Lifting weights + calorie deficit?

shocker02k
shocker02k Posts: 10
edited September 20 in Fitness and Exercise
Hey guys.

I have a lot of body-building friends (well, more than one would expect from a once-overweight computer nerd) who lift weights daily. They tell me that when they're really lifting to gain muscle mass, they tend to eat 3-4000 calories a day.

I have lost (since joining MFP) about 77 lbs, and am currently on a diet of 1800 calories (approximately). My nutritionist suggested that I add weight lifting to my workout routine (which was about an hour of cardio at low intensity and then a high intensity running session). I have started doing this, but without doing the excessive calorie load that my weight-lifting friends do. Consequently, I think I am sore for much longer than they are and I'm wondering where the excess energy to rebuild my muscles is coming from (my nutritionist said "from fat" but I am dubious about that claim). Am I hurting my body by lifting weights (no more than 20 minutes per gym session, mind you) while running a calorie deficit diet?

Replies

  • Azdak
    Azdak Posts: 8,281 Member
    You are not hurting your body, but you probably are not going to gain much muscle mass either. Gaining muscle mass is more a function of training *volume* (along with sufficient calorie intake) with less emphasis on *intensity*. Volume means lifting at moderate intensity levels (8-12 RM) but higher volume (4-6 sets) and lower rest periods.

    The average exerciser lifting for general strength is going to do 1-3 sets, with longer rest periods, and intensities ranging from 6-15 RM.

    If you have lost 77lbs through diet and aerobic exercise, you have almost certainly lost some fat free mass (FFM). At this point, it is a very good idea for you to add strength training to your routine.

    I suspect your soreness is due primarily to your lack of experience lifting and secondarily to your previous loss of FFM.

    You don't start "building" muscle right away when you start lifting weights. Initial strength increases occur almost entirely as a result of neuromuscular facilitation. That means your body learns to activate existing muscle fibers in patterns that can generate more force. It takes several weeks of consistent work at an appropriate volume (and adequate calorie intake) to start seeing gains in muscle mass.

    Again, you won't hurt yourself with a calorie deficit, you just might not see as much progress.
  • shocker02k
    shocker02k Posts: 10
    Well this is a question I've had for a while, actually.

    I started lifting in April or so, when I weighed about 15 lbs more than I do now. At first, it was low intensity, high reps (12-15) lifting just intended for tone. Then I shifted to something a bit more balanced (mid intensity, 12 reps top).

    I haven't lifted consistently or with any set plan but to just be in a bit better shape. I'm not trying to become a body builder at all, I just want to build some lean muscle mass to accelerate my metabolism.

    I skipped the gym and just did maintenance eating (the latter was also advised by my nutritionist, though I waited a while to do this) for the last month, so I haven't been lifting. When I went back (starting last Saturday), I intended to attempt to build some heavier muscle mass by doing high intensity, low rep workouts on specific areas. However, the soreness I'm feeling is a bit different than I'm used to (especially the length of time that I am sore). That's what is making me wonder if I'm hurting myself (not from the lifting, but from the diet)? I understand that in aerobic workouts, if the body needs to grab energy quickly it metabolizes muscle (which is why I do most of my cardio work at low intensity), but what does the body use to build muscle mass (or simply repair muscles after lifting) if you're not eating tons of protein or other high calorie diets?
  • shocker02k
    shocker02k Posts: 10
    Does anyone else have any insights on this matter? (I'm happy to report that I'm down now 80 lbs since joining MFP by the way :))
  • songbyrdsweet
    songbyrdsweet Posts: 5,691 Member
    I agree entirely with Azdak. Your body will use dietary protein to repair muscle mass (it doesn't take a lot). It's important to each sufficient carbohydrates and fat to spare the dietary protein for muscle repair. If you're interested in gaining lean muscle mass, you need a small excess of calories, 100-300 extra per day to promote muscle gain without much excess fat gain. But you do need to lift intensely to promote growth hormone release that upregulates muscle cell growth.
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