Fat loss

tarheelboy

Hey guys and gals,
I am maintaining a decent calorie deficit an lifting weights in an attempt to shed about 40 pounds of fat. When lifting to preserve muscle, lifting heavy, do I need to do 3-5 sets or is one to failure enough? I don't have tons of energy by the end of the day from the calorie deficit and it is very difficult to finish my workout.
Thanks.

shadow2soul

Make sure your deficit isn't to large. If your deficit is too large you will still lose the muscle you are trying to preserve.

Recommendations for deficit:
- 0.5 lbs a week loss if you have less than 25 lbs per week to lose
- 1 lb a week loss if you have 25-50 lbs to lose
- 1.5 lb a week loss if you have 50 - 75 lbs to lose
- 2 lbs per week loss if you have 75 lbs + to lose
- 1% bodyweight per week loss max if you want to lose mostly fat
- If using MFP as designed: eat 50-75% exercise burns and adjust the amount you eat up/down as needed after a couple weeks




I experimented in the past and habing too large of a deficit left me feeling constant fatigue. I struggled to make it through my workouts.

LivingtheLeanDream

sounds like you have set yourself too aggressive a calorie deficit. Fuel your body and it will perform better

jemhh

tarheelboy wrote: »

Hey guys and gals,
I am maintaining a decent calorie deficit an lifting weights in an attempt to shed about 40 pounds of fat. When lifting to preserve muscle, lifting heavy, do I need to do 3-5 sets or is one to failure enough? I don't have tons of energy by the end of the day from the calorie deficit and it is very difficult to finish my workout.
Thanks.

OP, you can cut volume and frequency by quite a bit. This article should help you gauge what you can change:

http://www.bodyrecomposition.com/training/weight-training-for-fat-loss-part-2.html

The basic conclusion, again from both research and practical experience is that both volume and frequency of training can usually be cut by up to 2/3rds (that is, to 1/3rd of what you did to improve it) but with one massively important caveat: the intensity of that training must be maintained.

In this case, intensity would mean the weight on the bar. If you are lifting 150#, for example, you'd continue to lift 150# but you could cut back on the number of sets. If you do 3 sets of 5 right now, I'd cut back to 2 sets of 5, for example. I would cut back gradually rather than all at once.

tarheelboy

Thanks. It looks like the volume is cutting itself back . I have reduced my exercises to just one per muscle group and sticking to compound movements. I started out with about 60# to lose. Maybe I should change my goals to allow for so.e additional calories but still continue to lose. I do tend to eat back most of the calories that I burn. I walk an average of 3 miles at work so that burns a bit. Thanks for the inputs.