Whats the Point? Heavy Lifting & Calorie Deficit

BarbaraCarr1981

Is this really going to do anything to your body? If so, how??? I though u needed MORE food to build muscle? I just want my GD body fat down to like 19-20% and that's it! Don't give a hoot what the scale says just to be able to fit into my prepreg clothes and not have bulges of gross fat anywhere!!!!!

MarineCodie

I eat a slight calorie deficit and lift heavy. I dunno all the sciency stuff but it's making me f'in SEXY. I feel great inside and out. I feel strong and I enjoy it. It's a long process but it's so worth it. Sorry I'm no help

MidwestAngel

Calorie deficit makes you lose weight, lifting makes you look sexy doing it.

writetomab

See my profile pic.... That was done on a calorie deficit and heavy lifting programme!

katy_trail

we're not really building muscle unless it's noobie gains. we're engaging the muscle and feeding it with protein to tell it not to leave when the fat takes a permanent vacation.

skinnyinnotime

Calorie deficit makes you lose weight, lifting makes you look sexy doing it.

And also helps prevent too much muscle loss

BarbaraCarr1981

I eat a slight calorie deficit and lift heavy. I dunno all the sciency stuff but it's making me f'in SEXY. I feel great inside and out. I feel strong and I enjoy it. It's a long process but it's so worth it. Sorry I'm no help

Maybe that's what i needed to hear - its a long process!!!! I haven't been at it that long so...............

MichelleDahlstromPetersen

Best formula to cut body fat percentage is clean eating and heavy lifting. Muscle increases your metabolism and burns fat! Even at a deficit you have to be careful about what it is you're eating. Some calories are much better than other calories. Lots of lean protien, little sugar!

cwolfman13

When you diet, you lose muscle as well as fat in the absence of resistance training. You get to what should be a good goal weight, but you end up having a higher % of BF overall. Also, LBM burns a lot of calories on it's own...someone with a good amount of LBM can, Lb of Lb eat more than someone of the same stats, but higher BF% and maintain or lose weight. Not to mention, a host of other benefits resistance training provides outside of hypertrophy.

BarbaraCarr1981

Great answers guys and girls!!!! Continuing on with Strong Lifts and about a 400cal a day deficit! Couple intense cardio a week and an easy walk or two. Strong Lifts doesn't seem to include tris/bis or ab exercises or pushups - so i will incorporate them as well. Sexy here I come!

DavPul

You lower bf% by losing weight while retaining lean muscle mass. Heavy lifting retains muscle mass while in a calorie deficit. Its much harder to get to your desired bf% level if you lose lbm at a similar rate as you lose fat.

BusyRaeNOTBusty

Maintain muscle as you lose. Without lifting you might lose fat AND muscle, meaning you might reach your goal and still have fat remaining and have less muscle than you started with.

AZKristi

There are multiple ways to reach your body composition goals. If you want to reduce the percentage of your body that is fat, you can either lose fat or gain muscle. Many people would like to accomplish both, but it can be hard to do both at the same time. To gain muscle, you need plenty of protein and to eat at or slightly above maintenance. To lose fat, you have to create a caloric deficit. If you want to try and do both, your best bet is a small deficit with a very healthy diet.

Tricep_A_Tops

I gained plenty of lean muscle on a deficit but lifting heavy is worth it just because you will retain more LM. then if you dont while eating at a deficit. A person that doesnt lift will lose about 28% more LM ( on average) while eating at a deficit then a person that does lift.
If I just did cardio during my 83 lb weight loss I would currently look like Justin Bieber.

bkknauer

just out of curiosity how do you define "heavy lifting" for a female and what level of calorie deficit. I have lost a lot of weight and built some decent muscles for a 43 year old woman over the last 2 years so i know you can do both at the same time to at least a modest degree of success...

BarbaraCarr1981

just out of curiosity how do you define "heavy lifting" for a female and what level of calorie deficit. I have lost a lot of weight and built some decent muscles for a 43 year old woman over the last 2 years so i know you can do both at the same time to at least a modest degree of success...

Right now I am deadlifting and barbell rows at 70lbs, OHP is 50lbs. Leg extensions on universal home gym set is 80lbs. For squats I hold a 25lb dumbbell. Triceps are worked by holding 25lb dumbbell behind my head. Bicep curls i can only use 10lb dumbbells. My TDEE is like 2050 and I am set to eat 1700cals per day (thinking about lowering it again though) I started MFP at 1200, then 1500 then 1700cals. I started MFP 5 months ago.

BarbaraCarr1981

I lost 5lbs right away using MFP. Now nothing. I think Im back to square one actually.

BusyRaeNOTBusty

just out of curiosity how do you define "heavy lifting" for a female and what level of calorie deficit. I have lost a lot of weight and built some decent muscles for a 43 year old woman over the last 2 years so i know you can do both at the same time to at least a modest degree of success...

"Heavy" is relative. Generally as heavy as it takes for the last rep to be really hard, almost impossible. 3-10 reps depending on your goal. It also usually includes compound barbell moves like squats, bench press and deadlifts.

cwolfman13

Great answers guys and girls!!!! Continuing on with Strong Lifts and about a 400cal a day deficit! Couple intense cardio a week and an easy walk or two. Strong Lifts doesn't seem to include tris/bis or ab exercises or pushups - so i will incorporate them as well. Sexy here I come!

No need to if you're a beginner. All of those muscles get worked in the compound lifts. As you start progressing on how much you're lifting, you'll most definitely start to feel those muscles kick in more as the weight will become too heavy for the primary muscle.

BarbaraCarr1981

Okay thanks. But what about this! Last time I was losing weight, I had the same amount to lose (15lbs approx) I ate approximately 1200cals a day but did NOT track them (Since I remember how I was eating, I recently put the food I was eating back then into MFP to see - and yes it came out around 1200cals per day) So that said, I was doing cardio about 3 times a week and doing light weights at the gym about 3 times a week for about 30min. I lost 15lbs in like 3 months.

THEN I got pregnant with 1st child. He is 15 months old now and I STILL have 15lbs to go to get to where I was before. BUT this time I'm eating 1700 cals a day and heavy lifting 3 times a week, plus cardio 2 times a week.

Why is this time sooooo different??? Please keep in mind - I was 29 when I first lost the weight and I had my first son at 30. Now Im 31 and trying to get rid of this fat off my body - mid section is the worst - thighs, *kitten* and belly.

kimosabe1

Calorie deficit makes you lose weight, lifting makes you look sexy doing it.

that's ME! ^

Tricep_A_Tops

Okay thanks. But what about this! Last time I was losing weight, I had the same amount to lose (15lbs approx) I ate approximately 1200cals a day but did NOT track them (Since I remember how I was eating, I recently put the food I was eating back then into MFP to see - and yes it came out around 1200cals per day) So that said, I was doing cardio about 3 times a week and doing light weights at the gym about 3 times a week for about 30min. I lost 15lbs in like 3 months.

THEN I got pregnant with 1st child. He is 15 months old now and I STILL have 15lbs to go to get to where I was before. BUT this time I'm eating 1700 cals a day and heavy lifting 3 times a week, plus cardio 2 times a week.

Why is this time sooooo different??? Please keep in mind - I was 29 when I first lost the weight and I had my first son at 30. Now Im 31 and trying to get rid of this fat off my body - mid section is the worst - thighs, *kitten* and belly.

Are you taking measurements as well as using the scale? When you lift your muscles retain fluid/water.

BarbaraCarr1981

I was weighing for a while, seen no results so pushed the scale under the dresser. I was measuring for awhile and seen no changes so I hid the measuring tape.

meshashesha2012

let's see.. the difference is in my little amount of weight loss i went from a size 22 jeans to a size 14 jean s and i'm not even an apple shape (someone who loses weight easily from their lower body). it was also relatively painless - terms of calorie deficit , not in terms of lifting heavy a$$ed weights :laugh: . in comparison the people i knew who lost 5 pant sizes and ate a larger deficit only doing primarily cardio and barbie weights had to lose a much larger amount of scale weight. they also looked like they had aged 10 years more but that's beyond the scope of this thread.


so i guess the point is you get the same results looks wise working smarter rather than longer.

fittiephd

you can still get stronger while at a slight deficit but you can't GAIN muscle tissue. You can lose body fat though! I personally always eat around maintenance though.

dixiewhiskey

I eat a slight calorie deficit and lift heavy. I dunno all the sciency stuff but it's making me f'in SEXY. I feel great inside and out. I feel strong and I enjoy it. It's a long process but it's so worth it. Sorry I'm no help

You lower bf% by losing weight while retaining lean muscle mass. Heavy lifting retains muscle mass while in a calorie deficit. Its much harder to get to your desired bf% level if you lose lbm at a similar rate as you lose fat.

jayche

Strength training is a great way to retain muscle mass while losing weight, also you can get stronger during a cut (pure strength is more neurological in nature).

GamerLady

See my profile pic.... That was done on a calorie deficit and heavy lifting programme!

Thanks, I knew it was possible. Thanks for showing it is.

cmeiron

I just started lifting 5 weeks ago; during that time I ate about a 500 cal/day deficit (2000+ gross cals/day; my TDEE is around 2500-2600). I dropped my cardio from 300+ min/week to about 120 min/week.

I took progress pics this morning. Here's what happened (before and after):



I also lost inches and about 6 lbs in this time frame. I am stronger.

Yes, I do believe I will keep doing this :bigsmile:

Sarauk2sf

I just started lifting 5 weeks ago; during that time I ate about a 500 cal/day deficit (2000+ gross cals/day; my TDEE is around 2500-2600). I dropped my cardio from 300+ min/week to about 120 min/week.

I took progress pics this morning. Here's what happened (before and after):



I also lost inches and about 6 lbs in this time frame. I am stronger.

Yes, I do believe I will keep doing this :bigsmile:

^^I love this.

Tricep_A_Tops

you can still get stronger while at a slight deficit but you can't GAIN muscle tissue. You can lose body fat though! I personally always eat around maintenance though.

Yea you can.