Losing weight + building muscle?
scarey0022
Posts: 15 Member
5'5 157.6 pounds -3.4 pounds down in 26 days with lenient dieting but always staying under 1300 calories. I have a pretty firm understanding that to build muscle you have to have enough calories but you need to be in a calorie deficet to lose fat. I am trying to build a booty and work on my arms. I do moderate weights 4-5 days a week, nothing too extreme. I started slow and I'm building myself up. For example I started with unweighted hip trusts, to 10 pounds added, now I'm at 20 pounds, 4x20. I try to get out at walk at least a few hours a week since i don't have any formal cardio equipment. I bought whey protein that I drink after my workouts now, and I try to fit in a protein bar and lots of healthy meats during the day. I have about 25 pounds of fat that I would like to lose, but I am unsure if what I am doing will be effective to lose the pound a week I was averaging before starting weights last week plus add muscle mass to the areas I've been working on. Any tips or advice would be greatly appreciated!
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Oh! Before this comes off too crazy, I am not dead set on having to lose the pound a week. I understand .5 pounds would be a healthier, more realistic approach. My basic question was whether or not my currently plan would be beneficial to my goals.2
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While it is possible to build some muscle in a deficit in specific cases, it is probably not very significant (ie. you won't go from small to huge glutes even on amazing programming) and it won't be enough to offset any fat loss (so if the scale isn't moving after a few weeks, you are likely not in a deficit). That being said, I highly recommend lifting while losing weight as it can help preserve what muscle you have to shape your glutes as you lose bodyfat. Then when you get closer to goal, you can start to think about adding more significant muscle mass either by recomposition (eating at maintenance) or bulking (eating in a surplus).
For now, just make sure you aren't in too steep of a deficit, getting adequate protein (0.8-1g per lb goalweight) and following a progressive lifting program for the most optimal chance at preserving your muscle as you lose.3 -
My apologies for everything I spelled incorrectly/grammatical errors. Proofreading would have been a good idea haha.
----While it is possible to build some muscle in a deficit in specific cases, it is probably not very significant (ie. you won't go from small to huge glutes even on amazing programming) and it won't be enough to offset any fat loss (so if the scale isn't moving after a few weeks, you are likely not in a deficit). That being said, I highly recommend lifting while losing weight as it can help preserve what muscle you have to shape your glutes as you lose bodyfat. Then when you get closer to goal, you can start to think about adding more significant muscle mass either by recomposition (eating at maintenance) or bulking (eating in a surplus).
For now, just make sure you aren't in too steep of a deficit, getting adequate protein (0.8-1g per lb goalweight) and following a progressive lifting program for the most optimal chance at preserving your muscle as you lose.
Okay! So I should still be focused on getting protein and lifting the weights to preserve muscle, then once I'm closer to my formal weight goal put more emphasis on how I will build muscle rather than lose fat. I knew that caloric deficits cause loss in muscle mass I don't know why that slipped my mind this whole time!
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scarey0022 wrote: »My apologies for everything I spelled incorrectly/grammatical errors. Proofreading would have been a good idea haha.
----While it is possible to build some muscle in a deficit in specific cases, it is probably not very significant (ie. you won't go from small to huge glutes even on amazing programming) and it won't be enough to offset any fat loss (so if the scale isn't moving after a few weeks, you are likely not in a deficit). That being said, I highly recommend lifting while losing weight as it can help preserve what muscle you have to shape your glutes as you lose bodyfat. Then when you get closer to goal, you can start to think about adding more significant muscle mass either by recomposition (eating at maintenance) or bulking (eating in a surplus).
For now, just make sure you aren't in too steep of a deficit, getting adequate protein (0.8-1g per lb goalweight) and following a progressive lifting program for the most optimal chance at preserving your muscle as you lose.
Okay! So I should still be focused on getting protein and lifting the weights to preserve muscle, then once I'm closer to my formal weight goal put more emphasis on how I will build muscle rather than lose fat. I knew that caloric deficits cause loss in muscle mass I don't know why that slipped my mind this whole time!
Yup you got it! I know goals can be confusing when you have weight to lose but want to build up certain areas.. but most will see an improvement in the glutes as they continue to lift while they lose, they will pop more and you might be lucky and see some size growth too especially if you are new to lifting.0 -
Just in to add this, which I personally find pretty positive and encouraging: If you start strength training alongside weight loss, you can get stronger even while losing weight, even though you won't gain much if any new actual muscle mass. This is because strength gains, especially right at first, come from neuromuscular adaptation, basically recruiting more fibers in your existing muscles to do work, and using them more efficiently. The strength gain is useful and motivating.
(The strength gain also convinces some people that they're adding substantial muscle mass in a calorie deficit, because they don't realize they don't need to add muscle mass in order to get stronger, plus one can look better from the workouts without adding mass.)7 -
Just in to add this, which I personally find pretty positive and encouraging: If you start strength training alongside weight loss, you can get stronger even while losing weight, even though you won't gain much if any new actual muscle mass. This is because strength gains, especially right at first, come from neuromuscular adaptation, basically recruiting more fibers in your existing muscles to do work, and using them more efficiently. The strength gain is useful and motivating.
(The strength gain also convinces some people that they're adding substantial muscle mass in a calorie deficit, because they don't realize they don't need to add muscle mass in order to get stronger, plus one can look better from the workouts without adding mass.)
That is very encouraging! Thank you for the information.
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