Build Muscle while calorie deficit?

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redraidergirl2009
redraidergirl2009 Posts: 2,560 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
I just started doing strenght training 3 days a week this week, light weights high reps for now. I'll increase the weight as i feel comfortable and after a few weeks revise my plan. I do cardio 5 days a week.

I don't log here on mfp since I don't like the whole eat back calories, ect thing because it throws me off so I'm using another tracker on my phone and just put in active since I work out for at least 60mins most days and it says I should eat 1900ish calories a day. Most gym days I burn 500-700. I'm wondering if that's too low of food calories to still gain muscle or if it should be okay since my net would still be around 1200-1400.
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Replies

  • gkallio
    gkallio Posts: 26 Member
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    well it all depends how much you want to build.

    Muscle requires extra calories to build
    Fat Loss requires a deficit of calroies to loose

    You can tone and cut at the same time, but building mass (Muscle size) will require a higher calorie intake then what your body is expending on a daily basis.
  • redraidergirl2009
    redraidergirl2009 Posts: 2,560 Member
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    I just want to tone things up basically. I also forgot to mention I'm 25, 5ft 3in and 168lbs. Goal 130.
  • gkallio
    gkallio Posts: 26 Member
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    low weight high reps (3-4 sets of 12 reps) 1 minute between reps. Should do the trick and a small calorie deficit of aprox 300-400 a day. Consume more protien and complex carbs, lower the fat intake down. Check my diary if you need to. I am cutting very nicely on my ratio's
  • caseythirteen
    caseythirteen Posts: 956 Member
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    I don't log here on mfp since I don't like the whole eat back calories

    Just as a side note, you can track that way on MFP too. All you have to do is change your goals to be custom and enter in your 1900 calorie goal. Then you can either just not log your exercise or when you exercise add it in as a 1 calorie burn. It's basically the "TDEE method" that is referred to.

    As for the muscle question, you can definitely get stronger on a deficit but you can't build mass.
  • jzammetti
    jzammetti Posts: 1,956 Member
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    I think you should lift heavier - as heavy as you can for 12 reps for two weeks, then heavier for 10 reps for two weeks and heavier again etc...

    There is no scientific basis for the idea that low weights do anything useful for building muscle - high reps with low weight is an endurance exercise, not a strength building exercise. I believe you can build muscle at asmall deficit (Read: New Rules for Lifting for Women), but building muscle takes a long time. In the meantime, you will lose fat and have the appearance of building muscle because the fat layer gets smaller. Plus, strenght building exercises up your body's post-workout caloric burns for longer than cardio (which is basically what you are doing with low weight and high reps).
  • hesn92
    hesn92 Posts: 5,967 Member
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    no you wont build muscle since you are eating at a deficit (trying to lose weight, you can't lose weight and gain weight at the same time) but you will keep the muscle you do have if you continue lifting weights. I say once you get to your goal weight you should up your calories a little over maintenance.
  • gkallio
    gkallio Posts: 26 Member
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    She said she would like to tone. Low weight higher reps will tone well. No need for higher weight and a longer repair period. Most of mfp is a troll fest of bad info. Anyway good luck.

    I just want to tone things up basically. I also forgot to mention I'm 25, 5ft 3in and 168lbs. Goal 130.
  • JenMc14
    JenMc14 Posts: 2,389 Member
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    Someone who is new to lifting can experience some gain while on a deficit, known as "newbie" gains, but it doesn't continue forever, and it's not going to be a ton. And, if you're lifting low weight for high reps at a deficit, you will not gain muscle. To gain muscle you must lift heavy. If you can do 10 reps for more than 1 set, the weight is too light. Personally, I say ditch the low/weight high rep stuff, get a good solid lifting heavy (for you) program going and go from there.

    On "toning". There's no such thing, really. It's a marketing term. The "toned" look comes from lowering bodyfat so the muscle one does have shows. High reps, low weights really has nothing to do with that. That's mostly diet and/or cardio to get a bigger deficit. low weights/high reps really only build muscle endurance.
  • LolBroScience
    LolBroScience Posts: 4,537 Member
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    She said she would like to tone. Low weight higher reps will tone well. No need for higher weight and a longer repair period. Most of mfp is a troll fest of bad info. Anyway good luck.

    I just want to tone things up basically. I also forgot to mention I'm 25, 5ft 3in and 168lbs. Goal 130.

    The irony of this post....There is no "high reps" to tone. Doing 15 reps isn't going to ton a muscle group anymore then 5 reps will. Your "toned" look is determined by overall body composition and bodyfat percentage which will be reached through hitting your macros and being at a calorie deficit.
  • gkallio
    gkallio Posts: 26 Member
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    She said she would like to tone. Low weight higher reps will tone well. No need for higher weight and a longer repair period. Most of mfp is a troll fest of bad info. Anyway good luck.

    I just want to tone things up basically. I also forgot to mention I'm 25, 5ft 3in and 168lbs. Goal 130.

    The irony of this post....There is no "high reps" to tone. Doing 15 reps isn't going to ton a muscle group anymore then 5 reps will. Your "toned" look is determined by overall body composition and bodyfat percentage which will be reached through hitting your macros and being at a calorie deficit.

    I agree with you 100% but aerobic exercises such as higher reps lower weight is a great way to get form down packed and also maintain muscle while "toning up" (aka dropping body fat from diet/calorie deficit.)
  • BarackMeLikeAHurricane
    BarackMeLikeAHurricane Posts: 3,400 Member
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    Tone refers to a muscle's tension at rest. "Toning" isn't a thing. You can either lose muscle, maintain muscle, or gain muscle. You can't gain significant muscle while eating at a deficit unless you're doing IF or if you're new to lifting. Since you just started, you can still take advantage of newbie gains for the next six months or so. I'd say go with around 60% 1RM for 12 reps, 65% for 10, and 70% for 8. If you can do more than 15 reps at a certain weight, it's not enough to build muscle.
  • Motria
    Motria Posts: 54 Member
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    This is a great discussion - thanks for asking the question. I thought I wanted to get "toned up", too, but I guess not! :grumble:

    I had a question about this business of "calorie-deficit-to-lose-fat" versus "calorie-surplus-to-gain-muscle". How fast can our bodies shift from one mode to the other? What if I decide to eat more and lift weights Mon-Wed-Fri and then reduce calories and do some cardio on Tues-Thurs? Will I lose fat part of the week and grow muscle on other days? Can you take it even further - have a big breakfast and do weights in the AM, then eat light and take a jog in the PM? This is all new to me! :bigsmile:
  • redraidergirl2009
    redraidergirl2009 Posts: 2,560 Member
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    I guess I don't have the terminology correct? I'm powerfully weak. I'm doing like 5lbs and 7.5lbs on bells and 20-30 on various machines. I'd just like to not be powerfully weak and lose fat at the same time. I don't care if I don't lose weight per say since I know muscle weighs more. I just heard that if you have muscle that helps raise your metabolism overall and burn more calories in general. I also wouldn't mind not being so weak. I think it's math. I was never good at math. I will try changing my goals on here.
  • MM_1982
    MM_1982 Posts: 374
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    Eat a slight calorie deficit. However, load up on the protein. The general rule of thumb is 1 gram/protein per 1 lbs of body weight (if you weight 150 lbs, eat 150 grams of protein).

    The workout routine is not complex or fancy, stick to basic compound excises. Deadlifts, squats, bench, overhead press, hang cleans, and chins ups. Those exercises will produce the biggest CNS shock and put on the most muscle in the shortest amount of time. Don't waste your time on the machines or dumbbells.
  • Matt_Wild
    Matt_Wild Posts: 2,673 Member
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    She said she would like to tone. Low weight higher reps will tone well. No need for higher weight and a longer repair period. Most of mfp is a troll fest of bad info. Anyway good luck.

    I just want to tone things up basically. I also forgot to mention I'm 25, 5ft 3in and 168lbs. Goal 130.

    Exactly WHAT is she toning young padwan?
  • Motria
    Motria Posts: 54 Member
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    Eat a slight calorie deficit. However, load up on the protein. The general rule of thumb is 1 gram/protein per 1 lbs of body weight (if you weight 150 lbs, eat 150 grams of protein).

    Wow, that's about 3x the protein I eat on a typical day. Serious carb-hound here. Thanks for the info!
  • melt2svelte
    melt2svelte Posts: 36
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    Can someone explain to me in layman's terms what the difference is between building muscle and toning?
  • madrose0715
    madrose0715 Posts: 463 Member
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    I have to say, as a newbie to this site, this thread has left me entirely confused. So, I have lost 50 pounds in about 12 months with another 30 to go...My workout routine does not include heavy lifting, but does include lower and upper body strength and resistance training every other day using lighter weights. I have seen a significant change in my muscle tone (especially upper body) and personal strength. As I still have 30 pounds to go, am I understanding that I should not move to heavy lifting until I am no longer working in a calorie deficit to drop these 30?
  • ILiftHeavyAcrylics
    ILiftHeavyAcrylics Posts: 27,732 Member
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    Eat a slight calorie deficit. However, load up on the protein. The general rule of thumb is 1 gram/protein per 1 lbs of body weight (if you weight 150 lbs, eat 150 grams of protein).

    Wow, that's about 3x the protein I eat on a typical day. Serious carb-hound here. Thanks for the info!

    I've heard it as 1 gram per pound of lean body mass, so that's what I do. So for me, 130 lbs, 25% body fat, I aim for 97 grams.

    It is a lot, I have trouble reaching it.
  • LolBroScience
    LolBroScience Posts: 4,537 Member
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    Can someone explain to me in layman's terms what the difference is between building muscle and toning?

    Toning is a marketing term for "Those with low bodyfat" = a defined look or showing seperation between muscle groups etc. In other words it just means you are lean or have low body fat.

    Building muscle is simple adding more lean mass to your body, done through eating at a caloric surplus coupled with resistance training.

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