Who knows the answer to this riddle.....????

riccoismydog

Alright. Been doing myfp for a while now. Haven't lost any weight in quite a while. Maybe a month. I am definitely eating a deficit. About enough to lose half a pound or a pound a week. Sometimes I eat my exercise cals, sometimes I save them for on the weekend after doing a very rigorous weight training session the day before. They eventually get eaten. I do prefer to eat them on the weekends and just stick to my 1200 cals a day.

I do two weight training days a week. Three cardio days, or two and a body pump class. I count body pump as cardio and weights. Pretty much 45 minutes five days a week.

I am not losing weight. BUT----I am looking pretty fantastic. My pics from even a month ago until today show a huge reduction in ugly things like muffin tops and back fat. I'm fitting into smaller sizes, my pants are looser and looser all the time. Also by the caliper method of measuring fat percentage I am down 5% in the last month.

So if I can't gain muscle on a deficit, and if I am not weighing less....what exactly is going on here?


NOTE:
Please don't freak out about the 1200 calories a day. I do eat back exercise calories, and 1200 is my tdee before exercise cals as calculated based on my lean muscle mass and my activity level, which is lazy lazy office worker, when I'm not working my butt is firmly planted on the couch studying or watching TV. I'm also pretty small. Hopefully this winter when I am more active and walking around more I am going to be able to raise that.

riccoismydog

Nobody knows whats happening here? I at least expected someone to tell me to eat more.

RGv2

Did you make any changes in your exercise routine (New exercises, upped intensity, etc..)?

This can stall out the scale as your muscles retain water for repair as they acclimate to the new workout regimen. You can continue to lose fat and inches, but the scale doesn't move due to the water. Once your body sheds the water, the scale moves again.

red0801

^^ Bump

RichardFL

You can very easily gain muscle while running a calorie deficit. Muscle is a little over 600 calories per pound, but fat is about 3500 calories per pound.

Remo_Williams

Certainly can be water retention - it could also be that you are eating at less of a deficit than you think due to measuring differences in both exercises calories burned and food consumed. Could be that the whole "you can't build muscle on a deficit" is bogus.

RGv2

You can very easily gain muscle while running a calorie deficit. Muscle is a little over 600 calories per pound, but fat is about 3500 calories per pound.

riccoismydog

The water retention theory is a good one. Usually when I lose weight I over do the cardio and it comes off super fast. This time I am doing plenty of weights. For the most part I am tired of cardio.

Maybe I should chuck the scale. Maybe we all should. Maybe the only pluses that should be measured are how I look and feel. Screw the scale. I'm down from a ten to a four (Canadian sizes)

funforsports

First off, congratulations. Nothing is better than working hard and seeing results. I really don't have an answer for you as it could be anything from water retention, to a few newb gains, or more likely is you are eating very close to your maintenance calories in which case you may not see a huge difference in the scale but your body composition does have the potential to change a bit.

RGv2

The water retention theory is a good one. Usually when I lose weight I over do the cardio and it comes off super fast. This time I am doing plenty of weights. For the most part I am tired of cardio.

Maybe I should chuck the scale. Maybe we all should. Maybe the only pluses that should be measured are how I look and feel. Screw the scale. I'm down from a ten to a four (Canadian sizes)

The other thing I was going to mention is that you're getting closer to your goal weight. The change in scale can really slow down at this point.

RichardFL

When you're doing weights or anything that strains your muscles, you're going to gain muscle if you're eating enough amino acids (protein) and have the rest of the nutrients required. You will tear your muscles during the workouts, and then your body repairs those tears and builds new strands of muscle to reduce the tearing that occurs in the future from that same amount of strain on that same muscle. That's why it gets easier to lift the same weight.

If you want proof that you can gain muscle while eating at caloric deficits, look at the weight loss TV shows like Biggest Loser. They have those people eating 1200 calories a day when they weigh 400+ pounds (not advised since that is below BMR for their weight!). But those contestants are obviously gaining muscle since they can lift heavier weights as the show progresses. Some of the shows even show medical tests showing lean body mass increasing over time.

I'm not even sure where you heard that you can't gain muscle, but please look up the biological process of how muscles are built if you really don't believe me. Or think about whether it even makes sense that the human body would be unable to repair muscle damage without gaining weight (what not eating a deficit implies). In any case, I hope you can at least believe science from a science book or scientific website. You may also want to research glycogen (from carbs) as it relates to muscles as well.

12skipafew99100

Nobody knows whats happening here? I at least expected someone to tell me to eat more.

I wish someone would tell me to eat more. Lol

riccoismydog

Thanks for all the responses everyone. I do see improvements, and that is the biggest deal. I know you can gain muscle on a slight deficit, but I was awaiting the barrage of responses that say I couldn't. Sometimes you have to insulate yourself from the usual message board shenanigans.

RGv2

When you're doing weights or anything that strains your muscles, you're going to gain muscle if you're eating enough amino acids (protein) and have the rest of the nutrients required. You will tear your muscles during the workouts, and then your body repairs those tears and builds new strands of muscle to reduce the tearing that occurs in the future from that same amount of strain on that same muscle. That's why it gets easier to lift the same weight.

If you want proof that you can gain muscle while eating at caloric deficits, look at the weight loss TV shows like Biggest Loser. They have those people eating 1200 calories a day when they weigh 400+ pounds (not advised since that is below BMR for their weight!). But those contestants are obviously gaining muscle since they can lift heavier weights as the show progresses. Some of the shows even show medical tests showing lean body mass increasing over time.

I'm not even sure where you heard that you can't gain muscle, but please look up the biological process of how muscles are built if you really don't believe me. Or think about whether it even makes sense that the human body would be unable to repair muscle damage without gaining weight (what not eating a deficit implies). In any case, I hope you can at least believe science from a science book or scientific website. You may also want to research glycogen (from carbs) as it relates to muscles as well.

Gaining Strength =/= A gain in muscle mass. Not sure where you heard you need to gain mass to gain strength. You should try looking that up in a science book or on a scientific website.

Your body increases its strength by a) recruiting more muscle fibers in a particular muscle group and b) increasing the firing frequency of your motor neurons (neurons and muscle fibers). not necessarily from gaining muscle mass.

Yes, the morbidly obese can put on some muscle mass in a deficit, but not the normal individual, passed any noob gains.

RGv2

I know you can gain muscle on a slight deficit, but I was awaiting the barrage of responses that say I couldn't. Sometimes you have to insulate yourself from the usual message board shenanigans.

If you believe this, than why post in the first place? Serious Question.

caramammal

Yeah, there are a million reasons why, and are all firmly based on complicated muscle ratio to calorie deficit/TDEE thingmagiggy stuff. All i know is, if you're eating at a deficit, and you know this is true, i.e. you are weighing and measuring everything rather than eyeballing it, then you will lose 'fat'. Which, if you're working out as much as you are, might not be immediately apparent on the scale.

For me, when i know im operating at a calorie deficit, i KNOW i will be smaller, sometimes the scale doesnt move for a few weeks then all of a sudden it drops 4lbs in one day.

But i think if you're feeling and looking amazing, thats all that matters, right?

zanne54

Thanks for posting some delicious eye candy! Wow, I need to start staying up late for the Western division games.

zanne54

The water retention theory is a good one. Usually when I lose weight I over do the cardio and it comes off super fast. This time I am doing plenty of weights. For the most part I am tired of cardio.

Maybe I should chuck the scale. Maybe we all should. Maybe the only pluses that should be measured are how I look and feel. Screw the scale. I'm down from a ten to a four (Canadian sizes)

Wow, from a 10 to a 4 with only 11 pounds lost? That's terrific! And I can see why you're frustrated. Don't focus on the number on the scale, focus instead on how great you feel and how awesome your clothes fit. ITA - throw away the scale!

RichardFL

Gaining Strength =/= A gain in muscle mass. Not sure where you heard you need to gain mass to gain strength. You should try looking that up in a science book or on a scientific website.

Your body increases its strength by a) recruiting more muscle fibers in a particular muscle group and b) increasing the firing frequency of your motor neurons (neurons and muscle fibers). not necessarily from gaining muscle mass.

Yes, the morbidly obese can put on some muscle mass in a deficit, but not the normal individual, passed any noob gains.

Even in your own explanation, (a) is adding muscle mass. (b) is the maximum limit of your existing strength. The harder you push your muscles, the more often the neurons fire and cause your muscle to twitch until they reach tetanic contraction. Once at tetanic contraction, that's it. The related muscle motor unit is in a constant steady state. You can't train to let your muscles go beyond tetanic contraction. Even if you could cause more rapid impulses, it wouldn't contract those muscle fibers any more.

You are admitting the exact same biological process does occur under the exact same circumstances in morbidly obese individuals, so what scientific basis do you have to believe biology and chemical reactions in the non-obese body follow different rules than morbidly obese individuals?

If you were actually right, it would mean only morbidly obese people and people gaining weight can even repair muscle damage. I do not understand how you believe this myth, or even where it started. I was shocked when I googled it and found somehow it is widespread, but there is scientific evidence that directly contradicts this myth. The biology involved does not even know how fat you are or how many calories you ate. Your cells just are not that smart. You can't just dismiss scientific evidence by saying "maybe for some people biology works that way, but not most people." Science does not discriminate based on weight or fat percentages.

RGv2

Gaining Strength =/= A gain in muscle mass. Not sure where you heard you need to gain mass to gain strength. You should try looking that up in a science book or on a scientific website.

Your body increases its strength by a) recruiting more muscle fibers in a particular muscle group and b) increasing the firing frequency of your motor neurons (neurons and muscle fibers). not necessarily from gaining muscle mass.

Yes, the morbidly obese can put on some muscle mass in a deficit, but not the normal individual, passed any noob gains.

Even in your own explanation, (a) is adding muscle mass. (b) is the maximum limit of your existing strength. The harder you push your muscles, the more often the neurons fire and cause your muscle to twitch until they reach tetanic contraction. Once at tetanic contraction, that's it. The related muscle motor unit is in a constant steady state. You can't train to let your muscles go beyond tetanic contraction. Even if you could cause more rapid impulses, it wouldn't contract those muscle fibers any more.

You are admitting the exact same biological process does occur under the exact same circumstances in morbidly obese individuals, so what scientific basis do you have to believe biology and chemical reactions in the non-obese body follow different rules than morbidly obese individuals?

If you were actually right, it would mean only morbidly obese people and people gaining weight can even repair muscle damage. I do not understand how you believe this myth, or even where it started. I was shocked when I googled it and found somehow it is widespread, but there is scientific evidence that directly contradicts this myth. The biology involved does not even know how fat you are or how many calories you ate. Your cells just are not that smart. You can't just dismiss scientific evidence by saying "maybe for some people biology works that way, but not most people." Science does not discriminate based on weight or fat percentages.

If you have to add muscle mass in order to gain strength, how did my bench go from 215lbs to 285lbs without gaining mass? Oh, that's right, I didn't

HappyStack

Aside from genetic freaks and newbies of any size, NOBODY can gain significantly noticeable muscle mass in a calorie deficit.

If you're lifting, in a deficit or at a calorie surplus, yes you will gain lean body mass... the efficiency with which you gain that mass is determined by your intake. More calories = more mass. Fewer calories = an absolutely minimal amount of mass, and ONLY if you are following some type of progressive overload system.

OP, your issue might be the same one as written about here by Lyle McDonald: http://www.bodyrecomposition.com/fat-loss/why-big-caloric-deficits-and-lots-of-activity-can-hurt-fat-loss.html

Or it might be the same as this one: http://www.muscleforlife.com/water-retention-and-weight-loss/

Or it might be the "refeed" portion here, that applies to what's currently going on with you: http://www.simplyshredded.com/layne-norton-the-most-effective-cutting-diet.html

It's really hard to tell.

TL;DR version is that all of them talk about fluctuating calorie intakes resulting in better progress. Who knew, amirite?