muscles or not?

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SparklesPlenty
SparklesPlenty Posts: 90 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
I have a question. I see lots of threads where people are losing inches and not weight. People immediately respond with, "you are gaining muscle". Then I read posts saying you can't gain muscle on a calorie deficit. So my question is, if I am at a deficit, and thus am not gaining muscle, how come every week I can increase the weight I am lifting? Am I building muscle or not? Thanks all!

Replies

  • JenAiMarres
    JenAiMarres Posts: 767 Member
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    I might be totally off base here..but u can build muscle when u are in a deficit..but you can't bulk up with muscle in a deficit...maybe I am wrong??????
  • blessmy5
    blessmy5 Posts: 95
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    Good question. I'm interested too!
  • _GlaDOS_
    _GlaDOS_ Posts: 1,520 Member
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    It is very difficult, almost impossible, to gain muscle while in a deficit.

    You can most certainly gain strength without gaining muscle.
  • grapenutSF
    grapenutSF Posts: 648 Member
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    You can most certainly gain strength without gaining muscle.

    that kinda just blew my mind. so what's happening?
  • RunHardBeStrong
    RunHardBeStrong Posts: 33,069 Member
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    It is very difficult, almost impossible, to gain muscle while in a deficit.

    You can most certainly gain strength without gaining muscle.

    ^ this!
  • mattjolsen
    mattjolsen Posts: 31
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    If you never challenged your body's muscles before, and suddenly start working them hard, you can definitely gain SOME muscle mass on a calorie deficit. There's a limit to this and it won't happen forever, but your body will do what it can to adapt to the stresses you place on it -- this includes some muscle synthesis even in a caloric deficit. But most of the gains will be strength of course.
  • MrsCon40
    MrsCon40 Posts: 2,351 Member
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    It is very difficult, almost impossible, to gain muscle while in a deficit.

    You can most certainly gain strength without gaining muscle.

    This.

    You can strengthen existing muscle without gaining new muscle. If you are trying to lose weight and cut body fat you are doing the right thing!
  • UponThisRock
    UponThisRock Posts: 4,522 Member
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    You can most certainly gain strength without gaining muscle.

    that kinda just blew my mind. so what's happening?

    Your central nervous system can become more efficient at recruiting muscle fibers for a given movement. This will result in strength gains without the synthesis of new muscle tissue.

    Also, those that are new to weightlifting can gain some muscle while in a calorie deficit.
  • myofibril
    myofibril Posts: 4,500 Member
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    Essentially it is due to dormant muscle fibre activation.

    It is very difficult to build new muscle whilst operating in a calorie deficit (or more specifically increasing the size and density of muscle fibres).

    Whilst it is the case that muscle atrophies (breaks down) much of it lays dormant (asleep if you will) waiting to be reused. Before you can build new muscle you must activate those dormant muscle fibres fully. However if they are pre existing that is clearly a much easier process than trying to build it from scratch. That is why formerly athletic people coming back to training from a lay off tend to regain their strength levels quite quickly and see an apparent increase in muscle mass quite quickly.
  • killagb
    killagb Posts: 3,280 Member
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    I totally lose inches and not weight when I get out of the pool. :drinker:
  • javamonster
    javamonster Posts: 272 Member
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    Oh, look, about.com saves the day!

    http://sportsmedicine.about.com/od/glossary/g/Hpertrophy-Def.htm
  • Kalossus
    Kalossus Posts: 98 Member
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    Newbs can gain a small amount of muscle at the beggining of their fitness journey with a cal deficit but only to an extent and for a short period of time.

    Your strength going up could be a number of things though from Central Nervous System development to stabalizing muscles becoming stronger from being used.

    (edit- I really need to start reading threads before i answer i scrolled up to see a few pretty solid answers)

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