I've not built any muscle, should this be expected?

dave_in_ni

OK I am restricting to 1500 cals per day for weight loss, I've been lifting since Jan, 6 days per week usually following a beginner program which takes 3 days per week, I added strong lifts about 2 months ago for the other 3 days. My arms etc have gotten smaller due to my dieting, my legs look more defined but I really cant say I've built any muscle.

I know of skinny guys who after a few months have noticeably bigger arms all be it they aren't cutting like me. Is it my diet thats the cause of this? I figured no point building muscle if its covered by fat.

TavistockToad

You won't build muscle eating 1500 cals

lil_katie86

Your body will lose the fat first then you notice the muscle building. Your body is turning the fat to muscle, just keep up the work and you'll notice a difference once the fat has come off. Also once the fat has come off increase your protein as this will help with muscle mass:-) good luck.

sijomial

Here's your problem - "OK I am restricting to 1500 cals per day".

sijomial

lil_katie86 wrote: »

Your body will lose the fat first then you notice the muscle building. Your body is turning the fat to muscle, just keep up the work and you'll notice a difference once the fat has come off. Also once the fat has come off increase your protein as this will help with muscle mass:-) good luck.

Sorry but this is terribly inaccurate!
He will not create more muscle in a huge calorie deficit.
Fat cannot turn into muscle.
He needs adequate protein now, it's more important when in a calorie deficit than any other time.

TavistockToad

lil_katie86 wrote: »

Your body will lose the fat first then you notice the muscle building. Your body is turning the fat to muscle, just keep up the work and you'll notice a difference once the fat has come off. Also once the fat has come off increase your protein as this will help with muscle mass:-) good luck.

No

Chieflrg

In a deficit you won't build muscle, though you will retain muscle which is important.

If you want to build muscle you'll want to up your calories to the point where you're gaining about .5-1 lb weekly.

dave_in_ni

I'm getting plenty of protein, 2 shakes per day along with chicken, eggs etc. Today so far I have had 4 egg whites with 2 yokes and a protein shake and it's only 11am

SingingSingleTracker

dave_in_ni wrote: »

I'm getting plenty of protein, 2 shakes per day along with chicken, eggs etc. Today so far I have had 4 egg whites with 2 yokes and a protein shake and it's only 11am

As noted - a surplus of calories is how you bulk your muscle. Chances are, after you finish your current weight cut, you can then do a bulk by increasing your calories to a surplus. It might take several bulk and cuts, or cuts and bulks to achieve your desired "look". Hang in there.

sijomial

dave_in_ni wrote: »

I'm getting plenty of protein, 2 shakes per day along with chicken, eggs etc. Today so far I have had 4 egg whites with 2 yokes and a protein shake and it's only 11am

So you are doing two of the three things needed to preserve muscle in a deficit (strength training and adequate protein).
The third is having a moderate calorie deficit.

You haven't made any explanation regarding why you are eating such a very low calorie level despite all the comments you are getting.....

jemhh

What are your height, weight, and age?

Buff_Man

I'm at the same calories still getting 130g protein a day and losing about 2lbs a week. I'm 72kg and cutting to get BF down from 20s to 15-18%. I don't expect to bulk but my strength is going up so I'm happy I'm not in too much of a deficit. I'll be going up by 200 calories once I reach my BF%

Buff_Man

I would agree agree your deficit might be too low cuz your lifting x6 days. I'm doing 4 day split. If anything reduce your routine or increase your calories. Seems like your trying to lean bulk which is hard and I'm sure the other guys will tell u it's debatable whether you can ever truly clean bulk

slacker80

just try hitting them weights with attitude at a maintenance level and give it a few weeks. You might be surprised. In many cases we even lose more weight when we go above maintenance by a few hundred, along with a great diet and strict training regiment.
Here's what may happen in your current situation saying you decide to keep doing it your way. Your metabolism may readjust itself and slow down so that it adapts to your current low calorie lifestyle. It's just your bodies survival mode kicking in. Eventually 1500 calories begans feeling normal. hunger pains gone, Muscle gainz in the negative.

But if you're under 5ft tall and between 80-115 pounds...You're definitely bulking!

Slacker_8.0 ( IG )

jemhh

Just looked at your diary. Your goal is 2090 and you are eating 500 under that plus not adding in any exercise calories. Is the 2090 what MFP suggests to maintain?

singingflutelady

You are doing 2 lifting programs at the same time 6 days a week? That sounds like oveekill

robininfl

You say you are more defined. Are you stronger? That sounds like building muscle to me. You can't get bigger without eating more, that's true. But it doesn't sound like you aren't getting good results.

lynn_glenmont

sijomial wrote: »

Here's your problem - "OK I am restricting to 1500 cals per day".

Agreed, but here is another problem: OP is combining two separate lifting programs, and lifting 6 days a week. You don't build muscle on lifting days. You build muscle on rest days.

singingflutelady

robininfl wrote: »

You say you are more defined. Are you stronger? That sounds like building muscle to me. You can't get bigger without eating more, that's true. But it doesn't sound like you aren't getting good results.

Gaining strength and gaining muscle are not necessarily the same thing. You gain gain strength without gaining muscle.

cwolfman13

When you are dieting, you are in a perpetual catabolic state...building muscle requires you to be in an anabolic state which means you would have to be in a surplus of energy (calories), not a deficit.

Also, I'm not quite understanding your programming...it sounds like you're doing two different programs. You should just do one program, you don't want to be working the same muscles or groups of muscles on consecutive days...it's counterproductive. Rest and recovery is where the actual magic happens.

dave_in_ni

jemhh wrote: »

What are your height, weight, and age?

I'm 5'11, 92kg/202lbs, 35

dave_in_ni

jemhh wrote: »

Just looked at your diary. Your goal is 2090 and you are eating 500 under that plus not adding in any exercise calories. Is the 2090 what MFP suggests to maintain?

MFP doesn't track weights so never added them. No 2090 is to loss weight, 2lbs per week if I remember correctly, I've dropped to 1500 as I have tried in the past to loss weight and it never worked, 1500 is working.

ninerbuff

lil_katie86 wrote: »

Your body will lose the fat first then you notice the muscle building. Your body is turning the fat to muscle, just keep up the work and you'll notice a difference once the fat has come off. Also once the fat has come off increase your protein as this will help with muscle mass:-) good luck.

You don't build muscle on a calorie deficit and it's physically impossible to turn fat into muscle.
Your comments may make the OP feel good, but giving out bad information doesn't help him or others understand what's really happening.

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

dave_in_ni

robininfl wrote: »

You say you are more defined. Are you stronger? That sounds like building muscle to me. You can't get bigger without eating more, that's true. But it doesn't sound like you aren't getting good results.

Honestly no not really. Arms and chest not really legs yes. I am dead lifting 70kg / 154lbs now. I started on 30kg / 66lbs. Compare that to bench press, I started on 30kg I am now only on 40kg / 88lbs, thats after 3 months lifting. Similar results with barbell curls, my arms and chest are weak.

ninerbuff

If you are "cutting" your aren't going to add muscle......................period.

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

dave_in_ni

ninerbuff wrote: »

If you are "cutting" your aren't going to add muscle......................period.

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

I am starting to notice that, no muscle or strength is getting built, the issue is I am still not at my desired weight, I am at about 18% body fat, I need to hit about 15% before I want to start bulking.

jemhh

dave_in_ni wrote: »

jemhh wrote: »

What are your height, weight, and age?

I'm 5'11, 92kg/202lbs, 35

Per your thread over in General Diet & Weight Loss, you're losing around 1.5 pounds a week. My guess is that you're ingesting more calories than your diary shows but, either way, you can't expect to build appreciable mass while in a deficit. You can build *some* muscle while in a small to moderate deficit. But that bit of muscle is unlikely to be enough to actually make your measurements increase, outside of the size gain you might have had due to the initial water retention that can come when you start lifting.

But really, stop comparing yourself to others. In one thread you're complaining that you're not losing fast enough. In the other you're complaining that you're not building muscle like others who are eating more than you. Pick your own goal, focus on what to do to reach it (including training properly, which doesn't necessarily mean more is better) and then get it done regardless of what others are doing.