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Jun 2023
2:57pm, 5 Jun 2023
11,314 posts
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cathrobinson
Personally I wouldn’t trust those types of scales for fat measurement. Either get someone to measure using callipers or you need a full body dexa scan for accuracy. How much water you’ve had and when your last meal was caused too many fluctuations in the gym type scales.
If you’re able to lift heavier weights then you’ve probably built more muscle already, regardless of what the scales say. Maybe use that as your guide instead?
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Jun 2023
2:58pm, 5 Jun 2023
11,315 posts
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cathrobinson
I should have said I don’t trust them for muscle OR fat measurement
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Jun 2023
3:24pm, 5 Jun 2023
21,412 posts
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Sharkie
Hi Dr.Mags, welcome to the thread.
I've been weight training on and off depending on athletic season (serious weights) since my late 50s and have found it very difficult to actually increase muscle mass. Some women find it easier - I reckon it depends on one's body type - but it definitely gets harder the older you are.
I still really believe in proper strength work for women and won't give it up - but my upper body muscle remains very reluctant to make visible gains. However I do know I am strong for my age and build and take some comfort in that.
I agree with Cath that if you're lifting increasingly heavy then it's pretty likely you've increased muscle mass, it's just not visible and is difficult (as she says) to accurately gauge.
Like you - and I imagine most of the women on Fetch - my legs and bum are in much better nick than my arms, shoulders and chest. If you have got rid of bingo wings I salute you! No amount of tricep dips has shifted mine!
Yikes, waffly answer.
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Jun 2023
3:45pm, 5 Jun 2023
1,086 posts
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Shades
DrMags - I started on the same mission as you back in 2019. Used the gym scales which I found good at measuring progress and changes in fat and muscle percentages. Note always make sure you are not dehydrated when using scales as that screws up data.
I had a great instructor at the time and he spent a lot of time with me discussing how to reduce fat % and increase muscle %. He was also a boxer so knowledgeable in weight control. I wanted to lose about 7 pounds but my main goal was to reduce my fat % from 30% to 20%. I also needed to increase muscle % as in early 60's at the time.
To increase muscle you need to eat more, to lose fat you need to eat less. My instructor said it's possible to do both at the time. So using MFP calories 2300 to 2600 a day, and most importantly macros 40% carbs, 30% fat and 30% protein. In about 5 months I'd lost the 7 pounds, muscle % increased and fat down to 23%. But then Covid, so no gym and then back marathon running so few more carbs needed, injuries so not able to do enough in the gym. But I know I can carry on trying to reach my target.
Taking measurements is important, I only dropped 7 pounds but the inches fell off .
My instructor calculated my calorie needs by multiplying my BMR by 1.7
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Jun 2023
3:46pm, 5 Jun 2023
34 posts
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DrMags
Thanks Sharkie and Cath - no answer too waffly, and I’m very happy to be lead along by the hand from women with experience (PTs can be a bit too numbers oriented, like their salary depends on it!). I’m both comforted and encouraged. Am aspiring to using the regular 20kg barbell instead of the lady’s 15kg one for bench press (yes, that’s currently the level I’m at 😮💨)
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Jun 2023
3:54pm, 5 Jun 2023
21,413 posts
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Sharkie
Shades' info is useful. Great stats Shades! You certainly need to eat 'enough' to put on muscle - that's where I find my demands as a high jumper and sprinter and (now) dancer a tricky balancing act.
There is hope Dr.M. I'm 70 and quite slight in the upper body (with more hefty sprinter's legs) but can bench press the 20kg bar, it took ages to work back up to that in my late 60s- I think my all time 3 rep PB is only 22.5 kg (in my late 50s and again last year)
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Jun 2023
4:09pm, 5 Jun 2023
21,414 posts
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Sharkie
And don't forget power as opposed to strength.
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Jun 2023
4:11pm, 5 Jun 2023
40,752 posts
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SPR
Neural adaptations can account for strength gains without muscle size increasing. Neural adaptations are essentially efficiency gains.
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Jun 2023
4:13pm, 5 Jun 2023
40,753 posts
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SPR
Reckon it'll be both but as you're new to it all, there will definitely be a lot of neural gains.
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Jun 2023
9:24pm, 5 Jun 2023
23,567 posts
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Meglet
In more proof that gyms are designed by men without thinking about women, the hack squat machine was resting on the highest peg and I could barely get it off, I nearly had to ask someone. Even on the second peg down it was not easy to use.
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The Six Pack Revolution
Oct 2023