EverythingFit Answers: Realistic Muscle Development

Here's another reader question we wanted to share with everyone since there is so much misconception.

Q: I've been weight training every day. How much muscle can I realistically gain.

A: We've discussed this in brief in a past post, but the general consensus is that you can gain between 1.5 to 5 pounds of additional lean muscle per month.

Of course there are many variables, including age, gender, physical condition, genetics, diet and your training program. Also, the gains you achieve in your first few months may be hard to sustain long-term.

Gaining 4-5 pounds of muscle in a month would mean 100% dedication to nutrition and training. 1.5 pounds of muscle is much more realistic for most of us, but still requires a lot of work.

Don't be fooled by products promising more muscle gains. Most of that gain will come in the form of water, which will make you look and feel bigger, but it is actually just bloating.

No one said muscle building was easy. If it was, everyone would have muscular bodies. But a strong, chiseled bodies are something work striving for and as long as you're consistent you'll reach your goals. Just be patient and keep working!