Everyone with a muscular arm and some awe-inspiring biceps are very particular about maintaining them. The concern rises even more when they plan on losing weight and consuming a calorie-deficit diet. If you have worked hard towards creating some muscular biceps and abs but also want to lose a little weight, we are sure your concerns might be the same.
Are you wondering whether or not you can continue building muscles on a calorie-deficit diet? Well, you have landed in the right place because this query’s answer lies below. Hop on to understand what is a calorie deficit diet and how you can build muscles while on it.
What is a Calorie Deficit?
Individuals are said to be in a calorie deficit when burning off more energy than they consume from their diet. This means that the energy intake ratio to the energy you are spending is not in balance.
When one is in a calorie deficit, there is less energy coming from food than what is needed by your body to carry out all the mundane everyday activities like moving, exercising, or even pumping blood around the body.
According to research, the human body has enough fat to support the need for muscle growth while going on a diet. Many athletes have gone on strict diets, but by using a calorie deficit calculator and the correct means of maintaining muscles, they have lost weight, gained power, and remained energized.
Can you Build Muscle in a Calorie Deficit?
The above definition of calorie deficit might have left you wondering that if the body is not even capable of moving or exercising when in a calorie deficit, there is no chance of you building muscles when on it, right?
Well, that is true because most of the time, when people lose weight, they start losing muscles too. This is what we call weight loss-induced muscle loss. However, it also isn’t entirely possible not to lose muscles while going on a calorie deficit.
How Can You Build Muscle in a Calorie Deficit?
Here is how you can maintain your muscle mass during a weight training program while you are in a calorie deficit:
Maintain a Slight Calorie Deficit
Losing weight is not always about eating less food, but eating the right food at the right time to give your muscles the strength to grow and nothing more. This means individuals should consume food with macros like protein, carbohydrates, and fats in low ratios enough to make muscles but lose weight as well.
Eat Plenty of Proteins
We all know that proteins are one of the most essential parts of a human’s diet. The nutritional component of proteins helps individuals make muscle mass and helps the body repair the damaged muscle tissues after a strenuous workout.
Hence, aiming for at least 1 gram of protein per pound of your body weight is a great way to maximize your muscle gains while on a calorie deficit.
Eat Carbohydrates before Exercising
Carbs help you gain muscles and maximize your gains. Hence, incorporating these nutritional components into your diet is essential. Though what else needs to be considered is the right time to take the carbs to benefit from them in gaining muscle without worrying about weight gain.
We believe the best time to consume carbohydrates is before you exercise. Consumption of carbs before working out will boost your workout performance and provide you with enough energy to complete your session without going into fatigue or losing consciousness because of low power.
So, not only will you be able to gain muscles during your gym session, but you also will immediately burn the carbs without having to worry about any weight gain.
Do Both Cardio and Strength Training
Another secret key to building muscles while losing weight is combining cardio and high-resistance exercises. Strength training will help an individual burn calories, while on the other hand, cardio will help an individual create a calorie deficit.
So, combining these two forms of exercise will help individuals burn calories to lose weight, all while maintaining their muscle gains through training.
Give Yourself Time to Recover
Many people do not understand that while they exercise in the gym to build muscles, the development of these muscles happens outside of the gym – when they rest!
Yes, you heard us right. For your workout to show effective results, you must give your body time to recover without overtraining yourself. Hence, taking at least one day off from the gym or your workout and rest is advisable to help your muscles grow and repair.
Get Plenty of Sleep
While you may be exercising to the best of your ability, all your hard work will be in vain if you are not sleeping enough. Why is that? Well, this is because good sleep shows significant results in helping your muscles build better mass. Getting proper sleep enhances the body’s ability to release testosterone, an essential hormone to build lean muscle mass.
Wrapping Up
Conclusively, you can build muscles in a calorie deficit by tracking your calorie intake and following the tips mentioned in the article. However, getting help from apps like mentioned becomes a must, as you will definitely need a calorie deficit calculator!
