Building strength and calories

thedreamhazer

I posted a similar topic yesterday, but I had additional questions that I would like answered, and that I think other could benefit hearing about, as well.
The previous topic was about whether or not you can build muscle strength training on a calorie deficit, and what happens to your body/what the benefit of strength training on a deficit was. The answer was resoundingly that you will not gain muscle on a deficit, unless you are an athlete coming back to the sport, completely new to strength training, or obese.
This brought up two additional questions:

1- I've read that you should do strength training while you're trying to lose weight because muscle burns more fat/you'll raise your metabolic rate. Is this not true, since you can't put on muscle, really, at a deficit? Since being at a caloric deficit breaks down lean muscle as well as fat, is strength training really just a matter of combating my metabolic rate lowering as much as it would if I didn't do strength training?

2- If I can't put on muscle at a deficit, can I still improve my strength? I know when I first started weight training, I benched 30 lbs (pathetic, I know). I now bench 70 lbs. I was running on a 500-700 calorie deficit/day that whole time... was this improvement jsut because I was a beginner? Should I stop expecting to be able to do progressions if I'm on a deficit?

hroush

I believe I commented on your post yesterday. I noticed that I am getting stronger with running a calorie deficit, though I'm sure I'd get stronger faster if I consumed more. I consume all my exercise calories and try to consume 200 g of protein (1g/lb) every day.

cruiseking

Who say's you can't gain muscle, while having a deficit of calories? Somebody forgot to tell my muscles, and my trainer. I'm not buying that theory at all. I am officially calling shiggy-shaggy on that one.

foreverloved

bump!

suavequeen

Great questions! I would like to know what the responses are. I'll keep checking in ...:happy:

thx for posting...

Egger29

Genreally speaking, Building new muscle (lean mass) requires the intake of additional calories.

On a calorie restricted diet however, lean mass is more easily broken down than fat.

With that in mind, doing regular strength training, produces the demands for replenishment of glycogen storage and protein synthesis, while at the same time regulating blood glucose and insulin levels that promote fat burning.

This continual replenishment keeps your lean mass from breaking down in a calorie reduced diet which promotes healthy "weight loss" to come from your body fat.

the Metabolic boosts come from the insulin/glycogen balances from your training (short answer) which promote additoinal fat burning for up to 48 hours after your workouts.

It is also possible to still increase your strength regardless of your calorie restrictions. The muscles adapt to the stimulus you're putting them under during training, while your recovery phases creating new neural pathways to allow the muscles to contract more effectively in future workouts, as well as efficiency in the muscle glycogen turnover rates.

debussyschild

Okay, from what I understand, actually gaining muscle mass depends on the type of resistance training/weight lifting you do. No matter what you are eating or whether you're in a deficit or not, you can always build muscle STRENGTH. Building muscle strength does not equate to gaining more muscle tissue, but if you're doing strength training regularly, you will gain some muscle mass. You can be in a deficit and gain muscle mass, I just watched my best friend do it and she's getting her doctorate in biochemistry and skeletal muscle physiology. From what I've experienced and had told to me, performing exercises that build muscle strength and endurance also increases your body's ability to burn more calories and burn them more efficiently, especially when you combine your strength training with cardiovascular exercise. The Mayo Clinic has a little article describing the benefits of weight training:

http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/strength-training/HQ01710

Unless you're training to be a body builder, a normal calorie deficit isn't going to make strength training a futile part of your weight loss regimen. It's actually a pretty vital part (or should be, in my opinion) of your workouts if you want to see long term results. Doing cardio all the time just burns the calories you ate, but combine that with strength training, you basically (but no exactly) raise your basal metabolic rate, so you're naturally burning more calories doing nothing than you were before. Hope this helps!

GorillaNJ

Focus on timing and nutrition. I always have a pre-workout protein shake. Gives you muscles the fuel they need for the workout. Immediatly after the workout I have either a protein heavy meal along with a complex carb or another protein shake with some fruit. That provides you muscles with what they need to grow.

I am not a trainer or a scientist... but from what i read it is possible to build muscle/strength on a calorie deficit with timing your meals and proper nutrition.

The biggest benefit of strength training is the long term burn that you body produces building muscle... you body will burn more calories at rest as you are recovering from your workout... that is unlike cardio where the benefits of the workout for weight loss and calorie burning stops when you stop the exercise.

I know it has been working for me! I have did not start doing any real cardio until I was already close to having lost 70lbs.

JennLifts

your strength can increase, but you won't be gaining muscle... ish. and as far as why you should, even if you're not building, you're maintaining what you have while you're losing weight. Otherwise the odds of losing more muscle with your fat go up.

BigDave1050

Bodybuilders have a bulk phase and a cut phase. With the two guys I know, thier cut phase invloves taking in less calories while keeping up thier Protien intake. Do they gain muscle? not really, but the get toned (cut). I belive the same thing happens to us who lift while trying to lose weight. As far as strength gains, I belive since you are new to lifting, you will continue to see improvments in your strength.

debussyschild

Genreally speaking, Building new muscle (lean mass) requires the intake of additional calories.

On a calorie restricted diet however, lean mass is more easily broken down than fat.

With that in mind, doing regular strength training, produces the demands for replenishment of glycogen storage and protein synthesis, while at the same time regulating blood glucose and insulin levels that promote fat burning.

This continual replenishment keeps your lean mass from breaking down in a calorie reduced diet which promotes healthy "weight loss" to come from your body fat.

the Metabolic boosts come from the insulin/glycogen balances from your training (short answer) which promote additoinal fat burning for up to 48 hours after your workouts.

It is also possible to still increase your strength regardless of your calorie restrictions. The muscles adapt to the stimulus you're putting them under during training, while your recovery phases creating new neural pathways to allow the muscles to contract more effectively in future workouts, as well as efficiency in the muscle glycogen turnover rates.

That's probably one of the most thorough explanations I've ever read. Thank you for posting that!

kdiamond

The more calories I eat, the more I can lift and the stronger I get.

However, I increased my strength SOMEWHAT when I was eating less, but eventually I stopped gaining strength until I started eating more.

Hope that helps.

Bodybuilders have a bulk phase and a cut phase. With the two guys I know, thier cut phase invloves taking in less calories while keeping up thier Protien intake. Do they gain muscle? not really, but the get toned (cut). I belive the same thing happens to us who lift while trying to lose weight. As far as strength gains, I belive since you are new to lifting, you will continue to see improvments in your strength.

And I agree with this. Especially if you're new to lifting.

SassyStef

bump

thedreamhazer

Thank you everyone! This was all very helpful, and I hope others find it to be, also!