If I exercise regularly (like walk 3-4 miles per day), I can drop about 5-7 lbs in about 3 weeks. But I don't think I get any stronger.

I've started biking (mixing in some uphill, not just flat) and some upper body weights (press, curls, lifts for shoulders). And I think I've gained about 6 lbs over the past 2-3 weeks. Biking is about 5-10 miles (with some uphill) about 3 times per week. And then weights every day or every other day. I'm not strong by any means but I can feel some additional muscle in my legs and upper body.

Reasonable to build about 6lbs of muscle like this? Or is something else going on? How fast can one build muscle (assuming one is relatively weak and out of shape to start)?

Water retention can account for the large weight swings. A bowl of ramen will easily add 5 lbs of weight within a day for me. Not because I ate 5 lbs of ramen, mind you, but that the sodium immediately makes me retain water. Eat clean a few days and the weight just drops off.

You've just gotta take measurements daily, and throw out the outliers. I have a scale that measures "body fat" and "muscle mass" but it's really just measuring electrical impedance. It's not accurate, but it helps with identifying trends.

Ok. Yea, I was wondering if I have some swelling somewhere. I'll keep monitoring it. I didn't measure for a few weeks so I was a little surprised. And a little worried that I may have some swelling indicative of some exercise related damage I might be incurring (just don't know it yet).

I'll check it daily for awhile.

You have to take measurements (tape). Losing inches around belly and waist means losing fat no matter what a scale says. Measuring leg, arm and chest dia. will also help determine what's going on. Progress photos in the same light condition and same position (pre-not post workout).

For someone de-conditioned, yes, I think it's possible...but...some of that weight will be fluid in the muscle and swelling etc., not 6lbs of pure muscle fiber.

If you are lifting high volume of heavy weights (and eating well with lots of sleep and recovery), a rookie can pack on muscle fast. Your body is adapting to the way it wants to be.

"Weights every day or every other day" makes me guess the weight workouts aren't very intense. If they were, you'd be on a fast course to illness and/or injury. Working out doesn't make you stronger, it makes you weaker. Recovering form working out makes you stronger.

"Weights" also doesn't have to involve anything other than something to pull up on. Your muscles have no preference on what makes them contract. Huge gains in strength, mass, and endurance can be had with only variations of push ups, pull ups, squats, knee/leg raises and bridges. I've been doing body weight calisthenics exclusively for quite awhile and have gotten outstanding results.

The scale BF measurements are useless. My expensive fit bit Aria says I'm over 16%...when 10x digital caliper readings (averaged) had me at 9%. The 9% being about right is supported by before/after photos, before/after weight comparisons and belly/waist inches lost in a 4 month time-frame.

Yea, I'm not doing intense weights. Probably on the lighter side and just doing more reps. For example, I'll do about 20-25 reps of presses on the bench (until I get tired and can feel the burn).

I'll do presses and shoulder backs (using the stretch bands) one day, then do curls, triceps, shoulders the next. Then repeat. I know I'm weak and out of shape so trying very hard not to get hurt.

I'm very, very sleepy these days.

Age, T levels, sleep time, and protein intake all play a significant role in muscle gain and development.

I have always been a hard gainer even when I was younger.

Between the military, college sports, etc.. I never could put on weight. I just ripped down and got super lean. Now my strength when up I just never got bigger.

Now my best friend can look at a weight and he gets bigger.

A lot of my problem is not sleeping enough, and recovery days.

You need to make sure you are taking in enough calories and protein to repair the damaged muscles.

A) How old are you?

B) How hard do you want to work?

Do 6 weeks of cardio and egoscue/yoga/calisthenics to correct your structure.

The following 6 weeks, its pretty easy for most men, under 40, to add a solid 20#, if they want. Its just not going to be fun.

quote:

Originally posted by Aglifter:
A) How old are you?

Huge difference in a 25 year old vs. a 60 yr old.

---------------------------------

Another factor you cannot control (age being another): genetics.

quote:

Originally posted by Edmond:
Another factor you cannot control (age being another): genetics.

Indeed. Where one man can spend an entire year doing concentrated leg lifts to build just a little more definition in his legs, another man can get up from the couch and grow and inch in his calves just walking to the fridge. It ain't fair, but life ain't fair.

quote:

Originally posted by Balzé Halzé:

quote:

Originally posted by Edmond:
Another factor you cannot control (age being another): genetics.

Indeed. Where one man can spend an entire year doing concentrated leg lifts to build just a little more definition in his legs, another man can get up from the couch and grow and inch in his calves just walking to the fridge. It ain't fair, but life ain't fair.

While certainly a factor...I think this is also used as a cop-out too many times (not talking about anyone in this thread).

If you truly knew everything about the exercise, nutrition, and rest plans of the 2 hypothetical individuals above, I bet the results would not be so dramatic. As humans, when we don't want to do something/put in the work, we tend to downplay the factors we control (90% of them) and overplay the ones we don't to let ourselves off the hook.

Kinda like someone saying dieting doesn't work for them, they have bad genes, glands, whatever. Follow them around for a week, I guarantee you'll know exactly why they look the way they do. Same with someone in shape, call it genetics if you want, but I bet you follow them 24/7 for a week, it will be clear why they look the way they do.

Put 2 people from totally different genetic backgrounds on the exact same program and lifestyle (at the same age, gender, and fitness level) and I would expect very similar results. Kinda like basic training/infantry AIT...narrow age range, all male-same diet, exercise, and rest (or lack thereof). We all looked pretty similar by the end. Those coming in with too much fat or muscle lost it. Those of us us too skinny, gained some muscle. Given more time, results would have normed even more, the outliers were the ones who started at an extreme.

Excuse the thread drift...

Konata88,

Seems You are UP on this stuff.

I'm 67, 6-3 and 200 pounds. I want to start exercising, as in join a health club , for something to do this Winter.

I can walk quite well, have a bit of a bad back, but otherwise OK knees, shoulder joints, etc. No heart/BP issues. So no injury issues...just creeping in, old age.

Any suggestions?

FN in MT

Whenever you start exercising you will retain water and probably gain weight. It is really hard to tell much of anything without extensive lab tests or personal measurements.

Just make sure to keep the protein at min .5 to 1 gm per kg of body weight and don't let the exercise be an excuse to eat more. After you "stabilize" a bit you can track bodyweight, waist measurement, and gains in actual strength or endurance.

quote:

Originally posted by Strambo:

quote:

Originally posted by Balzé Halzé:

quote:

Originally posted by Edmond:
Another factor you cannot control (age being another): genetics.

Indeed. Where one man can spend an entire year doing concentrated leg lifts to build just a little more definition in his legs, another man can get up from the couch and grow and inch in his calves just walking to the fridge. It ain't fair, but life ain't fair.

While certainly a factor...I think this is also used as a cop-out too many times (not talking about anyone in this thread).

It's used as a cop-out by those who don't actually put in the work, but for those that do it's absolutely true that genetics play a huge part in the type of results you get and how fast you get them.

Everyone though (save for a very small minority) has the ability to transform his or her body if he or she is willing to put in the work.

“No man has the right to be an amateur in the matter of physical training. It is a shame for a man to grow old without seeing the beauty and strength of which his body is capable.” -Socrates

quote:

Originally posted by Crom:

Just make sure to keep the protein at min .5 to 1 gm per kg of body weight ...

Well, I don't agree with that one bit. If you're doing strength training, you need protein...lots of it.

More like 1 lb a month of actual muscle for the average person lifting moderately heavy, regularly, eating right and your hormones still kicking.

quote:

Originally posted by Balzé Halzé:

It's used as a cop-out by those who don't actually put in the work, but for those that do it's absolutely true that genetics play a huge part in the type of results you get and how fast you get them.

Everyone though (save for a very small minority) has the ability to transform his or her body if he or she is willing to put in the work.

“No man has the right to be an amateur in the matter of physical training. It is a shame for a man to grow old without seeing the beauty and strength of which his body is capable.” -Socrates

Love the Socrates quote!

I think 90% don't put in the work, but since they talk a good game and we don't know different, who are we to say they are wrong? The real problem with this is that others with less confidence believe them and give up. (Well if so-and-so could't do it what chance do I have?) Plenty! "so-and-so" is full of crap!

10% put in the work. Of those, 8/10 have poor programming, poor nutrition, poor recovery...or a combination thereof. (Or, as I've seen all the time, don't have clearly defined goals...so what are the "working" towards?)

Of the remaining 2/10 putting in the (intelligent) work, one may be a genetically gifted champion, the other will be a heck of a specimen even if they don't ever make the stage or podium.

This is of course just a way of putting how I feel about it into an example with #s pulled out of my arse, but I think the concept is sound.

I briefly worked as a personal trainer and have observed soldier fitness and gyms full of them my whole life, what I observed matches what I wrote in concept. The ones who were yoked worked like mules and ate their Wheaties (so to speak).

It all comes back to the Socrates quote...

Give up sugar for December and the muscles you already have will begin to reveal themselves. Walking is awesome. Lactic acid is actually good. Hope you reach your goals.

Fn in MT - start with yoga*/egoscue. At your age, and given your joint issues, they will make a big difference in your life.

*I do not mean "happy bendy time" though that may be the best place to start. Find an Ashtanga/other more "jock" studio - one where the instructor/more advanced people are regularly going in and out of handstands during their routine.

Work up to being able to practice 6 times per week. Add in dips, pull ups, and some other normal weigh lifting/indian clubs/etc (something to develop closed hand strength, and pulls.)

I wouldn't put much stock in a +-6 lb. change in two weeks. I've accidentally dehydrated and lost that much in one day, put it back on the next. Hell. You can drop three with a good dump

Look for sustained changes in how your clothes fit and what you see in the mirror.

One is unlikely to see a lot of strength or bulk gains from low weight/high rep weight training. That's more endurance and cardio training.

I do either two sets of twelve, three sets of eight, two or three sets of pause/rest, or three set pyramids.

But whatever works for you, and whatever with which you're comfortable.