How to get lean WITHOUT losing weight?

wattsy84
wattsy84 Posts: 123
in Health and Weight Loss
How do you get lean muscle definition without losing weight? Do you eat at maintenance (TDEE) and carry on with cardio and heavy lifting or cut out cardio too?

Replies

  • cwolfman13
    cwolfman13 Posts: 41,865 Member
    To my knowledge, it's pretty much impossible. I've heard it suggested that you can eat at maintenance and work your *kitten* off in the weight room, but I've never actually seen or heard of anyone having success with that approach. I'm kind of in a similar predicament now after shedding 32 Lbs...I didn't really want to lose too much more as I'm at a weight I used to be very happy with, but was much leaner and muscular back then. Pretty much everyone has told me to cut to a BF% in the low teens and then do a slow bulk...
  • Iron_Feline
    Iron_Feline Posts: 10,750 Member
    I believe it's very difficult and very slow.

    Just replying so this appears on my wall and some more knowledgeable peeps might see it and answer.

    Also try posting in the Eat, train, progress group :flowerforyou:
  • GolfChickPDX
    GolfChickPDX Posts: 12
    It's a balancing act for each person. You have to find out the right amount of food to eat, the right balance of Protein/Carb/fat etc for your body and the right amount of lifting. But the Lifting is the key. In order to turn the fat to muscle and keep the weight the same, you just have to lift!
  • wattsy84
    wattsy84 Posts: 123
    So what's best way to go? Bulk and cut? Eat over TDEE for how long?and do you lift during the bulk, then carry on the lifting but eat -20% TDEE?
  • cwolfman13
    cwolfman13 Posts: 41,865 Member
    So what's best way to go? Bulk and cut? Eat over TDEE for how long?and do you lift during the bulk, then carry on the lifting but eat -20% TDEE?

    Do you know your BF%? Personally, I'd do a slow cut...TDEE - 10% or 15% (actually, is what I'm doing) and hit the weight room.

    Do you lift now? You won't gain much in the way of appreciable muscle while you're at a deficit, but you should make some noob gains if you're new. Also, I'd recommend Starting Strength if you're new...I love it. I'm doing it now to build a good foundation of strength before I move to a hypertrophy program (which won't be until I bulk as it's pretty pointless to do a hypertrophy program on a deficit). With a strength training program, you beef up your foundation and preserve the muscle you do have.

    Personally..that's what I'd do, and that's what I am doing. You could try to eat at maintenance and hit it in the gym, but IMHO, it'll take a lot longer than just cutting down to a desirable BF% and then putting some more muscle on.
  • Sebidian
    Sebidian Posts: 199 Member
    Bump
  • wattsy84
    wattsy84 Posts: 123
    So what's best way to go? Bulk and cut? Eat over TDEE for how long?and do you lift during the bulk, then carry on the lifting but eat -20% TDEE?

    Do you know your BF%? Personally, I'd do a slow cut...TDEE - 10% or 15% (actually, is what I'm doing) and hit the weight room.

    Do you lift now? You won't gain much in the way of appreciable muscle while you're at a deficit, but you should make some noob gains if you're new. Also, I'd recommend Starting Strength if you're new...I love it. I'm doing it now to build a good foundation of strength before I move to a hypertrophy program (which won't be until I bulk as it's pretty pointless to do a hypertrophy program on a deficit). With a strength training program, you beef up your foundation and preserve the muscle you do have.

    Personally..that's what I'd do, and that's what I am doing. You could try to eat at maintenance and hit it in the gym, but IMHO, it'll take a lot longer than just cutting down to a desirable BF% and then putting some more muscle on.

    Not aware of my BF% currently, I do lift now, started a few weeks ago in my garage following a good beginner full body routine lifting as heavy as I can,mainly dumbbell work (12.5kg at mo)
    So would you recommend I eat at TDEE -10% and just carry on as I am but ignore the scales and use the eye as a guide? I'm going to eat over TDEE until Monday then start a fresh at TDEE - 10% with my current program and see how that goes for 4weeks!
  • TavistockToad
    TavistockToad Posts: 35,719 Member
    How do you get lean muscle definition without losing weight? Do you eat at maintenance (TDEE) and carry on with cardio and heavy lifting or cut out cardio too?

    eat 10% under tdee, heavy lifting and a little cardio - HIIT once a week if you fancy it.
  • wattsy84
    wattsy84 Posts: 123
    How do you get lean muscle definition without losing weight? Do you eat at maintenance (TDEE) and carry on with cardio and heavy lifting or cut out cardio too?

    eat 10% under tdee, heavy lifting and a little cardio - HIIT once a week if you fancy it.

    Should I expect to see no change on the scales while doing this? I worked out my TDEE on various sites ranging from 2900-3100 so ill average it at 3000 so if I eat 2700 is that too much?
  • amann1976
    amann1976 Posts: 742 Member
    stop focusing on TDEE and all that other crap and focus on what you put into your mouth. eat right workout hard and over time you will see results. all that other crap you worry about like logging everything and TDEE and BMR and everything else is a total waste of energy and time.

    unless you have acquired those numbers the correct way they are only estimates anyway.
  • Wetcoaster
    Wetcoaster Posts: 1,788 Member
    If you want some expert advice go read the forums at Bodybuilding.com as those guys are a wealth of information.

    http://forum.bodybuilding.com/index.php
  • Energizer06
    Energizer06 Posts: 311 Member
    IMO: By looking at your profile pic (if its recent) I would put you at 16 -17% BF. Best thing to do is deficit TDEE less 500-750 calories until you drop to 11% BF (you be able to see 90% of your abs "clearly") This will probably be around a 10 lb loss on the scale. Lift heavy but start out with something lighter and progress to your max.

    I'm in exactly the same boat. At 14% on my way to 11%. Been at it since late Jan. I love cardio ...so I still do it 3 x wk. I'm on my 6 week of SL 5x5 and just getting close to not making all my reps in all sets. Figure I have one more week before I can't reach them all.

    Anyway. Good luck! Eat right and work hard.
  • wattsy84
    wattsy84 Posts: 123
    IMO: By looking at your profile pic (if its recent) I would put you at 16 -17% BF. Best thing to do is deficit TDEE less 500-750 calories until you drop to 11% BF (you be able to see 90% of your abs "clearly") This will probably be around a 10 lb loss on the scale. Lift heavy but start out with something lighter and progress to your max.

    I'm in exactly the same boat. At 14% on my way to 11%. Been at it since late Jan. I love cardio ...so I still do it 3 x wk. I'm on my 6 week of SL 5x5 and just getting close to not making all my reps in all sets. Figure I have one more week before I can't reach them all.

    Anyway. Good luck! Eat right and work hard.

    Is the 5x5 working well for you then? I've only been lifting to a proper program for 3 weeks and I need to keep up cardio due to my football commitments at weekends! At the minute my weight is going up and down 2-4 lbs daily.....
    Mon 164
    Tues 165
    Weds 166
    Thurs 164
    Fri 167
    Sat 166
    Sun 162
    Mon 165

    All readings taken in morn and was eating over TDEE from weds-sun to try and jump start things a bit and now eating TDEE -650 from today (mon) onwards!

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