Building muscle

well that is only part of the equation.

to build muscle you need to be eating at a surplus of maintenance and doing a progresive load lifting program.

Protien is in the equation to help repair the muscle and part of the surplus.

Why would you need to eat at a surplus of maintenance?

in real simple terms because you can't build something from nothing.

You need the extra calories to build the tissue.

What If I tried to consume the fat I have and use that for energy?

Hmm good question. Is fat ever used for energy?

Stored adipose tissue (body fat) is only used to bridge the energy gap left from a calorie deficit but won't be used to build muscle. If you burn 2000 calories a day but only eat 1500 calories a day, then your stored fat will make up the 500 calories to bridge the gap but will not be used to build muscle.

What If I tried to consume the fat I have and use that for energy?

Hmm good question. Is fat ever used for energy?

Stored adipose tissue (body fat) is only used to bridge the energy gap left from a calorie deficit but won't be used to build muscle. If you burn 2000 calories a day but only eat 1500 calories a day, then your stored fat will make up the 500 calories to bridge the gap but will not be used to build muscle.

How is it that you can increase your muscle mass and decrease your fat at the same time then?

That is a body recomp which requires eating at maintenance, a progressive load lifting program, a very close watch on nutrition and a long time...patience and persistence.

What If I tried to consume the fat I have and use that for energy?

Hmm good question. Is fat ever used for energy?

Stored adipose tissue (body fat) is only used to bridge the energy gap left from a calorie deficit but won't be used to build muscle. If you burn 2000 calories a day but only eat 1500 calories a day, then your stored fat will make up the 500 calories to bridge the gap but will not be used to build muscle.

How is it that you can increase your muscle mass and decrease your fat at the same time then?

That is a body recomp which requires eating at maintenance, a progressive load lifting program, a very close watch on nutrition and a long time...patience and persistence.

Yep, eating at maintenance and holding your current weight while eating plenty of protein and lifting heavy using progressive resistance is how you lose fat and gain muscle at the same time but it's a very very slow process which is why most people choose to cut and bulk. Most people who claim they are losing fat and gaining muscle while they are on a calorie deficit and losing weight are mistaken. They think they are gaining muscle because they are getting stronger, but this is not the case. It's very possible to get stronger without gaining muscle mass and it happens all the time, especially in people new to lifting.