keeping muscle mass
spchandr
Posts: 22
I'm currently on 1200 calorie diet. I exercise daily only lightly ( I do not eat back my calories )
How can I avoid losing muscle mass ? Would strength training help, along with high protein intake ?
I have a pass to go weight lifting (machines) for the next 2 weeks
Thanks,
sp
How can I avoid losing muscle mass ? Would strength training help, along with high protein intake ?
I have a pass to go weight lifting (machines) for the next 2 weeks
Thanks,
sp
0
Replies
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strength training is the only way to maintain muscle mass while losing weight.0
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yes, strength training and adequate protein intake. You WILL lose muscle if you don't eat enough protein even if you strength train and especially at a calorie deficit.0
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Does zumba sculpt & tone count ?
Or resistance training in a workout video using a band ?
Whichever videos are about "tone" / "firm" will count as strength training right ?0 -
Yup - gotta do some sort of resistance/weight/strength exercises. And not necessarily standard body building type work (eta, those you mentoned above are fine). You can do a lot of body weight exercises, pilates, yoga, circuit training, etc. You also need to make sure you're eating plenty of protein. The number MFP sets for protein is actually a minimum daily recommended allowance so it's perfectly fine, if not recommended to let that number go into the red. A stardard guideline is 1g per 0.8 lb of body weight but somewhere between 80 and 120 would do nicely.
Eating back those exercise calories will help as well. Too high of a calorie deficit nearly ensures that you'll lose muscle mass along with the body fat. If you're worried about overestimates, just plan to eat half of what MFP gives you for your activies.0 -
they are better than nothing, but no, not really (IMO).
As a minimum you need to be lifting about 60-85% of your 1 rep max.0 -
I can't afford a gym membership so my best bet is probably to learn some exercises to do with free weights and attempt to do them by my self for upper and lower body workouts0
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Keep in mind that too large of a calorie deficit will cause muscle loss no matter how much strength training you do or protein you eat. To truly maintain muscle mass and lose weight, you need a fairly modest calorie deficit. I don't know much about you (age, size, height, activity level) but 1200 calories is usually considered to be on the low end.0
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What made you choose 1,200 total calories? And what is your weight?
As has been noted, resistance training and adequate protein intake are the two tools in our toolbox we can use to stave off muscle loss while dieting.
On the adequate protein front, the literature is all over the place with what's sufficient... but it's pretty clear that the RDA amount is inadequate for active folks. I'd recommend at least .8 grams per pound of goal weight. Going as high as 1.5 grams per pound of goal weight is even doable.
On the resistance training front, heavier loading tends to do a better job for muscle maintenance than does lighter loading. That being said, if you don't have any experience with resistance training, your threshold for stimulating growth/maintenance is much lower than a trained individual's. This simply means you have a lot of leeway in terms of what you can do.
Bands and Zumba type stuff, while not idea, might be just fine for the time being. That threshold for stimulating growth/maintenance, though, adapts just like all other nuances of the body. So as you train your body, you have to progress the load.
If you're going to do some stuff at home, I'd start with a set of adjustable DBs. I have clients that I train online who do their entire programming with nothing more than a set of DBs and they're successful.0 -
I'm 155 lbs, 5 ft 5 in and hoping to lose weight to 141 lbs. MFP says I ought to eat 60 g of protein daily.
The reason why I'm eating at 1200 calories is because I want to lose weight quicker than I have been. Also, I do not eat my exercise calories back because 1) to boost weightloss and 2) I don't have a good estimate of how many calories I'm burning and I don't want to eat too much.0 -
I'm planning to do strength training 3-4 times a week with weights, and eat at least 60 g of protein daily.
I don't want to turn into flab
no matter how skinny. 0 -
100 grams of protein, lifting weights......it's going to be a major challenge on 1200 cals, IMO 60g protein isn't enough.0
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What made you choose 1,200 total calories? And what is your weight?
As has been noted, resistance training and adequate protein intake are the two tools in our toolbox we can use to stave off muscle loss while dieting.
On the adequate protein front, the literature is all over the place with what's sufficient... but it's pretty clear that the RDA amount is inadequate for active folks. I'd recommend at least .8 grams per pound of goal weight. Going as high as 1.5 grams per pound of goal weight is even doable.
On the resistance training front, heavier loading tends to do a better job for muscle maintenance than does lighter loading. That being said, if you don't have any experience with resistance training, your threshold for stimulating growth/maintenance is much lower than a trained individual's. This simply means you have a lot of leeway in terms of what you can do.
Bands and Zumba type stuff, while not idea, might be just fine for the time being. That threshold for stimulating growth/maintenance, though, adapts just like all other nuances of the body. So as you train your body, you have to progress the load.
If you're going to do some stuff at home, I'd start with a set of adjustable DBs. I have clients that I train online who do their entire programming with nothing more than a set of DBs and they're successful.
I don't know if it's feasible for me to consume 112g of protein per day. Protein shakes offer 30 g per serving, but at 170 calories a scoop I'll be going over my calorie requirement!0 -
I have the same problem, I eat 1200cals a day, but don't workout. I'm trying to keep my muscle mass by eating my weight in protein each day, but some days my proteins only 100 or less. it really depends if there is chicken or tuna fish in the house. my goal is to eat 135g of protein every day. Is this adequate to keep my muscle mass?0
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What made you choose 1,200 total calories? And what is your weight?
As has been noted, resistance training and adequate protein intake are the two tools in our toolbox we can use to stave off muscle loss while dieting.
On the adequate protein front, the literature is all over the place with what's sufficient... but it's pretty clear that the RDA amount is inadequate for active folks. I'd recommend at least .8 grams per pound of goal weight. Going as high as 1.5 grams per pound of goal weight is even doable.
On the resistance training front, heavier loading tends to do a better job for muscle maintenance than does lighter loading. That being said, if you don't have any experience with resistance training, your threshold for stimulating growth/maintenance is much lower than a trained individual's. This simply means you have a lot of leeway in terms of what you can do.
Bands and Zumba type stuff, while not idea, might be just fine for the time being. That threshold for stimulating growth/maintenance, though, adapts just like all other nuances of the body. So as you train your body, you have to progress the load.
If you're going to do some stuff at home, I'd start with a set of adjustable DBs. I have clients that I train online who do their entire programming with nothing more than a set of DBs and they're successful.
I don't know if it's feasible for me to consume 112g of protein per day. Protein shakes offer 30 g per serving, but at 170 calories a scoop I'll be going over my calorie requirement!
100 grams is only 30% of 1200 calories. If you're having trouble meeting 30% you probably need to cut some carbohydrates.
I have a lot more calories, but I am able to hit 30% and I am a vegetarian. If you eat meat, it really shouldn't be that bad.0 -
I'm 155 lbs, 5 ft 5 in and hoping to lose weight to 141 lbs. MFP says I ought to eat 60 g of protein daily.
The reason why I'm eating at 1200 calories is because I want to lose weight quicker than I have been. Also, I do not eat my exercise calories back because 1) to boost weightloss and 2) I don't have a good estimate of how many calories I'm burning and I don't want to eat too much.
Just so you know, I've been doing this a long time and almost without fail, the more quickly people lose their weight, the shorter they wind up keeping it off.
Don't just read that. Really soak it in.
Of course everyone wants to lose weight quickly. And most mass marketed diet plans cater to that desire by packaging up rigid, unsustainable diet methods.
As a whole though, our culture is awesome at losing weight. We suck, however, at keeping it off. And picking strict dieting parameters, like limiting yourself to 1200 calories per day, is the primary cause.
As a reference, without knowing more about you, if you were my client you'd be starting out somewhere between 1600-1800... which assumes you're exercising most days of the week.
And MFPs protein RX are much too low... I believe they're still basing them off of the antiquated RDA numbers.0 -
What made you choose 1,200 total calories? And what is your weight?
As has been noted, resistance training and adequate protein intake are the two tools in our toolbox we can use to stave off muscle loss while dieting.
On the adequate protein front, the literature is all over the place with what's sufficient... but it's pretty clear that the RDA amount is inadequate for active folks. I'd recommend at least .8 grams per pound of goal weight. Going as high as 1.5 grams per pound of goal weight is even doable.
On the resistance training front, heavier loading tends to do a better job for muscle maintenance than does lighter loading. That being said, if you don't have any experience with resistance training, your threshold for stimulating growth/maintenance is much lower than a trained individual's. This simply means you have a lot of leeway in terms of what you can do.
Bands and Zumba type stuff, while not idea, might be just fine for the time being. That threshold for stimulating growth/maintenance, though, adapts just like all other nuances of the body. So as you train your body, you have to progress the load.
If you're going to do some stuff at home, I'd start with a set of adjustable DBs. I have clients that I train online who do their entire programming with nothing more than a set of DBs and they're successful.
I don't know if it's feasible for me to consume 112g of protein per day. Protein shakes offer 30 g per serving, but at 170 calories a scoop I'll be going over my calorie requirement!
You can find lower calorie protein powders. They're typically around 100-120 cals per serving.
And do you eat meat? Every ounce of meat, in general, has about 6-7 grams of protein. It adds up quickly. Factor in things like eggs, dairy, fish, nuts, etc and hitting 112 grams should be pretty simple.
And if you are set on limiting your calories to such a degree, you really need to prioritize protein intake. It should be the foundation of your diet, really.0 -
What made you choose 1,200 total calories? And what is your weight?
As has been noted, resistance training and adequate protein intake are the two tools in our toolbox we can use to stave off muscle loss while dieting.
On the adequate protein front, the literature is all over the place with what's sufficient... but it's pretty clear that the RDA amount is inadequate for active folks. I'd recommend at least .8 grams per pound of goal weight. Going as high as 1.5 grams per pound of goal weight is even doable.
On the resistance training front, heavier loading tends to do a better job for muscle maintenance than does lighter loading. That being said, if you don't have any experience with resistance training, your threshold for stimulating growth/maintenance is much lower than a trained individual's. This simply means you have a lot of leeway in terms of what you can do.
Bands and Zumba type stuff, while not idea, might be just fine for the time being. That threshold for stimulating growth/maintenance, though, adapts just like all other nuances of the body. So as you train your body, you have to progress the load.
If you're going to do some stuff at home, I'd start with a set of adjustable DBs. I have clients that I train online who do their entire programming with nothing more than a set of DBs and they're successful.
I don't know if it's feasible for me to consume 112g of protein per day. Protein shakes offer 30 g per serving, but at 170 calories a scoop I'll be going over my calorie requirement!
You can find lower calorie protein powders. They're typically around 100-120 cals per serving.
And do you eat meat? Every ounce of meat, in general, has about 6-7 grams of protein. It adds up quickly. Factor in things like eggs, dairy, fish, nuts, etc and hitting 112 grams should be pretty simple.
And if you are set on limiting your calories to such a degree, you really need to prioritize protein intake. It should be the foundation of your diet, really.
Thanks a lot. I'm headed to a supplement store today and I'm going to try to get that 112 grams in as best possible. I'm a vegetarian so my options otherwise are limited to grains, whole wheat pasta, and Morningstar/Boca burgers. Protein powder hopefully should boost my intake.
Won't it also stimulate further weight/ muscle loss if I give up carbs to supplement with protein?0 -
Won't it also stimulate further weight/ muscle loss if I give up carbs to supplement with protein?
no. carbs are not necessary at all. theoretically, you could eliminate them completely and your body can still compensate. The same is not true with protein - you would eventually die even if you ate tons of carbs.0 -
Like I said above, too large of a deficit will result in muscle loss no matter how much you work out or eat protein. 1200 is already too low in my opinion, and you said you don't eat back exercise calories which makes your deficit well below what is considered safe and healthy. Like I and others suggested, figure out a true healthy calorie deficit and stick with that or you will regret it in the long run.0
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can't you bump your cal intake up? 1200 is too low0
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I'm 155 lbs, 5 ft 5 in and hoping to lose weight to 141 lbs. MFP says I ought to eat 60 g of protein daily.
The reason why I'm eating at 1200 calories is because I want to lose weight quicker than I have been. Also, I do not eat my exercise calories back because 1) to boost weightloss and 2) I don't have a good estimate of how many calories I'm burning and I don't want to eat too much.
Sorry to break the bad news to you, but at your current size, rapid weight loss WILL result in muscle loss. There's really no way around it. I understand that you want quick results, but what you are doing is not the best way to get the ultimate results you want. Be patient. Eat at a moderate deficit. Strength train. Eat protein. See results. It may take longer, but it will be worth it.0 -
Here's a list of good protein sources including vegetarian and vegan options:
http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/926789-protein-sources
Also, if no one has mentioned, there are lifting programs entirely based off body weight that can be used to increase strength and maintain muscle mass. Two that I know of are convict conditioning and you are your own gym, but I'm sure there are tons of the internet.0 -
I'm 155 lbs, 5 ft 5 in and hoping to lose weight to 141 lbs. MFP says I ought to eat 60 g of protein daily.
The reason why I'm eating at 1200 calories is because I want to lose weight quicker than I have been. Also, I do not eat my exercise calories back because 1) to boost weightloss and 2) I don't have a good estimate of how many calories I'm burning and I don't want to eat too much.
I'm not trying to be harsh, but this is absolutely not the right way to calculate your target calories. If you let MFP set your calories, then you should log and eat exercise calories back. That is the way it is designed to work.
If you don't want to log exercise and eat those calores back, then put your information in this calculator to get a better number: http://scoobysworkshop.com/calorie-calculator/
With either calculator, I would suggest not using an aggressive weight loss target. I know you feel like you need to lose weight, but you are right on the edge of being at a normal BMI. Targeting 1 lb a week will be a better experience for you.
Good luck!0 -
What made you choose 1,200 total calories? And what is your weight?
As has been noted, resistance training and adequate protein intake are the two tools in our toolbox we can use to stave off muscle loss while dieting.
On the adequate protein front, the literature is all over the place with what's sufficient... but it's pretty clear that the RDA amount is inadequate for active folks. I'd recommend at least .8 grams per pound of goal weight. Going as high as 1.5 grams per pound of goal weight is even doable.
On the resistance training front, heavier loading tends to do a better job for muscle maintenance than does lighter loading. That being said, if you don't have any experience with resistance training, your threshold for stimulating growth/maintenance is much lower than a trained individual's. This simply means you have a lot of leeway in terms of what you can do.
Bands and Zumba type stuff, while not idea, might be just fine for the time being. That threshold for stimulating growth/maintenance, though, adapts just like all other nuances of the body. So as you train your body, you have to progress the load.
If you're going to do some stuff at home, I'd start with a set of adjustable DBs. I have clients that I train online who do their entire programming with nothing more than a set of DBs and they're successful.
I don't know if it's feasible for me to consume 112g of protein per day. Protein shakes offer 30 g per serving, but at 170 calories a scoop I'll be going over my calorie requirement!
You can find lower calorie protein powders. They're typically around 100-120 cals per serving.
And do you eat meat? Every ounce of meat, in general, has about 6-7 grams of protein. It adds up quickly. Factor in things like eggs, dairy, fish, nuts, etc and hitting 112 grams should be pretty simple.
And if you are set on limiting your calories to such a degree, you really need to prioritize protein intake. It should be the foundation of your diet, really.
Thanks a lot. I'm headed to a supplement store today and I'm going to try to get that 112 grams in as best possible. I'm a vegetarian so my options otherwise are limited to grains, whole wheat pasta, and Morningstar/Boca burgers. Protein powder hopefully should boost my intake.
Won't it also stimulate further weight/ muscle loss if I give up carbs to supplement with protein?
They're kind of expensive, but I highly recommend trying Gardein brand vegetarian products. Their "Chick'n Scallopini" breasts are very versatile and 20g protein with 110 cals, and really delicious. You can basically use it for anything you would use chicken breast for- sandwiches, salads, dinner meals- anything.
I also eat a lot of eggs.
But my biggest protein source daily is protein "lattes". I add protein powder (whey, not casein) to my coffee every morning with 2% milk, for a total of 60 grams protein throughout the morning and around 400ish calories.0 -
Here's a list of good protein sources including vegetarian and vegan options:
http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/926789-protein-sources
Also, if no one has mentioned, there are lifting programs entirely based off body weight that can be used to increase strength and maintain muscle mass. Two that I know of are convict conditioning and you are your own gym, but I'm sure there are tons of the internet.
"You are your own gym" is a great one- the book is available on Amazon and there's also an app on android and iphone.0 -
I guess I could go up to 1300 calories and eat 100 calories for exercise (I estimate I burn at least that many...)0
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Can you get a heart rate monitor? I like to measure my calories when I'm working out. That way I know how much I can eat.
=P I tend to eat about half my exercise calories.
I don't know how long you've been working out consistently, but there comes a point where you have to change up your intensity/activity to keep your heart rate within the same cardio range. Kinda like how people training for a marathon start off getting winded by a set of stairs... but after a month of training, those stairs feel like a walk in the park.
As far as muscle mass and strength training goes, make sure that the last 3-5 reps in each set are challenging and kick your *kitten*. Don't worry about getting bulky because it would take a significant increase in calories to grow that kind of bulk.0 -
okay - here's what I've decided to do... 170*3 = 510 calories.
for 90 g of protein
Eat whatever remains ... 690 calories0 -
Eating high protein is great for being more satiated and for a few other things but the evidence that it preserves muscle is pretty inconclusive.
You want to lose 14 lbs., right? I wouldn't lose sleep over muscle loss, if you're making some effort to use them regularly. The fear over 'skinny fat' and the belief that we can affect what type of mass we lose is a little exaggerated here, in my opinion. There's no 'I dieted wrong and now I'm stuck being "skinny fat" disorder.0 -
There are tons and tons of studies and real life examples that show adequate protein intake is essential to preserve muscle mass. Just using them is poor advice.
"Skinny fat" is a very real body type. Ask any of the millions of people who incorrectly diet and realize this first hand...including me. Especially ask those people who learned from their mistakes, monitored macros correctly, and had a huge body transformation...like me. You have total control of what type of mass is lost during dieting. Please educate yourself on these scientific facts before giving this kind of advice.0
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