How Do I Know If I Am Gaining Muscle?

So you’ve been going to the gym for about a month now.  You’ve put in a lot of work, and have been going consistent enough to make it part of your routine.  However, when you look in the mirror nothing much is changing.  Careful!  Your mindset now will either motivate or deteriorate your fitness goals.  There are two ways you can look at any situation: the up side or the down side.  The down side is easy, “I’m not seeing results therefore I must not be doing it right.” Or, “What’s the use?”  These thoughts are extremely corrosive and your fitness goal will fade away.  Now, the up side may not be easy for some but it will make a world of difference, “I’m better today than I was yesterday.”  Or, “At least I’m not sitting on the couch.”  Switching to this mindset WILL keep you on track with your goals, regardless of if you’re seeing results today.

Now, with all of that being said, gaining strength is the only determinant of gaining muscle.

Strength is Gains!

If you’ve noticed any strength improvements at all, either: On the bench press, at the squat rack, being able to do a Pull-up, ANYTHING, then that means you’re strength is improving and that means that muscle growth is improving too!

Diet Is Key

The easiest way to NOTICE any muscle growth is with a lower body fat percentage.  See how NOTICE is emphasized, it’s clearly not the easiest to accomplish.  However, attaining a lower body fat percentage is doable! I suggest you focus on a wholesome diet consisting of a good protein (Eggs, Salmon, Grass Fed Beef) a good carbohydrate (Sweet Potato, Oatmeal, Quinoa) a good fat (Avocados, uncooked olive oil, uncooked coconut oil) and lots of fruits and vegetables. Beconsistent, and disciplined with your diet. A good diet coupled with an intense(short rest periods) & challenging (using a heavy weight to properly complete all reps of all sets) workout is the best path to improving your physique.

Gaining strength is the only determinant of gaining muscle.