Mixed Signals?

esjohnson03
esjohnson03 Posts: 17 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
I'm sure I'm not the first person to ask this question but I can't find a good answer anywhere... can you lose weight AND gain lean body muscle while on a calorie deficit if you're still considered "overweight?"

I'm down 57lbs but still hovering around the 300lb mark. I'm 6'5" and figure I have another 40-50lbs to lose before I'm near my goal. I read in multiple sources that lifters typically go through bulking & cutting phases but I assume these people are already around a healthy maintenance-type weight.

So I guess I'll re-issue my question in a different way: Am I sending my body mixed signals by 1) eating a calorie deficit (i.e. telling myself to lose weight) while 2) lifting 3-4 times a week and making sure I have a high protein diet (i.e. telling myself to gain muscle)?

My goal is to lose the fat but not the muscle I've already gained over the last year's worth of workout and am wondering if it makes more sense to increase cardio and focus on cutting and then build later or if a more "balanced" approach of lifting/cardio will continue to work. Thank you in advance for any productive suggestions/comments/criticisms!

Replies

  • DavPul
    DavPul Posts: 61,406 Member
    You're not sending your body mixed signals at all. You're sending your body a very clear signal. "I WANT TO LOSE FAT WHILE RETAINING LEAN MUSCLE MASS WHILE INCREASING MY FUNCTIONAL STRENGTH."

    No mixed signals there at all. I started lifting before I started any form of cardio activity and continued lifting thru all stages of my dieting.
  • BurtHuttz
    BurtHuttz Posts: 3,653 Member
    You're not sending your body mixed signals at all. You're sending your body a very clear signal. "I WANT TO LOSE FAT WHILE RETAINING LEAN MUSCLE MASS WHILE INCREASING MY FUNCTIONAL STRENGTH."

    No mixed signals there at all. I started lifting before I started any form of cardio activity and continued lifting thru all stages of my dieting.

    Did you gain strength, despite losing weight and even though you weren't increasing LBM?
    With Love,
    -Burt
  • stephaniemejia1671
    stephaniemejia1671 Posts: 482 Member
    I don"t think so.
  • NikoM5
    NikoM5 Posts: 488 Member
    If your deficit is small and your protein is high then yes, you can do it. Seriously though, train HEAVY and keep your deficit very SMALL.
  • DavPul
    DavPul Posts: 61,406 Member
    You're not sending your body mixed signals at all. You're sending your body a very clear signal. "I WANT TO LOSE FAT WHILE RETAINING LEAN MUSCLE MASS WHILE INCREASING MY FUNCTIONAL STRENGTH."

    No mixed signals there at all. I started lifting before I started any form of cardio activity and continued lifting thru all stages of my dieting.

    Did you gain strength, despite losing weight and even though you weren't increasing LBM?
    With Love,
    -Burt

    My case is different from the OP because I had prior lifting experience. Even though I had been out of the gym for 5-6 years, returning to form is different that gaining that form in the first place. But to answer the question, I did gain initially, and then the combo of dieting and cardio pulled me down from my peak strength.

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