Calorie deficit = no muscle mass gain. so why am I stronger?

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mrswine
mrswine Posts: 263 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
The topic says it all. I have read on here for months that you cannot gain muscle in a calorie deficit. So here is my question. If I cannot gain muscle mass in a calorie deficit, how am I continually getting stronger? Can you gain strength without gaining muscle? I am able to lift more weights, do more pushes and am generally stronger but I have been in a calorie deficit for the past 6 months. Sorry if this question is completely ignorant but I just haven't seen an explanation for this on the site - just a constant influx of comments that you cant gain muscle in a calorie deficit. Thanks for any info!
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Replies

  • metacognition
    metacognition Posts: 626 Member
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    I'm curious about the same thing. I assume that new weight lifters can make small gains on a deficit. Not enough to put on substantial size, but enough to see marked improvement compared to muscles that are never trained.

    After a while it is very hard to gain additional strength on a deficit.
  • mrswine
    mrswine Posts: 263 Member
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    I've read a lot about it and know that if you are extremely obese you can gain muscle in a calorie deficit for a short amount of time. However, even that extremely detailed and informative article (will try to find link in old thread) didnt explain how I could be getting stronger in a deficit.
  • MisterDerpington
    MisterDerpington Posts: 604 Member
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    Novices can get a bit of muscle gains on a deficit, though the strength increases come from taxing your central nervous system. When you recover, from my understanding, your central nervous system is able to more readily recruit motor units and increase the synchronization of the nerves firing. Or something like that.

    Source: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/3057313
  • Shadowcub
    Shadowcub Posts: 154 Member
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    I too would like to know. I mean, in another thread I saw a recommendation for 250 calories > TDEE for gaining muscle mass. But I don't see why that 250 calories can't be represented by a bit more fat loss.

    What are we all missing?
  • lithezebra
    lithezebra Posts: 3,670 Member
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    I'm skeptical too. If you have some energy stores in the form of fat, and you are strength training, your body ought to be able to access that energy and build some muscle, assuming that you eat enough protein to get the amino acids for building them.
  • ndj1979
    ndj1979 Posts: 29,139 Member
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    the obese beginner will see some initial muscle gains but this only lasts for about first two to three months of training...

    You can get stronger while in a deficit, i.e. lift heavier stuff; it just means that your muscles are adapting to what you are lifting but you are not actually building additional muscle.

    I have steadily increased my deadlift while eating in deficit; it does not mean that I have added muscle, just means I am stronger...big difference...
  • grantdumas7
    grantdumas7 Posts: 802 Member
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    Here is a good video on the subject.
    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OU6LeZRhv6M
  • mrswine
    mrswine Posts: 263 Member
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    Novices can get a bit of muscle gains on a deficit, though the strength increases come from taxing your central nervous system. When you recover, from my understanding, your central nervous system is able to more readily recruit motor units and increase the synchronization of the nerves firing. Or something like that.

    Source: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/3057313

    Very interesting.
  • ndj1979
    ndj1979 Posts: 29,139 Member
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    I'm skeptical too. If you have some energy stores in the form of fat, and you are strength training, your body ought to be able to access that energy and build some muscle, assuming that you eat enough protein to get the amino acids for building them.

    sorry but no...your body turns to fat stores to function essential bodily functions ..organ function, breathing, digestive function etc...

    You need extra energy in form of more calories to go to muscle building..
  • astronomicals
    astronomicals Posts: 1,537 Member
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    Meta and Derping FTW... nothing left to say.... i guess I could say neural adaption, but, I believe thats what derp was describing
  • ndj1979
    ndj1979 Posts: 29,139 Member
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    Novices can get a bit of muscle gains on a deficit, though the strength increases come from taxing your central nervous system. When you recover, from my understanding, your central nervous system is able to more readily recruit motor units and increase the synchronization of the nerves firing. Or something like that.

    Source: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/3057313

    Very interesting.

    you are essentially training your muscles to lift heavier things..you are just not building additional muscle...you are basically increasing muscle productivity...
  • mrswine
    mrswine Posts: 263 Member
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    Novices can get a bit of muscle gains on a deficit, though the strength increases come from taxing your central nervous system. When you recover, from my understanding, your central nervous system is able to more readily recruit motor units and increase the synchronization of the nerves firing. Or something like that.

    Source: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/3057313

    Very interesting.

    you are essentially training your muscles to lift heavier things..you are just not building additional muscle...you are basically increasing muscle productivity...


    That makes sense. I think my disconnect was not understanding how you can get stronger without building muscle.
  • mrswine
    mrswine Posts: 263 Member
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    Here is a good video on the subject.
    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OU6LeZRhv6M

    Thanks!
  • sweetchildomine
    sweetchildomine Posts: 872 Member
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    I'm not saying it's not true but this whole thing has confused me as well. I DEFINITELY have put on muscle and I've been eating at a deficit for about a year now. I am FAR from obese and I'm not a beginner...Soooo...what gives? Has my body just adjusted to the deficit or what? lol Although, honestly, I don't care what I read on the internet anymore. I just look at my body and see if what I'm doing is working for me personally.
  • LolBroScience
    LolBroScience Posts: 4,537 Member
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    I'm not saying it's not true but this whole thing has confused me as well. I DEFINITELY have put on muscle and I've been eating at a deficit for about a year now. I am FAR from obese and I'm not a beginner...Soooo...what gives? Has my body just adjusted to the deficit or what? lol Although, honestly, I don't care what I read on the internet anymore. I just look at my body and see if what I'm doing is working for me personally.

    You're not gaining muscle, you're losing fat. Thus, your muscles are beginning to show more so you appear to have gained size.
  • lithezebra
    lithezebra Posts: 3,670 Member
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    I'm skeptical too. If you have some energy stores in the form of fat, and you are strength training, your body ought to be able to access that energy and build some muscle, assuming that you eat enough protein to get the amino acids for building them.

    sorry but no...your body turns to fat stores to function essential bodily functions ..organ function, breathing, digestive function etc...

    You need extra energy in form of more calories to go to muscle building..

    I'll see what I can find on Google scholar. You need amino acids and ATP to build proteins. Cells can make ATP from fatty acids - no problem. The main exception is the brain, which needs glucose or ketone bodies. Muscle cells can definitely use fatty acids.
  • sweetchildomine
    sweetchildomine Posts: 872 Member
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    I'm not saying it's not true but this whole thing has confused me as well. I DEFINITELY have put on muscle and I've been eating at a deficit for about a year now. I am FAR from obese and I'm not a beginner...Soooo...what gives? Has my body just adjusted to the deficit or what? lol Although, honestly, I don't care what I read on the internet anymore. I just look at my body and see if what I'm doing is working for me personally.

    You're not gaining muscle, you're losing fat. Thus, your muscles are beginning to show more so you appear to have gained size.

    If muscles are being revealed just because I'm losing fat, how come people who just diet with no strength training at all don't have muscle definition? P.s. I'm not arguing your statement, I'm just asking because I sincerely have no clue. All of this makes my head hurt. lol
  • ninerbuff
    ninerbuff Posts: 48,523 Member
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    I'm not saying it's not true but this whole thing has confused me as well. I DEFINITELY have put on muscle and I've been eating at a deficit for about a year now. I am FAR from obese and I'm not a beginner...Soooo...what gives? Has my body just adjusted to the deficit or what? lol Although, honestly, I don't care what I read on the internet anymore. I just look at my body and see if what I'm doing is working for me personally.
    You might have put on a little muscle, but anyone who just reduces their body fat enough will look more muscular regardless of how much muscle they have. It's more illusion than actual muscle gain.

    A.C.E. Certified Personal/Group FitnessTrainer
    IDEA Fitness member
    Kickboxing Certified Instructor
    Been in fitness for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition
  • AnvilHead
    AnvilHead Posts: 18,344 Member
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    The topic says it all. I have read on here for months that you cannot gain muscle in a calorie deficit. So here is my question. If I cannot gain muscle mass in a calorie deficit, how am I continually getting stronger? Can you gain strength without gaining muscle? I am able to lift more weights, do more pushes and am generally stronger but I have been in a calorie deficit for the past 6 months...
    Google "neuromuscular adaptation".

    Your nervous system adapts to the load being placed upon it by becoming more efficient at recruiting/utilizing your existing muscles. You can make very significant strength gains without adding muscle.
  • ninerbuff
    ninerbuff Posts: 48,523 Member
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    I'm not saying it's not true but this whole thing has confused me as well. I DEFINITELY have put on muscle and I've been eating at a deficit for about a year now. I am FAR from obese and I'm not a beginner...Soooo...what gives? Has my body just adjusted to the deficit or what? lol Although, honestly, I don't care what I read on the internet anymore. I just look at my body and see if what I'm doing is working for me personally.

    You're not gaining muscle, you're losing fat. Thus, your muscles are beginning to show more so you appear to have gained size.

    If muscles are being revealed just because I'm losing fat, how come people who just diet with no strength training at all don't have muscle definition? P.s. I'm not arguing your statement, I'm just asking because I sincerely have no clue. All of this makes my head hurt. lol
    Because people who diet alone ALSO lose muscle along with the fat and for them to get to lower body fat percentages is much harder. Resistance training helps to RETAIN lean muscle as well as increase metabolic rate and encourage fat burning where dieting alone lowers metabolic rate and fat burning is less proficient.

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

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