Female lifters, building muscle in the first week?

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  • Sharyn913
    Sharyn913 Posts: 777 Member
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    Muscle does NOT weigh more than fat. Muscle is more dense than fat. 1lb of anything versus another lb of anything are both still a lb, what makes the difference is how much space it takes up. Muscle will take up less space than the fat.

    What weighs more? A pound of feathers or a pound of lead? ;)

    LMBO. This one always got me when I was younger! "Of course lead ways more!" "Okay... which would hurt more if it landed on you after being dropped off a building?" =)

    I'd rather have 2 pounds of feathers drop from a building on top of my head than 1 pound of lead. lol

    I would rather have 5 lbs of feathers drop from a building on top of my head than half a lb of lead! =)
  • HeidiMightyRawr
    HeidiMightyRawr Posts: 3,343 Member
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    It's most likely water retention. While muscle does weigh more than fat by volume, the amount in a week would just be negligible, especially in a deficit.
    My advice: Take measurements, and judge your progress that way. The scales are useful, but not the only way to measure progress. Maybe weigh in every 2 weeks, just to see where you are :smile:
  • ehs5mw
    ehs5mw Posts: 65
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    Muscle does NOT weigh more than fat. Muscle is more dense than fat. 1lb of anything versus another lb of anything are both still a lb, what makes the difference is how much space it takes up. Muscle will take up less space than the fat.

    What weighs more? A pound of feathers or a pound of lead? ;)

    LMBO. This one always got me when I was younger! "Of course lead ways more!" "Okay... which would hurt more if it landed on you after being dropped off a building?" =)

    I'd rather have 2 pounds of feathers drop from a building on top of my head than 1 pound of lead. lol

    I would rather have 5 lbs of feathers drop from a building on top of my head than half a lb of lead! =)

    I would rather not have anything dropped on my head, thank you.
  • tiffbou2
    tiffbou2 Posts: 34 Member
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    Read this...It will help explain HTH... :)

    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/595473-why-the-scale-goes-up-with-a-new-workout-program-must-read

    Thank you for posting this!! I had the exact same questions as the original poster. I am doing ChaLEAN xtreme, and I took a week off in between the Burn and Push phases...maybe I shouldn't have done that, but I was starting a new clean eating diet and wanted to focus on my food. I lost 5 lbs in that first week and a half of my diet and nothing in the last 2 weeks since I started the PUSH phase with heavier weights and lower reps. In fact this morning my weight was up a lb and it was SO discouraging.

    Good to know I may start to see results on the scale if I have patience and push through! I am terrible with my scale - I weigh myself every day. :(
  • Jersey_Devil
    Jersey_Devil Posts: 4,142 Member
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    Muscle does NOT weigh more than fat. Muscle is more dense than fat. 1lb of anything versus another lb of anything are both still a lb, what makes the difference is how much space it takes up. Muscle will take up less space than the fat.

    What weighs more? A pound of feathers or a pound of lead? ;)

    LMBO. This one always got me when I was younger! "Of course lead ways more!" "Okay... which would hurt more if it landed on you after being dropped off a building?" =)

    I'd rather have 2 pounds of feathers drop from a building on top of my head than 1 pound of lead. lol

    I would rather have 5 lbs of feathers drop from a building on top of my head than half a lb of lead! =)

    I would rather not have anything dropped on my head, thank you.

    lol
  • MinkyMoo13
    MinkyMoo13 Posts: 354 Member
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    I'd like to add you if you don't mind i've just started lifting (very lightly lol) and would be good to get some more lifting friends. I've taken measurements and also started some core strength training.
  • jbella99
    jbella99 Posts: 596 Member
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    Muscle and fat weigh the same. Muscle is more dense and takes up less space. You are likely retaining water for muscle repair.
  • SGRhapsodos
    SGRhapsodos Posts: 47
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    I gained weight from weight lifting but no one can tell. Don't weigh yourself after starting a new exercise regimen. The scale always goes up for some reason.
  • AlsDonkBoxSquat
    AlsDonkBoxSquat Posts: 6,128 Member
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    this is one of my favorite upper body lifting type exercises:

    step 1: take scale out back
    step 2: grab a heavy sledge hammer
    step 3: swing sledger hammer repeatedly at scale
  • ehs5mw
    ehs5mw Posts: 65
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    To be fair, the same volume of muscle does weigh more than the same volume of fat.

    It bothers me when people try to say muscle does not weigh more than fat, because it does from the reference point from which most people approach the subject.

    If you don't use an appropriate frame of reference, you can make pretty much any weight comparison you want.

    Elephants weigh less than humans when you have a very large group of humans compared to two baby elephants. Volume is the only consistent way we think about weight for comparison purposes. Because of this, it is totally fine and accurate to say that muscle weighs more than fat.
  • Jersey_Devil
    Jersey_Devil Posts: 4,142 Member
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    this is one of my favorite upper body lifting type exercises:

    step 1: take scale out back
    step 2: grab a heavy sledge hammer
    step 3: swing sledger hammer repeatedly at scale

    or you can put a sledgehammer in both hands and alternate chopping... great core workout!
  • Cait_Sidhe
    Cait_Sidhe Posts: 3,150 Member
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    As muscles tear they retain water to heal. The extra weight is fluid, not fat or muscle.
  • AggieCass09
    AggieCass09 Posts: 1,867 Member
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    you need to give it more than a week. Make sure you are eating sufficient protein (like 0.7-1x your body weight in grams each day) and ignore the scale for a few more weeks. I bet your clothes will start fitting better!

    here is why i dont trust the scale: http://www.myfitnesspal.com/blog/AggieCass09/view/3-months-of-crossfit-with-comparison-pics-249749
  • AlsDonkBoxSquat
    AlsDonkBoxSquat Posts: 6,128 Member
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    this is one of my favorite upper body lifting type exercises:

    step 1: take scale out back
    step 2: grab a heavy sledge hammer
    step 3: swing sledger hammer repeatedly at scale

    or you can put a sledgehammer in both hands and alternate chopping... great core workout!

    you can also celebrate the smashing of the scale by raising it above your head and repeatedly lift it up and down while jumping . . . I hear this is a complex move.
  • JennieAL
    JennieAL Posts: 1,726 Member
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    In the first week, it's water & glycogen... like others have stated.

    Just FYI, I gained 3 or so lbs and held onto them for 3 months as I introduced myself to weight lifting. Only when I took a two week break from it did I drop some water weight and the scale moved just a little. It's not so much about the scale now that you're lifting (not saying you aren't going to lose weight, if you have more weight to lose, you certainly will) but it's going to change the composition of your body now... you will lose fat & gain a little muscle. The scale may not reflect this shift until further down the road. Just understand that you are burning fat while adding muscle (and water & glycogen) so you have to realize all that makes up "weight" now.
  • Elizabeth_C34
    Elizabeth_C34 Posts: 6,376 Member
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    Probably water retention (and maybe glycogen but I'm not clear on this). You will probably gain a tiny bit of muscle from "newbie" gains but probably not anything measurable yet.

    this.
  • Eclaire32
    Eclaire32 Posts: 9
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    It is true you are gaining water right now but it will quickly change to an exchange of fat for muscle if you stick with it. Only use the scale once a month then once a week after about 8 weeks. It takes time but losing too fast isn't healthy so do it right so you can keep it off. It's a lifestyle change, not just a quick fix when done correctly. Good luck and keep up the hard work. We are all with you!:bigsmile:
  • DopeItUp
    DopeItUp Posts: 18,771 Member
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    To be fair, the same volume of muscle does weigh more than the same volume of fat.

    It bothers me when people try to say muscle does not weigh more than fat, because it does from the reference point from which most people approach the subject.

    If you don't use an appropriate frame of reference, you can make pretty much any weight comparison you want.

    Elephants weigh less than humans when you have a very large group of humans compared to two baby elephants. Volume is the only consistent way we think about weight for comparison purposes. Because of this, it is totally fine and accurate to say that muscle weighs more than fat.

    Yes, of course, but I wouldn't waste your time. It's a common trolling theme to start the whole "muscle doesn't weigh more than fat!" thing. Only a moron or troll would try to make such a claim.
  • TrainingWithTonya
    TrainingWithTonya Posts: 1,741 Member
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    Never, ever, ever weigh yourself for the first 6 weeks on a new weight lifting program. The first 2 physiological responses in the body to weight lifting are (in this order) 1. Neurological adaptations to recruit more muscle fibers to be able to lift more and 2. Glycogen storage in the muscle (in 3 times as much water as glycogen) in order to have adequate fuel for future workouts. You are not building muscle fibers for at least 6 months after you start training. Any increases in weight are from the glycogen storage and the water that it has to be stored with in the muscle. This is a required step in order to eventually build actual muscle fibers, so don't think that you need to stop that storage or lose the "water weight" associated with lifting. Unfortunately, it takes a lot more time and effort to burn body fat then it does to store glycogen and water, so the scale goes up at first. This happens with any good weight lifting program. So, like I said before, never, ever, ever weigh yourself for the first 6 weeks on a new weight lifting program!
  • doubglass
    doubglass Posts: 314 Member
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    Oh, where to start.

    1. weigh yourself on the same scale, at the same time of day. either first thing in the morning or or after your workout.
    2. chart your weight and ignore the fluctuations. What counts is the overall trend.
    3. also keep tabs of your waist measurement and hips to waist chest ratios. These are probably more important to both your health and general appearance than your weight. While muscle doesn't weigh more than fat it makes you appear lighter than you are because it is denser and shows up in places that don't make you "look fat".

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