1200 calorie friends looking to lose a few pounds and gain muscle?!

dariansanchez
dariansanchez Posts: 4 Member
edited November 20 in Health and Weight Loss
Hi!
I started on MFP about a month ago, I gained about 5 pounds in the last 2 months and decided it was time to get back in shape.
I'm 5'5" and currently weigh 147. My goal is to lose 10 pounds and gain muscle as well. I'm eating around 1200 calories a day at the moment and working out 5-6 days a week! I would love to make some friends with similar goals to help me stay motivated!! Add me if you're female, around the same height, and have similar goals!
Also I eat a plant based diet so if you do to that's a huge plus!

Replies

  • MichelleSilverleaf
    MichelleSilverleaf Posts: 2,027 Member
    I think it's going to be very hard to build muscle on 1200 a day.
  • Ready2Rock206
    Ready2Rock206 Posts: 9,487 Member
    Be sure you eat back your exercise calories so you'll at least have a chance to maintain any muscle you have. You won't be building muscle but you also don't want to lose any you have.
  • Amerek412
    Amerek412 Posts: 74 Member
    I don't think that's necessarily true, as I understand it it's still possible to gain muscle while in a deficit for people who are very obese, completely new to strength training, or those who are getting back into strength training after a long hiatus. It would obviously be a much slower gain than eating at maintenance or above, but from the research I've done newbie gains in a deficit are possible.
  • joemac1988
    joemac1988 Posts: 1,021 Member
    Amandrew412 wrote: »
    I don't think that's necessarily true, as I understand it it's still possible to gain muscle while in a deficit for people who are very obese, completely new to strength training, or those who are getting back into strength training after a long hiatus. It would obviously be a much slower gain than eating at maintenance or above, but from the research I've done newbie gains in a deficit are possible.

    Muscle requires a surplus of calories to increase. The only way you can gain muscle in a deficit is with drugs.
  • Amerek412
    Amerek412 Posts: 74 Member
    deannalfisher wrote: »
    Amandrew412 wrote: »
    I don't think that's necessarily true, as I understand it it's still possible to gain muscle while in a deficit for people who are very obese, completely new to strength training, or those who are getting back into strength training after a long hiatus. It would obviously be a much slower gain than eating at maintenance or above, but from the research I've done newbie gains in a deficit are possible.

    however, the OP has only gained 5lbs - so she isn't obese and already works out 5 days a week - 1200 cal isn't going to do it

    maintenance and a progressive strength program (stronglifts, strongcurves) is what is needed

    I was speaking in more general terms, since I took your original comment to be a general statement as well.

    The OP is definitely not obese, but I would assume the exercise 5-6 day/week is pretty new, judging by the weight gain and her wanting to get back in shape would indicate she hasn't been. Though she hasn't specified what she is doing, so yes, we can agree if she's not doing a progressive strength program then I don't think she'd see muscle gain. I'm not sure, but I would also agree that 1200 would be too great a cal deficit for her to gain muscle as well.
  • SaraydaB
    SaraydaB Posts: 120 Member
    Add me
  • dariansanchez
    dariansanchez Posts: 4 Member
    Thanks for your input everyone. I may eventually up my caloric intake in the future when I'm more focused on gaining muscle but I want to lose the fat first.
    I actually find it hard sometimesto get to 1200 calories a day. I have a desk job and am extremely sedantary day to day. I feel fully satisfied with what I'm eating now and eating a significant amount more would make me feel stuffed lol
    All the places I've calculated my maintance calories day I maintain at around 2000 a day, since 1200 is significantly lower than that and I've only lost 1lb in 20 days is it possible I'm maintaining much lower than 2000?
    My typical gym routine is 15-20 of HIIT cardio and 45-1 hour of moderate weight training.
    More context....
    I've been an athlete my whole life so I already have a good amount of muscle but in college I became far less active. I have been maintaining at 143 for as long as I can remember and even though the scale says I only gained 5lbs, myself and others have aggreed that it looks like quite a mit more than that on me. (Possibly replacing of 5lbs of muscle w 5lbs of fat?)
    Anyways, any input is appreciated
  • MichelleSilverleaf
    MichelleSilverleaf Posts: 2,027 Member
    All you need is a calorie deficit. Let's use the 2000 number you posted here. If you more or less ate 1500 cal a day with a daily limit of 2000, you'd likely lose a pound a week. The problem with you eating 1200 or less even without exercise is you're going to lose a lot of muscle mass and overall your body is going to have a hard time running down the road. To build muscle your body needs more nutrients than it's getting, either that 5lbs is fat (which would mean you're eating way more than you think you are) or it's water weight. Unless you're eating back exercise calories on your workout days...
  • dariansanchez
    dariansanchez Posts: 4 Member
    MichelleSilverleaf wrote: »
    All you need is a calorie deficit. Let's use the 2000 number you posted here. If you more or less ate 1500 cal a day with a daily limit of 2000, you'd likely lose a pound a week. The problem with you eating 1200 or less even without exercise is you're going to lose a lot of muscle mass and overall your body is going to have a hard time running down the road. To build muscle your body needs more nutrients than it's getting, either that 5lbs is fat (which would mean you're eating way more than you think you are) or it's water weight. Unless you're eating back exercise calories on your workout days...

    To clarify also, I gained that 5lbs while eating foods significantly higher in calories and not working out at all (think pasta every day and eating out way more than I should have all without hitting the gym even once.) For the past month I have been eating much "cleaner"/being aware of how many calories I'm consuming and working out. None of which I was doing for the previous 6-7 months or so.
  • MichelleSilverleaf
    MichelleSilverleaf Posts: 2,027 Member
    Aaaah, gotcha. Thanks for clarifying.
  • SmithsonianEmpress
    SmithsonianEmpress Posts: 1,163 Member
    I am 5'5" and last weighed in at 139....nearly a month ago. I'm doing a progressive lifting program per my MFP friends who are smart and I trust they know what they are talking about. :#
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