How long does it take the body to develop one pound of muscle?
I recently bought one of those scales that measure body fat % along with body weight & muscle weigt via a light electric current sent though the body. I am pretty certain it is accurate b/c it is in line with the calpers test two trainers did on me. What my question is, is how long does it take the body to gain muscle? I realize that you cant turn fat into muscle, but that you have to burn fat and the muscle will reveal it’s self, However I want to gain muscle over all. I am curious as to how long it will take to gain one pound of muscle in the body. B/c I really cant afford to lose to much muscle (only 94lbs of muscle) And my trainer said that you will loose some muscle initially while losing fat. So I want to bulk up a little so I dont lose to much muscle. Any input is much appreciated.
June 23rd, 2010 at 12:49 pm
A pound of muscle weighs the same as a pound of fat, but muscle mass is more compact and only takes up 1/3 the space! If you go on a healthy weight loss program, which includes regular exercise, you will almost certainly gain muscle and lose fat. The scale may stay the same or may even go up, but you lose inches, since muscle takes up less space.
The only way to gain weight is to create a calorie excess. So, in theory, to gain ½ pound to a pound a week, that means creating an excess of 250-500 calories per day. Whether or not those extra calories go towards building muscle or body fat depends on whether or not you exercise. Of course, as with weight loss, genetic differences make it easier for some people to gain weight and harder for others. If your metabolism speeds way up every time you eat more, you may have to consume many more calories before you’ll achieve results