Muscle gain question

therealangd

Just a really quick question. And as I write it, I'm thinking it's a stupid question.

"You can't gain muscle in a calorie deficit"

What exactly does this mean? Does this mean your calorie NET can't be in a deficit, or that your food calories can't be below your BMR or TDEE? Or something else?

b0t23

i would say it is harder to build muscle while losing weight.

if you have a lot of weight to lose, you will also be losing muscle.

but if you don't have much muscle, you will also be building some muscle.

If losing weight is your main focus, you will most likely be gaining and losing muscle as you go during different periods.

Too much of a calorie deficit will make it next to impossible to properly build new muscle. I recommend losing weight as slowly as possible.

zafferFL

Building muscle requires extra calories. At it's simplest, above your BMR. You need to take into account ratios of macronutrients as well. If you do lifting 3 days a week, increase carbs on those days, decrease carbs on rest days. That way you will flip-flop between a calorie overage and a calorie deficit depending on whether or not you are lifting on that day.

jacksonpt

The rule of thumb is in reference to net cals.

therealangd

Thanks.