Is it normal to gain some fat when building muscle?

Guest Amber Brueseke, who bulked from about 126 to 148 pounds for a powerlifting meet, puts it plainly: some fat is going to come along with it, and that is the expense of doing a bulk. She explains that the scale cannot tell you whether you gained fat or muscle. It is one data point, which is why WarriorBabe looks at several. In Michelle's story, Coach Victoria told her the same thing, and when Michelle mentioned her 10 pounds of muscle to her doctor at her annual checkup, the doctor said she had gained some fat with it too and was happy with the change. Victoria also had her get an InBody scan so they could see what was actually changing.

Nikkiey frames it with a slightly different emphasis on Ep. 360. In a properly structured build, the scale goes up slightly, and what goes up is muscle, water and glycogen. You may gain a little fat, but it is not just fat. More muscle means a higher metabolism, more shape, more strength and an easier, more effective fat loss phase next time. The biggest mistake she sees is women panicking at the scale and abandoning the build before it has a chance to work.

Sandra's story on Ep. 292 shows what that can look like. At 61, eating 2,400 calories, she gained about 17 pounds over seven months, still wore all the same clothes and added half an inch to her biceps. She and Nikkiey explain that the build adds the muscle, and the maintenance and cut phases that follow reveal the work.

Nikkiey is honest that understanding this and trusting it in the moment are two different things. If the scale makes you want to quit, that is not a personal failing. It is exactly where coaching and better data, like scans and progress photos, help you stay the course.