Can you build muscle mass while in a calorie deficit?

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CasperO
CasperO Posts: 2,913 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
Hi,

So I joined MFP at 270 pounds - which is way too much for me, and pretty inactive. I just dieted for the first couple months, and when I got to about 240 pounds I started exercising. Just cardio on an elliptical at first, but then I added weight training, and now bicycling here these last couple weeks.

I was on a 1000 calorie a day deficit for a long time, but when I got a little leaner that quit working. I was listless and worn out and didn't feel good. I adjusted back to 500 calorie deficit, and now I feel better and can exercise harder.

But
I've stopped losing weight!?!?! (I don't really mind, I'm just curious)

I'm theorietically working with a 500 calorie deficit, but I earn a lot of ex calories most days, and I eat most of them. I also load my diet heavy with protein and lighter with fats & carbs - and I put in a mildly animalistic weights workout 3 mornings a week. And now, for the last 2 months I'm holding dead even on weight at 212 pounds, but my waist is getting smaller and everything else is getting bigger and I feel fantastic.

Apparently the MFP setup is just about right for me, or maybe a little too generous with the food. If I was really in a net calorie deficit it would be almost impossible for me to maintain weight - and building muscle while in deficit is just about impossible. But I'm gaining muscle mass,,, so I'm either doing the (nearly) impossible, or my BMR is lower than MFP thinks. Hmmmmm...

Thoughts?

(I do weigh/measure/log in everything I eat BTW, so no cheating. And I track my exercise calories with a good HRM. I'm working pretty accurately).

Replies

  • SHBoss1673
    SHBoss1673 Posts: 7,161 Member
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    Yeah, MFP works off of the assumption that you're metabolism is A-OK and burning at an efficient pace. My guess would be, at a sustained 1000 calorie deficit, your metabolism probably dropped efficiency. Not enough to seriously inhibit weight loss while you still had plenty of fat to drop, but enough to make a dent once your calorie debt became smaller. By not pushing back up near maintenance, you're probably keeping your metabolic rate where it is, not increasing it. I'd put some money on the probability that if you upped your calories (slowly mind you, over a few weeks) to very close to maintenance, and kept it there for a few weeks, then dropped it back down a few hundred again, you'd start losing again.

    Gaining muscle mass while in caloric deficit is difficult, but because of the complexity of the human metabolism, it's not as straight forward as that. There may be times of the day where your body feels it can afford to build muscle, and other times where it feels like it has to maintain, and even more times where it feels it needs to leech protein out of muscle. I would guess that because you are working out rather vigorously, that your body is probably keeping the protein leeching to a minimum, but instead, slowing down other functions that usually require energy.

    these are all theories and none of them proven, but they are theories based on lots of working knowledge.

    Hope this helps Casper, and great work Big Guy!
  • Demetria
    Demetria Posts: 178
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    I think you just happened to find the perfect formula that works for you, enough calories to keep your metabolism in good order, enough protein to support muscle growth, enough fat burning cardio so you are able to build more muscle and keep burning more fat to change your total body composition. That is awesome!!!!

    How tall are you? how many inches have you lost in your waist? how many inches have you gained elsewhere? what is your bodyfat percentage now? just curious.

    you need to post your results and/or story in the success stories board!!

    Demetria
  • CasperO
    CasperO Posts: 2,913 Member
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    I'm 5'8 tall, with no neck at all. I stand shoulder to shoulder with my pal who's 5'11".

    I've lost 12 inches off my waist. 48" down to 36".
    ~
    My chest was a flabby 48 when I started, got down to a leaner 44, and now about 46 with better composition.
    ~
    Biceps the same story - 16 down to 14-1/2, now about 15 but cutting better.
    ~
    Bodyfat was about 35% when I started, now somewhere around 14% by caliper measurement. Need to recheck that this weekend.

    Success story? I dunno,,, the story is ongoing. I'm happy though.
    ((don't pay too much attention to the pictures, they're old. That muffintop above the belt is pretty much gone :smile: )).

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