Can you gain mucle on a low carb high fat moderate protien diet?
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lady_ghost
Posts: 175 Member
I'm trying to tone up and gain some muscle would I need to increase my protien and lower my fat. I strength train three times a week and do cardio 1-2 times a week. I find I'm loosing stubborn fat and weight but I'm also loosing muscle. My carbs at 110grams fats are 88grams and protien 130grams usually. I'm 5'8 155 pounds.
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Replies
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If you're in a calorie surplus, yes3
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What makes you think you are losing muscle?
How are you measuring that?3 -
If you eat 1 gram protein per pound of body weight daily and deliberately do a weight lifting program while maintaining a calorie deficit of -500 per day, or only enough to lose 1 pound per week, maybe. If you're a newbie at lifting, probably yes.
An important thing to remember is that your lifting program must be a progressive heavy lifting program. There are many ways of doing it. Do it consistently.
Also important is to not let your cardio burns make your daily calorie deficit more deficient than -500. Eat exercise calories, if necessary.
I'll also point out that filbo132 is describing adding muscle while NOT attempting to lose weight, and I am describing adding muscle while attempting to lose weight. The two different objectives have two different calorie targets.2 -
Just so we are all clear.. what are your goals.. are you trying to lean out and lose weight (where you can retain muscle but to actually build it will be difficult)? Keep in mind best way to retain muscle is to keep protein up, keep deficit reasonable and get on a progressive lifting program.
Or are you looking to recomp/maintain (losing fat and gaining muscle over time) ? I would say those are your best options right now, but obviously it will depend what you want to do ie. if you are happy with your current weight and want to work on composition.1 -
So just ballparking the numbers you provided, your TDEE is around 2400 or so, and your intake is around 1700- 1800 calories. So you're probably in a calorie deficit. That means that your body is going to need all of the calories you're eating, plus some from stored fat, just to meet the energy needs to keep you alive and healthy, and repair and maybe build up and strengthen muscle tissue where you're slightly damaging it from your lifting. Your body can convert protein to carbs and carbs to protein but its more efficient if it doesn't have to. However, you can't tell you body that you want this food to be used for building muscle and that food to be used for keeping you alive, and there are choices being made inside you whether to repair your muscles or use that dietary protein for energy. So basically, as long as you're eating in a deficit, a little more protein gives you slightly better chance of having that protein used for muscle building or maintenance, while using stored fat for energy. But its not a guarantee.
Sounds to me like you're doing really great. I don't know why you say you're losing muscle, but if you're even maintaining it or gaining an little amount while losing fat, you're a total winner!0 -
I think you need to learn how this whole process works. If you are trying to lose weight...then it will be very difficult to gain muscles (not impossible). Your best bet will be to preserve your muscles by having a high protein diet and being on a small deficit, however you will lose some muscles. Lifting simply ensures you don't lose too much. In order to build muscles in general, you need to gain weight (a small surplus ideally...too much of a surplus will make you fat). What sucks about building muscles is that you will gain fat along the way which is why I recommend a small surplus (0,25-0.5 pounds gain per week for women) and nothing too crazy.
You can read this https://muscleforlife.com/bulking-up/
Thanks for posting this. I am trying to go on my first "bulk" but not overdo it. I want to ease into it with about a 10% or so surplus. This link led me to several great articles that gave me a lot to consider and add to the tool box of how to go about it. Appreciate3 the good info.0 -
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blackcomaro wrote: »
@blackcomaro
My hunch is on an inaccurate measuring method like BIA scales.
Decent calorie and protein levels + strength training so unlikely to be losing any significant muscle.
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Yes - See Jason Wittrock as a high profile example.
ETA: He actually eats at keto carb levels, though... 110g is just barely low carb.2 -
midwesterner85 wrote: »Yes - See Jason Wittrock as a high profile example.
ETA: He actually eats at keto carb levels, though... 110g is just barely low carb.
I am pretty sure Jason Wittrock didn't get where he is now by eating Keto... but rather switched. Because for the longest time he was following the typical bodybuilding templates, which is how you get fit. And with all bodybuilders, you have to consider if there was even supplementation.5 -
Sure, why not?
Just suboptimal.2 -
Increase carbs to 150g complex carbs (brown rice etc) (helps build muscle) also bananas, protein should be at least 155 g per day. Do compound exercises...deadlift, squat & bench, Go heavier on the squats 5 sets of 5 reps and increase the weight you are lifting each week. The increased weight you are able to lift is the only way to be sure you are building muscle. If you are not getting stronger you are not building muscle. Hope this helps
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Increase carbs to 150g complex carbs (brown rice etc) (helps build muscle) also bananas, protein should be at least 155 g per day. Do compound exercises...deadlift, squat & bench, Go heavier on the squats 5 sets of 5 reps and increase the weight you are lifting each week. The increased weight you are able to lift is the only way to be sure you are building muscle. If you are not getting stronger you are not building muscle. Hope this helps
that is wrong..
you can get stronger and not be building any muscle..
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Increase carbs to 150g complex carbs (brown rice etc) (helps build muscle) also bananas, protein should be at least 155 g per day. Do compound exercises...deadlift, squat & bench, Go heavier on the squats 5 sets of 5 reps and increase the weight you are lifting each week. The increased weight you are able to lift is the only way to be sure you are building muscle. If you are not getting stronger you are not building muscle. Hope this helps
that is wrong..
you can get stronger and not be building any muscle..
You are actually saying something a bit different. Yes, there are neurological adaptations in your CNS, but it's true, you can't gain muscle if you aren't getting stronger. No one gains muscle while getting weaker or maintaining the same amount of strength. I think it was just worded in a weird fashion2 -
Increase carbs to 150g complex carbs (brown rice etc) (helps build muscle) also bananas, protein should be at least 155 g per day. Do compound exercises...deadlift, squat & bench, Go heavier on the squats 5 sets of 5 reps and increase the weight you are lifting each week. The increased weight you are able to lift is the only way to be sure you are building muscle. If you are not getting stronger you are not building muscle. Hope this helps
that is wrong..
you can get stronger and not be building any muscle..
You are actually saying something a bit different. Yes, there are neurological adaptations in your CNS, but it's true, you can't gain muscle if you aren't getting stronger. No one gains muscle while getting weaker or maintaining the same amount of strength. I think it was just worded in a weird fashion
that could be...
I read it as "if you are getting stronger you are building muscle..." but maybe that poster meant in the context of a surplus...0 -
You are better off doing low-moderate carb, high protein, low fat and lift heavy 4-6 reps. Try to work each muscle 3 times per week (compound exercises) This way you will build muscle and lose fat (carbs are needed to build muscle, all carbs should be complex carbs)0
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