muscle has memory?

so while gaining, will my calories turn to that muscle i used to have without exercise?.......

i'm so gullible, google frazzles me. i need some good sources :(

Your body will only build as much muscle as it needs. If you are completely sedentary (meaning you don't walk or move your limbs) then you won't develop much muscle at all. In fact, muscles will atrophy if you are sedentary too long.

If you lead a moderately active life, walking, occasional running, walking up stairs and lifting heavy bags and such, then you'll develop muscles suitable for that.

Muscle growth is stimulated by exertion. If you start exerting your muscles more, you get micro-tears in the muscle fiber. These tears get repaired with the proteins that you eat. If your aren't exerting, then your muscles wont grow. They won't need to.

I should also say that muscles will atrophy when you are lacking in nutrients as well. You need enough protein just to maintain muscles. So even if you lead an active life, if you aren't eating enough, your muscles will be broken down to feed you.

Tangerine89 has made some excellent comments!

In answer to your question - the quick and dirty answer is NO.

Muscle is only built if you are working that area of your body (i.e. if you do a lot of lifting, you will build more muscle in your arms because, as tangerine said, your body is working those muscles more).

Generally during weight gain people tend to store the excess as fat (this is a GOOD thing if you are underweight, because your body needs fat). This is especially if you are recovering from and e/d, as it is typically VERY dangerous to exercise in the early stages of weight gain because your heart is weak. Gain the weight, THEN focus on toning and muscle building if you wish.

:)

Well, there are several factors going on here.  The first thing is that you have a predisposition to a certain amount of muscle mass, as determined by your genes.  Your body will naturally build that back when it gets to that. 

However, after starving your body first uses it's resources towards the basics-internal organs, function, etc.  If you're not giving it enough calories to truly feel "comfortable" to maintain more muscle mass, it may also build less muscle than it would like to naturally just because it's scared it won't get enough food to do so. 

[That's one reason it's so important to not just eat enough to gain with your body in hoarding mode, but enough to give your body the signal that it can work right and get some muscle going on!]

The information given about giving your body stimulus for muscle growth are true in a different situation--a body that has not been malnourished or kept underweight.  But until you reach a healthy weight and function, it doesn't really matter--if anything, putting too much "demand" on a recovering body with activity can scare it into storing more fat--because right now it's bigger concern is survival and basic health.

'Muscle memory' refers to repetitive actions and not body-building.  If you drive a car, for example, it's not a conscious effort any more because your muscles 'remember' what sequence to do the actions.  Piano players' fingers reach for the right keys in a piece they know really well.