Building muscle on a calorie deficit?

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Replies

  • ninerbuff
    ninerbuff Posts: 49,029 Member
    Mu muscle mass has increased substantially on a deficit of 500 cals. I've never had arm and leg muscles like this before!

    I think the main thing is eating the right food to build muscle as well as not having too much of a deficit.
    Did you know what your lean muscle mass was before? And what it is now?
    What you probably experienced is what most people who haven't seen the muscle under their fat experience...............you can now see it giving you the misconception that you actually gained muscle.

    A.C.E. Certified Personal/Group FitnessTrainer
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    Been in fitness for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition
  • LiftAllThePizzas
    LiftAllThePizzas Posts: 17,857 Member
    I'm still waiting to find out what type of time machine was used to re-check the initial measurement.
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  • Liftnlove
    Liftnlove Posts: 235
    I'm still waiting to find out what type of time machine was used to re-check the initial measurement.

    oh...snap. hehehe

    Nice snake btw :)
  • Liftnlove
    Liftnlove Posts: 235
    Okay, so last night I was watching the most recent episode of the Biggest Loser -- that's right, I admit it!
    One particular contestant, who has lost 95 pounds over the 11 weeks of the season, has gained 19 pounds of muscle !
    Now, on MFP, it is axiomatic that 'you cannot build any muscle on a deficit.'
    So, how do you explain the fact that this contestant was adding muscle while she was in such serious deficit that she was losing more than five pounds a week?
    I expect no one can explain this contestant's results. They are idiosyncratic. But, perhaps, we should not be so certain in our pronouncements, with this particular axiom at least.

    I can explain her results...This is either a hoax, a mistake, a publicity stunt, the woman was on some SERIOUS drugs, or she is simply a genetic freak of nature.

    Either way, you made the Scrabble-nerd in me so happy with words like "axiomatic" and "idiosyncratic" :drinker:
  • I gained 38 pounds of muscle in two years on a calorie deficit, I weighed 450 pounds when I started. Now when I got down to around 260 my gains seemed to noticeably slow down. So I think it all depends on how high your BMI is or It could be something unexplained. My theory is when you are morbid it is very possible, I was also a newbie lifter. I think the biggest loser claim is complete BS.