although i been lifint for ages really i been out for about a year just doing cardio stuff and the odd lift hear or there for the fun of it. i started lifting again last month and in the last 4.5 weeks i put on 6lb the read out says 2lb fat 4lb muscle. is this normal? i'm not using any supplements to aid muscle growth. although i do eat alot of protein. cos i'm poor and sausages are cheap i know you make alot of gains in the fist 12-24 months then it slowly winds down. but is a lb of muscle a week sustainable?

Umm if you're eating sausages chances are you wont be getting the best protein, and a LOT of fat along with it. Might want to rethink those

Chicken is a much better bet (and can be cheaper too). A lb of muscle a week is not possible to sustain as far as I know. But Im not the best person to ask

Tidey

Geez, hate to burst your balloon, but I'd double check those numbers if you've been lifting for a while. For a beginner, male, fairly young, that may be sustainable for about 2-3 months. Then you're lucky to add 1-1.5 lbs of LEAN mass a month for a while, then it drops significantly after a year of training. And to do this, as Tidey said, you need high quality protein (chicken, eggwhites, lean cuts of beef, fish) not sausage. Tho they sound good Or protein powder. Or some magic bullet that's not entirely legal....
And don't forget good complex carbs.

mel

ok- just re-read your post. So you USED to lift a lot. That puts you in somewhat of a different category- the previously muscled beginner. There really is such a thing as muscle memory and you can see those kind of gains, but again, not for very long. And everything else I said about food still holds true.

mel

My understanding is that a man with a sufficient level of testosterone can work towards gaining a pound of muscle mass every other month or so. Women can work towards a much slower rate of growth.

Sorry, I shouldn't try to reply to posts late at night. My second line should have read:
Then you're lucky to add 1-1.5 lbs of LEAN mass every other month for a while.

I know a few natural bodybuilders who are fairly seasoned lifters, who've managed to put on 10-12 pounds of lean mass in a year through very controlled bulks and periodized lifting. They are usually ecstatic with a 10-12 lb. LBM gain.

mel