In an attempt to add muscle I recently went from the traditional 10-12 rep sets to a heavier 5-7 rep sets. I also increase my calorie intake from 2700-2800 to 3300-3500. I am taking in approximately 240-260 grams of protein keeping may ratio at 30% proten, 40% carbs, 30% fat. My problem however is that I have lost weight from 179 down to 174 during this time. I don't appera to be losing any muscle as my muscle seems to be remaining pumped and if anything increasing. Being that muscle weighs for than fat how is it that I have actually lost 5 pounds?
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Increased calories, yet losing weight??
- Thread starter css925
- Start date
css925 said:In an attempt to add muscle I recently went from the traditional 10-12 rep sets to a heavier 5-7 rep sets. I also increase my calorie intake from 2700-2800 to 3300-3500. I am taking in approximately 240-260 grams of protein keeping may ratio at 30% proten, 40% carbs, 30% fat. My problem however is that I have lost weight from 179 down to 174 during this time. I don't appera to be losing any muscle as my muscle seems to be remaining pumped and if anything increasing. Being that muscle weighs for than fat how is it that I have actually lost 5 pounds?
have you changed what you have been eating or did you just increase it? 5 lbs of water weight is possible if you maybe started eating less salty foods or started drinking a LOT more water.
How much cardio are you doing?
css925 said:I am drinking more water, but I didn't really change what I was eating just eating more (good food), no junk food at all.
As for cardio 2 HIIT session per week and maybe one other light cardio sometimes.
If you are trying to bulk, go down to onw HIIT session a week. And you need to eat 500-800 cals over maitenance.
Also are you doing a set program? Try The Waterbury Method, possibly Chad Waterbury's best workout. go to t-nation.com and do a search for it. Or send me a PM I can send a spreadsheet to you.
css925 said:Thanks Larrabee, I'll search for the Waterbury method.
I am eating 600-800 calories above my maintenance. Maybe I just need to stick with it and see how it goes. Just seemed unusual to be losing weight.
I think you will like Waterbury's work. He promotes his believe of 10x3 which works incredibly well for hypertrophy.
css925 - Why not mix it up with different ranges. I am using a three range program like below.
weights / rep range
Heavy / 3 - 5 | Medium / 8-12 | Light / 12-15
weights / rep range
Heavy / 3 - 5 | Medium / 8-12 | Light / 12-15
Please read page 4.In a 2002 study, Arizona State University researchers discovered that men who alternated their repetition ranges in each of three weekly training sessions gained twice as much strength as men who didn't vary their repetitions.
Greenetuckian said:css925 - Why not mix it up with different ranges. I am using a three range program like below.
weights / rep range
Heavy / 3 - 5 | Medium / 8-12 | Light / 12-15
Please read page 4.
Men's Health posts a lot of odd advice.
In this case CW does 10x3 because there is a 90% chance you have never done that rep range. And changing up the program every 4-6 weeks is a no brainer.
If you are putting on mass you want to stay at 8 reps and under. there are also things like Hypertrophy Booster shots where you put in two extra workouts a week where you do very low volume. But in most cases stay away from high reps, even for fat-loss.
Larrabee said:I think you will like Waterbury's work. He promotes his believe of 10x3 which works incredibly well for hypertrophy.
whats hypertrophY? sorry im noob
thanks now i understand.
sets of 5 reps...that's for strength gains, not focusing on mass building. 8-12 reps is your hypertrophy range for triggering growth of lean mass.
to me it looks like you increased the intensity with the heavier sets, and just burned off some fat.
and we are talking about a total of 5lbs...I can vary 2lbs from morning to evening if i'm retaining water, or if I have to take a massive 'bulking dump' (gross, but its a reality of eating TONS of food everyday)
to me it looks like you increased the intensity with the heavier sets, and just burned off some fat.
and we are talking about a total of 5lbs...I can vary 2lbs from morning to evening if i'm retaining water, or if I have to take a massive 'bulking dump' (gross, but its a reality of eating TONS of food everyday)
I understand my weight can fluctuate a couple of pounds depending on several variables you mentioned. But I weight over the course of several days to make sure it was a consistent loss of weight. But I can tell it visually and in the feel of my muscles as well.
I mainly switched to the lower rep/heavier weight to shock my body a little and shake up my workouts. I truly like the results so far so I'll see how it goes after a couple more weeks. I guess never too old to learn new things from one's body.
I mainly switched to the lower rep/heavier weight to shock my body a little and shake up my workouts. I truly like the results so far so I'll see how it goes after a couple more weeks. I guess never too old to learn new things from one's body.