Someone Explain This...

Hannah_Banana

I hear two (possibly) conflicting theories thrown around on MFP.

1. You should do weight lifting in addition to cardio when you're trying to lose weight because you will build muscle and tone your body, helping you burn fat more efficiently.

2. It is impossible to build muscle on a calorie deficit.

There is every chance I am misinterpreting one - or both- of those statements. Please explain. :bigsmile:

PBJunkie

Both theories are true and have scientific research to back them up.

Are you looking for links or simply just want to know whether they are true or not?

astovey

Bump

erickirb

I hear two (possibly) conflicting theories thrown around on MFP.

1. You should do weight lifting in addition to cardio when you're trying to lose weight because you will build muscle and tone your body, helping you burn fat more efficiently.

2. It is impossible to build muscle on a calorie deficit.

There is every chance I am misinterpreting one - or both- of those statements. Please explain. :bigsmile:

The reasons to lift while losing weight, it to strengthen your muscles, become more fit, and most importantly, stop your body for burning muscle to use as fuel. If you do cardio only, with a caloric deficit you will burn a large amount of lean muscle. Eating protein and adding strength training will limit the amount of muscle you lose.

As for 1. muscle does burn more cals at rest, so the more you have the more you burn when doing nothing,
As for 2. You may build some muscle initially when starting strength training (beginners gains) of if you have a lot to lose (large fat stores to draw from), but in a deficit if you don't have a lot to lose, over time you will burn muscle or at least not be able to build any.

CharlieBarleyMom

I agree. Both statements are true and valid but I'm marking this spot so I can read any further posts... hopefully from people who know what they're talking about.

4theking

The reason you do weight training while trying to lose weight is to help maintain lean mass(muscle). This is best done by eating a diet high in protein, low volume cardio, and heavy resistance(weight) training.

lemonadem

Good question.. BUMP

chemimangia

One theory that is missing: you MUST have a calorie deficit to lose weight.

Get rid of that theory, which has no scientific facts to support it, and you can gain muscle while losing weight.

The trick is to get your body to burn fat for energy instead of making sugar from what you eat.

Look up ketosis or keto.

I know quite a few people that are losing fat while eating 1,000+ calories more than their RMR says they should.

Jennyisbusy

I think the confusion comes in when you have wimpy people like me and weightlifters in the same area, lol.
You can / should weight lift and while losing weight. It will help you lose inches and burn more calories than if you just sit in the chair. Plus you will feel awesome!

however

you will not grow big muscley bumps like a body builder - which frankly is fine by me, on my body.

lyddsmom

I think it depends on how big the calorie deficit is and what your goals are. If you simply want to built muscle then don't diet and do minimum cardio and more strength training. If you want to lose weight then do maximum cardio and strength training just to maintain muscle mass and tone up as you become leaner.

PBJunkie

One theory that is missing: you MUST have a calorie deficit to lose weight.

Get rid of that theory, which has no scientific facts to support it, and you can gain muscle while losing weight.

The trick is to get your body to burn fat for energy instead of making sugar from what you eat.

Look up ketosis or keto.

I know quite a few people that are losing fat while eating 1,000+ calories more than their RMR says they should.

Would take this advice with a handful of salt as a calorie deficit is what helped 99% of people to lose their weight....me included
Also a ketogenic diet is extremely unhealthy and not recommended by healthy practitioners...good luck with those kidney stones.

surfinbernard

There is a very annoying tendency for various different theories to be presented as 'fact' when the 'clinical evidence' to back them up is flimsy and ambiguous. The human body is extremely complex and the experts still know very little about it and what they do 'know' is often trumped by newer 'knowledge' a little while later. Clearly these statements can't both be true as they contradict each other, but they have both been 'proven which shows how little evidence is needed to create scientific 'fact''.

mikeyml

I hear two (possibly) conflicting theories thrown around on MFP.

1. You should do weight lifting in addition to cardio when you're trying to lose weight because you will strengthen existing muscle and tone your body, helping you burn fat more efficiently.

2. It is impossible to build muscle on a calorie deficit.

There is every chance I am misinterpreting one - or both- of those statements. Please explain. :bigsmile:

There, I fixed it for you.

bcattoes

I think it depends on how big the calorie deficit is and what your goals are. If you simply want to built muscle then don't diet and do minimum cardio and more strength training. If you want to lose weight then do maximum cardio and strength training just to maintain muscle mass and tone up as you become leaner.

Yes, this has been my exerience for the past 30 years of keeping fit. Lots of cardio with a little strength training will keep you thin and not flabby. The more strength training you do the "harder" and more defined your body will be (more muscley, but not bigger for women). Exercises like stairs that are both aerobic and strength can do the trick for legs.

zumbawhit

Muscle eats protein. Period. So, the more protein you choose to incorporate into your low cal diet, the better. That's also why a low carbohydrate/high protein diet works so well. If you're doing the weights, eat meat... just be careful that you don't eat meat that is going to cancel out your cardio workout. It's true. A low calorie diet WILL NOT build muscle IF all you eat are rice and potatoes (carbs)... but by incorporating as much meat as possible, your muscle will begin to build itself.

zumbawhit

One theory that is missing: you MUST have a calorie deficit to lose weight.

Get rid of that theory, which has no scientific facts to support it, and you can gain muscle while losing weight.

The trick is to get your body to burn fat for energy instead of making sugar from what you eat.

Look up ketosis or keto.

I know quite a few people that are losing fat while eating 1,000+ calories more than their RMR says they should.

This dude is exactly right. While a lot of people lose weight doing it the low cal way, it is not necessary. The trick is to get your body to control its insulin level. By consuming more meat (as I previously said) and weight lifting... the muscle will eat all the proteins in your body which in turn forces your body to "re-start" with its insulin making. Instead of releasing so much sugar, it begins to burn what it already has. This releases ketones into the body. Ketones can be deadly to your body IF they are not flushed out of your system... hence all the liquid that you should be drinking. Ketones exit the body through pee or (believe it or not) your breath. Really, doing a combination of both low carb (not NO carb) and calorie control is the best thing you can do. I lost 60 pounds eating 3,000 calories/day in 8 months! So, proteins + weight training really is the answer.

paulmaximus

There are thousands of ways to lose wiehgt and gain tone, the fact is eat healthly and you can eat plenty, work out hard but have your rest days, the more you do the quicker you will lose.
Muscle will come in the end as long as you give your body fuel (healthy foods though (chicken is great, cottage cheese (low fat) is great for protien too) and excersize with weights as well as cardio, diet is important but remember, the harder you work out the less important it is as your body will burn most of it off and you will reap the rewards of being active.

bcattoes

Muscle eats protein. Period. So, the more protein you choose to incorporate into your low cal diet, the better. That's also why a low carbohydrate/high protein diet works so well. If you're doing the weights, eat meat... just be careful that you don't eat meat that is going to cancel out your cardio workout. It's true. A low calorie diet WILL NOT build muscle IF all you eat are rice and potatoes (carbs)... but by incorporating as much meat as possible, your muscle will begin to build itself.

You don't have to eat meat to get protein on a low carb/high protein diet. In fact, there is increasing evidence that eating plant based proteins are healthier when going low carb.

http://www.health.harvard.edu/family-health-guide/updates/protein-package-matters-in-a-low-carb-diet

To your body, protein from pork chops looks and acts the same as protein from peanuts. What’s different is the protein “package” — the fats, carbohydrates, vitamins, minerals, and other nutrients that invariably come along with protein. The two Harvard studies add to a growing body of evidence that emphasizing plant-based protein packages is a better bet for long-term health.

Hannah_Banana

Thanks everyone, have the diet part figured out. I am insulin resistant, so I've already cut out most non-veggie carbs.


Thank you erickirb, 4theking and mikeyml - that really cleared it up for me. I never doubted strength training was important, I simply didn't understand the two statements that seemed to contradict one another. You guys are great! :flowerforyou: