is it possible to build muscle while at a calorie deficit?

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kelkir
kelkir Posts: 20
in Fitness and Exercise
Is it possible to do this? I'm not talking about huge bodybuilder muscles here, just to add tone and possibly burn even more fat.

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  • lurelw
    lurelw Posts: 11 Member
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    Yes, it is. Make sure you are getting enough protein (and enough calories to sustain your workouts in general) and your muscles will become more conditioned. IMHO (and most others) cardio should be accompanied by strength training in any weight loss plan anyway.
  • _GlaDOS_
    _GlaDOS_ Posts: 1,520 Member
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    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/390256-can-i-build-muscle-in-a-caloric-deficit

    :flowerforyou:
  • UponThisRock
    UponThisRock Posts: 4,522 Member
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    Generally no, you can't build muscle and lose fat at the same time. Surplus calories are needed to provide the "raw material" to build muscles.

    However, there are a 2 notable exceptions:
    1. Beginners to weightlifting
    2. Non-beginners returning from a long layoff

    These 2 categories of individuals can accomplish both for a while, but it doesn't last longer than a few months. Eventually, you have to pick a direction.
  • Lift_hard_eat_big
    Lift_hard_eat_big Posts: 2,278 Member
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    Yes, do Tae Bo
  • UponThisRock
    UponThisRock Posts: 4,522 Member
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    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/390256-can-i-build-muscle-in-a-caloric-deficit

    :flowerforyou:

    ^^^guess Acg beat me to the punch, lol
  • Rae6503
    Rae6503 Posts: 6,294 Member
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    When you are on a diet you are ingesting less energy than you are burning. Your body isn't going to use the precious energy you are giving it to create new tissue.
  • AddA2UDE
    AddA2UDE Posts: 382
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    Yes, do Tae Bo

    LMAO!
  • Jeff92se
    Jeff92se Posts: 3,369 Member
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    I lift on a calorie deficit. My strength has gone up and I'm slowly losing weight. It's hard to tell if I'm gaining muscle or not as the fat comes off everywhere. But I don't care to be bigger too much. Mainly stronger, faster, leaner and lighter if possible

    I've been lifting for years but have come back to lifting in the last 1.5 years. So I'm not new. But I've recently started to count calories. I'm getting much more defined but have only lost a few lbs
  • joejccva71
    joejccva71 Posts: 2,985 Member
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    I lift on a calorie deficit. My strength has gone up and I'm slowly losing weight. It's hard to tell if I'm gaining muscle or not as the fat comes off everywhere. But I don't care to be bigger too much. Mainly stronger, faster, leaner and lighter if possible

    You can build strength without building new muscle tissue.
  • Rae6503
    Rae6503 Posts: 6,294 Member
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    I lift on a calorie deficit. My strength has gone up and I'm slowly losing weight. It's hard to tell if I'm gaining muscle or not as the fat comes off everywhere. But I don't care to be bigger too much. Mainly stronger, faster, leaner and lighter if possible

    You can build strength without building new muscle tissue.

    And yeah, everyone should still lift even while on a deficit! You will get stronger and you will maintain more muscles as you lose.
  • hottottie11
    hottottie11 Posts: 907 Member
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    Yes, do Tae Bo

    HA!
  • Jeff92se
    Jeff92se Posts: 3,369 Member
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    I lift on a calorie deficit. My strength has gone up and I'm slowly losing weight. It's hard to tell if I'm gaining muscle or not as the fat comes off everywhere. But I don't care to be bigger too much. Mainly stronger, faster, leaner and lighter if possible

    You can build strength without building new muscle tissue.

    Yes. But I've slowly gained strength over the year and a half I've been lifting again.
    At some point you either gain muscle or plateau lift wise. I'm back down to a high rep cycle but I gained on all my lifts on my passed low rep cycle
  • koosdel
    koosdel Posts: 3,317 Member
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    I lift on a calorie deficit. My strength has gone up and I'm slowly losing weight. It's hard to tell if I'm gaining muscle or not as the fat comes off everywhere. But I don't care to be bigger too much. Mainly stronger, faster, leaner and lighter if possible

    You can build strength without building new muscle tissue.

    Correct.
  • joejccva71
    joejccva71 Posts: 2,985 Member
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    I lift on a calorie deficit. My strength has gone up and I'm slowly losing weight. It's hard to tell if I'm gaining muscle or not as the fat comes off everywhere. But I don't care to be bigger too much. Mainly stronger, faster, leaner and lighter if possible

    You can build strength without building new muscle tissue.

    Yes. But I've slowly gained strength over the year and a half I've been lifting again.
    At some point you either gain muscle or plateau lift wise. I'm back down to a high rep cycle but I gained on all my lifts on my passed low rep cycle

    Dude I've been lifting for almost 6 months now. I've been on a calorie deficit up until a little over a week ago as i am now bulking. During my 6 month cut I dropped from 225lbs to 174lbs.

    When I started lifting (6 months ago) my Leg Press was 360lbs which is 4 plates on each side.

    6 months later...

    My Leg Press now is 765lbs which is 7 plates on each side and 3 on top which I can hit for 8 reps. I can do 810 for 4.

    Not trying to brag, but you don't need to train for over a year on a deficit to build strength. I've been building strength since I started.
  • Jeff92se
    Jeff92se Posts: 3,369 Member
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    I'm not saying you need to lift that long to gain strength. I said that to illustrate that I'm not a newbie lifter. I originally came back to try to rehab my knee so I don't go crazy on squats. But I got up to reaping 275lbs free weight. And that's about as heavy as I go without a belt. Repped 315lb dead for about 4. No belt.

    Nice numbers though. I used to do those leg press numbers during my powerlifting days

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