Calorie deficit & muscle toning

peachfigs · March 2013

Are calisthenics /bodyweight / HIIT exercises useless on muscle toning if you are eating at a calorie deficit? What would happen if you do both at the same time?

Note, I don't mean a calorie deficit so low that you would lose muscle. Lets say you have a calorie deficit, but also eat the calories back you burned during your exercise.

CoderGal · March 2013

tone - a word that nobody likes because it means different things to different people and usually it means 'lengthening the muscle' and 'making the muscle leaner'. Both of which are impossible. You cannot turn human muscle into a density of another animal, you cannot move the fixed points those muscles are attached to to make them longer.

Calorie deficit = lose fat and muscle
Calorie surplus = gain fat and muscle

calorie deficit + Strength training = retaining more muscle, the heavier the weights the better. 2lb dumbbells do not do much for strength when you lift a hairdryer or purse that weighs more then that regularly.

calorie surplus + strength training = You'll gain more muscle mass compared to not lifting

HIIT = "Web definitions - A form of cardio training"
HIIT helps you create a calorie deficit

Cardio doesn't do as much for firming as strength training does, it's more of a easy way to lose body fat. If you don't do anything to try and retain your muscle definition, then you're just going to get boney and squishy like I did. I was a dumb *kitten* and decided to lose all the weight and do a bunch of cardio and it just left me at being a squishy weakling. Better then being sedentary, but I wasn't getting much stronger or a lot firmer. If you want to firm up, do strength training. If you are having trouble getting a calorie deficit compared to your TDEE, cardio helps.

Both cardio and strength training are good for your health.

peachfigs · March 2013

Thanks. Substitute whatever word fits better for "toning", I just meant exercise that works your muscles.

jstout365 · March 2013

Calisthenics and body weight training can provide strength gains. Plyometrics is another group of exercises that have been shown to stimulate the fast twitch muscles. When I do HIIT type activities, I try to incorporate plyo and calisthenics into the HIIT format. You can strengthen the muscles while on a calorie deficit, and like CoderGal said, you will retain more of the LBM than you would just doing cardio + deficit. Most muscle definition that is visible comes from fat loss. The less fat you have on top, the more muscle you appear to have. Best way to keep LBM while losing fat (IMO) is to eat at a reasonable deficit, TDEE - 10-15% and have a solid lifting plan with some cardio for overall fitness. I don't always like to use the "Lift Heavy" term because what is heavy for me may be nothing to another person and also kill someone else and to me it has more to do with exertion level. As long as there is some form of strength training that pushes the muscles beyond daily activity, it will be beneficial.

ladyraven68 · March 2013

tone - a word that nobody likes because it means different things to different people and usually it means 'lengthening the muscle' and 'making the muscle leaner'. Both of which are impossible. You cannot turn human muscle into a density of another animal, you cannot move the fixed points those muscles are attached to to make them longer.

Calorie deficit = lose fat and muscle
Calorie surplus = gain fat and muscle

calorie deficit + Strength training = retaining more muscle, the heavier the weights the better. 2lb dumbbells do not do much for strength when you lift a hairdryer or purse that weighs more then that regularly.

calorie surplus + strength training = You'll gain more muscle mass compared to not lifting

HIIT = "Web definitions - A form of cardio training"
HIIT helps you create a calorie deficit

Cardio doesn't do as much for firming as strength training does, it's more of a easy way to lose body fat. If you don't do anything to try and retain your muscle definition, then you're just going to get boney and squishy like I did. I was a dumb *kitten* and decided to lose all the weight and do a bunch of cardio and it just left me at being a squishy weakling. Better then being sedentary, but I wasn't getting much stronger or a lot firmer. If you want to firm up, do strength training. If you are having trouble getting a calorie deficit compared to your TDEE, cardio helps.

Both cardio and strength training are good for your health.

All this, plus eating the right amount of calories, and protein.

http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/819055-setting-your-calorie-and-macro-targets

invisibubble · March 2013

Any reason you eat such a small amount of calories?

CoderGal · March 2013

All this, plus eating the right amount of calories, and protein.

http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/819055-setting-your-calorie-and-macro-targets

omg yes and this, I'd almost consider this more important then exercise to a point. I use to eat 1200 calories and upped to netting 1700 and eating back exercise calories and all I have to say is I look significantly better now then I did before.

ladyraven68 · March 2013

All this, plus eating the right amount of calories, and protein.

http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/819055-setting-your-calorie-and-macro-targets

omg yes and this, I'd almost consider this more important then exercise to a point. I use to eat 1200 calories and upped to netting 1700 and eating back exercise calories and all I have to say is I look significantly better now then I did before.

You look awesome my dear!

I thought of you today as I put on my stripey welly socks to go out on the mud.
needless to say I looked nothing like your profile picture, but it made me smile.

:flowerforyou:

Calorie deficit & muscle toning

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