What Would Happen if Weight Training with a Calorie Deficit?

albayin
albayin Posts: 2,524 Member
I am seriously curious. Say what would happen to a person if she's eating 1200 calories and doing weight training 2-3 times a week?

Thanks,
«13

Replies

  • albayin
    albayin Posts: 2,524 Member
    And I am just curious. So please don't jump all over me and bash me. :flowerforyou:
  • Hendrix7
    Hendrix7 Posts: 1,903 Member
    Good things will happen.

    If you are new to weight training you will still be able to increase strength quite dramatically and you will retain your current muscle mass, giving you that toned look as opposed to skinny-fat.

    Start tomorrow.

    Depending on your yor current weight anD what you intend on doing, 1200 cals may not be right for you, work out your calorie requirements for yourself. If you gonna start lifting eat more protein than mfp tells you.
  • albayin
    albayin Posts: 2,524 Member
    Good things will happen.

    If you are new to weight training you will still be able to increase strength quite dramatically and you will retain your current muscle mass, giving you that toned look as opposed to skinny-fat.

    Start tomorrow.

    Even she's not eating "enough" per MFP's gold standard?
  • CyberEd312
    CyberEd312 Posts: 3,536 Member
    You will maintain what lean muscle mass you have while continuing to burn off fat... Depending on how you lift, you should also see gains in strength..... Strength Training is an all around Must!!! Best of Luck...
  • iWaffle
    iWaffle Posts: 2,208 Member
    Even she's not eating "enough" per MFP's gold standard?

    Sure. Unless someone is already at some unhealthy amount of calorie intake it's not going to do anything but improve their condition. Of course the better you eat the more this works for you but we're talking about variations of good, better, best. Nothing bad at all.
  • Hendrix7
    Hendrix7 Posts: 1,903 Member
    You can still get stronger in a calorie deficit, increase protein intake also.

    Protein intake is much more important in a calorie deficit than it is in a calorie excess.
  • professorRAT
    professorRAT Posts: 690 Member
    To be honest there is likely a complicated interaction between changes in metabolism, dependence on how much weight is being lifted, what is being consumed, etc. The science (like most science) is not easy to sort out. Still, here is one guy's view which is interesting reading: http://www.bodyrecomposition.com/training/weight-training-for-fat-loss-part-2.html. The link is for part 2 of the series, but I recommend reading all parts.
  • dosmundos
    dosmundos Posts: 64
    I am doing Jamie Easons livefit program. Lots of weights and some cardio.
    I don't eat my exercise calories and have gained muscles and lost fat. A little over 10 pounds so far.
  • rose313
    rose313 Posts: 1,146 Member
    You will lose fat! Inches would slide off. I do it, but I eat a little more than 1200 most days...I'm comfortable at 1300-1500.
  • palmerig88
    palmerig88 Posts: 623 Member
    You will get smaller where you want and stronger too. Win-win. I have only done my weight training on a calories deficit because I'm new to it and my results have been great!
  • shaycat
    shaycat Posts: 980
    Only good things would happen.
    Possibly a flatter stomach and more shaped behind, killer legs, sexy arms.
  • shaycat
    shaycat Posts: 980
    You can still get stronger in a calorie deficit, increase protein intake also.

    Protein intake is much more important in a calorie deficit than it is in a calorie excess.

    I have gotten way stronger. I try to keep my protein as high as I can. around 100 g a day.
  • albayin
    albayin Posts: 2,524 Member
    Only good things would happen.
    Possibly a flatter stomach and more shaped behind, killer legs, sexy arms.
    Ah, ah, ah ...all I want..:love::love:

    However, last time I did this, my thighs got bigger than they already were, so I dropped for a few weeks...I can't afford getting any bigger than I already am. :angry:
  • rose313
    rose313 Posts: 1,146 Member
    Water weight?

    You can't get big bulky muscles on a calorie deficit.
  • albayin
    albayin Posts: 2,524 Member
    Water weight?

    You can't get big bulky muscles on a calorie deficit.
    I don't really know what happened. I wasn't saying I was gaining muscle, but I did get bigger. My pants wouldn't fit anymore. I was eating more than 1200 calories at that around, say 1600-1800...
  • LorinaLynn
    LorinaLynn Posts: 13,247 Member
    You can't add muscle *mass* while on a deficit, but from what I've read (no, I don't have sources bookmarked), you can get more responsive muscles that appear larger. So while you're overall muscle weight/mass hasn't increased, your muscles aren't weak or flaccid. That, plus some water weight as your muscles adjust to a routine, could cause you to be a little larger temporarily.
  • albayin
    albayin Posts: 2,524 Member
    You can't add muscle *mass* while on a deficit, but from what I've read (no, I don't have sources bookmarked), you can get more responsive muscles that appear larger. So while you're overall muscle weight/mass hasn't increased, your muscles aren't weak or flaccid. That, plus some water weight as your muscles adjust to a routine, could cause you to be a little larger temporarily.

    Thank you. It was about 3 months of consistent gaining of weight and inches on my thighs. I was so disappointed and hopeless.
  • melry77
    melry77 Posts: 43 Member
    I just read an article (maybe Scooby workshop) that in some study the most successful women to lose inches and tone up were rewarding 800 calories and lifting. Not for me thank you but obviously somebody thinks it's a good idea.
  • albayin
    albayin Posts: 2,524 Member
    To be honest there is likely a complicated interaction between changes in metabolism, dependence on how much weight is being lifted, what is being consumed, etc. The science (like most science) is not easy to sort out. Still, here is one guy's view which is interesting reading: http://www.bodyrecomposition.com/training/weight-training-for-fat-loss-part-2.html. The link is for part 2 of the series, but I recommend reading all parts.

    I am reading this right now. Thank you.
  • albayin
    albayin Posts: 2,524 Member
    I just read an article (maybe Scooby workshop) that in some study the most successful women to lose inches and tone up were rewarding 800 calories and lifting. Not for me thank you but obviously somebody thinks it's a good idea.

    I don't know whether it's a good idea or not. So I am asking the question here. :wink:
  • emmab852012
    emmab852012 Posts: 82 Member
    when people say weight training how much/long are we talking per work out?
  • albayin
    albayin Posts: 2,524 Member
    when people say weight training how much/long are we talking per work out?

    I can't speak for others, but I am thinking of 20 minutes of low reps with big weight, with short period of cardio like jumping jack, burpee jumps...
  • shaycat
    shaycat Posts: 980
    My thighs got bigger too. I don't know what it was from, but when I finished doing Insanity my jeans no longer fit my thighs.
    I was eating higher calories then too.
    I am now lifting 3 times a week and eating less. It has been two and a half months. I haven't lost any weight, but My body looks much more fit and I am holding my fat in better areas.
  • albayin
    albayin Posts: 2,524 Member
    My thighs got bigger too. I don't know what it was from, but when I finished doing Insanity my jeans no longer fit my thighs.
    I was eating higher calories then too.
    I am now lifting 3 times a week and eating less. It has been two and a half months. I haven't lost any weight, but My body looks much more fit and I am holding my fat in better areas.

    Hoho...I wasn't alone, then. Do you mind telling me how you do WT? low reps/big weight or high reps/lower weight?
  • palmerig88
    palmerig88 Posts: 623 Member
    I do the highest weight I can manage 10 reps at unless I'm doing bench then I work up to Max at one or two reps in the middle. But lifting heavy is the way to go.
  • fabafter5
    fabafter5 Posts: 200 Member
    I do the highest weight I can manage 10 reps at unless I'm doing bench then I work up to Max at one or two reps in the middle. But lifting heavy is the way to go.

    Your before and afters are amazing! That is one forgiving bikini!
  • kbd388
    kbd388 Posts: 125 Member
    I net around 1200 per day, do the strength training circuit (about 20 minutes) every other day, walk at 4.0 MPH on an incline every day for 45 minutes, and this works for me. I feel great, am starting to look better and the pounds are coming off. I don't always eat my exercise calories back and I don't track calories for the weight training.

    I've also gained an attitude of not wanting to mess this up, which for me is big, because I didn't exercise or eat properly for 10 years.
  • tigersword
    tigersword Posts: 8,059 Member
    I am doing Jamie Easons livefit program. Lots of weights and some cardio.
    I don't eat my exercise calories and have gained muscles and lost fat. A little over 10 pounds so far.
    Sorry, no. You didn't gain any muscle on a serious calorie deficit. That defies the laws of physics and biology.
  • kalynn06
    kalynn06 Posts: 368 Member
    I am doing Jamie Easons livefit program. Lots of weights and some cardio.
    I don't eat my exercise calories and have gained muscles and lost fat. A little over 10 pounds so far.
    Sorry, no. You didn't gain any muscle on a serious calorie deficit. That defies the laws of physics and biology.

    I read it as she lost 10 lbs of fat, not gained 10 lbs of muscle.
  • DB_1106
    DB_1106 Posts: 154 Member
    For most people, you actually can gain muscle and lose fat at the same time. It all comes down to nutrition and what you put in your body and the amount and type of weight training you do. It takes discipline and a strict diet, but it can be done. When you do this, EVERY calorie you put in your body counts.

    When I say strict diet, I mean strict diet. Eating cheeseburgers while trying to cut fat and build muscle is not going to cut it, no matter how many calories you take in.

    The only two types of people I would say cannot do this is 1) Advanced bodybuilders and 2) very skinny people with below 8 - 10% body fat levels.