Can You Be in a Calorie Deficit and Gain Muscle? For some people, yes, it is possible to build muscle in a calorie deficit. For example, those who are new to resistance training and/or have higher BMIs may find a heightened response to lifting weights and experience greater losses of fat mass in a calorie deficit.
If you don't eat enough, it will be difficult to gain muscle mass. Your body needs a sufficient amount of protein and calories to build and repair muscle tissue. Without an adequate intake of nutrients, your body won't have the necessary resources to support muscle growth.
No, it is not possible to gain lean muscle while eating fewer calories than your body needs to maintain its current size/weight. In order to build muscle, you need to create a slight caloric surplus and provide your body with enough protein to support the muscle growth.
If you don't eat after a workout, it can lead to problems such as low energy, dehydration, poor muscle recovery, low electrolyte levels and low mood. Additional symptoms that can arise as a result of not eating after exercise include muscle weakness, muscle fatigue, muscle cramps and irritability.
No, you won't gain muscle if you don't eat enough calories. Protein is important for building and maintaining muscle, but it's not the only factor involved. Your body needs energy from calories in order to build new muscle tissue. Without enough calories, your body won't have the fuel it needs to make that happen.
Gaining Muscle When Eating Less
If you want to lose weight and still build muscle, it's possible as long as you find a balance in your routine, which includes: Eating enough protein: The body uses protein to build muscle, so you need to eat enough for your body to convert to muscle tissue.
Many factors can affect how much muscle you lose while in a calorie deficit. While it was once thought that the more fat you had, the less muscle you lost in a calorie deficit, this has since been disproved – with both lean and obese people losing significant rates of muscle when dieting.
Lifting and doing strength training without adequate nutrition, especially without enough protein, can actually lead to loss of muscle tissue. Furthermore, if you aren't eating right you won't have the energy to do the workouts that lead to muscle gain.
Consuming at least 1,200 calories per day has often been touted as the minimum for basic bodily functions and to stay out of starvation mode, but the amount is actually too low. A healthy amount of calories for adult women ranges from 1,800 to 2,400 calories per day and for men it's 2,000 to 3,200 calories per day.
Muscles need a calorie surplus to grow. Eldayrie said that if your body is in a caloric deficit, its ability to grow muscle is limited. Insufficient calorie intake can create energy deficits, prompting your body to use muscle for energy instead of growth.
“Some studies have argued that muscle gains are manageable on an energy deficit up to 500 calories per day,” says Dr Adam. “In theory, this type of deficit would cover traditional calorie-restricted diets, as well as intermittent fasting, which often averages out at 500 calories per day across the week.”
Your body needs protein for muscle building and repair tissues, so if you aren't eating enough, your muscles won't have the material they need to grow. You could feel “punch drunk” after working out, your arms and other muscles might ache more than usual, and your body may even feel generally weaker.
There are other terms for this, such as build mode, but bulking is a common term for this caloric surplus. Dirty bulking is when an individual is in a caloric surplus to build muscle (build mode). However, the individual is eating foods that are carb dense, unhealthy, and ultra-processed out of convenience.
Interestingly while a calorie deficit can impair muscle growth, it doesn't necessarily stop you from gaining strength. A recent review found that while those training in a calorie deficit saw impaired muscle growth, their strength gains weren't affected.
In summary, losing thirty pounds on a 1200 calorie diet plan could realistically take around six months if all conditions remain favorable; however individual experiences may vary greatly!
If you notice that you are recovering more effectively and/or more quickly, this could be a reliable sign that you are consistently eating enough calories. Improving recovery metrics are one sign of a calorie surplus when coupled alongside an increase in weight.
When on a weight loss journey, lack of protein is a huge culprit of muscle loss. “Our bodies don't store protein like other nutrients, so it's important to eat the right amount every day,” says Kate. “Everybody is different and will have different protein requirements.
To build muscle, aim to eat 1.4– 2.2 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight each day, says Cynthia Sass, RD, a registered dietitian and board-certified specialist in sports dietetics based in Los Angeles. (To calculate your approximate weight in kilograms, divide your weight in pounds by 2.2.)
Intermittent fasting could potentially be bad for muscle growth. If fasting means you're not getting enough calories, your workout performance and recovery can slip, leading to fewer muscle gains.