Lifting while on calorie deficit?

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EllieBMackal
EllieBMackal Posts: 116 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
Good or bad idea? And what does it accomplish?
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  • EllieBMackal
    EllieBMackal Posts: 116 Member
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    StealthHealth wrote: »
    Good idea if your goal is fat loss.

    What it accomplishes:
    • Helps retain muscle during weight loss
    • You will (up to a point) get stronger
    • You will feel awesome
    • Guaranteed 2000% increase in gym confidence

    Love this^
  • sijomial
    sijomial Posts: 19,811 Member
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    A different perspective.... Why wouldn't you?
  • EllieBMackal
    EllieBMackal Posts: 116 Member
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    sijomial wrote: »
    A different perspective.... Why wouldn't you?

    Because I'm worried it won't be very beneficial for my muscles if I'm not giving them extra calories to recover
  • shiri171
    shiri171 Posts: 16 Member
    edited February 2017
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    I think, I'm not an expert mind you, that u need to eat right for ur muscles to recover and for u to get stronger. So u should definitely get to a certain calorie amount a day. Also consider the importance of proper nutrition- proteins and (healthy) fats. Reduce "bad" carbs. Hope this helps.. Good luck
  • CorneliusPhoton
    CorneliusPhoton Posts: 965 Member
    edited February 2017
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    The combination of eating a caloric deficit and NOT stimulating your muscles is what is hurting your muscles.

    If you are in a deficit, not training, and not eating enough protein, you will lose both fat and muscle. But you can spare some of that muscle if you 1) have a surplus of protein material available and 2) put demands on your muscle because muscle that is still in demand will not be broken down as much as muscle that is not used much.

    The RDA for protein is the bare minimum for a healthy young person who is not eating in a deficit -- The minimum to avoid a progressive loss of lean body mass in most individuals.

    So eat adequate protein and do some strength training!

    https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/3337037

    https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/11382798


  • not_a_runner
    not_a_runner Posts: 1,343 Member
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    Nothing to report that hasn't already been said. By lifting through your deficit you can preserve more muscle than you would if you weren't lifting. Muscle takes a long time to build, makes sense to preserve what you can than to lose more and have to rebuild everything.
    In some cases you actually can build some muscle and strength while in a deficit. Mostly newbie gains, but I've been lifting a few years and I'm still improving my numbers on squats and deadlifts despite being in a deficit. For me it would be silly to stop lifting just because I'm going to start a cutting phase.
    You'll likely have a much better shape when you reach your goal weight/body fat if you lifted throughout.
    Plus it's fun.
  • cwolfman13
    cwolfman13 Posts: 41,867 Member
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    EllieBMackal wrote: »
    sijomial wrote: »
    A different perspective.... Why wouldn't you?

    Because I'm worried it won't be very beneficial for my muscles if I'm not giving them extra calories to recover

    Cutting and calories combined with no resistance training is what is going to hurt your muscles...muscle is an expensive commodity and basically a use it or lose it proposition. Calorie deficits combined with a lack of resistance training is going to cause a greater loss of muscle mass than necessary.

    You shouldn't have any problems with recovery so long as your deficit isn't too steep. Also, getting more protein when cutting is beneficial in further retaining muscle.
  • NorthCascades
    NorthCascades Posts: 10,968 Member
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    Muscles are a "use it or lose it" thing. So yes, you should use them while you're in a deficit.
  • genpopadopolous
    genpopadopolous Posts: 411 Member
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    Good idea.

    If you hope to maintain your muscle mass at all you need to use it, or it will be eaten like your fat.

    Plus, pretty much the only thing that can change your metabolic rate is building lean muscle.

    Just eat at a moderate deficit, and make sure you rest. Drink water, sleep well.
  • NorthCascades
    NorthCascades Posts: 10,968 Member
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    psuLemon wrote: »
    I should also note, I have seen a lot of people upset with their results of doing just cardio. I have never seen anyone upset from doing only weight training or incorporating weight training. In fact, most wish they would have done it sooner.

    This is absolutely true.

    But the other side of the coin is no one has ever enjoyed lifting weights ever. Lots of people have had fun riding a bike or swimming in a lake or skiing down a mountain. People don't lift because it's exciting, they lift because it's effective.
  • jessiferrrb
    jessiferrrb Posts: 1,758 Member
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    NorthCascades wrote: »
    psuLemon wrote: »
    I should also note, I have seen a lot of people upset with their results of doing just cardio. I have never seen anyone upset from doing only weight training or incorporating weight training. In fact, most wish they would have done it sooner.

    This is absolutely true.

    But the other side of the coin is no one has ever enjoyed lifting weights ever. Lots of people have had fun riding a bike or swimming in a lake or skiing down a mountain. People don't lift because it's exciting, they lift because it's effective.

    was that sarcasm? i love lifting weights.
  • not_a_runner
    not_a_runner Posts: 1,343 Member
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    I find lifting to be exciting... :#
  • sardelsa
    sardelsa Posts: 9,812 Member
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    NorthCascades wrote: »
    psuLemon wrote: »
    I should also note, I have seen a lot of people upset with their results of doing just cardio. I have never seen anyone upset from doing only weight training or incorporating weight training. In fact, most wish they would have done it sooner.

    This is absolutely true.

    But the other side of the coin is no one has ever enjoyed lifting weights ever. Lots of people have had fun riding a bike or swimming in a lake or skiing down a mountain. People don't lift because it's exciting, they lift because it's effective.

    What.. I love lifting! It is so amazing. I look forward to it and for me it is fun especially now that I have found a program I love.
    I don't like biking. And I'm not really into skiing either. I'm not a huge outdoorsy person, I mean, I like walking... and swimming leisurely.. but not like real swimming. I am more a lifting, kickboxing and dancing kind of person
  • singingflutelady
    singingflutelady Posts: 8,736 Member
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    Add me to the love lifting club
  • sijomial
    sijomial Posts: 19,811 Member
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    NorthCascades wrote: »
    psuLemon wrote: »
    I should also note, I have seen a lot of people upset with their results of doing just cardio. I have never seen anyone upset from doing only weight training or incorporating weight training. In fact, most wish they would have done it sooner.

    This is absolutely true.

    But the other side of the coin is no one has ever enjoyed lifting weights ever. Lots of people have had fun riding a bike or swimming in a lake or skiing down a mountain. People don't lift because it's exciting, they lift because it's effective.
    @NorthCascades
    The first 40 years of lifting are the miserable ones - then it gets to be really fun and exciting! :smiley:

    Hope I never have to choose between lifting or cycling though. That would be a sad day.

    (Congrats on stirring up a hornet's nest by the way!)
  • AnvilHead
    AnvilHead Posts: 18,344 Member
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    NorthCascades wrote: »
    psuLemon wrote: »
    I should also note, I have seen a lot of people upset with their results of doing just cardio. I have never seen anyone upset from doing only weight training or incorporating weight training. In fact, most wish they would have done it sooner.

    This is absolutely true.

    But the other side of the coin is no one has ever enjoyed lifting weights ever. Lots of people have had fun riding a bike or swimming in a lake or skiing down a mountain. People don't lift because it's exciting, they lift because it's effective.

    They say that absolute statements are never true (see what I did there?). This is proof. I greatly enjoy lifting weights and we've already seen from the responses that others do as well. n=1 rarely equates to n=∞.

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