Strength Training and Eating at a Deficit

LioshaM

I have a question...So I've been reading that in order to build muscle you have to eat at a surplus (is this what bulking is all about?) Well this is my question, if you are eating at a deficit TDEE 15% and you are lifting (not necessarily heavy) what is going on inside the muscles? What's the key to finding the balance between building muscle and losing body fat? If I continue to eat at a deficit with the occassional break of course and still strength train, what can I expect from my body?

What is body composition all about.

mryak750

This is a good question and I hope someone has the right answer...I would like to know myself...I'm in the same situation...I'm guessing you will lose fat while retaining as much muscle as possible...instead of losing fat and muscle while at a calorie deficit..Body comp has to do with how you'll look once you've lost the fat....instead of looking like a smaller version of yourself now...with strength training at a calorie deficit your body will look much better

DostThouEven

You will gain a small amount of size and beyond that you will be preserving what you have vs losing it along with the fat.

ChrisLindsay9

I'm not sure if it's really known why muscles break down or exactly how they break down. I've read a couple of different explanations, but it seems like it's still controversial.

Maybe someone can correct me and direct me to a website or study or something.

My understanding is that muscle fibers are made of protein which during a caloric deficit begin to break down due to a lack of resources to build/maintain those fibers (those resources come from the food we eat). High protein caloric-deficit diets seem to preserve muscle a little longer than standard caloric-deficit diets. But you need protein, carbs, and fats in order to build/maintain muscle mass. Protein to build/repair muscle, carbs and fats give the muscles the energy to perform a task. So caloric-deficit diets will provide less resources to maintain and power the muscles, which like any other part of the body that doesn't get resources over time, will diminish.

cortneysmissionpossible

bump. really good question and this is what i'm doing right now..lifting weights but also maintaining a calorie deficit. hmm I never thought about that.

LioshaM

My calorie deficit is usually 1900 calories per day as supposed to 2379 which is Maintenance or TDEE. I eat about 130 grams of protein per day, plus I get good fats and carbs in.

BackInSoFL

Bump