Physical change from exercise not muscle building?

Lauralei36
Lauralei36 Posts: 61 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
I keep reading that building muscle takes months and can't be done in a calorie deficit. Can someone tell me what is happening when a person gets smaller through exercise (such as 30 day shred) and their body fat percentage drops but their weight stays the same. If muscle isn't being gained what else is going on here?

Replies

  • Microfiber
    Microfiber Posts: 956 Member
    If muscle isn't being gained what else is going on here?

    Fat melting? :laugh:
  • Lauralei36
    Lauralei36 Posts: 61 Member
    If muscle isn't being gained what else is going on here?

    Fat melting? :laugh:

    Fat that weighs nothing? :bigsmile:
  • 3dogsrunning
    3dogsrunning Posts: 27,167 Member
    Well it's not impossible to gain muscle in a deficit. There are exceptions - one being people who are new or people coming back after a long layoff. Or very overweight people.

    I would also question the method used to measure body fat, the time frame and how big a difference we are talking. Many methods, like calipers, scales and online calculators have a degree of error that may account for some of the numbers. Plus, water retention can account for some it as well (again time frame is relevant)
  • wellbert
    wellbert Posts: 3,924 Member
    lean mass isn't just muscle.
    also, water retention.
  • DavPul
    DavPul Posts: 61,406 Member
    You'd be surprised at the volume of fat you can drop with very little drop in weight. Especially when your muscles retain some volume from additional water.

    But my response is always the same. It makes no difference if you're gaining muscle or not. You look better, right? You're happy with the changes in your body, right? You're not planning to stop doing what has worked for you so well, are you? I know that I'm not. And I've never seen anyone advised to stop lifting while in a deficit (not by someone with any knowledge, anyway).

    Muscle in a deficit is one of the endless roundy round debates that goes on at this site day after day after day with no benefit to anybody, ever.

    Are you eating at a calorie surplus? THEN LIFT
    Are you eating at maintenance calories? THEN LIFT
    Are you eating in a calorie deficit? THEN LIFT.
  • FUELERDUDE
    FUELERDUDE Posts: 150 Member
    You'd be surprised at the volume of fat you can drop with very little drop in weight. Especially when your muscles retain some volume from additional water.

    But my response is always the same. It makes no difference if you're gaining muscle or not. You look better, right? You're happy with the changes in your body, right? You're not planning to stop doing what has worked for you so well, are you? I know that I'm not. And I've never seen anyone advised to stop lifting while in a deficit (not by someone with any knowledge, anyway).

    Muscle in a deficit is one of the endless roundy round debates that goes on at this site day after day after day with no benefit to anybody, ever.

    Are you eating at a calorie surplus? THEN LIFT
    Are you eating at maintenance calories? THEN LIFT
    Are you eating in a calorie deficit? THEN LIFT.

    What he said.
  • mmapags
    mmapags Posts: 8,934 Member
    You'd be surprised at the volume of fat you can drop with very little drop in weight. Especially when your muscles retain some volume from additional water.

    But my response is always the same. It makes no difference if you're gaining muscle or not. You look better, right? You're happy with the changes in your body, right? You're not planning to stop doing what has worked for you so well, are you? I know that I'm not. And I've never seen anyone advised to stop lifting while in a deficit (not by someone with any knowledge, anyway).

    Muscle in a deficit is one of the endless roundy round debates that goes on at this site day after day after day with no benefit to anybody, ever.

    Are you eating at a calorie surplus? THEN LIFT
    Are you eating at maintenance calories? THEN LIFT
    Are you eating in a calorie deficit? THEN LIFT.

    ^^^^^WORD!
  • DopeItUp
    DopeItUp Posts: 18,771 Member
    You'd be surprised at the volume of fat you can drop with very little drop in weight. Especially when your muscles retain some volume from additional water.

    But my response is always the same. It makes no difference if you're gaining muscle or not. You look better, right? You're happy with the changes in your body, right? You're not planning to stop doing what has worked for you so well, are you? I know that I'm not. And I've never seen anyone advised to stop lifting while in a deficit (not by someone with any knowledge, anyway).

    Muscle in a deficit is one of the endless roundy round debates that goes on at this site day after day after day with no benefit to anybody, ever.

    Are you eating at a calorie surplus? THEN LIFT
    Are you eating at maintenance calories? THEN LIFT
    Are you eating in a calorie deficit? THEN LIFT.

    Thread over.
  • dixiewhiskey
    dixiewhiskey Posts: 3,333 Member
    You'd be surprised at the volume of fat you can drop with very little drop in weight. Especially when your muscles retain some volume from additional water.

    But my response is always the same. It makes no difference if you're gaining muscle or not. You look better, right? You're happy with the changes in your body, right? You're not planning to stop doing what has worked for you so well, are you? I know that I'm not. And I've never seen anyone advised to stop lifting while in a deficit (not by someone with any knowledge, anyway).

    Muscle in a deficit is one of the endless roundy round debates that goes on at this site day after day after day with no benefit to anybody, ever.

    Are you eating at a calorie surplus? THEN LIFT
    Are you eating at maintenance calories? THEN LIFT
    Are you eating in a calorie deficit? THEN LIFT.

    This

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