Building Muscle in a Calorie Deficit?!

Is it possible?

Yes

Is it the most optimal environment to grow muscle?

It is not

Like many things, when our focus is split between 2 goals, we are likely to see progress. But, it is probably not the best progress, had we just focused on 1 of those goals during the same timeframe.

But, if you’re okay with a longer timeline & desire to accomplish fat loss while adding some muscle tissue, here are some key considerations…

- Follow a training protocol that you can progressively overload w/ a minimum of 3 training sessions per week.
- Track progress in the gym & be very mindful of recovery & avoid prolonged bouts of soreness or ‘under recovery’
- High protein consumption will be HUGE. 2.6-3.5 g/kg of fat free mass is recommended.
- Prioritize quality & quantity of sleep
- Utilize as minimal of a calorie deficit as possible to see progress, the literature shows exceeding 500 calorie deficit per day significantly decreases chances of adding muscle.
- For the ladies, retaining a healthy menstrual cycle will be important.

When it boils down to it, I would encourage you to pick one goal & be invested there for a specific amount of time then transitioning to another for a couple reasons.

1. As stated, you will see improved progress by having one specific goal.
2. Mentally this can be a roller coaster, as it can be a slower process. There can be periods where you feel stagnant & pushing through that can be challenging.

If you made it this far & have any questions, drop em below! Lets chat :)

For those who want to dig into the literature I am referencing, here ya go!

DOI: 10.1519/SSC.0000000000000584
PMID: 34623696

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[fdsqueen]

Question - if I’m eating at maintenance and heavily strength training 5 days a week, wouldn’t that put me in a deficit? Or do I still need to eat lower calories?

[realiso]

so what is the best way then? short got cut off at the end