# Weight going up waist going down

**URL:** <https://forum.barbellmedicine.com/t/weight-going-up-waist-going-down/9825>\
**Category:** Nutrition Q&A \[Moderated\]\
**Created:** [November 5, 2020, 9:06pm UTC](https://forum.barbellmedicine.com/t/weight-going-up-waist-going-down/9825 "2020-11-05T21:06:15Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 5\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![Roamer321](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex001/user_avatar/forum.barbellmedicine.com/roamer321/32/1386_2.png) [@Roamer321](https://forum.barbellmedicine.com/u/Roamer321)\
**Post date:** [November 5, 2020, 9:06pm UTC](https://forum.barbellmedicine.com/t/weight-going-up-waist-going-down/9825/1 "2020-11-05T21:06:15Z")

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I have gained about 3 to 4 lbs in the last month while my waist has gone from 39" to 35". Does this mean I am gaining muscle and losing fat?

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**Author:** ![Jordan\_Feigenbaum](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex001/user_avatar/forum.barbellmedicine.com/jordan_feigenbaum/32/1315_2.png) [@Jordan\_Feigenbaum](https://forum.barbellmedicine.com/u/Jordan_Feigenbaum)\
**Post date:** [November 6, 2020, 3:01pm UTC](https://forum.barbellmedicine.com/t/weight-going-up-waist-going-down/9825/2 "2020-11-06T15:01:18Z")

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Barring some less likely medical conditions improving, yep…that happens somewhat frequently in newer trainees.

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**Author:** ![Roamer321](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex001/user_avatar/forum.barbellmedicine.com/roamer321/32/1386_2.png) [@Roamer321](https://forum.barbellmedicine.com/u/Roamer321)\
**Post date:** [November 7, 2020, 1:32am UTC](https://forum.barbellmedicine.com/t/weight-going-up-waist-going-down/9825/3 "2020-11-07T01:32:28Z")

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And in this old intermediate also. Isn’t this a good way to measure whether you are gaining fat or muscle?

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**Author:** ![Jordan\_Feigenbaum](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex001/user_avatar/forum.barbellmedicine.com/jordan_feigenbaum/32/1315_2.png) [@Jordan\_Feigenbaum](https://forum.barbellmedicine.com/u/Jordan_Feigenbaum)\
**Post date:** [November 7, 2020, 2:24pm UTC](https://forum.barbellmedicine.com/t/weight-going-up-waist-going-down/9825/4 "2020-11-07T14:24:37Z")

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> [@Roamer321](#):
>
> And in this old intermediate also. Isn’t this a good way to measure whether you are gaining fat or muscle?

Well, no matter what you’re gaining both fat and muscle if you’re gaining. In general, people who are relatively untrained (though maybe not new to training) can lose fat and gain muscle at the same time…particularly around the midsection.

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**Author:** ![saskpharmer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/94ad74/32.png) [@saskpharmer](https://forum.barbellmedicine.com/u/saskpharmer)\
**Post date:** [November 21, 2020, 7:46pm UTC](https://forum.barbellmedicine.com/t/weight-going-up-waist-going-down/9825/5 "2020-11-21T19:46:29Z")

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> [@Jordan\_Feigenbaum](#):
>
> Well, no matter what you’re gaining both fat and muscle if you’re gaining. In general, people who are relatively untrained (though maybe not new to training) can lose fat and gain muscle at the same time…particularly around the midsection.

When did you change your position on this? I stumbled on the AOM podcast in 2016 where you said … you rarely speak in absolutes… but you can’t gain muscle in a calorie deficit.