Ask MetaFilter posts tagged with muscle

How much does my new muscle weigh?

Anonymous — Wed, 13 Aug 2008 10:28:12 -0800

How much does my new muscle weigh? How much does the muscle I've gained weight?

I've been losing inches, but not very many pounds.

For the past 3-4 months, I've ramped up my exercise. I work with a trainer once a week to lift weights and do compound exercises and primal movement exercises. I work out at the gym on my own once a week. I've been going to a boot camp class once a week, where I'm doing core, strength and cardio and coming home tired. I also do a lot of walking, often while pushing two kids in a stroller (approx 100 lbs of gear and kids). I walk 30-60 minutes most days. A call to a dietitian yesterday confirmed that, for my current activity level, I have a caloric deficit of at least 500 calories and more like 1000, since I'm breastfeeding.

Yet, in all this time, I've only lost 8 pounds. And I've had a hard time going beyond that. I took my measurements about 6 weeks ago and again just this past week. I've lost several inches in my bust, chest, stomach and a bit in my hips. (Most of my weight is around my stomach.)

From reading past questions, I'd estimate that I've been gaining muscle, which is denser than fat. But how much muscle would I have gained? The reason I want to know is that I am unsure as to whether I should tweak my caloric intake. (Note that I'm breastfeeding and don't want supply or nutrient issues.) Many of the credible sites I've read said that people aiming to get fit overestimate muscle gain and use it as an excuse for not working out or cutting calories enough.

So, for someone who was mostly sedentary the past three years, following a car accident and difficult pregnancies, how much muscle could I realistically have gained? 2 lbs? 10 lbs? Any idea?

Thanks!

Muscle Fatigue

alcoth — Tue, 29 Jul 2008 11:02:47 -0800

Should I proceed with my routine workout if the particular muscle group in question hasn't fully recuperated? I recently increased the amount of resistance I'm using across the board during most of my lifting exercises. My last increase yielded muscle fatigue/"failure" after my normally self-prescribed 10-12 reps per set. I've been seeing decent gains but of course, my body eventually got used to the weight and it wasn't as intense of a workout. So, I upped the weight again (~15%). This time, as opposed to last time, I am actually getting soreness from the workout that lasts for more than my typical 48 hours. After a few days pass, I am still a bit sore when the day for the same muscle group comes around. Usually I'm a fast healer, and recuperate quick enough for the next workout of said muscle group so in the past six months I haven't had to deal with soreness lasting this long. I read a lot about rest time and proper healing. I don't mind being sore, but should I delay one more day when the same muscle group still hasn't completely healed? Or is it okay to go ahead and work that group again?

Just as a side note, my diet hasn't changed (except a small increase in intake, still healthy foods though) and my day-to-day work load is still the same.

I just don't want to adversely affect any work I've put into this, and appreciate any opinions/help. Thank you!

I feel like Popeye with a bulgy gut

brandnew — Sat, 12 Jul 2008 05:14:32 -0800

The best way to develop muscle without weights? About 4 months ago I was a slightly overweight 210 lbs @ 6' tall. I had a nice amount of muscle mass and somewhat of a bulgy gut. I had been doing a regular weight training program over the past several years: heavy weight, slow reps of 8. I would work out at the gym 3-4 days a week, and occasionally I would mix in a jog or an elliptical session.

Then, my schedule at work changed, and it made making it to the gym much more difficult. Also, I had wanted to lean myself out for some time. So, I decided 4 months ago I to switch my exercise routine to jogging, yoga, walking, calisthenics.

Now, 4 months later, I'm down to 182 lbs (yay), but I look like crap. Most of my previous muscle mass in my shoulders, chest, and back has withered away. However, oddly I've retained a good amount of muscle in my arms and legs. But, my waistline hasn't changed at all. Now I just feel like a skinny guy with a gut .

Obviously I want to change things up so that I develop more muscle, especially in my shoulders, chest and back. However, going back to weights will be difficult. I can't make it to the gym regularly, and I don't have the space for my own weight equipment.

What can I do?

Do weight training supplements do anything -- good or bad?

liquado — Wed, 09 Jul 2008 12:14:04 -0800

I'm looking to shake up my workouts, shed the excess poundage, and get some more definition -- basically, I'm bored, not making much headway, and would like to get over the hump to better health/muscle shape. Since it's hard to tell the difference between the shills and the real online reviews, advice, etc., I need some Mefite first-hand experience with hydroxycut or similar supplements. YANMD. I am not looking for a magic bullet. However, I've had a few friends who used creatine-type supplements in the past to get big/cut/etc, and while I'm no more vain than the normal person, it would be nice to turn some of my muscle into more defined muscle.

I'm not normally a supplement/pill/insert fad here, but I'm stalled in my workouts, and would love to get a little jump start to reinvigorate my drive to keep it up.

This is also potentially part of a reinvigorated calorie reduction and healthier eating pattern (stupid night-time snacking), so I do have the long view in mind, as well.

FWIW, I'm 34 and in good shape, other than carrying more weight that I should be -- no significant health problems of any kind (knocks wood).

Why do female olympic swimmers have the body type they do?

true — Fri, 04 Jul 2008 19:00:19 -0800

Why do even olympic level swimmers (especially women) appear to have a "thin layer of fat over muscle" look rather than having the extreme muscle definition of say, sprinters? Mrs. True and I are watching the US Olympic Trials and it seems to a consistent body type. Clearly they are in peak physical condition but even the short distance sprint swimmers seem to be be a little 'thicker' than other athletes at that level (especially in the torso and arms). Is there something about swimming that makes this the ideal body type for women, or is it a side effect of swimming itself?

The Hunt for the perfect 13 compound lifts ??

hboogz — Fri, 27 Jun 2008 12:50:19 -0800

I've read somewhere that a workout regime consisting of 13 compound lifts is really all you need. Does anyone know which 13 lifts they may be talking about ? or can point me to the article ? I'm curious to see what other folks think about doing predominantly compound lifting ?

I want to see more results with my workout and want to incorporate more compound exercises..

Do MBT shoes work for toning?

scody — Sat, 07 Jun 2008 16:48:03 -0800

Anyone have experience with MBT footwear for toning legs/rear end? Due to work demands that aren't going to be lessening any time soon, I haven't gone to the gym regularly in ages. On top of that, even when I do go, chronic joint issues (knees and hips) have increasingly limited what I can do for an effective lower body workout (even "safe" squats are out, as are most machines). I'm fine working with hand weights at home for upper body toning, but am wondering if I can get some strength/tone back in my legs and glutes just doing a daily walk with MBTs? Given the price tag, I'd like to know that it's not just all hype before I buy. (Also, if it's relevant, I'm not interested in using them as part of a workout to lose weight -- I only want to gain muscle.)

Speaking of price tag, here's a much cheaper (and goofier looking) version of what appears to be the same principle. Anyone ever used those? And are there any other options between the $40 flip-flops and $250 walking shoes?

There's a freeze up comin' (maybe)

activitystory — Mon, 19 May 2008 11:29:45 -0800

Post-marathon advice: I'm running my second marathon this weekend; I was very sore after my first and am convinced that an ice bath is probably my best bet post-race to combat soreness. Problem is, I'm more scared about the bath than the race. Does any one have any practical insights into how to make the ice bath a positive experience? Advice on how not to make a big mess, when/how much ice, what it takes to get in and out of the bath would be appreciated. I'd also love to hear some "my first ice bath" stories, even if they end in heartbreak.

Help me fix my Popeye arms

penciltopper — Sat, 17 May 2008 14:19:39 -0800

Standard adult male body, but I have skinny upper arms. Suggestions for a workout to add some mass, specifically from elbows up? I'm generally OK with my physique as it is - everything's the size and shape it should be for a mid-30's male, if a little soft from a sedentary lifestyle - except for these "Popeye arms" of mine (somehow, my forearms seem bigger than my biceps, etc. - it's like I got the upper arms from someone else's smaller body).

I'm going to start a regular cardio & toning routine to tighten things up and get some more energy, but I'd like to target this area for build-up, without getting too crazy about bodybuilding.

I figure if I could shift the couple extra inches from my waistline to my upper arms, I'd be happy.
How to do?

What is a good daily diet for someone looking to get cut?

wildrain2008 — Thu, 01 May 2008 19:20:25 -0800

What is a good daily diet for someone looking to get cut? I like routines so I don't care if it's the same for most of the week. In fact I'd rather it be the same so I don't have to really think about it. Some background:
I've been going to the gym 3 days a week for almost 2 months.
So I know this is too early to expect results, but I can say that I feel them—my abbs have gotten harder and I see some body definition. Problem is there's still flab! I'm not fat, I weigh 190 and I'm 5'11. I want the flab gone! I want to see definition!

Currently this is what I eat:

bkfast.. rarely on time if I even have one.. usually vegetable omelet and ice tea (low sweet)

lunch: salad with dressing or if hot plate.. meet/potatoes/steamed veggies

dinner: meet/broccoli/mushroom stew.. (my own creation.. my fav)

supper: ah .. anything i can get my hands on in the fridge.. fruits/yogurt... sweets..

My ears are opened.. what do you guys suggest

Killer arms

barrakuda — Mon, 21 Apr 2008 03:48:56 -0800

How do I add tone and definition to my upper arms? I want my upper arms to look nice and toned this summer. I am a girl, petite, not overweight and with little exposure to sports. I recently started going to the gym and I want to do something about my flabby upper arms. So... What are the best exercises I could do to tone them up? How often should I do them, with how many repetitions? Should I change my diet at all? Eat less? more? more specific foods? For the record, I do not want superscary muscles a la Madonna but rather a nice, toned look. Thanks.

Tongue spasms. Horrible pain. Help!

wowbobwow — Sat, 12 Apr 2008 17:08:57 -0800

I regularly sprain my tongue. It happens often enough (and is painful enough) to make me curious about how and why this happens, and if it can be prevented. I have never met anyone else who experiences this. I have frequent episodes where it feels like my tongue spasms or is sprained. Pain is sudden and sharp, and it always on the left side, running from my ear down to my neck, and makes it impossible to speak. It makes my mouth and eyes water and pain lasts about five minutes after the spasm. One trigger is yawning, but the other day it happened when I was pulling a heavy book cart. Is this epilepsy, or a neuro problem? I am not low on potassium and don't get dehydrated, which I know can cause muscle sprains, generally. Can't find any info on the web. If I can't do anything about it I'd still like to know what is happening, because it's the weirdest thing.

Pec spasm WTF!

ignignokt — Mon, 03 Mar 2008 20:13:34 -0800

What could be causing mild but annoying pectoral spasms? My left pectoral muscle was twitching involuntarily and intermittently for about an hour yesterday. It's doing it again now, after not happening all day. It's not painful at all, just weird. At first I thought it was my heart, but it's definitely not. It twitches at a rate of about 120 bpm or so.

Physically, I haven't done anything really out of the ordinary. Last Thursday, I did two hours of judo and felt fine afterward. Saturday and Sunday, I was a little sick (cough, lower energy, stiffness in my wrists), and I did relatively light workouts that lasted about twenty minutes each. They consisted of pull-ups, push-ups, squats, and burpees on Saturday, and dumbbell snatches and swings and burpees on Sunday. Saturday's draining was a little more draining than usual, but nothing made me feel like, "Whoa! I can't handle this!" Sunday's workout felt like no problem. Certainly, nothing felt like it taxed my chest.

I might not be searching for the right things, so the only thing I can find that's somewhat useful is this, which says it's probably ignorable. It's still weirding me out, so I'd like to know more about it if possible. I'd like to know why it's happening, what I can do to make it go away, and how soon I can expect it to cease.

I'm 31, in reasonable shape, and was told I had no medical problems after a physical exam last year.

Just a little muscle is all I want!

dondiego87 — Sun, 17 Feb 2008 21:16:12 -0800

Suggested workout programs to put on some upper-body muscle and add general torso definition, while leaving room for running? Background: I'm 20 years old, 5' 11", 155 lbs. I did cross country and track in high school, and I continued running (to a much lesser degree) after entering college. I now run around 15 miles per week. I also play Ultimate once or twice a week.

Over the past few years, as I have begun to consider myself more and more a runner, I have severely neglected my upper body (chest and arms). Back in high school it was okay, but there's hardly anything there anymore. I'd really like to put some muscle on my arms, chest, and back. Also, while I have reasonably hard abs and little body fat (although it's not the lowest it's been in recent history), they can't really be seen. I'd like to get better definition there as well.

What I'm looking for: A workout program that will get me results while maintaining or, better yet, improving the cardiovascular strength I have built up through running. Also, the last time I worked my upper body, using the same machines and weights I had used in high school with no problems, I had trouble lifting my backpack for days afterwards. I don't want my arms dead like that (except maybe for the first few workouts as I adjust). Finally, I'd like to have space in the regimen for the occasional run.

Like I said, I'm a college student. This means a few things for your answers. I'm willing to pay, but not too much. I can dedicate maybe an hour or so every day, but I'd like the regimen to be flexible because my schedule can get crazy at times. We have a great workout room here at school, with machines and dumbbells and exercise balls and whatnot, so that's not a limiting factor. We have a pool, and I'm open to swimming programs, but it's really not my preference because I get bored out of my skull during swim workouts.

Thanks so much for your help.

I searched the site for this question or a variant thereof having been asked previously, but I was surprised to find that it had not been. Correct me (and I apologize) if I'm wrong.

Calf muscle pop

I_Love_Bananas — Sat, 02 Feb 2008 13:34:05 -0800

Pop goes the calf muscle! So I did this... (Grade 1 level) 2 days ago. Felt the pop, and OH the pain.

How can I gradually get function back? And what caused it to happen in the first place? All I did was step off walking from a standstill- no dramatic movement, sports-related activity or anything.

I can only get around by sliding my foot sideways to avoid the pain that comes from the foot-flexing motion.

Kink in the neck. Pain in the neck.

Weebot — Mon, 21 Jan 2008 11:05:57 -0800

Neck kinks: What are they? How can I get rid of them? So, I woke up this morning unable to move my neck as far to the left as I usually can, which tells me I must have been sleeping in an awkward position all night. So now I have a kink in my neck, and it's very irritating. What's the quickest way to get rid of it? What exactly are they anyway? I can only guess that it's a knott (a term I'm unsure about as is) in my muscles, but I'm only presuming that. Any help, Hive Mind?

How did I hurt myself from sitting?

schroedinger — Mon, 31 Dec 2007 06:00:38 -0800

What is this pain in my tailbone? Last night while seated normally in a futon I shifted my weight slightly and a shooting pain went up through my tailbone area. It came back whenever I curved my spine forward slightlly. I hoped it would go away with a good night's sleep, but it hasn't and moving around difficult to do without feeling like I'm being stabbed. It feels like a badly pulled muscle. Has anyone had this? I hadn't been doing anything strenuous before sitting down, and I was seated for a good hour or so before the problem began. There's no way I could have broken anything. I have to maintain a very tight lumbar curve to do anything without pain, and bending over, sitting down, walking, twisting, etc all cause problems. Ibuprofen isn't doing much. I would see a doctor, but they're not open until Wednesday. What is this? What did I do? What do I do?

At the very least, I imagine that the people in these Before pictures actually look like the ones in the After pictures.

Weebot — Mon, 17 Dec 2007 22:50:43 -0800

I'm looking for user-uploaded before, after, and in-progress fitness photos. I'm hoping that AskMeFi would be able to point me to some galleries or sites. I've recently been looking around the internet for before and after photos for people trying to lose weight or build muscle. That, or a photo diary showing a person's bodily change in daily/weekly/monthly photos. I would have thought that there might have been a site devoted to this, but I've been unable to find anything thus far.

It seems like the Internet would be full of sites like this, but most Google searches that I've conducted only come up with web sites trying to hawk something. Flickr only brings up some intermittent results, and the folks on Traineo don't post enough to satisfy my curiosity. I'm looking for both ends of the scale—people with radical body changes and those with very mild ones.

So I'm asking AskMeFi to point me in the right direction. I would think that this would be easier to find, considering the proliferation of blogs, photos-sites, Youtube, and other Web 2.0 apps. But so far I've haven't been able to find anything substantial.

My dog is a spaz and need some thearpy

stormygrey — Wed, 07 Nov 2007 11:35:42 -0800

My dog has apparently hurt himself somehow. Sprain? Bruise? One of our dogs came in from outside and seemed to step funny, then start crying when he tried to walk. I thought he had a splinter or stepped on something sharp,but there is no visible injury. I manipulated his foot and his leg, simulated putting pressure on it and nothing seemed tender. He laid there a minute, tested it and went on to bed.

This morning, he was his usual self, jumping everywhere, running, then again, he came running around the corner to go inside and he all of sudden couldn't put pressure on his leg again, cried a little, I was able to help him slowly walk into the bedroom and into his crate and I repeated the manipulation. With him lying on his stomach I found that if I pulled his leg out in front of him, that it was painful. I poked around and found that in his underarm (for lack of a better description) I could feel a couple of ligaments that were strained. I don't really know what this is, but from my basic massage skills it feels like what I would "rub out" on a back massage.

Is this a vet situation or a doggie massage, make sure he is more careful situation?

home fitness

ohdeanna — Tue, 06 Nov 2007 13:55:36 -0800

What can I do at home to improve my butt and thighs in a very short time? Even slight improvements are better than nothing... I need a home workout! I'm going on a cruise on November 18th. I had a baby 10 weeks ago! My middle is regaining shape nicely- but my upper thighs and butt need help!

My constraints are that I am working from home, I have an infant in my care, and a 5 year old as well.... no time for gym, running, or even walking! But, I can squeeze in floor exercises between parenting, working, cooking, cleaning etc....

I am looking for exercises that I can aggressively pursue in my home- ie squats and I am looking for the most effective ones for toning upper thigh (inner and outer) and butt. I am hoping that there are maybe 5 really good isolating exercises that I can do whenever possible to get some tone back...thanks.

Face-for-LIFE™

howiamdifferent — Sun, 07 Oct 2007 11:24:59 -0800

Help me before I embark on the Body-for-Life program. So I've read the Body-for-Life book and I think I'm ready to try it. However, I have some questions/fears that I hope the Hive Mind will help me with. I am a 23 years old male, overweight by around 11 Kgs (I am around 80 Kgs, and around 169cm tall), with some fat concentrated around my stomach area. I've been exercising on and off for the last 4 months, mostly on a treadmill and a little bit of weight lifting for the arms/shoulders.

So...

1) My perfect body is something like this (even though a little six-pack would be nice, too). However, the "before-and-after" pics at the beginning of the book give me the impression that the program can cause me to be one of those over-muscled people. While I want to have a nice, lean body, I don't want to be huge. What should I do?

2) How important is the diet-plan (six meals a day..etc.) detailed in the book? I think my main problem area is following this part especially that I live on take-outs/noodles/fruits and can't really cook.

3) Since I will be building muscles, will I be able to notice my progress using a scale? Can I lose weight AND build muscles through this program? Also, if my weight is mostly muscles and it is higher than my optimum BMI-suggested number, am I considered overweight (health-wise)?

4) My face is a bit..umm..fat, and it is the area (along with my waist) in which I would like to see the most change. Will I be able to get my slim face back through this program?

5) Is it safe to only use the illustrated exercise pages at the back of the book as the only reference to how to perform the weight exercises properly? I also plan to check some videos online to get a better idea (any suggested links?).

I am really thankful for any help/suggestions/anecdotes you awesome people can provide. :)

Help me get my brain pumped up.

Tbola — Wed, 03 Oct 2007 12:32:12 -0800

I watched "Pumping Iron" again a couple of months ago. I was surprised at how inspiring some the training scenes still were to watch. (Yes, I'm aware it was a docu-drama, not a documentary.) Any recommendations of other good dvds that might be a source of training inspiration? It doesn't have to be bodybuilding training necessarily - just something that will make me want to go to the gym and grunt.

How quickly can you lose you ability to run?

rglass — Sat, 29 Sep 2007 09:07:08 -0800

Am I losing muscle? Because of my very hectic schedule, I haven't been able to go to the gym for the last 5 weeks. Previously, for a couple of years, I'd been doing cardio 6 days a week (running 3-4.5 miles/day on the treadmill). I've lost a couple of lbs. in the last week and I'm wondering if this might be muscle. Since I'm not exercising but eating healthfully, I wouldn't have expected to have lost 2.5 lbs in one week. Could this be muscle and how quickly am I going to lose my ability to run 4.5 miles? If I don't work out for several months, how quickly will I be able to build back up?

Pain has a kung fu grip on my shoulders.

hermitosis — Wed, 19 Sep 2007 10:49:36 -0800

Shoulder exercise recommendations to protect my joints from repetitive martial arts drills? I'm a total skinny freak with no upper body strength. I take Ving Tsun kung fu, which is building up the muscles in my arms slowly but surely. However, the drills are very intense on shoulders, and since I have little muscle to support the joints, I get more than my share of soreness-- some of it is good old-fashioned muscle soreness, but really I can tell the joints themselves are not happy with the stress.

I'd like to do more in my spare time to build up the muscles around the shoulder joints, so that they're not quite so pulverized by my three-day-a-week class schedule? Or anything I can do for them right after class, for example, that will help?

I hate push-ups and while I have a pull-up bar, I can't get into doing them because the three or four a day I can do don't feel like they are helping much (so I don't do them).

Is this an adductor pull or something else?

craniac — Tue, 18 Sep 2007 12:58:06 -0800

I have a recurring muscle strain, but it's not a hernia. I went to a urologist, and he said he could feel some "pressure" and it might be a pre-hernia (?) but it was not a hernia. There is nothing scary protruding, and the soreness (which isn't terrible) is about five inches below my right hip bone, just above the crease of my leg, if that makes any sense.

It seems to be aggravated when I lift heavier items with my right arm or overload my should bag to about 20 lbs.

I have insurance and will see either a urologist or other specialist soon.

In the meantime, however, are there exercises and stretches I can do to keep from re-injuring this area, assuming it is a pulled muscle and not something hernial or bacterial?

Another movement that seems to aggravate it is when I am wearing clipless pedals on my recumbent, riding uphill, and pulling on the pedals and/or the handlebars.

Have you experienced this? Does this sound like a standard adductor pull?