muscle gain on maintain mode?

calisunrise
calisunrise Posts: 307
edited January 6 in Fitness and Exercise
So I've been wondering. If I eat maintain calories and my exercise calories back (calisthenics and light weights), will I gain muscle or lose fat or neither or both? I tried to do a research on it and couldn't find a thing! It really confuses me as that would be neither a deficit nor a surplus.

Replies

  • macdiver
    macdiver Posts: 145 Member
    If you want to gain some muscle, lift heavier weights. This should firm you up while eating at your maintenance calories, You will not get bulky from heavier weights. There are hundreds of threads by women on that topic to prove you will only look tone and sexy from heavy lifting.
  • Mutant13
    Mutant13 Posts: 2,485 Member
    Im in a similar situation

    Eating at maintenance and training with heavy weights dropped my body fat percentage.
    Now I'm eating a couple hundred calls over maintainence and feel like I'm getting better results and more definition.
  • xsmilexforxmex
    xsmilexforxmex Posts: 1,216 Member
    Probably wont gain much muscle but without a calorie deficit won't lose much fat either. Maybe a slow gain in muscle/loss in fat?
  • calisunrise
    calisunrise Posts: 307
    the problem is, i have trouble lifting anything heavier than 5 lbs for my right side and 3 lbs for my left side :(
  • LaMujerMasBonitaDelMundo
    LaMujerMasBonitaDelMundo Posts: 3,634 Member
    the problem is, i have trouble lifting anything heavier than 5 lbs for my right side and 3 lbs for my left side :(
    Lifting heavy doesn't mean rocking a gazillion pound of barbell or dumbbells. It means that you lift a weight challenging enough that you can only do a max of 8 reps in good form. You can start from 5 lbs. and then progress to the next heavier weight say 8-10 lbs. as you become stronger.
  • ironanimal
    ironanimal Posts: 5,922 Member
    the problem is, i have trouble lifting anything heavier than 5 lbs for my right side and 3 lbs for my left side :(
    Lifting heavy doesn't mean rocking a gazillion pound of barbell or dumbbells. It means that you lift a weight challenging enough that you can only do a max of 8 reps in good form. You can start from 5 lbs. and then progress to the next heavier weight say 8-10 lbs. as you become stronger.
    As above. Lifiting Heavy is a subjective term dependent on the individual.

    You will have a difficult time gaining any muscle on maintenance + exercise calories, especially as a woman. Recomposition, which is what this basically is, but it is a painfully slow process even for men.
  • Ampierce
    Ampierce Posts: 53 Member
    Bump... ;)
  • calisunrise
    calisunrise Posts: 307
    the problem is, i have trouble lifting anything heavier than 5 lbs for my right side and 3 lbs for my left side :(
    Lifting heavy doesn't mean rocking a gazillion pound of barbell or dumbbells. It means that you lift a weight challenging enough that you can only do a max of 8 reps in good form. You can start from 5 lbs. and then progress to the next heavier weight say 8-10 lbs. as you become stronger.
    As above. Lifiting Heavy is a subjective term dependent on the individual.

    You will have a difficult time gaining any muscle on maintenance + exercise calories, especially as a woman. Recomposition, which is what this basically is, but it is a painfully slow process even for men.
    so, does it mean i can't avoid gaining fat along with muscle mass?
  • wjimenez10869
    wjimenez10869 Posts: 81
    Great question, I'm in the same boat as well. I suggest maybe start tracking more of your percent of body fat instead weight on the scale. I wish I would of done this about 10 lbs ago instead I was terrified I would gain the weight back.
  • diodelcibo
    diodelcibo Posts: 2,564 Member
    In order to maintain muscle you have to keep your stimulus the same as it was previously , e.g weightlifting at the same reps and weight. Maintenance calories will not be sufficient to keep muscle tissue as metabolism will shift after a while at the same caloric intake.Thus there will not be sufficient calories to maintain to muscle tissue.
  • snowbike
    snowbike Posts: 153 Member
    bump
  • ironanimal
    ironanimal Posts: 5,922 Member
    the problem is, i have trouble lifting anything heavier than 5 lbs for my right side and 3 lbs for my left side :(
    Lifting heavy doesn't mean rocking a gazillion pound of barbell or dumbbells. It means that you lift a weight challenging enough that you can only do a max of 8 reps in good form. You can start from 5 lbs. and then progress to the next heavier weight say 8-10 lbs. as you become stronger.
    As above. Lifiting Heavy is a subjective term dependent on the individual.

    You will have a difficult time gaining any muscle on maintenance + exercise calories, especially as a woman. Recomposition, which is what this basically is, but it is a painfully slow process even for men.
    so, does it mean i can't avoid gaining fat along with muscle mass?
    Not impossible, but it is a painfully slow process. I'm talking years of work to gain any significant amount of muscle.
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