Default Can you build muscle on a calorie deficit?

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julie14401
julie14401 Posts: 4
in Health and Weight Loss
I am in the normal weight range but I would like to lose about 8 pounds of fat and gain a few pounds of muscle. What would be the best way to go about doing this? Would it make sense to eat about 200-300 calories less than I need per day to help reduce the fat and then weight train to build muscle?
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  • McBully4
    McBully4 Posts: 1,270 Member
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    just lift weights the fat will come off
  • dlwyatt82
    dlwyatt82 Posts: 1,077 Member
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    It's technically possible to do both at the same time, but there's a very fine point of calorie balance, and the results will be slow in both directions. Most people choose to just focus on losing fat and then building muscle in a repeating cycle ("cutting / bulking"). You lift weights the entire time, and just switch between eating at a deficit and a surplus as needed.
  • ninerbuff
    ninerbuff Posts: 48,708 Member
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    If you're new to lifting, you may build a little muscle in calorie deficit, but for the general population it's very hard to do it. Even if nutrition, rest and training were spot on, the gains would be minimal. Realize that to gain muscle is to put on weight. You'd have to be in calorie surplus to gain weight.

    A.C.E. Certified Personal/Group FitnessTrainer
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  • mmapags
    mmapags Posts: 8,934 Member
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    I am in the normal weight range but I would like to lose about 8 pounds of fat and gain a few pounds of muscle. What would be the best way to go about doing this? Would it make sense to eat about 200-300 calories less than I need per day to help reduce the fat and then weight train to build muscle?

    Do you really want to gain muscle fibers or do you want to get in better shape with better development of your muscle structure? The second can happen in a deficit. You existing muscle structure will develop. They will be a little bigger, a lot stronger and look a lot better. Most times, when someone says the want to build muscle, I think that's what they really want and don't want more muscle fibers or mass. is that the case with you? As others have said, it's not really viable to try to gain new muscle tissue in a deficit but you can get in better condition with a more developed muscle structure.
  • julie14401
    julie14401 Posts: 4
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    Do you really want to gain muscle fibers or do you want to get in better shape with better development of your muscle structure? The second can happen in a deficit. You existing muscle structure will develop. They will be a little bigger, a lot stronger and look a lot better. Most times, when someone says the want to build muscle, I think that's what they really want and don't want more muscle fibers or mass. is that the case with you? As others have said, it's not really viable to try to gain new muscle tissue in a deficit but you can get in better condition with a more developed muscle structure.
    '
    I just want to have a more toned looking body. I feel like i'm sort of bordering on skinny fat right now.
  • rose313
    rose313 Posts: 1,146 Member
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    If you just want to tone, eating at a calorie deficit while strength training will do just that. You will lose inches of fat, and your muscles will be stronger and look better because there's less fat around them.
  • mjpisat
    mjpisat Posts: 46 Member
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    Do you really want to gain muscle fibers or do you want to get in better shape with better development of your muscle structure? The second can happen in a deficit. You existing muscle structure will develop. They will be a little bigger, a lot stronger and look a lot better. Most times, when someone says the want to build muscle, I think that's what they really want and don't want more muscle fibers or mass. is that the case with you? As others have said, it's not really viable to try to gain new muscle tissue in a deficit but you can get in better condition with a more developed muscle structure.


    I want to do option number 2 (get in better shape with better development of your muscle structure). don't want to get bigger at all. Currently weight 193, want to be 170-175, on a calorie deficit and play hockey for cardio.

    What is a good weight lifting routine to reach your option number 2? three days a week I can lift, maybe even just 2.
  • aaronrlindemann
    aaronrlindemann Posts: 25 Member
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    Yes you can... as long as the deficit isn't huge.
  • mmapags
    mmapags Posts: 8,934 Member
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    Do you really want to gain muscle fibers or do you want to get in better shape with better development of your muscle structure? The second can happen in a deficit. You existing muscle structure will develop. They will be a little bigger, a lot stronger and look a lot better. Most times, when someone says the want to build muscle, I think that's what they really want and don't want more muscle fibers or mass. is that the case with you? As others have said, it's not really viable to try to gain new muscle tissue in a deficit but you can get in better condition with a more developed muscle structure.


    I want to do option number 2 (get in better shape with better development of your muscle structure). don't want to get bigger at all. Currently weight 193, want to be 170-175, on a calorie deficit and play hockey for cardio.

    What is a good weight lifting routine to reach your option number 2? three days a week I can lift, maybe even just 2.

    The 2 that are the easiest and best are Starting Strength and Stronglifts 5x5. They are almost the same routine the difference being 5 sets of each exercise or 3 sets. They are full body compound exercises. Very time efficient and will do exactly what you want.

    BTW, just remembered, there is a group of minor league hockey players (Reading PA team) that work out in my gym and they do this type of routine.
  • LisaWilson2012
    LisaWilson2012 Posts: 118 Member
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    just lift weights the fat will come off

    I agree with this. Muscles are the powerhouse within your body. They burn calories whilst just existing. The bigger you get, the more calories you will burn even at rest. By lifting weights you will increase their size (although women find this harder than man due to the lack of testosterone) and burn the carbs that get stored there, together with the liver, from the food you eat. If you follow your weight routine with cardio (like I do), your body will have no choice but to burn fat as it's the only thing left (provided you aren't consuming much 'bad sugar'. In addition, while your muscles repair following your workout, and for up to 36 hours afterwards, you will continue to burn calories.

    Hope this helps.
  • mmapags
    mmapags Posts: 8,934 Member
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    Do you really want to gain muscle fibers or do you want to get in better shape with better development of your muscle structure? The second can happen in a deficit. You existing muscle structure will develop. They will be a little bigger, a lot stronger and look a lot better. Most times, when someone says the want to build muscle, I think that's what they really want and don't want more muscle fibers or mass. is that the case with you? As others have said, it's not really viable to try to gain new muscle tissue in a deficit but you can get in better condition with a more developed muscle structure.
    '
    I just want to have a more toned looking body. I feel like i'm sort of bordering on skinny fat right now.

    See above post! This will work for you also.
  • mjpisat
    mjpisat Posts: 46 Member
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    The 2 that are the easiest and best are Starting Strength and Stronglifts 5x5. They are almost the same routine the difference being 5 sets of each exercise or 3 sets. They are full body compound exercises. Very time efficient and will do exactly what you want.

    BTW, just remembered, there is a group of minor league hockey players (Reading PA team) that work out in my gym and they do this type of routine.

    I actually just completed my first week of starting strength. i am a little hesitant to keep up with though being on the calorie deficit.

    Do the Reading players do starting strength?
  • mmapags
    mmapags Posts: 8,934 Member
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    The 2 that are the easiest and best are Starting Strength and Stronglifts 5x5. They are almost the same routine the difference being 5 sets of each exercise or 3 sets. They are full body compound exercises. Very time efficient and will do exactly what you want.

    BTW, just remembered, there is a group of minor league hockey players (Reading PA team) that work out in my gym and they do this type of routine.

    I actually just completed my first week of starting strength. i am a little hesitant to keep up with though being on the calorie deficit.

    Do the Reading players do starting strength?

    They do a hybrid routine designed by thier trainer. It involves squats (they do front squats because it target the skating muscles) bench, rows, overhead and a few others I can't recall.
    I've been doing strength training on a defict for awhile. Not probelms with that. Just get plenty of protein and carbs on your workout days and you'll do fine.
  • mjpisat
    mjpisat Posts: 46 Member
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    How big of a deficit are you on? I'm on a 500 calorie/1 lb a week and i typically don't eat back the calories on my cardio days.

    although i've been cheating a bunch recently and going over. interested to see how I make out when i tighten it down and actually stay at the 500 calorie deficit
  • mmapags
    mmapags Posts: 8,934 Member
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    How big of a deficit are you on? I'm on a 500 calorie/1 lb a week and i typically don't eat back the calories on my cardio days.

    although i've been cheating a bunch recently and going over. interested to see how I make out when i tighten it down and actually stay at the 500 calorie deficit

    Right now I'm on 500 calorie a day deficit and eat back all exercise. I'm also a little less focused on weight loss than I am on body recomposition and fat loss. I want to retain all the lean muscle tissue and will actually do a bulk in september to get more muscle mass on my upper body. My lower body is good but not enough to work with on the upper body. Then I'll go to 400 to 500 surplus.
  • mjpisat
    mjpisat Posts: 46 Member
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    What's the difference between weight loss and body recomposition/fat loss.?

    Don't they go hand in hand?
  • mmapags
    mmapags Posts: 8,934 Member
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    What's the difference between weight loss and body recomposition/fat loss.?

    Don't they go hand in hand?

    Not nessesarily. Weight loss is a combination of losing both fat and lean mass. Body recompostion is intentionally working to keep lean mass while reducing fat. If you are not intentional with eating sufficient protien and strength training, you could lose a substantial amoount of your weight loss as lean mass. Say 20% to 40%. So if you lost 20 lbs and it was, say, 30% lean mass, that's 6 pounds of muscle mass and 14 lbs of fat. I'd prefer to only lose 14 lbs and have it all be fat.
  • mjpisat
    mjpisat Posts: 46 Member
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    Got it.

    I started at 208 and am down to 193. Goal weight is 170-175. A rough estimate for my body fat is 25.7% so that leaves me with about 147 lbs of lean mass. Again, rough estimate.

    I usually take in about 130 to 160 grams of protein daily. sometimes a little more, sometimes a little less. I shoot for 1750 calories daily.

    So with that along with the lifting and hockey/cardio I guess that puts me in good position for body recomp/fat loss rather than just weight loss?
  • mmapags
    mmapags Posts: 8,934 Member
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    Got it.

    I started at 208 and am down to 193. Goal weight is 170-175. A rough estimate for my body fat is 25.7% so that leaves me with about 147 lbs of lean mass. Again, rough estimate.

    I usually take in about 130 to 160 grams of protein daily. sometimes a little more, sometimes a little less. I shoot for 1750 calories daily.

    So with that along with the lifting and hockey/cardio I guess that puts me in good position for body recomp/fat loss rather than just weight loss?

    It does. I'd just make sure to eat back sufficient calories. You are very active and the strength training will cause a little competition with the cardio for recovery resources if you don't. Other than that, you have a good plan.

    Just out of curiosity, your TDEE is only 2250? That seems a little low. I'm 5'9" 198 and mine is 2675. You may be at more than a 500 calories deficit. That's not a problem unless you either stall or lack energy for your workouts.
  • mjpisat
    mjpisat Posts: 46 Member
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    what did you use to calculate your tdee?

    i just put my numbers in to my fitness pal.

    I lift 2-3 days in a 7 day period, I play hockey twice a week minimum. One day is an intense game, the other is a 1 hour practice and only the last 15 minutes is intense (scrimmage). I may add another light day of skating or HIIT.

    Other than though i do nothing. i sit at my job all day. Then I drive 3 hours. I'm sitting any where from 9-15 hours a day 5 days a week. I do have kids and hang out with them, but nothing strenuous.

    When i put my numbers in to the website here I say that I am sedentary. It says I should eat 1740 for a 1 lb. a week deficit.

    I've looked on other websites and it's close to the same.

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