Building muscle , calorie deficts and toning??? confused

woo1324

Okay so i probably sound like a bit of a nuff nuff but ive read allot of posts that say you cant build muscle on a defict which i understand, makes sense to me

but what i guess confuses me is what happens to mucles when you work them out on a defict do they "tone" do they become stronger can you see a noticable difference in your body by working your muscles out while still losing weight? or is it pointless

is it better just to focus on cardio and eating a defict to lose the weight then when on maintance start building muscle

thoughts and opinions?

dad106

Muscles can become stronger without becoming bigger...as long as you keep upping the weight and keep challenging the muscle, it will get stronger.

By doing cardio only, your going to eat up muscle and fat.. leading to the skinny fat look. By doing cardio and weight lifting, your going to preserve what muscle you have, and the losses should be mainly fat.

I'm sure others will chime in shortly and can answer your questions a bit better then I have.

Panda86

Well, I have heard lots of different stuff on the subject, and here is what I concluded after talking to some personal trainers- you can build and tone muscle on a deficit, but you MUST do it carefully. You need LOTS of protein, and you really need to watch your nutrients. For me, I needed a smaller deficit in order to build muscle while still losing fat, because I did not watch to sacrifice muscle at all. This means that I lose more slowly, but I see a lot more muscle tone. You really have to find what works for you. But I would really stress the importance of getting enough protein to help build your muscles.... I am sure more people will have advice!

sshultz

You can't build muscle while in a calorie deficit. Adding lean muscle mass requires a calories surplus which, if not done carefully, can add fat as well. Being in too much of a deficit will cause your body to metabolize your muscle because it requires more energy to maintain. Working out while in a deficit allows the muscle to become more visible due to the loss of the fat covering it so you get that "toned" look. Unless you are a bodybuilder or training with some serious intensity, you really don't need any more than 1 gram of protein per pound of lean body weight. If you have any kidney issues, consult a physician before beginning a high protein diet.

Agreed you need strength training to maintain your muscle while losing fat. It's always a good idea to incorporate resistance training into a weight loss program because muscle helps you burn fat, even while you are at rest.