can i build muscle on a calorie deficit?

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tlanger251
tlanger251 Posts: 86 Member
in Goal: Gaining Weight and Body Building
I've been doing keto for over six months and i've lost 26 pounds but I did not work out so even though i'm 117 pounds, I still have a lot of fat (I'm 5'4"). I am really good about eating the exact amount of macros that I need, but I'm [just now] starting to work out (walking/yoga/pilates/rock climbing is my plan). Right now I eat 900-1100 calories a day. I want to lose my fat, and gain muscle. Can I continue to eat 1000 calories a day and build muscle? I've done a lot of research and the information is very contradictory. The calories I need to maintain is around 1300.00
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  • xaos100
    xaos100 Posts: 3 Member
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    If you are a beginner with alot of extra fat yes but not with walking yoga rock climbing
  • misnomer1
    misnomer1 Posts: 646 Member
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    1300 neat seems low
  • tlanger251
    tlanger251 Posts: 86 Member
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    rianneonamission wrote: »
    1300 to maintain? That's not right, especially if you are exercising. Based on your height and current weight (and age of 27 - no idea if that is even close), and sedentary lifestyle (office job), if I add in 4x 40mins of moderate exercise a week your TDEE is 1800 cals a day. You are vastly undereating and will absolutely not build muscle at your current calorie intake. If anything you probably are burning muscle.

    Even if you stayed in bed all day long you would still be burning >1400cals a day. You need to re-evaluate.

    I'm 44 and yes, I've stayed in bed all day for the past year. I'm in grad school and I just lay here and do research and write all day (only exaggerating a tiny bit here). I just started making an effort to workout in the last month. I went rock climbing once last week, yoga a few times, and been taking the stairs whenever possible. I graduate in 10 weeks and I have big plans to workout/gain muscle, but I still have fat and I'm hesitant about eating more calories [because I still have fat].. Using the keto calculator, 1054 calories puts me at a 200 calories a day deficit. I know when I work out, the calories I need to eat will increase. I guess I'm wondering if my maintenance calories increase to 1600 (for example), can I eat 1400/1500 and gain muscle?
  • tlanger251
    tlanger251 Posts: 86 Member
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    TavistockToad wrote: »
    not really no.

    you could try recomp if you started a lifting programme and ate at maintenance.

    what is recomp? right now I eat 60-80 grams of protein everyday, I'm hoping I haven't lost muscle, but I can't tell. I've never really had any [muscle].
  • ninerbuff
    ninerbuff Posts: 48,506 Member
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    No. You're pretty low in calories and you need much more of a surplus to do it. And especially if you're on keto because protein synthesis is activated by certain pathways and keto dieting inhibits it, carbs are usually part of surplusing to add muscle.

    A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
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  • tlanger251
    tlanger251 Posts: 86 Member
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    sardelsa wrote: »
    Can you gain muscle in a deficit, while it is possible under specific circumstances, with your stats it will be difficult. You can expect some gains for those new to lifting, but will it be mind blowing physique changes? Likely not.

    Also 1300 seems really low to maintain, and you aren't eating nearly enough which is a recipe for more muscle loss. I don't think losing more weight at this point will yield the body you are hoping for so I would look into recomposition.. so maintaining your weight while lifting weights.

    So.. you don't think I can build muscle with pilates, rock climbing, etc? I have no idea about lifting weights. I'll look into though, thanks.
  • ninerbuff
    ninerbuff Posts: 48,506 Member
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    tlanger251 wrote: »
    sardelsa wrote: »
    Can you gain muscle in a deficit, while it is possible under specific circumstances, with your stats it will be difficult. You can expect some gains for those new to lifting, but will it be mind blowing physique changes? Likely not.

    Also 1300 seems really low to maintain, and you aren't eating nearly enough which is a recipe for more muscle loss. I don't think losing more weight at this point will yield the body you are hoping for so I would look into recomposition.. so maintaining your weight while lifting weights.

    So.. you don't think I can build muscle with pilates, rock climbing, etc? I have no idea about lifting weights. I'll look into though, thanks.
    Not unless you're gaining weight. Gaining muscle is progressive to increase size, you'll eventually have to move more resistance. So if you're lighter in weight, you're moving LESS resistance, not more.


    A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
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  • tlanger251
    tlanger251 Posts: 86 Member
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    So.. you don't think I can build muscle with pilates, rock climbing, etc? I have no idea about lifting weights. I'll look into though, thanks.[/quote] Not unless you're gaining weight. Gaining muscle is progressive to increase size, you'll eventually have to move more resistance. So if you're lighter in weight, you're moving LESS resistance, not more.


    A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
    IDEA Fitness member
    Kickboxing Certified Instructor
    Been in fitness for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition
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    [/quote]

    Thanks, I guess if I am working out, I will be more hungry?? I hope to stick to 10% carbs/25% protein/65% fat
  • tlanger251
    tlanger251 Posts: 86 Member
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    ninerbuff wrote: »
    tlanger251 wrote: »

    Thanks, I guess if I am working out, I will be more hungry?? I hope to stick to 10% carbs/25% protein/65% fat
    Carbs and protein are too low. Muscle is ONLY built from proteins and you need carbs to help with calories and anabolism if you're trying to gain muscle. Honestly, I'd look more at a 40% carbs/40% protein/20% fat ratio IF your intent is to put on muscle.

    A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
    IDEA Fitness member
    Kickboxing Certified Instructor
    Been in fitness for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition
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    Before I started doing the ketogenic diet, I was addicted to carbs and I struggled with binge eating for my whole life. I am afraid to eat carbs again. For the first time in my life I only eat when I'm hungry.. There are body builders/athletes who swear by the 10/25/65 macros... I don't know.. guess I will have to do more research about that.
  • ninerbuff
    ninerbuff Posts: 48,506 Member
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    tlanger251 wrote: »
    ninerbuff wrote: »
    tlanger251 wrote: »

    Thanks, I guess if I am working out, I will be more hungry?? I hope to stick to 10% carbs/25% protein/65% fat
    Carbs and protein are too low. Muscle is ONLY built from proteins and you need carbs to help with calories and anabolism if you're trying to gain muscle. Honestly, I'd look more at a 40% carbs/40% protein/20% fat ratio IF your intent is to put on muscle.

    A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
    IDEA Fitness member
    Kickboxing Certified Instructor
    Been in fitness for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition
    9285851.png


    Before I started doing the ketogenic diet, I was addicted to carbs and I struggled with binge eating for my whole life. I am afraid to eat carbs again. For the first time in my life I only eat when I'm hungry.. There are body builders/athletes who swear by the 10/25/65 macros... I don't know.. guess I will have to do more research about that.
    For pre contest diet for a body builder, keto is fine, but that's NOT how they eat when they intend to bulk up more.
    And athletes who swear by that ratio likely aren't great athletes. Because energy use needs to be on demand in many sports, low glycogen levels aren't optimal for great performance.

    I'm just giving you the knowledge I know from working with people in body building and having competed myself, along with also training and working on nutrition with athletes in college. Physiology doesn't change much from person to person (unless there's a health issue involved), so it makes sense to follow dieting programs that encourage hypertrophy IF that's what you're really trying to do.

    A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
    IDEA Fitness member
    Kickboxing Certified Instructor
    Been in fitness for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition
    9285851.png
  • tlanger251
    tlanger251 Posts: 86 Member
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    sardelsa wrote: »
    tlanger251 wrote: »
    ninerbuff wrote: »
    tlanger251 wrote: »

    Thanks, I guess if I am working out, I will be more hungry?? I hope to stick to 10% carbs/25% protein/65% fat
    Carbs and protein are too low. Muscle is ONLY built from proteins and you need carbs to help with calories and anabolism if you're trying to gain muscle. Honestly, I'd look more at a 40% carbs/40% protein/20% fat ratio IF your intent is to put on muscle.

    A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
    IDEA Fitness member
    Kickboxing Certified Instructor
    Been in fitness for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition
    9285851.png


    Before I started doing the ketogenic diet, I was addicted to carbs and I struggled with binge eating for my whole life. I am afraid to eat carbs again. For the first time in my life I only eat when I'm hungry.. There are body builders/athletes who swear by the 10/25/65 macros... I don't know.. guess I will have to do more research about that.

    I suppose it can be done, although it is not the most optimal. Building muscle as a female is hard enough, adding more limitations will only make it more difficult.

    I just now read a great article that people on a keto diet should add carbs if they push themselves to the limit.. which it looks like you do. I doubt my ability to workout that hard, but we will see. If do increase carbs, maybe i will just add fruit, and/or black beans without adding pasta/bread/tortillas/etc.

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