what if I eat at maintenance and lift heavy?
ixap
Posts: 675 Member
I'm getting really close to my fat loss goal. The next thing I want to do is maybe add a little muscle, definitely gain a lot of strength.
I know that I won't gain much muscle while eating at a deficit.
What will happen when I start eating at maintenance? Or just a little over? 100-200 extra?
The bulk/cut cycles I see the bodybuilders do are really unappealing to me. I would love to just slowly gain muscle without the cycling, but does this work?
I have gained a ton of strength over the past 2 years since I started lifting, mostly while eating at a deficit, but from what I understand these gains will peter out soon until I start eating more?
I know that I won't gain much muscle while eating at a deficit.
What will happen when I start eating at maintenance? Or just a little over? 100-200 extra?
The bulk/cut cycles I see the bodybuilders do are really unappealing to me. I would love to just slowly gain muscle without the cycling, but does this work?
I have gained a ton of strength over the past 2 years since I started lifting, mostly while eating at a deficit, but from what I understand these gains will peter out soon until I start eating more?
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Replies
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you don't need to do what bodybuilders do. 100-200 is fine. Aim for a 1-2lb gain each month since training is not a new stimulus to you. Most likely much more than that will just be fat you will have to lose later.
EDIT: You will have to cut eventually anyway but at least most of your gain will be muscle with little fat0 -
If you just eat at your maintenance level then you will just maintain your weight & body composition, no fat loss nor muscle gain. However you will still getting stronger since weight lifting makes our bones denser.
100-200 calorie surplus is fine for muscle gain.0 -
thanks so much guys!
A follow-up question, how hard has it been for anyone who's done this to calibrate it that finely?
I am supposedly eating at a level to lose .5 pound per week, -250 calories per day, but I'm losing 1 pound per week right now, so I guess I'm not super accurate in my food measurements (although I really do try to be pretty careful) or my metabolism is higher than I thought.0 -
thanks so much guys!
A follow-up question, how hard has it been for anyone who's done this to calibrate it that finely?0 -
thanks so much guys!
A follow-up question, how hard has it been for anyone who's done this to calibrate it that finely?
I am supposedly eating at a level to lose .5 pound per week, -250 calories per day, but I'm losing 1 pound per week right now, so I guess I'm not super accurate in my food measurements (although I really do try to be pretty careful) or my metabolism is higher than I thought.
It's likely you are inaccurate on your intake. That's what the % probability is. A metabolic difference would likely not account for so high a variance. I am doing just what you are asking about right now and it's coming along nicely. Eating about 200 to 500 over TDEE and working out heavy. I don't really calibrate it that finely. I just accept the fact that I might gain a littel fat with the muscle and will cut later anyway.0
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