Research investigating lean muscle gain over a month is limited,2 but experts suggest that most healthy individuals can gain 1 to 2 pounds of lean muscle mass per month. This rate varies based on age, gender, physical health, genetics, diet quality, and training program.
5 Pounds - It will take you about three months to build your first 5 pounds of muscle. That's not a long time at all, and will have a noticeable impact on your physique. 10 Pounds - After 7 months in the gym you will have built a approximately 10 total pounds of mass.
Absolutely. That is a very achievable goal. On average a man can add between 1 to 2 lbs of muscle per month, possibly more if you are genetically gifted. Some people may think that 10 pounds of muscle is not that much. But 10 pounds of added muscle is a lot and quite noticeable.
While six to ten pounds may not sound like very much, an increase of ten pounds of muscle would be noticeable on anyone's physique. More experienced lifters may gain anywhere from two to four pounds of muscle within a year.
How much muscle can you gain in 1 month? According to experts, it's possible to gain up to 2 lbs of muscle in 1 month. But that's by no means a definitive number. Some people will gain more or far less than that.
“One pound of muscle is a lot less noticeable than you would think it is appearance-wise,” says Yu. You might not see a huge change beyond looking a little more toned, but you'll feel a change in your overall strength and agility, she notes.
So, how much muscle can you realistically gain in one month? For most beginners, gaining 2-4lbs of muscle per month is a realistic rate of muscle gain. More advanced lifters should aim to gain 1-2lbs of muscle per month, as research has shown slower rates of muscle gain the more advanced a lifter becomes.
It's no myth that weight gain can be more pronounced in the face for some people, and several factors contribute to this. Genetics, hormonal changes, and water retention can all make the face appear fuller, even if the rest of the body doesn't. Some individuals are predisposed to store fat more visibly in their face.
Muscle tissue burns more calories than fat tissue, even when you're resting. More muscle means your body uses more energy, making it easier to lose weight and keep it off. “Investing in your muscle mass is like investing your 401(k),” says Kate.
Typical Timelines for Building Noticeable Muscle
8 to 12 weeks for beginners, 3 to 6 months for advanced muscle development. 10 to 14 weeks to start seeing noticeable results.
Weight gain and short-term fluctuations may happen for a variety of reasons, such as aging or making lifestyle and dietary changes. However, fast weight gain can be a sign of an underlying health condition, such as a problem with the thyroid, kidneys, or heart.
For most people it takes 4-6 months of consistent effort, and that's if you do everything right. If you're new to resistance training, you'll probabaly build muscle faster at first, maybe even 1-2 pounds per month.
The majority of us need to be sending the right stimulus in the gym, and eating a surplus of food outside of the gym to get any kind of true muscle growth. The easiest way to tell if you are a hardgainer, is if you have been putting time in the gym and eating a lot of food and can't seem to gain weight.
Research investigating lean muscle gain over a month is limited,2 but experts suggest that most healthy individuals can gain 1 to 2 pounds of lean muscle mass per month. This rate varies based on age, gender, physical health, genetics, diet quality, and training program.
“You can lift lighter weights, and as long as you lift them with a high degree of effort, they're as good as heavier weights in making you bigger,” he says. Using a home gym machine or even just your own body weight, like with push-ups or lunges, works.
To build muscle, aim to eat 1.4– 2.2 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight each day, says Cynthia Sass, RD, a registered dietitian and board-certified specialist in sports dietetics based in Los Angeles. (To calculate your approximate weight in kilograms, divide your weight in pounds by 2.2.)
Strength training helps you lose weight and keep it off by building muscle tissue. The more muscle mass you have, the higher your metabolic rate tends to be. More muscle also helps your body burn more fat than muscle, which is important if you want to lose weight and keep your strength.
While it's possible to drop a lot of weight in one month, we don't recommend it. Anything over 8 pounds is likely water weight that you'll gain back. Crash dieting leads to gaining more weight long-term and slows your metabolism.
The rule of thumb, Fernstrom says, is that losing 8 to 10 pounds translates to going down one size. Still, if you lose "up to 15 pounds, you may be OK in your old size," she says. But putting off buying new clothes until you really need them doesn't work for everyone.
There's good news for anyone who wants to appear more appealing — science has found how much weight men and women need to gain or lose for someone to find him or her attractive. For men, it's 18.1 pounds, where as for women, it's 13.9 pounds, according to Medical News Today.
Most people can gain about half a pound of muscle in a month, while others new to training may gain two pounds. Prioritizing protein consumption, training consistently, and supplementing with creatine can help you build and maintain muscle.
Aim to lose 1 to 2 pounds (0.5 to 1 kilogram) a week over the long term. To do that, you'll need to burn about 500 to 750 calories more than you take in each day. Losing 5% of your current weight may be a good goal to start with. If you weigh 180 pounds (82 kilograms), that's 9 pounds (4 kilograms).