Question for Heavy Lifters (female variety)

So I've read numerous posts here but not really seeing many responses from people I see as reliable, and I've read articles usually with conflicting views, so I'd like to know from PERSONAL experience what has worked for YOU.

Here's the deal...

I'm trying to put on a good amount of muscle using the StrongLifts program. Will I be able to do that while eating in a deficit?

I still have 20-25lbs to lose. My maintenance calories right now are around 1840.

On strength days I'll be trying to eat my calorie goal (1500) + exercise cals (200ish), so around 1700.
On alternate days where I do moderate cardio, I'll be eating more around 1500-1600ish.

Have you had success with increased strength with HEAVY lifting while using a calorie deficit or did you really have to eat at maintenance or above to see substantial gains?

Personally, I have had no increase in lean mass while on a deficit. I have increased definition simply because I decreased body fat percentage. My experience was that on a deficit I was losing weight. By the numbers I was losing 1 pound of lean mass to every 3 pounds of fat (so my weight loss was made up of 25% lean mass) and I was doing light lifting (bodypump classes). When I added heavy weights I about 15% (by caliper test) of my weightloss was attributed to lean mass. So, while I was gaining in definition and becoming stronger, I was losing lean mass.

I've read posts where people say they've increased lean mass while dropping on the scale, but that's not my experience at all.

you CAN build muscle on a deficit, its just a lot harder even if you are getting a lot of protein, you aren't getting the calories.

I appreciate the feedback so far!!!

I want to finish slimming while also building scary girl muscles. :laugh:

Scary girl muscles would look excellent with your sleeves! Just keep lifting, lots of protien (1gram per pound of lean body mass at minimum, more if you'd like) and keep a small calorie deficit.

Bump. I just started lifting heavy about a month ago while eating a calorie deficit. I want to lose about 20 more lbs. The first couple weeks I dropped weight like crazy, the last couple weeks not so much. I will say I've notice a big difference in my muscles though. I'm interested to see what others say.

Strength: Yes, I have built up plenty of strength in a calorie deficit.

Actual muscle mass gain: I can't tell for sure, but I don't think I did, maybe a little? The general rule is you can't build muscle mass while on a deficit unless you are new to lifting, returning from a long break (which I was at the time) or very obese. I found it considerably easier to gain muscle mass when I was eating in a surplus.
If you lift consistently on a small deficit though, with enough protein, you will maintain a lot more of your current muscle than you will do if you lose weight through just diet and/or cardio. This is what I'm doing currently (300-400 deficit each day, ~150g protein, along with heavy lifting)

Since strength doesn't always correlate with actual muscle gained, I can't see any issue for most people with increasing strength on a deficit, unless you are severely restricting your calories.

I am still fairly new to lifting heavy (started in Nov.) and I am hesitant to answer this with any certainty, but I can tell you my story. (Also bumping for others on my FL to reply )

I started lifting heavy in mid November while still at my 1200-1400 calories a day diet plan. I reached my weight goal so I went to 1600-1700 calories for a bit. (I had to play around with and decrease my maintenance calories some because of the holidays.)

Then, I started New Rules of Lifting for Women on 12/28/11. I measured and weighed and came up with an estimated BF% using the measurements. I increased my calories to 1800 a day (not counting exercise calories at all, ever) which was a 300 calorie a day deficit (on workout days) according to the book. I didn't do hardly any cardio at all from then until now. (Ha, still don't)

I measured and weighed again on 1/31/12. According to my measurements, in a month (at 1800 calories) I lost 1% BF and gained 1lb of LBM. Which may or may not even be correct/accurate.....but I've heard that you can gain muscle and lose fat as a new lifter. Again, I was eating a SLIGHT deficit. Since mid November, I had also lost an inch off my waist and an inch off my hips too. Total scale weight was down about 1.5 pounds.

I know this doesn't help much because I wasn't in a deficit the whole time but I thought I'd throw it out there. I did have substantial strength gains the whole time (but again, a new lifter). However, I did plateau on strength gains one week when I dropped my calories low in preparation for vacation.

My advice is to not worry about the scale. Use the mirror and you measurements/clothes as your guide.

You can gain muscle while eating in a deficit. The thing you have to watch out for is that you are getting your daily value for carbs (complex carbs, not sugar) and protein. Carbs give you the energy to use up while doing stenuous exercise (like heavier lifting) and the protein will give your muscles the amino acids to rebuild after you tear them down. It is absolutely possible to gain muscle mass while eating in a deficit, you just have to make certain you're giving your body the right types of food for the job. Message me if you have any more questions or need more information.

This is coming from personal experience btw, not just blowing smoke.

That's interesting, from most of what I've read focuses on protein and healthy fats to fuel muscle and complex carbs to fuel cardio. So, if your goal is to build muscle your diet focuses on high protein and good fats for your gains, but if your goal is to run long distances your diet should be higher in carbs for gains.