Calorie defecit vs muscle gain

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jself325
jself325 Posts: 13 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
From what I've gathered here in MFP, eating at a calorie defecit means you are not - cannot - gain muscle; that is, you need surplus calories to add the muscle mass.

So by working out and dieting am I just spinning my wheels? I certainly feel I'm getting stronger and leaner doing both at the same time (it's slow).

Replies

  • TeaBea
    TeaBea Posts: 14,517 Member
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    No - you are not spinning your wheels. Resistance or strength training, provided the deficit isn't too large (and you eat enough protein) helps you keep lean muscle.

    You are getting leaner because the weight you are losing includes a higher ratio of fat.
  • jacksonpt
    jacksonpt Posts: 10,413 Member
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    Yes, that is the mantra around here. And while it's a bit of an oversimplification, it is generally true.

    As for spinning your wheels... no, you aren't. You can certainly get stronger (getting stronger is not the same as gaining muscle). You can also help minimize muscle loss during weight loss. There are other tangential benefits, but those are the 2 big ones most people care about.
  • jself325
    jself325 Posts: 13 Member
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    thank you!
  • ccnclee
    ccnclee Posts: 113 Member
    edited October 2014
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    I am going to follow up on the questions with the hopes that someone can answer my similar question. I am a male looking to lose about 15 lbs over the next couple of months. I am eating typically a few hundred calories at least under my calorie goal. I am often over my protein goal and under my carb goal as I am trying to lose the weight, but not the muscle tone. I am trying to remove weight from the stomach mostly (I am not fat but am trying to get from 185 to about 165-170 to show more definition in my abs, and keep my lean muscle. Am I doing it right?????
  • TeaBea
    TeaBea Posts: 14,517 Member
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    ccnclee wrote: »
    I am going to follow up on the questions with the hopes that someone can answer my similar question. I am a male looking to lose about 15 lbs over the next couple of months. I am eating typically a few hundred calories at least under my calorie goal. I am often over my protein goal and under my carb goal as I am trying to lose the weight, but not the muscle tone. I am trying to remove weight from the stomach mostly (I am not fat but am trying to get from 185 to about 165-170 to show more definition in my abs, and keep my lean muscle. Am I doing it right?????

    With a 15 pound (total) weight loss goal you would be looking at around 1/2 pound a week.....no more than 3/4's of a pound. Then you need to "meet" that daily calorie goal.

    Time tables are a bad idea. Just do the best you can. You can't spot reduce. The weight will come off wherever it wants to. This is partly genetic.
  • jacksonpt
    jacksonpt Posts: 10,413 Member
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    ^^ Sounds like you've got the diet part down.
  • ccnclee
    ccnclee Posts: 113 Member
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    Trying hard. Don't want to eat just to eat, but are you saying I need to when you say "meet" your calorie goal?
  • MityMax96
    MityMax96 Posts: 5,778 Member
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    ccnclee wrote: »
    I am going to follow up on the questions with the hopes that someone can answer my similar question. I am a male looking to lose about 15 lbs over the next couple of months. I am eating typically a few hundred calories at least under my calorie goal. I am often over my protein goal and under my carb goal as I am trying to lose the weight, but not the muscle tone. I am trying to remove weight from the stomach mostly (I am not fat but am trying to get from 185 to about 165-170 to show more definition in my abs, and keep my lean muscle. Am I doing it right?????

    Stay on track with your deficit.
    It will take time, fat around the mid-section on men will be the last and hardest to burn off...

    Since you are in deficit, and lifting....I would do at least 185 gr protein / day
    Minimum of 65 gr of fat/ day
    and carbs to make up the rest of your calories....don't neglect them, they have their place....They help protect muscle, as well as give you energy to do your workouts

  • TeaBea
    TeaBea Posts: 14,517 Member
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    ccnclee wrote: »
    Trying hard. Don't want to eat just to eat, but are you saying I need to when you say "meet" your calorie goal?

    You put in a weekly goal of 1/2 pound a week & MFP gives you the goal number to lose that amount. Eating less will have you losing weight faster. When you lose too fast you can lose fat+muscle. A moderate deficit gives your body enough just enough fuel for everything important.

    New dieters tend to cut out many calorie dense foods....add those back in. Calorie dense foods will bump up calories without a lot of bulk. Nuts, nut butters, olive oil, avocado, whole eggs, full fat dairy.

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