Stuck and not going anywhere. Please help

cmeiron

Really? I've been in a deficit for a while and I've gotten a lot stronger through resistance training. Is this what you refer to as "newbie gains." Or maybe it is possible to gain strength without gaining muscle (that doesn't sound right)?

Strength gains are neuromuscular in nature, not (necessarily) muscle mass gain. Basically, you train your brain, nerves, and muscles to work together to get stronger without necessarily getting bigger.

^^^ Yes, this. Thanks

cmeiron

Okay, sounds reasonable. Do you have sources?

That still doesn't explain to me why your body won't build muscle during a calorie deficit.

Muscle mass and muscle strength are two related but separate concepts. It is possible to gain strength without gaining mass, to some degree. I often see guys relatively smaller than me who pump more weight. To increase mass (bulk up) you can't eat at a deficit because your body uses up all the calories just to keep you functioning, so it can't spare any to build additional mass.

My wife is very buff, like competition-level buff, but she doesn't pump very heavy. She does a great number of repetitions though, like 3-4 sets of 15 for each exercise.

She doesn't eat at a deficit, but she eats clean most of the time.

But wouldn't increasing muscle mass in response to heavy lifting be PART of the calories used to "keep you functioning?"

If you increase your caloric needs by lifting weights and requiring your body to build strength (while still consuming adequate protein, fat and water to build those muscles), your body would just tap into the fat reserves. Isn't that the whole concept behind reducing BF%

Here's a good thread that addresses some of these issues...

http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/818594-building-muscle-and-losing-fat-at-the-same-time

holothuroidea

Okay, sounds reasonable. Do you have sources?

That still doesn't explain to me why your body won't build muscle during a calorie deficit.

Muscle mass and muscle strength are two related but separate concepts. It is possible to gain strength without gaining mass, to some degree. I often see guys relatively smaller than me who pump more weight. To increase mass (bulk up) you can't eat at a deficit because your body uses up all the calories just to keep you functioning, so it can't spare any to build additional mass.

My wife is very buff, like competition-level buff, but she doesn't pump very heavy. She does a great number of repetitions though, like 3-4 sets of 15 for each exercise.

She doesn't eat at a deficit, but she eats clean most of the time.

But wouldn't increasing muscle mass in response to heavy lifting be PART of the calories used to "keep you functioning?"

If you increase your caloric needs by lifting weights and requiring your body to build strength (while still consuming adequate protein, fat and water to build those muscles), your body would just tap into the fat reserves. Isn't that the whole concept behind reducing BF%

Here's a good thread that addresses some of these issues...

http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/818594-building-muscle-and-losing-fat-at-the-same-time

It does make a lot of sense (In spite of him only linking to himself in that article! That drives me crazy. >.<)

It seems, though, that it is possible to gain muscle when you're in a caloric deficit. You just need to have enough fat stores relative to muscle mass.

kdirago

Thank you. I added some nuts today.:happy:

melissamccutcheon589

I just started Beach Body and Shaun T's Rockin' Body program. I was completely SEDENTARY until 17 days ago. I have only lost 2.2 pounds. Is this normal? I am getting frustrated! I eat clean, do an hour of cardio 6 days a week, and I only have one cheat meal a week. Help! (A little information that may have made a difference, I started my female time this past week).

acpgee

Reporting back that my full diet break seems to have worked.

I have been on a plateau for 3 months more or less. I lost 12 kg on my first 3 months of MFP and it took a little more than 3 months to lose next 3 kg. I was on 1310 net and not losing. Upped my calories to close to maintenance for 3 weeks in an attempt to restore my metabolism back to normal speed. Targeted 1900+half my exercise calories (some days I ate all of my exercise calories), because I don't use an HRM and don't entirely trust the calorie burn readings that the machines at the gym give.

At 1900 net I should have been losing 0.5 kg per week according to MFP calculations. I didn't lose that, but didn't gain either, except for some little fluctations at the beginning of the diet break. Started cutting again a day ago and am 0.5 kg down. Hoping this means I will start losing according to the MFP calculations again.

It's early days yet, but if this has finally gotten me off my plateau, I will incorporate full diet breaks every 3 months until I reach goal.

Coyoteldy

I have to admit you are probably not eating enough.. I did the same thing here recently.. finally figured out that my body was conserving what calories I did eat...so I upped the calories ( I exercise twice a day) and I lost 1.4 pounds almost instantly... get at least 1200 to 1400 good calories even that might be too little...