Would love to start weight lifting, but do not want to have a surplus of food?

malioumba

Obviously muscle gain goes hand in hand with eating a surplus of protein/carbohydrates, but what should individuals do if they do not wish to add a surplus of macro nutrients into their diets?

I know absolutely nothing about weight training, but I know that I would like to start, however, I'm not really comfortable eating more. Could it be possible for muscles to tear and repair even without the surplus? I've seen individuals who are only cutting, but they lift (although not heavily - just 10-20lbs) and they moved from...well 10lbs - 20lbs. Is this something else entirely and not muscle growth?

If so, what should individuals like myself, who do not want to eat a surplus do instead - to help take care of muscles even whilst being in a deficit?

I just joined MFP two days ago...so I'm just starting this whole thing.

AsISmile

You still want to lose weight?
Then follow a good beginner lifting program (yes you can really go heavy on a defecit), eat the calories MFP gives you, and just try to eat enough protein.
You don't need a surplus to repair muscles, protein however will help maintain existing muscle while losing weight.
Bodybuilders also continue to lift heavy on a cut. Biggest difference however is that bodybuilders are probably not able to increase how much they can lift on a cut, while new lifters still have so much growing potential that even on a cut they can still make very big strength gains. Plenty of people on here that could already lift 100 lbs+ on some lifts while they were still in the process of losing weight and eating at a defecit.
That is however not muscle growth, on a defecit you are able to increase strength by using the already existing potential in your current muscles. By lifting reguraly, neuro pathways get strengthened, allowing you to use your muscles more efficient and therefore lift heavier.

Long story short, eat at defecit and lift heavy to maintain existing muscle, get stronger and lose fat.

Picked a good beginner program yet? These programs are all full body progressive overload and come highly recommended for beginners:
- Stronglifts 5x5
- Starting strength
- New rules of lifting
- Strong curves
- ICF 5x5

They tell you what to do, when, how much, how often, etc.
Google them, and pick your favorite.

ndj1979

AsISmile wrote: »

You still want to lose weight?
Then follow a good beginner lifting program (yes you can really go heavy on a defecit), eat the calories MFP gives you, and just try to eat enough protein.
You don't need a surplus to repair muscles, protein however will help maintain existing muscle while losing weight.
Bodybuilders also continue to lift heavy on a cut. Biggest difference however is that bodybuilders are probably not able to increase how much they can lift on a cut, while new lifters still have so much growing potential that even on a cut they can still make very big strength gains. Plenty of people on here that could already lift 100 lbs+ on some lifts while they were still in the process of losing weight and eating at a defecit.
That is however not muscle growth, on a defecit you are able to increase strength by using the already existing potential in your current muscles. By lifting reguraly, neuro pathways get strengthened, allowing you to use your muscles more efficient and therefore lift heavier.

Long story short, eat at defecit and lift heavy to maintain existing muscle, get stronger and lose fat.

Picked a good beginner program yet? These programs are all full body progressive overload and come highly recommended for beginners:
- Stronglifts 5x5
- Starting strength
- New rules of lifting
- Strong curves
- ICF 5x5

They tell you what to do, when, how much, how often, etc.
Google them, and pick your favorite.

co sighn…

you can lift heavy in a deficit and don't need a surplus. A surplus is only needed for those that want to bulk/add muscle...

chelseafxx

Yes, it's possible to lose fat and gain muscle at the same time while doing a lifting program. It's called carb cycling. Look up Heidi Powell I think her name is and Chris Powell. You need to be able to follow it though or you won't see results as is the same with any style of eating or training. Good luck to you.

xcalygrl

AsISmile wrote: »

You still want to lose weight?
Then follow a good beginner lifting program (yes you can really go heavy on a defecit), eat the calories MFP gives you, and just try to eat enough protein.
You don't need a surplus to repair muscles, protein however will help maintain existing muscle while losing weight.
Bodybuilders also continue to lift heavy on a cut. Biggest difference however is that bodybuilders are probably not able to increase how much they can lift on a cut, while new lifters still have so much growing potential that even on a cut they can still make very big strength gains. Plenty of people on here that could already lift 100 lbs+ on some lifts while they were still in the process of losing weight and eating at a defecit.
That is however not muscle growth, on a defecit you are able to increase strength by using the already existing potential in your current muscles. By lifting reguraly, neuro pathways get strengthened, allowing you to use your muscles more efficient and therefore lift heavier.

Long story short, eat at defecit and lift heavy to maintain existing muscle, get stronger and lose fat.

Picked a good beginner program yet? These programs are all full body progressive overload and come highly recommended for beginners:
- Stronglifts 5x5
- Starting strength
- New rules of lifting
- Strong curves
- ICF 5x5

They tell you what to do, when, how much, how often, etc.
Google them, and pick your favorite.

Also going to co-sign this. Spot on.

malioumba

AsISmile wrote: »

You still want to lose weight?

Long story short, eat at defecit and lift heavy to maintain existing muscle, get stronger and lose fat.

They tell you what to do, when, how much, how often, etc.
Google them, and pick your favorite.

But I can't lift heavy...I mean I've TRIED and it was just embarrassing. Doing a dumbbell benchpress, I can only lift 12lbs pounds. During a dumbbell overhead shoulder press - barely 7lbs Seated row, I can only row 15lbs.

These are not heavy lifting at all... it's quite embarrassing that everyone around me is able to bench more than 20lbs, and I'm not sure I ever will - unless I deliberately start looking to eat more, which I'm not interested in right now.

So the light lifting that I'm doing right now - what is that? Toning? I should keep toning? The problem with these strength training programs is that they lift so heavy - and I can barely do 5lbs-15lbs. (I am still going to look into the programs you listed though - and this "carb cycling" too.)

middlehaitch

Don't worry where you start. Just start, get your form correct, then start increasing your weights.

You can still work off one of the recommended programmes, just adapt it for the weights you can lift. There are videos showing how to do this on YouTube.

As Amyrebeccah said, it is lift what is heavy for you. It took months for that penny to drop for me, I thought I had to start with a loaded barbell- and I am tiny, so was scared to death. Still not worked my way to one, but don't worry any longer.

Cheers, h.

AsISmile

malioumba wrote: »

AsISmile wrote: »

You still want to lose weight?

Long story short, eat at defecit and lift heavy to maintain existing muscle, get stronger and lose fat.

They tell you what to do, when, how much, how often, etc.
Google them, and pick your favorite.

But I can't lift heavy...I mean I've TRIED and it was just embarrassing. Doing a dumbbell benchpress, I can only lift 12lbs pounds. During a dumbbell overhead shoulder press - barely 7lbs Seated row, I can only row 15lbs.

These are not heavy lifting at all... it's quite embarrassing that everyone around me is able to bench more than 20lbs, and I'm not sure I ever will - unless I deliberately start looking to eat more, which I'm not interested in right now.

So the light lifting that I'm doing right now - what is that? Toning? I should keep toning? The problem with these strength training programs is that they lift so heavy - and I can barely do 5lbs-15lbs. (I am still going to look into the programs you listed though - and this "carb cycling" too.)

First off, there is no such thing as toning. That is BS made up to misdirect women to start unsuccessful fitness programs. Only way to get that "toned" aka lean, muscular fit look is to lift "heavy".
And yes, heavy is what is heavy for you.
The thing about progressing to heavier weights is

AsISmile wrote: »

By lifting reguraly, neuro pathways get strengthened, allowing you to use your muscles more efficient and therefore lift heavier.

So basically, keep doing it regularly and your strength will go up. And with reguraly I mean about 3x a week.
I promise you, you will be amazed how fast you can progress once you started.

Personally I am doing strong curves, which starts with dumbells on all lifts and later progresses to the barbell. The starting weight is the heavies weight you can manage 10 reps with. Rep ranges are 8-12, so after you can do 12, you pick up heavier weights the next time and try to do it 8 times. Pretty sure NROLW also starts with dumbells (but can't confirm 100%).
It is just a matter of doing it according to a good program and doing it regularly. Everyone can do it. Just go for it. Stop thinking and start doing.

sarahrbraun

malioumba wrote: »

AsISmile wrote: »

You still want to lose weight?

Long story short, eat at defecit and lift heavy to maintain existing muscle, get stronger and lose fat.

They tell you what to do, when, how much, how often, etc.
Google them, and pick your favorite.

But I can't lift heavy...I mean I've TRIED and it was just embarrassing. Doing a dumbbell benchpress, I can only lift 12lbs pounds. During a dumbbell overhead shoulder press - barely 7lbs Seated row, I can only row 15lbs.

These are not heavy lifting at all... it's quite embarrassing that everyone around me is able to bench more than 20lbs, and I'm not sure I ever will - unless I deliberately start looking to eat more, which I'm not interested in right now.

So the light lifting that I'm doing right now - what is that? Toning? I should keep toning? The problem with these strength training programs is that they lift so heavy - and I can barely do 5lbs-15lbs. (I am still going to look into the programs you listed though - and this "carb cycling" too.)

"Lifting heavy" means heavy for YOU. You have no clue how long everyone else has been lifting, or where they started.

I AM that "heavy lifter" at my gym. I'm still kind of chubby, so people don't expect to see me moving the weights I move. Monday I was shoulder pressing 20lbs dumbbells and upright rowing 15lbs dumbbells...but I've been working with weights for 3 years now. I'm also the one lovingly helping the grandma in the wheelchair bench press a 15lbs bar because she wants to do *real* lifting like she sees me doing.