted to its new activity level.

    Other reasons if they aren't working out included:
    •Sodium intake
    •Food weight (especially if eating more heavy proteins than usual)
    •If they had ate low carb for a few days then carbing up.
    •They aren't measuring their food right and estimating wrong.
    104p0f5.jpg
    this pic is hilarious
  • mustgetmuscles1
    mustgetmuscles1 Posts: 3,346 Member
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    beefcake-cartman.bmp
  • scapez
    scapez Posts: 2,018 Member
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    This should be copied and pasted in the forums every day from now until the end of time...
  • ShmiSkywalker
    ShmiSkywalker Posts: 33 Member
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    no no no, the fat turns INTO muscles.... and it WEIGHS more!

    I love this one! HAHAHAHA!
  • 2143661
    2143661 Posts: 566 Member
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    I totally agree with this post!
  • n_unocero
    n_unocero Posts: 445 Member
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    no no no, the fat turns INTO muscles.... and it WEIGHS more!

    this is just common sense.
  • clobercow
    clobercow Posts: 337 Member
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    Muscle gain, for hardcore body builders, naturally, is about 1lb per month MAX. That's someone who eats and trains perfectly.
  • Trail_Addict
    Trail_Addict Posts: 1,350 Member
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    To those that say that. Please just stop it... just stop.. I see tons of posts on here daily where someone has gained 5-8lbs in a couple days to a week and the answer people give is "You've gained muscle" No... Not even likely if they are on a prohormone/gear(steroids)

    This extra weight is usually water.

    When you start doing more exercise, your body begins storing more fuel in your muscle cells, where it can be used easily and quickly to fuel your workouts. The process of converting glucose (carbohydrates) into fuel that your muscles actually store and use (glycogen) requires three molecules of water for every molecule of glucose. As your muscles are building up glycogen stores, your body has to retain extra water for this purpose. That's what causes most of the initial weight gain or lack of weight loss. This is a good thing—not something to worry about.

    However, despite what the scale says, you are actually losing fat during this time. The extra water retention will stop once your body has adjusted to its new activity level.

    Other reasons if they aren't working out included:
    •Sodium intake
    •Food weight (especially if eating more heavy proteins than usual)
    •If they had ate low carb for a few days then carbing up.
    •They aren't measuring their food right and estimating wrong.

    You forgot to add... "holding back a monster poop!"
  • SirZee
    SirZee Posts: 381
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    OP you are right. Gaining muscle is very hard, especially when you are trying to lose weight at the same time.

    Its just another excuse for people who need it. The math is really simple. Intake > expenditure, you gain weight. Intake < expenditure, you lose weight. Gain and lose are measured in months.. days are useless fluctuations, weeks are slightly better, but still too close to fluctuation noise.

    Everything else is an excuse. And if you disagree, you don't need to convince me, you already convinced yourself, and that is fine with me :)
  • CookieCrumble
    CookieCrumble Posts: 221 Member
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    A very pertinent post. I still see 'muscle weighs heavier than fat' here on MFP and I see calls of muscle gain within days of a diet starting. People really seem to struggle with seperating fact from fiction. I'm quite new (January this year) and have learned an awful lot but there's so much more to learn and implement.

    One thing I would like to know, if it isn't a daft question - where do you find out how much muscle mass you have? It would be useful to be able to measure the improvements month on month as I lift weights and find myself toning up.
  • hebenn01
    hebenn01 Posts: 43 Member
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    Some people just loooove false hope!
  • sk2775
    sk2775 Posts: 703 Member
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    Totally agree!!!!
  • 2kidzlater
    2kidzlater Posts: 134 Member
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    bump
  • LindaCWy
    LindaCWy Posts: 463 Member
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    You forgot the other one "She's just bigger boned"