Advice on maintaining muscle while in a deficit

spring913
spring913 Posts: 158 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
I'm just over 230lbs. Started at 260lbs in April. A few weeks ago I started calisthenics to try and maintain as much muscle as possible while I'm losing. I'm wondering if I'm doing enough? Am I hitting all the right muscles for right now? I have limited equipment, no weights (yet), but I do have resistance bands. Here's my routine, 3 times a week.

Planks - 2 one min sets (okay, I haven't hit one min yet... but still)
Squats - 3 sets of 30. I could do squats forever, I need to add resistance.
Bench Dips - 3 sets, 8-10 reps
Lunges - 2 sets, 6 reps each side I increase this every week
Pushups - 3 sets of 4-6 reps from a raised bench
Calf Raises - 1 set, 25 reps. I have large strong calves, I wouldn't mind loosing some muscle there. lol
Inverted Rows - I JUST started this. Yeah, major fail. I did 1/2 of one per set. 3 sets
Segmental Rotation - 6 on each side
Then I do some stretching for flexibility, mostly hips and back.

I try to increase reps as I'm able. I don't have anything I can do pull ups on, although I doubt I could even do one. One day!

I have had 5 abdominal surgeries and I have a tenancy to get hernias, so my doctor doesn't want me doing crunches or anything that puts too much stress on the abs. I have to strengthen them reeaaalllly slowly. I figure the planks and the segmental rotation should help core strength? I also do my best to make sure I engage my core in every exercise I do.

Please don't tell me to lift weights. I don't have any right now, I plan on getting some in the late Fall, but until then my body is all I've got.

Any advice?

Replies

  • lemmie177
    lemmie177 Posts: 479 Member
    Looks like a great start. Vertical pushing (shoulders) and pulling (back) are the only big movements I notice missing. You could add a shoulder press with your resistance bands. If you could anchor the bands on a door or something, you could do some sort of pulldown, though the inverted rows are probably hitting your back enough.
    22db4524b9be75dfb84e44cde7a641b2.jpg
    ^pic is of a squat & press, way to add resistance to your squats + add in shoulders

    I think there's a good chance you'll preserve (or even gain) muscle since you're just starting a strength routine, but it'll also depend on the size of your deficit (keep it modest) and protein intake (I like 1g protein per lb of lean body mass). Just keep increasing reps or adding resistance. Sorry, don't know much about core workouts, maybe someone else can chime in. Congrats on your progress so far!
  • kenestrick1
    kenestrick1 Posts: 15 Member
    I use this site a lot for information bodybuilding.com. There's a lot of info on here that's helpful even for people who are NOT interested in body building (like me lol). But I am relatively new to weightlifting and i find the info here to be helpful or at least thought provoking.

    There is an "exercise database" to help you target specific muscles (i recommend NOT targeting specific muscles until you've been lifting awhile...don't want to create a muscle imbalance on accident lol). There's nutrition information. There's tips for weightloss and meal prepping.

    http://www.bodybuilding.com/exercises/
  • rybo
    rybo Posts: 5,424 Member
    You are doing fine. Weights aren't required. My only suggestion is to be careful with the bench dips, as they can put strain on your shoulders, either do more push ups or try doing the dips between chairs so that your arms aren't behind you
  • spring913
    spring913 Posts: 158 Member
    Thanks guys! That's a big help :smiley:
  • Lizarking
    Lizarking Posts: 507 Member
    Keep your protein intake high.
  • SueInAz
    SueInAz Posts: 6,592 Member
    Crunches aren't necessary. Compound movements and things like planks will work your core. The key to maintaining muscle is to keep building on the weights you're lifting; you want to get progressively heavier. As the weights you're moving around get easy, add more resistance. I also second the advice to make sure you are getting in adequate protein, too.

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