Eating slightly below maintenance = Muscle Gain?

aalhasan
aalhasan Posts: 104
in Fitness and Exercise
Hello,

I'm planning on gaining some muscle mass this Fall after cutting around 45 pounds, some of which was muscle mass, unfortunately.
The theory says that you have to eat above maintenance with sufficient protein intake and lift weights to gain muscle because lifting raptures the muscle or "expand" it and the protein is used to repair it or "build" it up again.

The question is, can I eat at just below maintenance (~100-200 calories under) and have sufficient protein intake and gain muscle? In other words, can I trick my body into sparing some of the protein for muscle repair?

Thanks!

Replies

  • JenMc14
    JenMc14 Posts: 2,389 Member
    Maybe at first, if you're new to lifting or hitting it really hard, but it's really difficult to gain significant muscle mass if you're not eating at a surplus, generally speaking.
  • aalhasan
    aalhasan Posts: 104
    I just want to gain some decent biceps, shoulder, and chest muscles (Basic body definition). I'm not looking forward to look like The Rock. My legs are already HUGE because of running and daily football practice back in the days.
    Would that kind of intake work?
  • aalhasan
    aalhasan Posts: 104
    bump
  • GetSoda
    GetSoda Posts: 1,267 Member
    http://www.bodyrecomposition.com/fat-loss/adding-muscle-while-losing-fat-qa.html
  • j6o4
    j6o4 Posts: 871 Member
    I just want to gain some decent biceps, shoulder, and chest muscles (Basic body definition). I'm not looking forward to look like The Rock. My legs are already HUGE because of running and daily football practice back in the days.
    Would that kind of intake work?

    You won't look like The Rock even if you tried. You need a surplus to gain muscle.

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