You Can Gain Muscle On A Calorie Deficit!!

Ripken818836701

Regardless of her metabolism Stacy gained 5lbs of muscle and got LEANER (lost fat) So regardless of if it was because of her metabolism or her rigorous workout program she was eating at a deficit and still gained muscle.

She was definitely not eating at a defecit. This is straight out of the page:

"On top of super heavy strength training, Staci had to eat between 3000-4000 calories per day (all healthy calories, mind you) to put on the extra weight. Had she not overloaded her system with calories, she wouldn’t have gained an ounce."

I think it's pretty clear that the OP doesn't really understand what calorie deficit or surplus means.

You again!! Looking at your pics I can completely understand why you cant believe that you can add muscle while on a deficit. You cant gain 5 lbs in one month and also get leaner at the same unless your on a deficit.

I answered all the way back on page 1 how one can gain muscle on a deficit:

You can gain strength in a calorie deficit. Gaining muscle is pretty rare, and is limited to beginners to weight lifting, and those coming back after a long break (muscle memory). For the rest of us, we strength train during deficit to maintain lean mass and maintain or increase strength.

This particular quote just nails the fact that you don't understand what you're talking about: You cant gain 5 lbs in one month and also get leaner at the same unless your on a deficit..

You keep using these words. But they don't mean what you think they mean.

And what are the majority of people who are currently dieting?
The majority are people like myself, who are beginners not currently lifting, or comming back after a long break. While I am a beginner and still trying to learn everything I can, I know I gained lean muscle over the past year from lifting, the PT. that takes my measurments every month knows it and so do the guys that I lift with. We must all be misguided.

dlwyatt82

Then please explain to me ( im being serious) how she gained 5 lbs in one month but also got leaner ( lost fat) at the same time if she wasnt on a deficit? Also Im not the only one that posted on this thread that has gained muscle on a deficit can you explain that?

I don't know what causes the changes in your body fat during this process, but 3000-4000 calories for a girl of her size can't be anything but a surplus (unless she were running for 2 or 3 hours each day, or some comparable amount of cardio). The methods for calculating BMR and TDEE are talked about constantly on these forums; if you eat more than your TDEE, it's a surplus. Eat less, it's a deficit.

4000 calories would be a suplus for me, and I weigh more than twice what Staci does.

douglasmobbs

Since I have started eating healthy and going down the gym I have lost 70Lb and I can now lift more than I could at the start.

When I mentioned to medical people (doctors and nutritionists) as well as gym trainer that I was thinking about dropping the strength training to allow more time for cardio as it burns more calories I got told to keep up the strength training as it is important to build muscle strength up whilst losing weight.

AlsDonkBoxSquat

Regardless of her metabolism Stacy gained 5lbs of muscle and got LEANER (lost fat) So regardless of if it was because of her metabolism or her rigorous workout program she was eating at a deficit and still gained muscle.

She was definitely not eating at a defecit. This is straight out of the page:

"On top of super heavy strength training, Staci had to eat between 3000-4000 calories per day (all healthy calories, mind you) to put on the extra weight. Had she not overloaded her system with calories, she wouldn’t have gained an ounce."

I think it's pretty clear that the OP doesn't really understand what calorie deficit or surplus means.

You again!! Looking at your pics I can completely understand why you cant believe that you can add muscle while on a deficit. You cant gain 5 lbs in one month and also get leaner at the same unless your on a deficit.

I have to agree with tsao. I think you are confusing the way that her body is using the excess calories to produce muscle with a deficit because it's not turning into fat. Her body is efficiently using her macro balance and surplus calories to fuel her workouts and create muscle, it's the perfect balance for her body to utilize the resources provided. At a deficit your body doesn't produce anything, it loses (hopefully mostly fat, and a little lean mass). The only thing you can produce out of thin air is mist . . .

erickirb

Regardless of her metabolism Stacy gained 5lbs of muscle and got LEANER (lost fat) So regardless of if it was because of her metabolism or her rigorous workout program she was eating at a deficit and still gained muscle.

She was definitely not eating at a defecit. This is straight out of the page:

"On top of super heavy strength training, Staci had to eat between 3000-4000 calories per day (all healthy calories, mind you) to put on the extra weight. Had she not overloaded her system with calories, she wouldn’t have gained an ounce."

Then please explain to me ( im being serious) how she gained 5 lbs in one month but also got leaner ( lost fat) at the same time if she wasnt on a deficit? Also Im not the only one that posted on this thread that has gained muscle on a deficit can you explain that?

Here is how. A caloric surplus, and all of the 5lbs she gained was muscle, which in turn caused her body fat % to drop, not the lbs of fat on her body.

Say someone is 120lbs and 20%BF, they would have 24lbs of fat, now if that person puts on 5 lbs of muscle, they still only have 24 lbs of fat, but are now 125 lbs, so the BF% dropped to 19% (24/125). So she is now more lean 19%BF% vs. 20%, but weighs 5lbs more and still has the same amount of fat in pounds.

AlsDonkBoxSquat

Regardless of her metabolism Stacy gained 5lbs of muscle and got LEANER (lost fat) So regardless of if it was because of her metabolism or her rigorous workout program she was eating at a deficit and still gained muscle.

She was definitely not eating at a defecit. This is straight out of the page:

"On top of super heavy strength training, Staci had to eat between 3000-4000 calories per day (all healthy calories, mind you) to put on the extra weight. Had she not overloaded her system with calories, she wouldn’t have gained an ounce."

Then please explain to me ( im being serious) how she gained 5 lbs in one month but also got leaner ( lost fat) at the same time if she wasnt on a deficit? Also Im not the only one that posted on this thread that has gained muscle on a deficit can you explain that?

Here is how. A caloric surplus, and all of the 5lbs she gained was muscle, which in turn caused her body fat % to drop, not the lbs of fat on her body.

Say someone is 120lbs and 20%BF, they would have 24lbs of fat, now if that person puts on 5 lbs of muscle, they still only have 24 lbs of fat, but are now 125 lbs, so the BF% dropped to 19% (24/125). So she is now more lean 19%BF% vs. 20%, but weighs 5lbs more and still has the same amount of fat in pounds.

Damn you for bringing mathematical equations to the table, where's the room for argument?!?

Ripken818836701

OK guys I found a pic. from back in the fall ( I dont remember the exact date) but It is after I lost the majority of my weight.
Please with an open mind etc. compare the first pic. to the 2nd pic. that I took on Jan 20th. Both pics were taken just after I finished lifting. My chest and shoulders in the first pic. was no were close to being as big as it is in the 2nd pic.

erickirb

OK guys I found a pic. from back in the fall ( I dont remember the exact date) but It is after I lost the majority of my weight.
Please with an open mind etc. compare the first pic. to the 2nd pic. that I took on Jan 20th. Both pics were taken just after I finished lifting. My chest in the first pic. was no were close to being as big as it is in the 2nd pic.

It is possible you had "beginner gains", then were able to maintain most of those gains while losing fat.

odusgolp

It may be possible that I'll never get sick of this thread...

Jacwhite22

OK guys I found a pic. from back in the fall ( I dont remember the exact date) but It is after I lost the majority of my weight.
Please with an open mind etc. compare the first pic. to the 2nd pic. that I took on Jan 20th. Both pics were taken just after I finished lifting. My chest in the first pic. was no were close to being as big as it is in the 2nd pic.

I cant see your pics from work but odds are you had some newbie gains.....they also probably looked smaller before because you had more fat

Ripken818836701

OK guys I found a pic. from back in the fall ( I dont remember the exact date) but It is after I lost the majority of my weight.
Please with an open mind etc. compare the first pic. to the 2nd pic. that I took on Jan 20th. Both pics were taken just after I finished lifting. My chest in the first pic. was no were close to being as big as it is in the 2nd pic.

It is possible you had "beginner gains", then were able to maintain most of those gains while losing fat.

Im sure I did have beginner gains but I contiuned to gain muscle after the majority of my weight was lost.

AlsDonkBoxSquat

OK guys I found a pic. from back in the fall ( I dont remember the exact date) but It is after I lost the majority of my weight.
Please with an open mind etc. compare the first pic. to the 2nd pic. that I took on Jan 20th. Both pics were taken just after I finished lifting. My chest and shoulders in the first pic. was no were close to being as big as it is in the 2nd pic.

I'd love to see more of your personal experience (as each person's is different) but the 2 pictures only have about 6 inches vertical of flesh in common so it's difficult to really evaluate. In both you have musculature, in the second it's more defined, but the same could be said for my progress pictures when I was having my bf% measured on a monthly basis . . . on the surface it appears that I'm bigger but I know from measurements that I actually lost about 15% lean mass pound for pound (decreased from a 23% lean mass loss during the previous poundage).

Ripken818836701

Man I wish I pics of me with my shirt off from last March or April but I was way to embarressed to take a pic or have a pic taken of me with my shirt off back then.

Ripken818836701

OK guys I found a pic. from back in the fall ( I dont remember the exact date) but It is after I lost the majority of my weight.
Please with an open mind etc. compare the first pic. to the 2nd pic. that I took on Jan 20th. Both pics were taken just after I finished lifting. My chest and shoulders in the first pic. was no were close to being as big as it is in the 2nd pic.

I'd love to see more of your personal experience (as each person's is different) but the 2 pictures only have about 6 inches vertical of flesh in common so it's difficult to really evaluate. In both you have musculature, in the second it's more defined, but the same could be said for my progress pictures when I was having my bf% measured on a monthly basis . . . on the surface it appears that I'm bigger but I know from measurements that I actually lost about 15% lean mass pound for pound (decreased from a 23% lean mass loss during the previous poundage).

If you look at my chest you can see space in between my pecs were there was nothing but bone under the skin and in the second pic. my pecs almost touch. Also my pecs have grown wider and fuller in the 2nd pic. and are also closer to my collar bone.

erickirb

OP, If you are gaining muscle, how are you tracking calories in vs. calories out, are you sure you are eating at a deficit?

If you are not weighing solids or measuring liquids your intake may not be what you think it is, usually people under estimate the amount the eat.

taso42

It may be possible that I'll never get sick of this thread...

i love the parts where people start quoting and requoting posts with all the pictures. i burn a lot of calories by scrolling, and this will definitely help me build up lean mass in my fingers while i'm on this calorie deficit.

Ripken818836701

Here I just found a pic from last June. If this pic doesnt show that I have gained size in arms from June to Present I give up and wave the white flag!! 3-4 more lbs and Im done eating at a deficit and I have to start a thread to learn how to do a bulk.

RonSwanson66

Your arms look smaller now. More defined, but smaller.

Ripken818836701

OP, If you are gaining muscle, how are you tracking calories in vs. calories out, are you sure you are eating at a deficit?

If you are not weighing solids or measuring liquids your intake may not be what you think it is, usually people under estimate the amount the eat.

I pretty much eat the same things each and every day and my exercise program has remained the same aswell. Im currently eating about 2400 calories, 60 grams of fat, 225 grams of protein per day. My diet is also very high in carbs. Just got on the scale this morning and have lost 4lbs in the last 2 weeks down to 209 from 213. Over the last year I have tried to lose between 1-2 lbs per week.

Ripken818836701

Your arms look smaller now. More defined, but smaller.

Well their not.