Muscle Memory

richporter77
richporter77 Posts: 2 Member
edited November 2024 in Health and Weight Loss
I lost 20 lbs in a crash diet. Lost alot of muscle, but happy with my weight. Been lifting lately on a 2 lb a week calorie deficit and have been gaining mass back. My question is.. I wanted to start bulking in about a month, but I think in May need another 2-4 weeks more to lower body fat percentage. Is it possible to still gain back muscle I lost on crash diet while still on calorie deficit, or should I start bulking in a month as planned and then cut?

Replies

  • Lesscookies12
    Lesscookies12 Posts: 140 Member
    I think this post would be great in the bodybuilding group. But what's your current height and weight? Because you have a 2 pound deficit reason i'm asking.
  • L1zardQueen
    L1zardQueen Posts: 8,753 Member
    Once you lose muscle mass it’s harder to gain it back. Are you still young?
  • L1zardQueen
    L1zardQueen Posts: 8,753 Member
    https://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10320115/cutting-techniques-post-bulk/p1
  • richporter77
    richporter77 Posts: 2 Member
    I'm 6"2 216 lbs, and 40 yrs old
  • PAV8888
    PAV8888 Posts: 14,710 Member
    edited March 2018
    You're still on a crash diet at a target of 2lbs a week.

    For no particular reason other than your own impatience.

    And continuing to get sub optimal results unless your tdee is close to 5000 Cal a day (at which point your 1000 Cal deficit becomes no more than 20% of your TDEE)

    Most people would recommend that a male would bulk at a starting point of 10% body fat or less.

    For most males a BMI of 25 to 27 would correspond to a fat level of about 20 to 25% (I sure there exist exceptions. I did say MOST people)

    For a person starting from obese levels of fat (if that describes you, which I again do not know for a fact, I am just combining crash diet and BMI 27.7 and imagining a start at BMI >30) maintaining a very lean physique (sub 14% male) may prove much harder than for a person who has never been obese.

    Thus a period of recomposition, as opposed to lean and bulk, may be in your future.

    You don't recomp at a large deficit.

    Slow down and enjoy the ride and all the extra performance you will be able to squeeze using a smaller deficit...
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