lifting and eating at maintenance or deficit?

operation_cute

Hi, I've been doing strong lifts. I'm 200 lbs, size 14 and have a significant amount of body fat to lose. I've been eating at a deficit (1600-1800 a day based on my tdee) I've pretty much given up the idea that my actual scale weight is going to decrease at a steady rate as long as I'm lifting (that was hard to accept) My question is, is it possible to decrease my body fat simply from lifting without a deficit? Or is the deficit still required? And if it is possible, which would be a more productive method (eating at a deficit, but try to maintain muscle, or eat at maintenance and keep developing new muscle)

I know about newbie gains, but after the newbie gains are over, and the amount of muscle I develop will significantly decrease (if not stop all together) would eating at maintenance be beneficial even though I have so much "weight" to lose? The reason I'm asking is because if each pound of muscle burns an extra 4 calories per pound, would it be enough to just increase muscle mass by avoiding the deficit so that my metabolism does the work instead? I don't even know if this is making since, so feel free to ask questions to help clarify what I meant lol

dieselbyte

I think I understand your question Creating a deficit can be attained by either eating at a caloric deficit, increasing your activity so that a deficit is created while you maintain your caloric intake, or both. Without a metabolic chamber and doctors, it is close to impossible to calculate the exact amount of calories you burn during and after your lifting session (EPOC). In order to burn fat, a deficit is needed, but I don't honestly think you can determine, or control for that matter, how much more muscle you need to build in order burn fat. It is easier to eat a deficit because that is what you control. However, if you don't want to do lower your calories through diet, try throwing a few HIIT cardio sessions in your weekly routine and continue to lift as you are and eat at maintenance. If you don't lose weight with the added sessions, then I would lower your calories until you see weight loss. You can still maintain, or even increase strength and LBM while losing fat. Everyone will tell you that you can't, but studies have already been done to show it's possible. Try to aim for 1lb loss/week to spare as much muscle as possible. Hope this helps.

operation_cute

I think I understand your question Creating a deficit can be attained by either eating at a caloric deficit, increasing your activity so that a deficit is created while you maintain your caloric intake, or both. Without a metabolic chamber and doctors, it is close to impossible to calculate the exact amount of calories you burn during and after your lifting session (EPOC). In order to burn fat, a deficit is needed, but I don't honestly think you can determine, or control for that matter, how much more muscle you need to build in order burn fat. It is easier to eat a deficit because that is what you control. However, if you don't want to do lower your calories through diet, try throwing a few HIIT cardio sessions in your weekly routine and continue to lift as you are and eat at maintenance. If you don't lose weight with the added sessions, then I would lower your calories until you see weight loss. You can still maintain, or even increase strength and LBM while losing fat. Everyone will tell you that you can't, but studies have already been done to show it's possible. Try to aim for 1lb loss/week to spare as much muscle as possible. Hope this helps.

Ok thank you, I don't have any problem eating at a deficit, I just wasn't sure If focusing on muscle gains rather than fat loss would be more effective I may keep my deficit at 1 lb a week like you suggested (been eating at a 1.5 - 2 lbs per week) although I haven't lost anything on the scale in a month But that didn't start till I started lifting so I'm learning to ignore the scale more (I lost inches during that time though)

dieselbyte

I think I understand your question Creating a deficit can be attained by either eating at a caloric deficit, increasing your activity so that a deficit is created while you maintain your caloric intake, or both. Without a metabolic chamber and doctors, it is close to impossible to calculate the exact amount of calories you burn during and after your lifting session (EPOC). In order to burn fat, a deficit is needed, but I don't honestly think you can determine, or control for that matter, how much more muscle you need to build in order burn fat. It is easier to eat a deficit because that is what you control. However, if you don't want to do lower your calories through diet, try throwing a few HIIT cardio sessions in your weekly routine and continue to lift as you are and eat at maintenance. If you don't lose weight with the added sessions, then I would lower your calories until you see weight loss. You can still maintain, or even increase strength and LBM while losing fat. Everyone will tell you that you can't, but studies have already been done to show it's possible. Try to aim for 1lb loss/week to spare as much muscle as possible. Hope this helps.

Ok thank you, I don't have any problem eating at a deficit, I just wasn't sure If focusing on muscle gains rather than fat loss would be more effective I may keep my deficit at 1 lb a week like you suggested (been eating at a 1.5 - 2 lbs per week) although I haven't lost anything on the scale in a month But that didn't start till I started lifting so I'm learning to ignore the scale more (I lost inches during that time though)

Ok, it is more clear. Just remember that glycogen stores, water weight and other variables can cause the number on the scale to remain the same or even increase. For a better measure of fat loss, use calipers and a tape measure.

operation_cute

I think I understand your question Creating a deficit can be attained by either eating at a caloric deficit, increasing your activity so that a deficit is created while you maintain your caloric intake, or both. Without a metabolic chamber and doctors, it is close to impossible to calculate the exact amount of calories you burn during and after your lifting session (EPOC). In order to burn fat, a deficit is needed, but I don't honestly think you can determine, or control for that matter, how much more muscle you need to build in order burn fat. It is easier to eat a deficit because that is what you control. However, if you don't want to do lower your calories through diet, try throwing a few HIIT cardio sessions in your weekly routine and continue to lift as you are and eat at maintenance. If you don't lose weight with the added sessions, then I would lower your calories until you see weight loss. You can still maintain, or even increase strength and LBM while losing fat. Everyone will tell you that you can't, but studies have already been done to show it's possible. Try to aim for 1lb loss/week to spare as much muscle as possible. Hope this helps.

Ok thank you, I don't have any problem eating at a deficit, I just wasn't sure If focusing on muscle gains rather than fat loss would be more effective I may keep my deficit at 1 lb a week like you suggested (been eating at a 1.5 - 2 lbs per week) although I haven't lost anything on the scale in a month But that didn't start till I started lifting so I'm learning to ignore the scale more (I lost inches during that time though)

Ok, it is more clear. Just remember that glycogen stores, water weight and other variables can cause the number on the scale to remain the same or even increase. For a better measure of fat loss, use calipers and a tape measure.

I want to get a set of calipers, but having a hard time finding them in actual stores (was trying to avoid getting them online so i can get them like now lol) I just recently started getting the hang of measuring, but according to my last measurements i lost an inch in my waist this past month (since the start of my new routine)