Coaching Inquiries: david@biolayne.com Building Muscle In A Calorie Deficit….Is It Possible?
All to often I get client inquiries from individuals looking to lose fat and build muscle at the same time. This seems to be a very common theme amongst the people reaching out to me about coaching.
People have been fed so much crap over the years from Instagram fitness celebrities and supplement companies claiming to be able to help you shed body fat and gain tons of muscle at the same time.
Folk, that’s just not how the human body operates and if you stop for a minute and think logically you could understand that.
If you want something to grow it needs substance added to it, correct? A building needs more bricks to grow, a car needs more fuel to go further, an empty cup needs fluid added to it to be full….get where I am going with this?
So why would taking in less calories than you need to maintain your weight suddenly help you start growing more muscle? IT DOESN’T….your body needs bricks (aka calories) added to it for muscle to grow.
“But David, you are saying it is never possible to grow muscle while being in a calorie deficit?”
There are 3️⃣scenarios that you can be in a calorie deficit and add some lean body mass…
1️⃣You are a NEWBIE to the gym. Newbies have not tapped in to the first part of starting to grow new muscle which is the neurological adaptations that occur. This only lasts a short time and then more calories will be needed for that tissue to grow.
2️⃣You are extremely obese…I am talking 30+BMI. It is possible for a while to be in a calorie deficit and weight training and put on more muscle. The reason is because you have a large reserve of energy (body fat) that helps fuel the training and growth of new muscle tissue. But once again, this only lasts a little while.
3️⃣The last scenario is if you have been sick or injured and had an extended time off from the gym (say 1+ years). The principles of the “newbie” apply here to. You may notice some changes in muscle at the beginning but most of that is from neuro adaptations taking place.
💥 Everyone else, I suggest if you want to focus on building muscle you NEED to be in a calorie surplus…for quite some time (be patient and put up with the uncomfortable feeling). It doesn’t have to be a dirty bulk but it needs to be a surplus to give your muscle the nutrients it needs to grow….and you better be training with intensity and getting rest/recovery so they can repair and grow.
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