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muscle or fat?
- Thread starter keliska
- Start date
FigureSkater
New member
Honestly, the first thing you should do is throw your scale out the window. (Or at least ignore it as much as possible). Are you weighing yourself at the same time each time you do it? An individual's weight can vary as much as 8 pounds from day to day based on time of day, water consumption, whether you just worked out, etc (best time to weigh yourself is first thing in the AM). Your best bet is to ignore the scale and just rely on body comp tests done every 2-4 weeks.
If you're gaining muscle, you will weigh more. However, a pound of muscle only takes up a fraction of the space that a pound of fat takes up.
And as far as your clothes fitting tighter, that can be due to muscle gain or a number of other reasons (water retention is a good culprit of that!)
If you're gaining muscle, you will weigh more. However, a pound of muscle only takes up a fraction of the space that a pound of fat takes up.
And as far as your clothes fitting tighter, that can be due to muscle gain or a number of other reasons (water retention is a good culprit of that!)
FigureSkater
New member
And take measurments (chest, waist, hips, thigh and bicep) and keep track of them. (I do mine on a weekly basis). Tells you a lot more than the scale.
And take photos...once every month should be enough. (Which I see you've already done and posted in one thread). You can see a lot more when you compare photos from one month to the next than you can by just looking in the mirror.
And take photos...once every month should be enough. (Which I see you've already done and posted in one thread). You can see a lot more when you compare photos from one month to the next than you can by just looking in the mirror.
Why clothes get tighter:
1) they shrink
2) you gained muscle
3) you gained fat
4) you gained a combination of muscle and fat
5) you are retaining water
6) you are bloated (maybe due to food, constipation, or PMS)
7) it is in your head
The only way you can tell if you are gaining muscle, fat or both is to get your body fat tested regularly. Ideally, you will have a Bod Pod or Hydrostatic near you. If not, find a trainer you TRUST to take your body fat with calipers.
When you get this number (a percent), weigh yourself. With both your body weight and your fat percent, you can find the number of lean pounds and the number of fat pounds. Also, if you get a caliper test, write down the measurement of each spot tested.
NO LESS THAN 4 WEEKS LATER, have the SAME person do the test again. Since you have the measurement of each spot, you can compare each spot, as well as total numbers to measure progress (or lack thereof).
Also, as Figureskater said, a good way is to take a tape measure and measure a few spots. Then, 2-4 weeks later, measure again. Good spots are bicep, chest, waist, hips, thighs, calves. You can record these numbers and measure progress (or lack thereof).
Photos are also very good.
1) they shrink
2) you gained muscle
3) you gained fat
4) you gained a combination of muscle and fat
5) you are retaining water
6) you are bloated (maybe due to food, constipation, or PMS)
7) it is in your head
The only way you can tell if you are gaining muscle, fat or both is to get your body fat tested regularly. Ideally, you will have a Bod Pod or Hydrostatic near you. If not, find a trainer you TRUST to take your body fat with calipers.
When you get this number (a percent), weigh yourself. With both your body weight and your fat percent, you can find the number of lean pounds and the number of fat pounds. Also, if you get a caliper test, write down the measurement of each spot tested.
NO LESS THAN 4 WEEKS LATER, have the SAME person do the test again. Since you have the measurement of each spot, you can compare each spot, as well as total numbers to measure progress (or lack thereof).
Also, as Figureskater said, a good way is to take a tape measure and measure a few spots. Then, 2-4 weeks later, measure again. Good spots are bicep, chest, waist, hips, thighs, calves. You can record these numbers and measure progress (or lack thereof).
Photos are also very good.
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