How do I know?

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mirgss
mirgss Posts: 275 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
Recently I have slightly changed my calorie intake and workout goals. I have upped my calorie intake to about 1500 (from 1200) and am beginning to add in heavy lifting 2-3x a week. At my current calorie intake, I am still operating at a slight deficit. I know that trying to build muscle while eating at a deficit will only be effective for a limited amount of time. (I am new to lifting heavy but not new to cardio and not new to lifting *some*.)

So how do I know when I've reached the point that in spite of my protein and fat intake, I'm losing lean weight as well as fat with my calorie intake? Because I do have some fat I still want to lose.

Replies

  • carrie_eggo
    carrie_eggo Posts: 1,396 Member
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    If you're lifting and eating adequate protein, you shouldn't worry too much about losing lean mass. If your goal is still fat loss, keep doing what you're doing.
  • Lesa_Sass
    Lesa_Sass Posts: 2,213 Member
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    Take your measurements if you have not already. That should prove that you are doing what you are supposed to be doing if you are still losing inches.

    Good luck!
  • mirgss
    mirgss Posts: 275 Member
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    Well, I am trying to build muscle as well. I was more focused on cardio than weights, and that got boring, so now I want to focus more on getting stronger...but I don't want to gain any more fat. I know I sort of want to have my cake and eat it too...but being a novice lifter, I know I can sort of get away with it for a little while.
  • tgh1914
    tgh1914 Posts: 1,036 Member
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    If you're av is even somewhat accurate, I'd say don't be in a deficit any longer. Only beginning lifters that are obese can have some (marginal) muscle gains with a cal deficit.
  • mirgss
    mirgss Posts: 275 Member
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    I'm sorry, what's "av"?
  • FaithHopeBELIEVE
    FaithHopeBELIEVE Posts: 626
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    I am right there with you and trying to figure ths out.
  • addisondisease
    addisondisease Posts: 664 Member
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    I'm sorry, what's "av"?

    I think he means AVatar
  • Rae6503
    Rae6503 Posts: 6,294 Member
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    You won't know. Even though, yeah, you might build some muscle on a deficit (this is highly debated here on MFP but most experts agree that it can rarely be done) you can't really count on it. You can attempt a "body recomp" which is, I think, where you eat at maintenance and hope your lifting forces your body to build a little bit of muscle and burn a little bit of fat. Or you can do traditional "bulking/cutting" cycles where you either focus on building muscle (eating at a surplus) or cutting fat (eat at a slight deficit as to preserve as much muscle as possible). A lot of people will lose all the fat they want first before they start bulking. I started bulking when I still had about 10lbs of extra fat.
  • mirgss
    mirgss Posts: 275 Member
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    I think he means AVatar

    Oh. Ahahaha. Of course. Me = dumb.
  • mirgss
    mirgss Posts: 275 Member
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    I started bulking when I still had about 10lbs of extra fat.

    This is about where I'm at - 10-15 lbs. There is so much information..kinda overwhelming :/

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