Numbers Don't Add Up

[Dalton Clark]

Coach Santana,

Just a quick thank you for your dedication to helping the viewers of this board as well as your patience with all of our silly questions and nonsense. Your knowledge and demeanor are much appreciated.

Basic Stats
Sex: Male
Age: 24
Weight: 222 pounds

Measurements (All values are rounded to the less desirable direction)
Thigh: 28.5 inches
Chest: 42 inches
Hips: 42 inches
Waist: 37 inches

In January, I had a 27.5-28 inch thigh, 41 inch chest, 41-42 hips, and the same waist measurement. Since then, my legs and upper body have both been growing quite rapidly according to my clothes and stretch marks on the chest, upper arms, and underarms while my waist has stayed the same. What confuses me about this is that my weight hasn't changed. So here is the question: what is occurring in an individual who has gained muscle in the legs and upper body, maintained the same waist size, and has experienced no change in body weight? Seems like a Houdini situation to me.

[Robert Santana]

Coach Santana,

Just a quick thank you for your dedication to helping the viewers of this board as well as your patience with all of our silly questions and nonsense. Your knowledge and demeanor are much appreciated.

Basic Stats
Sex: Male
Age: 24
Weight: 222 pounds

Measurements (All values are rounded to the less desirable direction)
Thigh: 28.5 inches
Chest: 42 inches
Hips: 42 inches
Waist: 37 inches

In January, I had a 27.5-28 inch thigh, 41 inch chest, 41-42 hips, and the same waist measurement. Since then, my legs and upper body have both been growing quite rapidly according to my clothes and stretch marks on the chest, upper arms, and underarms while my waist has stayed the same. What confuses me about this is that my weight hasn't changed. So here is the question: what is occurring in an individual who has gained muscle in the legs and upper body, maintained the same waist size, and has experienced no change in body weight? Seems like a Houdini situation to me.

Thanks for the kind words Dalton! The simplest answer to this is that clearly you’ve displaced fat weight for lean weight. Not surprising if you had just started lifting, came off of a layoff, or started a effective training program after spinning your wheels on an ineffective one.

[Dalton Clark]

That was my initial assumption. Visually this is obvious. If I appear more muscular and weigh the same, that implies positive body composition change. However, wouldn't waist size tend to decrease if adiposity was decreasing? Is there an explanation for this? Are my abs just getting yooooooooge? To add more confusion to this, I have not just started lifting, nor come off a layout, nor drastically changed my training program (until Tuesday). This trend appears to have started after six months of LP. I am wondering how this phenomena can occur in someone who is not taking steroids, has over six months of training history, is not obese, and has been on an effective training method for the duration of the training history. I was under the impression that displacing fat weight for lean weight in my lifting population is impossible - but that is clearly what is occurring.

[Karl Schudt]

Spinal erectors and abzzz take up room.

[Robert Santana]

That was my initial assumption. Visually this is obvious. If I appear more muscular and weigh the same, that implies positive body composition change. However, wouldn't waist size tend to decrease if adiposity was decreasing? Is there an explanation for this? Are my abs just getting yooooooooge? To add more confusion to this, I have not just started lifting, nor come off a layout, nor drastically changed my training program (until Tuesday). This trend appears to have started after six months of LP. I am wondering how this phenomena can occur in someone who is not taking steroids, has over six months of training history, is not obese, and has been on an effective training method for the duration of the training history. I was under the impression that displacing fat weight for lean weight in my lifting population is impossible - but that is clearly what is occurring.

Waist wouldn't necessarily decrease if the fat is being lost elsewhere. What I meant was, did you do any other type of training before your 6 months of LP? What was your history like prior to then?

[Robert Santana]

Spinal erectors and abzzz take up room.

Yes you have both now.

[Dalton Clark]

I had no consistent strength training prior to my LP. I messed around in the gym for a month or two doing crazy stuff (crossfit, or bodybuildling.com stuff) every once in a while. I can't remember any reasonable timeline which probably just goes to show how sporadic it was. Also, two prior short runs at LP. For the most part had huge weight fluctuations going from 180 to 205 to 164 and back inside of 2 years prior to June of last year.

[Robert Santana]

I had no consistent strength training prior to my LP. I messed around in the gym for a month or two doing crazy stuff (crossfit, or bodybuildling.com stuff) every once in a while. I can't remember any reasonable timeline which probably just goes to show how sporadic it was. Also, two prior short runs at LP. For the most part had huge weight fluctuations going from 180 to 205 to 164 and back inside of 2 years prior to June of last year.

So you fall into the demographic that can displace fat for muscle. Enjoy it while it lasts

[Dalton Clark]

Thank you Coach Santana. I was expecting the "newbie" demographic to be something like 3 months. I've heard some other sources give estimates that led me to believe that my 10 month training history (very short in the grand scheme of things) would place me outside of the demographic that can displace fat for muscle. What would you say is a rough estimate of training age where this becomes unlikely? I understand there are a number of variables at play, so if this is unanswerable I understand.

[Robert Santana]

Thank you Coach Santana. I was expecting the "newbie" demographic to be something like 3 months. I've heard some other sources give estimates that led me to believe that my 10 month training history (very short in the grand scheme of things) would place me outside of the demographic that can displace fat for muscle. What would you say is a rough estimate of training age where this becomes unlikely? I understand there are a number of variables at play, so if this is unanswerable I understand.

Generally, you can get away with it the most in the first year. Once you get into year two onwards it becomes less likely.