Building Muscle

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Lozze
Lozze Posts: 1,917 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
I see two things stated here a lot and they seem contradictory.

1. You cannot build muscle on a calorie defecit

2. When losing weight you MUST lift so you can look good after all the fats gone!

So if I'm lifting as part of weight loss, but am on a calorie defecit as well how will lifting help me?

(and I would be lifting even if it doesn't buildbecause I love being strong!)

Replies

  • SergeantSunshine_reused
    SergeantSunshine_reused Posts: 5,382 Member
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    lifting helps you maintain the muscle that you have :] so that you arent breaking down a lot of it :]
  • JNick77
    JNick77 Posts: 3,783 Member
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    I see two things stated here a lot and they seem contradictory.

    1. You cannot build muscle on a calorie defecit

    2. When losing weight you MUST lift so you can look good after all the fats gone!

    So if I'm lifting as part of weight loss, but am on a calorie defecit as well how will lifting help me?

    (and I would be lifting even if it doesn't buildbecause I love being strong!)

    There's a difference between building mass and building strength. You can and will build strength on a calorie deficit. Building significant mass on a calorie deficit is basically impossible unless you've got one of those freak physiques and metabolisms. Definitely weight train.
  • rdeich
    rdeich Posts: 6
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    It's a balance. When exercising consider 10 min cardio warmup, strength training (alternating areas), and finish with 30 min cardio. Yet if you plan to use a workout series like Insanity or Asylum, then strength and cardio are built-in.
  • christian_finn
    christian_finn Posts: 12
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    Some people can and do build muscle while they're in a calorie deficit.

    For example, these people lost an average 16.3 pounds of fat and gained 9.5 pounds of lean mass in 14 weeks:
    http://www.thefactsaboutfitness.com/research/build-muscle-calorie-deficit.htm

    But it's a phenomenon that's generally limited to people who are very overweight and have never lifted weights before, or those who are returning to exercise after a layoff, where muscle memory comes into play.

    For people outside of those categories, lifting weights a) helps to preserve muscle mass/strength during weight loss and b) burns extra calories, which contributes to weight loss.
  • PBJunkie
    PBJunkie Posts: 652
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    Some people can and do build muscle while they're in a calorie deficit.

    For example, these people lost an average 16.3 pounds of fat and gained 9.5 pounds of lean mass in 14 weeks:
    http://www.thefactsaboutfitness.com/research/build-muscle-calorie-deficit.htm

    But it's a phenomenon that's generally limited to people who are very overweight and have never lifted weights before, or those who are returning to exercise after a layoff, where muscle memory comes into play.

    For people outside of those categories, lifting weights a) helps to preserve muscle mass/strength during weight loss and b) burns extra calories, which contributes to weight loss.

    Noob gains =D

    Sound advice right there!

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