Adding muscle while dieting

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ianisgreat
ianisgreat Posts: 18
in Fitness and Exercise
I'm still trying to lose about 15 or so pounds, but I'd like to gain/retain as much muscle as I can until then.

From what I understand, it is difficult to add muscle mass while dieting. I've been able to do so, but I think most of those gains have been sort of low hanging fruit. I've kind of stalled, strength-wise recently.

I try to eat less carbs and fat so that I can have more protein in my diet, but I'm not sure if that only seems like the right thing to do. I usually add whey protein to my diets on exercise days.

Any ideas on what I can be doing better? Do amino-acid supplements help?
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Replies

  • GuybrushThreepw00d
    GuybrushThreepw00d Posts: 784 Member
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    Open your diary :)
  • wellbert
    wellbert Posts: 3,924 Member
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    fat is good for muscle building, too.
    Studies link sat-fat to increased testosterone production.
  • 2tryharder
    2tryharder Posts: 31 Member
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    bump
  • love4fitnesslove4food_wechange
    love4fitnesslove4food_wechange Posts: 6,897 Member
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    you should expect muscle GAINS while dieting-just highly unlikely for the most part. Eat ENOUGH protein, meaning 1g/lb LBM, and then split the rest between carbs/fat.

    Lift weights 3x per week. Don't have a MASSIVE deficit (15-20% max).
  • ianisgreat
    ianisgreat Posts: 18
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    How would I calculate lean body mass?
  • zechks
    zechks Posts: 224
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    If you are on a caloric deficit, you won't gain muscle, you will lose fat or some muscle depending on your training and diet. You can gain muscle and lose fat at the same time too, but most people find it hard to do, because it a very slow process. That's why lots of people are doing bulking and cutting cycles. Focusing at one goal for a certain period.

    For your macros, know your TDEE, and from there you determine the caloric deficit you want (15-20%) and then get at least 1.0-1.5g protein per pound bodyweight and then the rest will be carbs and fat. You can also use a 40/40/20 split for your macros, that's a pretty good starting point and then adjust accordingly depending on your needs.

    Hope that helps man. Good luck. :)
  • love4fitnesslove4food_wechange
    love4fitnesslove4food_wechange Posts: 6,897 Member
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    How would I calculate lean body mass?

    calipers, hydrostatic weighing, or perhaps the military calculators online

    You can also estimate--i mean you can go by comparing yourself to photos...

    body-fat-levels-women21.jpg
  • ianisgreat
    ianisgreat Posts: 18
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    I'm actually a guy. Link to the site with those pictures?
  • love4fitnesslove4food_wechange
    love4fitnesslove4food_wechange Posts: 6,897 Member
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    whoops. sorry. here you go..

    body-fat-levels-men1.jpg
  • ianisgreat
    ianisgreat Posts: 18
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    I don't know how people eat so much protein... Just sitting at home eating boiled chicken breasts, sounds like. At 1.5g/lb of body weight, I'd need over 275g of protein!

    Is that just for weight lifting days, or every day?
  • love4fitnesslove4food_wechange
    love4fitnesslove4food_wechange Posts: 6,897 Member
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    I don't know how people eat so much protein... Just sitting at home eating boiled chicken breasts, sounds like. At 1.5g/lb of body weight, I'd need over 275g of protein!

    Is that just for weight lifting days, or every day?

    you don't need 1.5g/lb ..it's LBM and 1g/lb is 1000000% adequate. How much do you ewigh and what are your estimating your BF% at?
  • MrDude_1
    MrDude_1 Posts: 2,510 Member
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    I don't know how people eat so much protein... Just sitting at home eating boiled chicken breasts, sounds like. At 1.5g/lb of body weight, I'd need over 275g of protein!

    Is that just for weight lifting days, or every day?

    you dont need 1.5.. and its for LEAN body mass... so a 6ft non-athletic person weighing 230 could easily have a LBM of only 155-160... 150g of protein isnt too much to ask for.
  • ianisgreat
    ianisgreat Posts: 18
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    198lbs, 6ft3, estimating about 15% body fat from those pictures. Definitely less than 20%.
  • ianisgreat
    ianisgreat Posts: 18
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    Also, is this every day, or just weight training days?
  • ianisgreat
    ianisgreat Posts: 18
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    Goal weight is 185lb to 190lb.
  • love4fitnesslove4food_wechange
    love4fitnesslove4food_wechange Posts: 6,897 Member
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    198 * .85 = 168g of protein.

    Daily is ideal but if you fall short on non lifting days then no biggie.

    168g of protein = 19oz of chicken. That's not THAT much...you could conceivably eat 12 oz each meal (lunch/dinner) and exceed your needs)

    alternatively:

    12oz chicken = 72g
    2 cups milk = 16g
    1 cup greek yogurt = 20g
    2 oz cheese = 14g
    8oz sirloin (raw weight) = 48g

    Plus your veggie/grain protein. It's really NOT that much.
  • ianisgreat
    ianisgreat Posts: 18
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    What do you all eat to get your protein, if you need to get it in a big chunk? I've been eating a lot more chicken breasts and whey powder since exercising and dieting.
  • love4fitnesslove4food_wechange
    love4fitnesslove4food_wechange Posts: 6,897 Member
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    whey and chicken are awesome --

    2 scoops (25g per servings) and 1 cup milk = 58 grams of protein

    then 12 oz chicken (72g) and 1 cup quinoa (8g) = 80 grams

    You're already basically there without snacks. A protein bar can be 20g and that would finish it off for you.
  • ianisgreat
    ianisgreat Posts: 18
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    168g of protein = 19oz of chicken. That's not THAT much...you could conceivably eat 12 oz each meal (lunch/dinner) and exceed your needs)

    Thank you, this helps a lot. Actually, it's possible I've been getting enough protein all along. I think MFP has wildly different protein amounts per 1oz of chicken. This is another stupid question, but is that amount above cooked or uncooked chicken?

    This seems to be a problem with MFP in general. Do you have nutritional source for food, especially proteins?
  • love4fitnesslove4food_wechange
    love4fitnesslove4food_wechange Posts: 6,897 Member
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    168g of protein = 19oz of chicken. That's not THAT much...you could conceivably eat 12 oz each meal (lunch/dinner) and exceed your needs)

    Thank you, this helps a lot. Actually, it's possible I've been getting enough protein all along. I think MFP has wildly different protein amounts per 1oz of chicken. This is another stupid question, but is that amount above cooked or uncooked chicken?

    This seems to be a problem with MFP in general. Do you have nutritional source for food, especially proteins?

    1 raw ounce of chicken has 6g protein. 1 cooked ounce has more at 9g. So a pound of raw chicken= 96 grams total. Pair that with your protein shake and you've met your needs.

    Just to give you an idea, 1 cup cooked = 43 grams. I can totally eat 2 cups of protein in a sitting, that's 86 grams (about 9.5 oz cooked/ 14 oz raw CHICKEN). 2 shakes a day w/ 2 scoops protein each would be 100g protein. Plus the milk adds another 16g.

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