Why lift weights when losing weight if not to build muscles?

Francl27
Francl27 Posts: 26,371 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
Ok I've read a lot of threads about it and I know it's important to lift weights while losing weight so we don't lose muscles... but I've also read that you can't build muscles on a calorie deficit (although the nurse calculated that I gained 2lbs of muscles in 3.5 months, but I was obese then and 2 lbs is really not much out of 118 lbs).

So, what's the point? Wouldn't a protein rich diet be enough to maintain our muscles then? Can someone explain to me the logic behind it?
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Replies

  • DavPul
    DavPul Posts: 61,406 Member
    if your muscles aren't sufficiently challenged while you're losing weight then they will atrophy. it's possible to lose lean body mass at the same ratio that you lose fat mass so a 30 pound loss will be 15 pounds of fat and 15 pounds of LBM. a proper lifting routine will help you spare the muscle and keep the losses primarily to fat. that would be the point
  • Azdak
    Azdak Posts: 8,281 Member
    Lifting weights leads to greater amounts of fat (weight) even with no increase in muscle mass.

    Don't over think it--just lift it.
  • mlnick69
    mlnick69 Posts: 84
    The point is that when you do shred the fat, what's underneath it will look fantastic
  • scubar17
    scubar17 Posts: 43
    The point is that lifting heavy things will give you the shape and definition most people want. Just dropping weight through a protein-rich diet won't make your fanny look good on the beach and you could end up a skinny-fat person!
  • BarackMeLikeAHurricane
    BarackMeLikeAHurricane Posts: 3,400 Member
    You can gain mucle in a deficit. I'm quite noticeably larger but much leaner.
  • phjorg1
    phjorg1 Posts: 642 Member
    You can gain mucle in a deficit. I'm quite noticeably larger but much leaner.
    sure you are...

    For those reading this. It _may_ be possible. but ONLY under 4 conditions

    1) you're very fat.
    2) you're utterly untrained.
    3) You used to be trained, but are now untrained for long period of time. muscle memory
    4) You're on gear

    And even then if these conditions are true, there is no guarantee. The simple fact is for most people losing fat requires a calorie deficit and gained muscle mass requires a calorie surplus. these are very opposing conditions.
  • mlnick69
    mlnick69 Posts: 84
    Gaining muscle does not necessarily translate into weight gain.
  • Achrya
    Achrya Posts: 16,913 Member
    Cause I don't wanna be skinny fat?

    I know I know, people hate that term. Still, that's what I *don't* want.
  • phjorg1
    phjorg1 Posts: 642 Member
    Gaining muscle does not necessarily translate into weight gain.
    of course it does. muscle has mass. thus weight will go up when you gain it.
  • SailorKnightWing
    SailorKnightWing Posts: 875 Member
    I've been wondering this, too. I spent three months sick in bed a few years ago and have very little muscle mass, but I don't really see a reason to try to regain it until I finish losing my weight.
  • mlnick69
    mlnick69 Posts: 84
    Gaining muscle does not necessarily translate into weight gain.
    of course it does. muscle has mass. thus weight will go up when you gain it.

    I kind of took it as getting leaner, thus having the appearance of more muscle. My bad.
  • ami5000psu
    ami5000psu Posts: 391 Member
    I've been wondering this, too. I spent three months sick in bed a few years ago and have very little muscle mass, but I don't really see a reason to try to regain it until I finish losing my weight.

    Because if you wait until you've lost all your weight and reach goal you may find that you need to eat at a surplus to gain muscle just to look how you *thought* you would look at that weight. And it's not as if gaining and building muscle is easy work--it's tough and takes a lot of hard work. It's beneficial for you to maintain the little muscle you do have NOW rather than try to rebuild it later.
  • phjorg1
    phjorg1 Posts: 642 Member
    I've been wondering this, too. I spent three months sick in bed a few years ago and have very little muscle mass, but I don't really see a reason to try to regain it until I finish losing my weight.
    it's far easier to retain rather than rebuild...
  • jillianfaith13
    jillianfaith13 Posts: 5
    As far as I know (From my personal trainer, Lindora, My own research and stuff they told me in the Army) Muscle burns calories. A person with more muscle will have a higher resting metabolic rate than someone without. When you are burning fat if you do not lift weights or weight train then you will lose muscle mass and after losing the fat you want your resting metabolic weight will decrease with the loss of muscle and since you burn less calories it will be harder to keep the weight off.

    When you lift or do exercises that tire your muscles it breaks them down and the rich protien diet helps rebuild them. If you do not want to bulk up you do less weights and more reps... (That is what I do) If you want to be like Arnold was "Ill be back" then more heavy weight and less reps.

    Hope that helps. I am not professional but I have had a lot of experience and plan to get into the field of weightloss at some point so I hope this helps. That is as accurate as I can get. If anyone finds inaccurate information in here please contact me so I can make sure to learn what is true and not! ;)
  • SailorKnightWing
    SailorKnightWing Posts: 875 Member
    I've been wondering this, too. I spent three months sick in bed a few years ago and have very little muscle mass, but I don't really see a reason to try to regain it until I finish losing my weight.

    Because if you wait until you've lost all your weight and reach goal you may find that you need to eat at a surplus to gain muscle just to look how you *thought* you would look at that weight. And it's not as if gaining and building muscle is easy work--it's tough and takes a lot of hard work. It's beneficial for you to maintain the little muscle you do have NOW rather than try to rebuild it later.
    I'm fully aware that I'm going to need to eat a surplus to look good when I reach my goal weight. I'm not going to look good at my goal weight because my body behaves like silly putty and I'm going to look like a puddle of goo still. It just seems like a good benchmark.
  • Leather_N_Lace
    Leather_N_Lace Posts: 518 Member
    As far as I know (From my personal trainer, Lindora, My own research and stuff they told me in the Army) Muscle burns calories. A person with more muscle will have a higher resting metabolic rate than someone without. When you are burning fat if you do not lift weights or weight train then you will lose muscle mass and after losing the fat you want your resting metabolic weight will decrease with the loss of muscle and since you burn less calories it will be harder to keep the weight off.

    When you lift or do exercises that tire your muscles it breaks them down and the rich protien diet helps rebuild them. If you do not want to bulk up you do less weights and more reps... (That is what I do) If you want to be like Arnold was "Ill be back" then more heavy weight and less reps.

    Hope that helps. I am not professional but I have had a lot of experience and plan to get into the field of weightloss at some point so I hope this helps. That is as accurate as I can get. If anyone finds inaccurate information in here please contact me so I can make sure to learn what is true and not! ;)

    ^^^^ EXACTLY^^^^
  • Barbellerella
    Barbellerella Posts: 1,838 Member
    if your muscles aren't sufficiently challenged while you're losing weight then they will atrophy. it's possible to lose lean body mass at the same ratio that you lose fat mass so a 30 pound loss will be 15 pounds of fat and 15 pounds of LBM. a proper lifting routine will help you spare the muscle and keep the losses primarily to fat. that would be the point
    QFT

    You-Got-It-Dude.gif
  • taso42
    taso42 Posts: 8,980 Member
    1. to gain strength
    2. to preserve muscle mass
  • BarackMeLikeAHurricane
    BarackMeLikeAHurricane Posts: 3,400 Member
    You can gain mucle in a deficit. I'm quite noticeably larger but much leaner.
    sure you are...

    For those reading this. It _may_ be possible. but ONLY under 4 conditions

    1) you're very fat.
    2) you're utterly untrained.
    3) You used to be trained, but are now untrained for long period of time. muscle memory
    4) You're on gear

    And even then if these conditions are true, there is no guarantee. The simple fact is for most people losing fat requires a calorie deficit and gained muscle mass requires a calorie surplus. these are very opposing conditions.
    O rly?

    I weigh more in the first picture
    764d429a55a6c0119d54a999c489d126_zpsa7ac78a5.jpg
  • ami5000psu
    ami5000psu Posts: 391 Member
    I've been wondering this, too. I spent three months sick in bed a few years ago and have very little muscle mass, but I don't really see a reason to try to regain it until I finish losing my weight.

    Because if you wait until you've lost all your weight and reach goal you may find that you need to eat at a surplus to gain muscle just to look how you *thought* you would look at that weight. And it's not as if gaining and building muscle is easy work--it's tough and takes a lot of hard work. It's beneficial for you to maintain the little muscle you do have NOW rather than try to rebuild it later.
    I'm fully aware that I'm going to need to eat a surplus to look good when I reach my goal weight. I'm not going to look good at my goal weight because my body behaves like silly putty and I'm going to look like a puddle of goo still. It just seems like a good benchmark.

    ....ok then. Good luck with your fitness goals.
  • NovemberJune
    NovemberJune Posts: 2,525 Member
    if your muscles aren't sufficiently challenged while you're losing weight then they will atrophy. it's possible to lose lean body mass at the same ratio that you lose fat mass so a 30 pound loss will be 15 pounds of fat and 15 pounds of LBM. a proper lifting routine will help you spare the muscle and keep the losses primarily to fat. that would be the point
    QFT

    You-Got-It-Dude.gif

    First reply wins :)
  • phjorg1
    phjorg1 Posts: 642 Member
    You can gain mucle in a deficit. I'm quite noticeably larger but much leaner.
    sure you are...

    For those reading this. It _may_ be possible. but ONLY under 4 conditions

    1) you're very fat.
    2) you're utterly untrained.
    3) You used to be trained, but are now untrained for long period of time. muscle memory
    4) You're on gear

    And even then if these conditions are true, there is no guarantee. The simple fact is for most people losing fat requires a calorie deficit and gained muscle mass requires a calorie surplus. these are very opposing conditions.
    O rly?

    I weigh more in the first picture
    764d429a55a6c0119d54a999c489d126_zpsa7ac78a5.jpg
    whats the tape measure difference?
  • whierd
    whierd Posts: 14,025 Member
    if your muscles aren't sufficiently challenged while you're losing weight then they will atrophy. it's possible to lose lean body mass at the same ratio that you lose fat mass so a 30 pound loss will be 15 pounds of fat and 15 pounds of LBM. a proper lifting routine will help you spare the muscle and keep the losses primarily to fat. that would be the point

    This.
  • DonnieFoozball
    DonnieFoozball Posts: 12 Member
    I guess I'm gonna answer the question with one of my own... (And again, I am NOT a medical, exercise, or nutrition specialist):

    What is your goal? (Ie Is your goal simply a number that indicates the earth's gravitational pull on your mass -OR- Fitness?) I for one am interested in being fit. Hence I exercise to: maintain (not that I would mind building) muscle, improved cardio/stamina/etc., increased flexibility, improved brain chemistry (I love the buzz), and I want to be able to DO things not just be 'less fat'.

    But, I'm just a guy. What do I know?
  • BarackMeLikeAHurricane
    BarackMeLikeAHurricane Posts: 3,400 Member
    You can gain mucle in a deficit. I'm quite noticeably larger but much leaner.
    sure you are...

    For those reading this. It _may_ be possible. but ONLY under 4 conditions

    1) you're very fat.
    2) you're utterly untrained.
    3) You used to be trained, but are now untrained for long period of time. muscle memory
    4) You're on gear

    And even then if these conditions are true, there is no guarantee. The simple fact is for most people losing fat requires a calorie deficit and gained muscle mass requires a calorie surplus. these are very opposing conditions.
    O rly?

    I weigh more in the first picture
    764d429a55a6c0119d54a999c489d126_zpsa7ac78a5.jpg
    whats the tape measure difference?
    2.5"
  • ChrisLindsay9
    ChrisLindsay9 Posts: 837 Member
    You can gain mucle in a deficit. I'm quite noticeably larger but much leaner.
    Are you sure your muscle mass is larger, or that the bodyfat dissipation has made them larger? I am pretty lean now and people say that I'm huge. But it's the bodyfat diminishment that has made the muscle look big. Not that the muscle is actually getting bigger.

    If your muscle mass is larger, than you're pretty much the exception to the rule. And congrats on your awesome genetics and tremendous work ethic!
  • j6o4
    j6o4 Posts: 871 Member
    You can gain mucle in a deficit. I'm quite noticeably larger but much leaner.
    sure you are...

    For those reading this. It _may_ be possible. but ONLY under 4 conditions

    1) you're very fat.
    2) you're utterly untrained.
    3) You used to be trained, but are now untrained for long period of time. muscle memory
    4) You're on gear

    And even then if these conditions are true, there is no guarantee. The simple fact is for most people losing fat requires a calorie deficit and gained muscle mass requires a calorie surplus. these are very opposing conditions.
    O rly?

    I weigh more in the first picture
    764d429a55a6c0119d54a999c489d126_zpsa7ac78a5.jpg

    Being able to see your muscle more doesnt mean you're gaining muscle, it just means your losing fat and you're able to see whats underneath.
  • BarackMeLikeAHurricane
    BarackMeLikeAHurricane Posts: 3,400 Member
    You can gain mucle in a deficit. I'm quite noticeably larger but much leaner.
    Are you sure your muscle mass is larger, or that the bodyfat dissipation has made them larger? I am pretty lean now and people say that I'm huge. But it's the bodyfat diminishment that has made the muscle look big. Not that the muscle is actually getting bigger.

    If your muscle mass is larger, than you're pretty much the exception to the rule. And congrats on your awesome genetics and tremendous work ethic!
    In the past 10 months:
    Chest +1.75"
    Upper arms +2"
    Foreams +1"
    Thighs +4"

    Maybe I just have god tier bulking genetics, but I've seen other people gain muscle in a deficit as well. You defintely need to work your butt off and stay pretty spot on with your macros, but it's definitely possible.
  • Joehenny
    Joehenny Posts: 1,222 Member
    Ok I've read a lot of threads about it and I know it's important to lift weights while losing weight so we don't lose muscles... but I've also read that you can't build muscles on a calorie deficit (although the nurse calculated that I gained 2lbs of muscles in 3.5 months, but I was obese then and 2 lbs is really not much out of 118 lbs).

    So, what's the point? Wouldn't a protein rich diet be enough to maintain our muscles then? Can someone explain to me the logic behind it?

    That would be the worst mistake possible. Your muscles are taxing on the body and require calories to exist, the body always attempts to burn them when in a calorie deficit. Eating protein but not applying frequent and adequate stress to your muscles will result in atrophy. Have you ever broken and arm or leg? You will notice that the limb that wasn't in use is noticeably smaller than the other that was free, same concept.
  • jonnythan
    jonnythan Posts: 10,161 Member
    Wouldn't a protein rich diet be enough to maintain our muscles then?

    No, it's not.

    HTH.

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