strength training in a cal deficit? confused.....

Bump.

Strength training while in a caloric deficit helps to maintain the muscle you have and leads to more efficient weight loss. Using myself as an example, because that's what I have... I've lost 31 lbs. 32 of those pounds were fat. (Folks new to weight lifting may gain lean body mass even at a deficit).

Strength training helps you to burn calories even when you are not working out. You probably won't build too much mass while you are losing weight. You may gain lot's of strength. I'm at a five hundred calorie deficit not eating back my exercise calories and I am definetely stronger than I was few weeks back even. If you are eating a deficit and have a lot of weight to lose you may even build some muscle just from the extra calories available. I only have five more to lose, so I won't be able to use those calories very effectively to gain muscle mass, but I can gain strength!! In your case you may be able to gain a bit of muscle mass. The third reason is toning. Muscles that are being used are a lot nicer to the touch, and look pretty good too! Be sure to include different types of muscle work. Lifting, resistance, and isometric ( think thats the word, using your own body weight, ex. squats lunges pushups ect.) Each one works your muscles in a different way. The other very important reason is, strong muscles give you the strength and endurance to withstand your cardio workouts, and make you able to do more, thus to be able to burn more calories.

Hope that helps!

bump

I strength train to make sure I don't hurt myself doing the cardio.

General rule of thumb is that "building muscle", or generating new muscle tissue, requires a calorie surplus.

That being said, genetics and physiology sometimes breaks a general rule. You may be one of those. Even in that situation, you are not going gain new muscle tissue with a significant deficit. So if you are one that does not eat back your exercise calories and maintain very large deficits beyond the recommended net caloric goal, your odds of gaining are that much more stacked against you. Heck, some individuals can eat a 2500 calorie surplus a week, lift heavy, and not gain a thing after 6 weeks.

Here is why should lift anyway.
The stimulation of the lifting encourages your body to find energy in your fat stores (that copious ugly yellowish tissue that your trying to get rid of) over the long term rather than the readily available glycogen stored in your muscles. This benefits occurs around the clock as long as you lift on a regular basis.

If your only form of exercise is cardio (long distance running for example) your body eventually sees significant upper body muscle and lower body fast twitch muscles as a biological liability. You burn significant calories on a regular basis running, but you don't actually use the other muscles. So why expend precious calories keeping them primed for work they are not doing. So their glycogen is consumed along with fat. As a result they are not that strong and shrink in size, consuming fewer calories as a part of your resting metabolism.

Lifting heavy stimulates those muscles. As you work them regularly, your body responds with, "Holy crap! I actually need those. I have to devote resources to repairing them and keeping them primed for work". As a result, they store glycogen and water, thus looking fuller. They play more of a role in your resting metabolism as they repair. Your nervous system improves efficiency in using them, resulting in strength gains. You just look better and feel better as you shed the fat to reveal actual functional muscle.


Your mileage will vary due to variables of individual physiology. The tape measure will be your friend. Don't go by the scale alone.

Hope that helps.