Heavy lifting & cutting

DjinnMarie

I guess newb gains don't exist on this site.

I can believe it. I've seen it. I've seen women (who were mostly sedentary before starting) gain almost as much while in a deficit.

Lift heavy in a cal deficit will help preserve LBM.

Here is an anecdote from my own adventures:

I have been lifting and eating between maintenance and surplus for about 5 months. My boyfriend has also been lifting but eating at a deficit for the same amount of time.

We had our BF% measured at the beginning and then again just a little while ago.

I have gained 5 lbs, but it is confirmed lean body mass. He lost 17 lbs, but 6 lbs of it was lean body mass.

When you are eating at a deficit there will always be some level of muscle lost. Lifting helps to hold on to more of it, but you aren't going to gain a significant amount of it without eating a whole lot.

31 yo female gains 5 lbs muscle in 5 months - I'll have to wave the BS flag on that one. If you're eating at a surplus, fat gains are inevitable. And you're boyfriend lost 35% of his weight in LBM - he's either restricting his calories too much, not lifting heavy enough, or a combo of both. Or 3rd option; whoever is testing your BF is doing a lousy job of it, which is the more likely scenario.

5lbs in 5 months of lean mass for a new female lifter...I don't see the BS. That is 1/4lb per week. Plus eating a very slight surplus with a good lifting routine will result in minimal fat gains.

Male, maybe and would have to have never lifted before in his life. Not for a woman though. Maybe half of that; 5 lbs is probably 2.5 lbs muscle/2.5 lbs fat. Back to option 3 - whoever is doing BF testing, shouldn't.

I get your skepticism, but maybe it happened. I'm a 32yo female, not novice lifter. Bulked 20 weeks and gained 6 lbs total (4 lbs LBM) and I was VERY conservative with my bulk.