Confused Fat Loss Vs Muscle Gain
akaMrsmojo
Posts: 762 Member
Okay I am confused, I was telling a friend of mine about my workouts and the TDEE method that I recently started using.
My friend, who happens to be a certified trainer told me without question, you cannot gain muscle unless you are over your calories.
He said the only way to gain one ounce of muscle is to have a calorie surplus.
That is not my understanding. Is this true?
My friend, who happens to be a certified trainer told me without question, you cannot gain muscle unless you are over your calories.
He said the only way to gain one ounce of muscle is to have a calorie surplus.
That is not my understanding. Is this true?
0
Replies
-
That goes against everything I read. If you are working out hard and eating correctly, say 1500-1800 cals. a day of good carbs, plenty of protein and fats, no sugar and low salt and you are burning 500 cals or more at the gym. You will slowly tone, gain muscle and lose weight, or maintain depending on your BMI.0
-
you can strengthen the muscle you already have at a calorie deficit but you will not gain muscle. You can lose fat and strengthen what muscle you currently have. Now that I said this...there is always an exception.0
-
"My friend, who happens to be a certified trainer told me without question, you cannot gain muscle unless you are over your calories"
This is true unless..
1. you are a beginner to working out.
2. you are obese
3. you have an immaculate body recomp diet created by a professional (extremely rare) and even then results come extremely slowly.
4. you are on gear
also getting stronger does not always equal muscle mass.. so if you are getting stronger while on less calories usually means your nervous system is adapting to heavier weight and skeletal muscle may or may not grow.0 -
following...0
-
the exception:
A popular misconception in fitness and nutrition circles is that it is impossible to build muscle and lose weight -- via a caloric deficit -- simultaneously. While this is not impossible to do, it can be quite difficult and requires several specific circumstances to be in place. First, you must be significantly overweight with a high body fat percentage. Second, you must consume a diet conducive to muscular hypertrophy. Third, you must engage in a consistent program of weight training.
Read more: http://www.livestrong.com/article/362906-can-you-build-muscle-on-a-calorie-deficit/#ixzz2LpNVguPO0 -
My opinion is that the human body is capable of using excess energy storage (fat) to build muscle. The problem of too low calorie is stamina. A couple of months ago I read a blog post by a 51 year old female who transformed her body into a very muscular build at a calorie deficit. I wish I had bookmarked it, I can't seem to find it now. She advised a "reasonable" deficit.0
-
The "problem of too low calorie" is that you're not supplying your body with the 'building blocks' it needs to create muscle. If you're in a caloric deficit, the body will not manufacture metabolically 'expensive' muscle because it's only receiving enough calories to fuel your daily needs (or much less, in the case of people who create huge deficits). To make a somewhat obtuse analogy, say you want to add a room onto your house, but only have enough money to make your monthly mortgage payment. Until you somehow come up with the excess money to pay for that room addition, you're not going to be able to do it. You can wish for it, plan for it, go out and dig the foundation, pound stakes in the ground - but until you can afford the materials you need to build it, it's not going to happen.My opinion is that the human body is capable of using excess energy storage (fat) to build muscle. The problem of too low calorie is stamina. A couple of months ago I read a blog post by a 51 year old female who transformed her body into a very muscular build at a calorie deficit. I wish I had bookmarked it, I can't seem to find it now. She advised a "reasonable" deficit.
Many people transform their bodies while in a deficit. What you're seeing is a loss of body fat, which makes your body look leaner and your existing musculature look more defined - which can create the illusion of more muscle. People new to strength training will experience "noob gains" for a short period, given adequate calories and protein intake - but to add significant amounts of muscle to your body, you need a caloric surplus (along with progressive, heavy strength training). So the OP's trainer was correct (excluding the part about the slight noob gains).0 -
http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/818594-building-muscle-and-losing-fat-at-the-same-time
Basically, you can gain muscle on a deficit in limited circumstances.
- 'newbie', or retuerning lifter gains
- if you are significantly overweight
These gains are limited and finite and depend on BF%, age, sex, training intensity, genetics etc.0 -
That goes against everything I read. If you are working out hard and eating correctly, say 1500-1800 cals. a day of good carbs, plenty of protein and fats, no sugar and low salt and you are burning 500 cals or more at the gym. You will slowly tone, gain muscle and lose weight, or maintain depending on your BMI.
Regardless of how much you eat, besides newbie gains you will not gain muscle while at a calorie deficit. You actually tend to lose muscle while in a deficit... more so if you don't lift heavy, don't consume enough protein and have too large of a deficit.
Your body NEEDs calories to build muscle and muscle can only be built while consuming a surplus of calories, consuming proper amounts of protein and lifting heavy weights.
Gaining strength and gaining more muscle mass are totally different things.0 -
It's true but don't worry about it. Keep lifting and stay in your calorie deficit if you are trying to lose weight. You will improve how you look and you will like what you see.
Just work out0 -
Yep. You can most certainly gain strength while in a caloric deficit because strength comes from neuromuscular adaptation. Basically, your nervous system reacts to the increased load by becoming more efficient at utilizing your muscles....but as you said, getting stronger is not the same thing as getting bigger (increasing muscle mass).Gaining strength and gaining more muscle mass are totally different things.
[ETA:] To concur with what DavPul said above ^.0 -
Side Point: Do you know what you have to do to become a certified trainer?0
-
Correct.The "problem of too low calorie" is that you're not supplying your body with the 'building blocks' it needs to create muscle. If you're in a caloric deficit, the body will not manufacture metabolically 'expensive' muscle because it's only receiving enough calories to fuel your daily needs (or much less, in the case of people who create huge deficits). To make a somewhat obtuse analogy, say you want to add a room onto your house, but only have enough money to make your monthly mortgage payment. Until you somehow come up with the excess money to pay for that room addition, you're not going to be able to do it. You can wish for it, plan for it, go out and dig the foundation, pound stakes in the ground - but until you can afford the materials you need to build it, it's not going to happen.
Many people transform their bodies while in a deficit. What you're seeing is a loss of body fat, which makes your body look leaner and your existing musculature look more defined - which can create the illusion of more muscle. People new to strength training will experience "noob gains" for a short period, given adequate calories and protein intake - but to add significant amounts of muscle to your body, you need a caloric surplus (along with progressive, heavy strength training). So the OP's trainer was correct (excluding the part about the slight noob gains).
A.C.E. Certified Personal/Group FitnessTrainer
IDEA Fitness member
Kickboxing Certified Instructor
Been in fitness for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition0 -
Pass the written test. Lol, for many that do, lots actually don't know that much about "real world" training.Side Point: Do you know what you have to do to become a certified trainer?
A.C.E. Certified Personal/Group FitnessTrainer
IDEA Fitness member
Kickboxing Certified Instructor
Been in fitness for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition0 -
Thanks for all your help guys. My short term goal is to lose a little more fat. I am not unhappy with where I am at. But I do want to start strength training soon. But before I do, I wanted to get as much information as possible. I hate walking into something blindly.
I know when I do any strength training, I get really hungry and I feel better overall that day.
Thanks again0 -
Start strength training NOW. Strength training is the best thing you can be doing if you want to lose more fat. You can follow all the links, read all the studies, and gather all the information you want, but all of it will point to the same conclusion, whether you are eating in a surplus or a deficit. Everything will tell you to start strength training now.0
-
My husband was explaining this to me the other day. if you just want to build muscle then a surplus is good because you burn it when you workout. However, if you want to lose fat you must have a calorie deficient, do cardio , and strength to replace your fat with muscle. I have noticed MFP says to eat 1200 calories, for me personally, no matter what the scenario I put in, so if you are confused about how many calories to eat check multiple calculators and then decide on something in between. That's what I did, and I found that 1200 calories is not enough for me to eat everyday, and succeed long term. I have also had success just in the last two days with calories cycling, lost 1 pound since Saturday!
My calorie cycling ranges from 1200 (one day a week) to 1640 on one day... the majority of days it stays at 1491. So its not always a big deficient as I think my BMR is around 1600 or something. This calculation includes my 5 days a week of working out.
Hope this helps
0 -
Thanks for all your help guys. My short term goal is to lose a little more fat. I am not unhappy with where I am at. But I do want to start strength training soon. But before I do, I wanted to get as much information as possible. I hate walking into something blindly.
I know when I do any strength training, I get really hungry and I feel better overall that day.
Thanks again
You should incorporate your strength into your workouts ASAP, it will help burn fat. Have you tried Jillian Michaels workouts? You do the cardio and strength at the same time, and it's very effective. It also helps if you don't have enough time to do a long workout.0 -
I do strength training at least two days a week. I also calculated my TDEE and I am eating 1911 calories a day. I could never do 1200 calories a day. I really want back off the cardio and go for strength. I am not worried about fast, more about strong and building muscle.
But when I first started, I did 1280. I did not know what the heck I was doing. That is why I am asking the questions now.
Plus I plan to start running again when it warms up.0 -
I do strength training at least two days a week. I also calculated my TDEE and I am eating 1911 calories a day. I could never do 1200 calories a day. I really want back off the cardio and go for strength. I am not worried about fast, more about strong and building muscle.
But when I first started, I did 1280. I did not know what the heck I was doing. That is why I am asking the questions now.
Plus I plan to start running again when it warms up.
I was the same way! Lol I lost 20 pounds last year, but it was slow going because I was eating 1200 calories everyday. This time around I have made sure to educate myself, who knew weight loss required research?! ;-)
I know more about cardio than I do strength but google has been very helpful, as well as learning from the posts here on MFP. good luck! If you ever want some extra encouragement, feel free to send a friend request.0 -
Bumping0
-
It's true but don't worry about it. Keep lifting and stay in your calorie deficit if you are trying to lose weight. You will improve how you look and you will like what you see.
Just work out
This especially the last line is all you need to know. People get so hung up on the whole "building muscle" thing. Until you get to a Body Fat % that is very healthy, under 15 for men, under 20 for women, it truly doesn't matter. And even then it doesn't matter unless you are unhappy with your physique and want to add mass. As Dave said:
JUST WORK OUT!!0 -
I've never seen any hard numbers from anyone showing an increase in lean mass while losing overall body mass. You can get stronger, absolutely, but I'm not convinced you can gain any significant amount of lean mass while losing weight.
People say you can, but I have yet to see anyone say "I was measured by a professional over the course of two months; my overall weight went from 200 to 190 pounds, while my body fat % went from 25% to 18%, meaning my lean mass went from 150 to 155.8 pounds."
If anyone has any good examples of this happening, let me know.0 -
I've never seen any hard numbers from anyone showing an increase in lean mass while losing overall body mass. You can get stronger, absolutely, but I'm not convinced you can gain any significant amount of lean mass while losing weight.
People say you can, but I have yet to see anyone say "I was measured by a professional over the course of two months; my overall weight went from 200 to 190 pounds, while my body fat % went from 25% to 18%, meaning my lean mass went from 150 to 155.8 pounds."
If anyone has any good examples of this happening, let me know.
Here is a recent study in which athletes lost fat and gained lean body mass:
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/215585710 -
It's true but don't worry about it. Keep lifting and stay in your calorie deficit if you are trying to lose weight. You will improve how you look and you will like what you see.
Just work out
This especially the last line is all you need to know. People get so hung up on the whole "building muscle" thing. Until you get to a Body Fat % that is very healthy, under 15 for men, under 20 for women, it truly doesn't matter. And even then it doesn't matter unless you are unhappy with your physique and want to add mass. As Dave said:
JUST WORK OUT!!
Oh I do workout, 5 days a week. I would like to add some mass. I am just trying to understand more about my body and how to reach my goals.0 -
It's true but don't worry about it. Keep lifting and stay in your calorie deficit if you are trying to lose weight. You will improve how you look and you will like what you see.
Just work out
This especially the last line is all you need to know. People get so hung up on the whole "building muscle" thing. Until you get to a Body Fat % that is very healthy, under 15 for men, under 20 for women, it truly doesn't matter. And even then it doesn't matter unless you are unhappy with your physique and want to add mass. As Dave said:
JUST WORK OUT!!
Oh I do workout, 5 days a week. I would like to add some mass. I am just trying to understand more about my body and how to reach my goals.
Simple then:
-calorie surplus
-adequate protein,1 gram per lb of lbm
-lift in the hypertrophy range 8 to 12 reps
-reduce or elminate cardio
As a woman, you can should be able to realistically gain about 1/2 pound per month to 1 lb per month of lean mass.
Works like a charm!0 -
Start strength training NOW. Strength training is the best thing you can be doing if you want to lose more fat. You can follow all the links, read all the studies, and gather all the information you want, but all of it will point to the same conclusion, whether you are eating in a surplus or a deficit. Everything will tell you to start strength training now.
This!0 -
bump0
Categories
- All Categories
- 1.4M Health, Wellness and Goals
- 393.7K Introduce Yourself
- 43.8K Getting Started
- 260.3K Health and Weight Loss
- 176K Food and Nutrition
- 47.5K Recipes
- 232.6K Fitness and Exercise
- 431 Sleep, Mindfulness and Overall Wellness
- 6.5K Goal: Maintaining Weight
- 8.6K Goal: Gaining Weight and Body Building
- 153K Motivation and Support
- 8.1K Challenges
- 1.3K Debate Club
- 96.4K Chit-Chat
- 2.5K Fun and Games
- 3.8K MyFitnessPal Information
- 23 News and Announcements
- 1.2K Feature Suggestions and Ideas
- 2.6K MyFitnessPal Tech Support Questions