A few months ago, I changed up my workout routine. I now do 10 mins each recumbant bike and treadmill then various strength training exercises, working most every muscle group. I do this 7 days a week with very few exceptions.

Recently I've noticed a 1-2 lb fluctuating weight gain and my pants seem really tight on my thighs.

How do I know if I'm gaining lean muscle or fat?

Kinda hard to say since it's normal for weight to fluctuate a pound or two everyday. If you are lifting heavy and doing a lot of lower body, then yes, you're quads are probably growing. Take measurements and track to know if you are really having muscle gains. Gaining muscle is a slow process so if weight and/or measurements are fluctuating a lot or quickly then it more likely water weight or fat pounds.

@TheRealMeIsHere! - Congrats. great job. Use these: https://www.heartratemonitorsusa.com/products/hrm-caltape?variant=13900066054&dfw_tracker=9876-13900066054&gclid=CjwKEAjw2PK7BRDPz5nDh9GjoGcSJAAybcS3gF5WSdU7DIFsVeIOJv-tS0WJVSNkJBDvACkSK6utNBoCSzHw_wcB

or spend hundreds on more scientific testing, but my son (who is studying exercise physiology at OU) says the 12 point caliper test is just as good as anything.

BTW, you might be exercising too much. Rest is just as important as exercise.

@TheRealMeIsHere!

I use my body fat percentage to see if I'm gaining muscle or fat. Your BMI isn’t directly correlated to your body fat percentage – it only factors in your height and weight. It will give you the same reading if you’re made of 180 pounds of pure muscle, or 180 pounds of pure Cheetos.

Methods to track your body fat percentage can often be inaccurate.Take multiple tests with your preferred methods and understand that even then it might be off in either direction.

Methods to calculate your body fat:

Body Fat Calipers – Pick up a set calipers for $5

The measurement method – By taking measurements . If you have loose skin..your measurements will not be accurate..It is a good rough estimate.

http://fitness.bizcalcs.com/Calculator.asp?Calc=Body-Fat-Navy

http://fitness.bizcalcs.com/Calculator.asp?Calc=Body-Fat-YMCA

Body fat scales. – An electrical current is sent through your body and uses “biometrical impedance analysis.

https://www.google.com/search?q=Body+fat+scale&ie=utf-8&oe=utf-8#q=Body+fat+scale&tbm=shop

Water displacement – Although very accurate (within 1-3% percent), it’s expensive

DEXA Scanning $50 to $150

The Bod Pod $75

Absolutely agree with jenn1....we become obsessed with weight and BMI's...when in reality it is about Body fat %

You can have a normal BMI, and still be very unhealthy because what weight you have is highly body fat...the leading cause of many ailments including diabetes, coronary artery disease, high Blood pressure, etc.

On the flipside, you can have a high BMI, be considered overweight and possibly Obese, but have a very low, athletic body fat % as is the case with many professional athletes like football players.

There are scales that have become very common that will tell you your body fat %, as well as other parameters such as Water %, Muscle and bone mass, etc.

I read here all the time about weight that is related to muscle...it does not matter! What does matter is how much of your weight is made up of fat.....

I am considered over weight, but I have a very low body fat %...if anyone tells me I need to loose another 10-15lbs, it would be impossible without doing serious harm to myself because I would not be loosing fat....

@TheRealMeIsHere! - Congrats. great job. Use these: https://www.heartratemonitorsusa.com/products/hrm-caltape?variant=13900066054&dfw_tracker=9876-13900066054&gclid=CjwKEAjw2PK7BRDPz5nDh9GjoGcSJAAybcS3gF5WSdU7DIFsVeIOJv-tS0WJVSNkJBDvACkSK6utNBoCSzHw_wcB

or spend hundreds on more scientific testing, but my son (who is studying exercise physiology at OU) says the 12 point caliper test is just as good as anything.

BTW, you might be exercising too much. Rest is just as important as exercise.

I'm not doing crazy weights. 5 lb leg weights for lifts, 15-20 lb dumbbells for arms, treadmill/recumbant bike 10 mins each, thigh exercises with black theraband. I'm disabled so need to be really careful what I do.

I'm afraid to take days off, as it's such a thin tightrope to maintain as it is. That's why this gain is scaring me. I'm already 5 lbs above my personal goal and to add 1-2 lbs to that is terrifying unless I can know if it's muscle.

@TheRealMeIsHere!

It was hard to switch over from bariatric weight loss mode at first. I had to get my mind to accept that weight gain with muscle mass is ok. My goal is healthy.

I'm in a female weight lifting class and loving it.

You many be over training working out at 7 days a week. You don't want to burn muscle. To build muscle strength, days of rest between is needed. The muscle actually builds on your days of rest...See link

http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/dimaggio12.htm

@TheRealMeIsHere!

It was hard to switch over from bariatric weight loss mode at first. I had to get my mind to accept that weight gain with muscle mass is ok. My goal is healthy.

I'm in a female weight lifting class and loving it.

You many be over training working out at 7 days a week. You don't want to burn muscle. To build muscle strength, days of rest between is needed. The muscle actually builds on your days of rest...See link

http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/dimaggio12.htm

I'm more than OK with gaining muscle weight, as long as that's what it is. I'm not, necessarily looking to build muscle except for the reason that it raises RMR, although I would't mind. Like I said, I'm not capable of doing a lot, which is why I workout daily, I need the calorie burn. I've been in maintenance for 3.5 years and it's a thin tightrope. I prefer to be 115, but had been maintaining at 120 which was acceptable. Now to see 121/122 on the scale is scary as I don't know if it's fat.

I'm not sure if the calipers would work for me as I have a lot of loose skin on my thighs and arms. But need to find out if it's fat or muscle.

Very informative article, thank you. My workout is only about a half hour, 7 days a week, so I don't think that is overtraining and my activity options are limited so I need to burn calories through activity every day or I DO gain fat.

We average Joes generally don't have to worry about overtraining. At 30 min a day, you're fine. Most of our results come down to nutrition. Is there anything different about what or how much you eat to maintain 115 lbs versus now? I did a Bod Pod test last week precisely because of the loose skin concerns you expressed and because calipers are only as good as the person wielding them. The Bod Pod was $50 at a local weight loss clinic and now I have a baseline to compare against. It gave me my body composition in both a body fat percentage but also the corresponding pounds as well as my RMR. At 121 lbs, you may find out that you are in fact very lean in which case the number on the scale would be irrelevant.

@TheRealMeIsHere!

I use my body fat percentage to see if I'm gaining muscle or fat. Your BMI isn’t directly correlated to your body fat percentage – it only factors in your height and weight. It will give you the same reading if you’re made of 180 pounds of pure muscle, or 180 pounds of pure Cheetos.

Methods to track your body fat percentage can often be inaccurate.Take multiple tests with your preferred methods and understand that even then it might be off in either direction.

Methods to calculate your body fat:

Body Fat Calipers – Pick up a set calipers for $5

The measurement method – By taking measurements . If you have loose skin..your measurements will not be accurate..It is a good rough estimate.

http://fitness.bizcalcs.com/Calculator.asp?Calc=Body-Fat-Navy

http://fitness.bizcalcs.com/Calculator.asp?Calc=Body-Fat-YMCA

Body fat scales. – An electrical current is sent through your body and uses “biometrical impedance analysis.

https://www.google.com/search?q=Body+fat+scale&ie=utf-8&oe=utf-8#q=Body+fat+scale&tbm=shop

Water displacement – Although very accurate (within 1-3% percent), it’s expensive

DEXA Scanning $50 to $150

The Bod Pod $75

Can you tell me where this chart came from? My last DEXA scan had me at 17% body fat and at my age that puts me as "underfat!" The chart I had put me at "athletic" now I'm concerned

Jess, don't know where this chart came from but in general bf % is age adjusted. It is assumed that we will gain fat as we age and thus the "bands" for interpreting bf % as healthy goes up as we age. So an 18 yo male at 10% bf compared to a 65 yo male at 10%- one is healthy one is underfat but in reality both are at 10% and are both healthy. At 17% you still have enough essential fat. Need at least 12% as a woman. Again these charts are based on the assumption that you will gain fat as you age.

Jess, don't know where this chart came from but in general bf % is age adjusted. It is assumed that we will gain fat as we age and thus the "bands" for interpreting bf % as healthy goes up as we age. So an 18 yo male at 10% bf compared to a 65 yo male at 10%- one is healthy one is underfat but in reality both are at 10% and are both healthy. At 17% you still have enough essential fat. Need at least 12% as a woman. Again these charts are based on the assumption that you will gain fat as you age.

Thanks for clarifying! Though I just checked and according to her chart less than 20% on a woman is unhealthy at any age! I googled and found a bunch of other charts that said I was fine though. Hard when all the charts are different, LOL!