Gaining Muscle?

Question

OK First off I know that muscle weighs more than fat and I know that most people can expect to gain a little weight when they begin exercising. I have been exercising at least 4 times a week for 60-75 minutes. I primarily do cardio but I do some weight lifting. I also do 100-300 crunches per day. I watch what I eat and eat no more than 1200 calories per day. I am 5'7 and weigh 134, up from 129 just over a month ago. Now here is my question. Knowing that it is normal to gain some weight how much can I expect to gain, before losing weight/fat? I am about ready to stop eating altougether, I know that is a dumb thing to do but the weight gain is depressing.

Just to add...according to the calorie counter on the machines I do burn 500-700 calories..I use the stepper and the treadmill (at the highest elevation-15)

Answer 1

First, you don't need to lose weight. At 5'7" 129 your BMI was 20.2, on the low side of normal. Now you're at 21, which is low-middle normal.
What's happening is that your body is trying to find its middle ground. Yes, muscle weighs more than fat, so with weight training you will experience some weight gain, but muscle is denser than fat so it will result in a net decrease in body size. Eventually, with a constant caloric intake and constant exercise regimen your body will reach a new equilibrium. What you are trying to do is adjust where that equilibrium will be.
I am going to repeat myself for emphasis. Your goal should NOT be weight loss. Your goal should be cardiovascular health at an appropriate weight and body fat percentage. For you that is 21-24% body fat, never less than 15-18% unless you are an elite athlete. The trainers at your gym should be able to measure it for you.
As far as an exercise regimen goes:
1) stick to low-weight/high-rep weight training (never skip weights no matter what you hear elsewhere).
2) 30-45 minutes of cardio per workout, trying to get your heartrate into your target range (it's based on age and I don't have yours, but somewhere between 130 and 150 is probably about right. There should be a chart at the gym somewhere.) Vary the machine you use because each works a different muscle group. Nothing is funnier than the StairMaster queens who can't figure out why their butt is growing when they spend all their time on a machine that emphasizes hip extension.
3) eat your 1200-1600 calories/day depending on your activity level that day. Make sure you get plenty of protein and keep you sodium intake in check. (Speaking of calories, the machines are calibrated for a 160lb man, so don't take the numbers literally.)

If you do that you will be HEALTHY. That is what is most important. Anyone who tells you 5'7" 130ish is overweight is out of their mind.

Answer 2

What ever you do don't stop eating, the better thing to do is eat several small meals a day, about 4 to 6, this will keep your metabolism going, I would avoid artificial metabolism boosters because as soon as you stop all the weigh that you loose will come right back on. The cardio is good so maybe you can adjust your work out, I don't know if you are already doing this or not but try light weight and a lot of reps, between 12 to 15, this will burn the muscle and make it tone without building muscle weight. You also have to keep in mind that your body is going through adjustment and will gain weight until it can adjust and the time to adjust is different for different people but don't get discouraged it will begin to work, I started at 330 pounds dropped to 185 and now I am at 220 but that is because I am now gaining muscle weight, I hope this has helped.

Answer 3

1

Answer 4

Helo Smilee - Tissue is bone, fat or muscle. Gota work muscles or U gain fat, unles U dont eat ( no opton ). Cut hi calorie - fats & sweets & improve nutrition. Do fun things or normal activity a bit more intensely. What U enjoy doing may get best result. Use big muscles - back, legs & arms. Dont give up. U made progres!

Answer 5

You WILL lose some size, unless you train like an SOB in which case you'll GAIN size.

Muscle is SMALLER than fat.

I don't recomend excessive exercise to ANYONE who wnat to lose size and weight.

WORKING OUT makes you LARGER

Drop the weight training and DON't LISTEN to the idiots at the gym

Cardio is ok, but no more than 30 - 60 minutes per day, three days a week, JUST to keep trim

If you STOP eating you'll gain MORE WEIGHT

KETOSE will kick in.

If you want to look like Arnold weight train, otherwise DON'T

1200 is cool, so is 1400

Jumping jacks

Push ups

Squat thrusts

lie flat on back, lift feet and do figure 8s

Jump rope

Walk

Run

That's all cool, but DON'T OVER DO IT

First 30 minutes burns CURRENT energy, second 30 minutes starts burning fat.

You want to TONE NOT BUFF UP

Especially for a girl

Who wants a girl who looks like she can beat you up

You don't, however, want falbby skin either.

Just don't overdo the weight training.

Gym people are crazy, they want everyone to have 20" bicepts and 30" thighs

They think looking like Arnold is cool

There is NOTHIGN wrong in getting your rear or stomach toned or in shape

There is EVERYTHING wrong in getting your arms and thighs muscled up

Unless you want to look like a guy

A football player guy

Losing weight takes TIME, as much as 6 months

Anyone who says you can lose 50 pounds in a month wants to KILL YOU

You lose 5 or 10 pound in a month.

You TONE to fill in the flab

Here's the bottom line with GYM people

You WADDLE out with FAT

or you WADDLE out with Muscles

do you want to WADDLE!!!!

That's what you have to ask

Do you want to move your arms and legs like they DON'T BEND

Like you're a ROBOT

That GUY in the GNC commercial is LEAN but he WADDLES because his BIGGER THAN A HOUSE

You don't want to be anorexic

You won't want to be TOTALLY BUFF

You want TONE and WEIGHT LOSS

My view is you get the weight loss FIRST

Then you tone up and buff up

LEAN is good

What you want is you female Body fat to 18% or 16% or the male body fat to 16% of 14%

Then you can buff

I, personally, don't like girls with muscle that make me fear them.

Muscle weight gain, however is not bad, but muscles on a girl are intimidating to guys

The idea girl should be sleek and smooth

The ideal guy should be a little bulgey on the arms and abs and legs.

GIRLS are supposed to be a little plump. That's what makes us GUYS like you.

GIRLS need to be plump to make and sustains babies.

FAT is not cool, but curvey is.

You want CURVES not LUMPY muscles!