Cutting calories to lose weight while gaining muscle mass at the same time
Icy_Fox
Posts: 90 Member
Hey guys, been trying to lose some more weight (mainly to get to a comfortable spot I can stay at), but I'd also like to gain some muscle mass. I don't really get how I can both lose weight (so a calorie deficit) while gaining mass (which would from what I understand require a calorie sufficiency). Could someone help me with understanding this better?
Thanks
Thanks
2
Replies
-
From what I have read, when you gain muscle mass, your body burns more calories. You gain muscle mass through exercise (ie cardio and lifting).8
-
Unless you are new to lifting, a young male (teens, early 20's), or obese, you really can't. You CAN maintain your current muscle by lifting heavy while in calorie deficit. Then when you hit goal weight you can bulk/cut cycle or recomp to put on more muscle.13
-
It's not impossible, but definitely dependent on many factors (as indicated above) and it's usually not very significant...ie. you won't suddenly become a bodybuilder in a deficit. Gaining muscle in a surplus under the most ideal conditions is hard enough!
Now, if you are talking about recomposition, you can lose fat and gain muscle over time... this can be slow but again it is possible. Depends on your stats and goals.
However in a deficit (provided you are getting adequate protein and lifting) you can help retain the muscle you have and that will make a HUGE difference in your body composition. So if you aren't lifting... start now. Or find a time machine and start yesterday
17 -
I always thought you could do both at the same time? If your lifting weights and losing fat and your strength increases on a weekly basis does that not mean your building muscle? You need more muscle to lift heavier weights each week? Not sure but that's what I always thought 😕2
-
I always thought you could do both at the same time? If your lifting weights and losing fat and your strength increases on a weekly basis does that not mean your building muscle? You need more muscle to lift heavier weights each week? Not sure but that's what I always thought 😕
You will gain strength through neuromuscular adaptation (your nervous system becoming more efficient at recruiting muscle fibers and firing them). There can be considerable strength increases before any hypertrophy (muscle gain) happens.
Limited amounts of muscle gain can happen, especially for newbies (novel stimulus) and overweight people (who have substrates available in their body already for use).19 -
I have had success with leangains, which you can google to your hearts content, it's calorie/carb cycling so you eat a surplus on your lifting days and a deficit on the non-lifiting days.
easy macros here:
https://rippedbody.com/how-to-calculate-leangains-macros/
For MFP, I just have an "offset meal" that I key in on the non-lifting days to reduce calories/carbs to necessary levels0 -
tcunbeliever wrote: »I have had success with leangains, which you can google to your hearts content, it's calorie/carb cycling so you eat a surplus on your lifting days and a deficit on the non-lifiting days.
easy macros here:
https://rippedbody.com/how-to-calculate-leangains-macros/
For MFP, I just have an "offset meal" that I key in on the non-lifting days to reduce calories/carbs to necessary levels
What is your net overall intake? Deficit or maintenance?3 -
Shouldn't the excess calories be in the 24 hrs after the lifting to be used for recovery and rebuilding?
I guess if morning lifting, within the day works, especially before bed.tcunbeliever wrote: »I have had success with leangains, which you can google to your hearts content, it's calorie/carb cycling so you eat a surplus on your lifting days and a deficit on the non-lifiting days.
easy macros here:
https://rippedbody.com/how-to-calculate-leangains-macros/
For MFP, I just have an "offset meal" that I key in on the non-lifting days to reduce calories/carbs to necessary levels
1 -
Hey guys, been trying to lose some more weight (mainly to get to a comfortable spot I can stay at), but I'd also like to gain some muscle mass. I don't really get how I can both lose weight (so a calorie deficit) while gaining mass (which would from what I understand require a calorie sufficiency). Could someone help me with understanding this better?
Thanks
Short answer:
You can't do both at the same time. You can maintain muscle mass, gain strength (brain tells you you can lift more), and lose fat all at the same time, though. This will shape your body in a positive way which I believe is your goal. Make the muscles pop, as they say.
Shorter answer:
(Paraphrasing) You can, but you need to meet x,y,z,a,b,c,1,2,3, and * stipulations all for a minimal difference than the short answer.2 -
tcunbeliever wrote: »I have had success with leangains, which you can google to your hearts content, it's calorie/carb cycling so you eat a surplus on your lifting days and a deficit on the non-lifiting days.
easy macros here:
https://rippedbody.com/how-to-calculate-leangains-macros/
For MFP, I just have an "offset meal" that I key in on the non-lifting days to reduce calories/carbs to necessary levels
This pretty much makes no sense as a strategy for gaining muscle, since your body repairs and, if possible, adds muscle on non-lifting (rest/recovery) days. You don't need that much extra energy to lift, unless you're doing two- or three-hour balls-to-the-wall sessions. You need extra energy to on recovery days so your body isn't trying to fuel your deficit with the protein you're consuming for muscle repair.3 -
wdedoelder wrote: »From what I have read, when you gain muscle mass, your body burns more calories. You gain muscle mass through exercise (ie cardio and lifting).
A couple of points. The calorie burn increase is 6 to 8 calories per day per lb of additional muscle. So, the benefit is not much. Secondly, cardio doesn't build muscle mass except a slight amount for a short time in untrained individual. Resistance training is what does that. A woman can put on 1/2 lb per week under ideal conditions, eg calorie surplus, adequate protein and the right program. A man about 1 b per week. Negligible for weight loss.
OP I think you've gotten some great advice here. You may gain a little muscle mass, particularly at first if you are either new to training or returning after a layoff. A small deficit will optimize your efforts to gain muscle but you will lose fat more slowly. You don't really say how much fat you are looking to lose.
The key is to preserve what you've got while you lose fat. Then you can bulk and gain muscle or recomp and slowly add muscle while dropping additional fat.
It's hard to gain an appreciable amount of muscle mass in a deficit.3 -
Hey guys, been trying to lose some more weight (mainly to get to a comfortable spot I can stay at), but I'd also like to gain some muscle mass. I don't really get how I can both lose weight (so a calorie deficit) while gaining mass (which would from what I understand require a calorie sufficiency). Could someone help me with understanding this better?
Thanks
Small calorie deficit, higher than usual protein and crucially a good training program will maximise your chances.
The higher trained you currently are the less likely it is to happen or be very slight, the more untrained (and young) the higher the chances of good results.
But in the end it's still going to result in the best you that you could have managed.
You don't NEED a surplus to gain muscle (it may be optimal though), you don't NEED to do bulk/cut cycles unless you have very elevated physique goals.
6 -
Here's a good article on the topic: https://www.aworkoutroutine.com/how-to-build-muscle-and-lose-fat/
His short answer:There are primarily 4 groups of people who can do it. In no specific order, they are:
Fat Beginners
People Regaining Lost Muscle
Genetic Freaks
Steroid/Drug Users4 -
Don't look at the scales. If somehow you can gain muscle mass and loose weight your scales won't show it. You need to take body measurements.5
-
are you lifting ? .. if not start now and stick to your deficit and eat a decent amount of protein ... by the time you finish losing fat, you will have spared what muscle you have, you will have made strength gains through neuromuscular adaption and your body will be ready to start growing as you feed it more.0
-
You can only build newbie gains in a deficit or if you have amazing genetics. That’s why some people who are new to lifting think they are building tonnes of muscle and losing fat. What is happening is you build abit of muscle and then you strip away the layer of fat which makes you look more ripped/muscular.3
-
CookieVenator wrote: »Don't look at the scales. If somehow you can gain muscle mass and loose weight your scales won't show it. You need to take body measurements.
I agree on body measurement but most people can lose fat faster than they can gain muscle in a deficit. You might be able to pull off a 1/1 fat to muscle in a small deficit with a great program and enough protein but its unlikely in a deficit.4 -
wdedoelder wrote: »From what I have read, when you gain muscle mass, your body burns more calories. You gain muscle mass through exercise (ie cardio and lifting).
A couple of points. The calorie burn increase is 6 to 8 calories per day per lb of additional muscle. So, the benefit is not much. Secondly, cardio doesn't build muscle mass except a slight amount for a short time in untrained individual. Resistance training is what does that. A woman can put on 1/2 lb per week under ideal conditions, eg calorie surplus, adequate protein and the right program. A man about 1 b per week. Negligible for weight loss.
OP I think you've gotten some great advice here. You may gain a little muscle mass, particularly at first if you are either new to training or returning after a layoff. A small deficit will optimize your efforts to gain muscle but you will lose fat more slowly. You don't really say how much fat you are looking to lose.
The key is to preserve what you've got while you lose fat. Then you can bulk and gain muscle or recomp and slowly add muscle while dropping additional fat.
It's hard to gain an appreciable amount of muscle mass in a deficit.
Are you saying a male can gain 4 pounds of muscle a month (without chemical help)? What I have typically seen is MAYBE 2 pounds, but even that is with ideal conditions and a high level training program (like major college/pro football offseason training) and not a long term trainee.
Would be interested in your sources. Thanks.0 -
Packerjohn wrote: »wdedoelder wrote: »From what I have read, when you gain muscle mass, your body burns more calories. You gain muscle mass through exercise (ie cardio and lifting).
A couple of points. The calorie burn increase is 6 to 8 calories per day per lb of additional muscle. So, the benefit is not much. Secondly, cardio doesn't build muscle mass except a slight amount for a short time in untrained individual. Resistance training is what does that. A woman can put on 1/2 lb per week under ideal conditions, eg calorie surplus, adequate protein and the right program. A man about 1 b per week. Negligible for weight loss.
OP I think you've gotten some great advice here. You may gain a little muscle mass, particularly at first if you are either new to training or returning after a layoff. A small deficit will optimize your efforts to gain muscle but you will lose fat more slowly. You don't really say how much fat you are looking to lose.
The key is to preserve what you've got while you lose fat. Then you can bulk and gain muscle or recomp and slowly add muscle while dropping additional fat.
It's hard to gain an appreciable amount of muscle mass in a deficit.
Are you saying a male can gain 4 pounds of muscle a month (without chemical help)? What I have typically seen is MAYBE 2 pounds, but even that is with ideal conditions and a high level training program (like major college/pro football offseason training) and not a long term trainee.
Would be interested in your sources. Thanks.
Yes, good pickup. I am mistaken and you are correct. I double the effective optimum numbers for men and women. Thanks for pointing that out.
The probable effective rate of gain is likely less.
https://bodyrecomposition.com/muscle-gain/muscle-gain-math.html/3 -
I'm slightly confused. So I should continue my weight loss, calorie deficit, doing cardio and strength training until I reach my weight goal. THEN i would begin eating at a maintenance or surplus to do a body recomp?0
Categories
- All Categories
- 1.4M Health, Wellness and Goals
- 391.3K Introduce Yourself
- 43.4K Getting Started
- 259.7K Health and Weight Loss
- 175.6K Food and Nutrition
- 47.3K Recipes
- 232.3K Fitness and Exercise
- 387 Sleep, Mindfulness and Overall Wellness
- 6.4K Goal: Maintaining Weight
- 8.5K Goal: Gaining Weight and Body Building
- 152.7K Motivation and Support
- 7.8K Challenges
- 1.3K Debate Club
- 96.4K Chit-Chat
- 2.5K Fun and Games
- 3.2K MyFitnessPal Information
- 22 News and Announcements
- 900 Feature Suggestions and Ideas
- 2.2K MyFitnessPal Tech Support Questions