The calorie deficit is also one of the most common refrains in the fitness world where weight loss is concerned. In simplest terms, when you take in fewer calories than your body needs to function at its current body weight, that causes your body to pull fat from storage for energy purposes. You seeThe thing is, is this same strategy actually sabotaging all of your precious muscle?
Being in a calorie deficit is the most important and effective way to lose fat but it also has its risks. Perceived Wrong: (with) the potential for huge muscle loss that will suppress metabolism and slow down fitness gains long term. In order to do that, let's take a closer look at the science behind the calorie deficit and how it can turn into a trap if you are not careful.
Looking into the caloric deficit
A calorie deficit means you are burning more calories than you consume. The body needs calories to for basic physiological functions — digestion, breathing, exercise. When you eat less than you burn, your body will have to turn to its fat stores for energy.
That is the foundation of it all: If you expend more calories than what you consume you will lose weight. That said, the human body doesn't only rely on extracting energy from fat stores — it can also consume muscle tissue to fulfill its energy requirements. Therein lies the problem.
How a Caloric Deficit Wrecks Muscle Amounts
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When you are in a calorie deficit, your body will also break down muscle for energy.
Your body is in energy stress when you are at a caloric deficit. Your body may also break down muscle tissue if you are not consuming adequate protein or lifting weights. Muscle is a metabolically expensive tissue and requires energy to maintain. When you are in a caloric deficit your body can see muscle as less important, especially if your not actively working it through resistance training.
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Decreased protein synthesis
Protein synthesis is the process in which your body repairs and builds muscle after an intense workout. When you are in a caloric deficit, your rate of protein synthesis will be decreased. The muscle breakdown that goes with a caloric defecit won't be considered if you aren't eating enough protein to counterbalance it. This is particularly a problem if your deficit goes significantly below or extends far beyond the 'lines' for too long.
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Decreased testosterone and growth hormone.
It is not that caloric restricted diets can actually lower levels of the anabolic hormones (testosterone, growth hormone) needed for muscle maintenance and growth. If you are strength training, a lengthy calorie deficit can lower these hormones and in the end impair your muscle gain.
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Slower Recovery
If you are in a calorie deficit, your recovery times can be slightly longer, and if you are not getting enough carbohydrates or protein that the recovery time may get even longer. When your body cannot repair the damaged muscle tissue it can eat away at itself which eventually results in muscle wastage over time due to a lack of proper nutrients.
Consequences of losing muscle mass
Not only does losing muscle mass make you weaker, but there are far reaching effects on broader components of health and fitness.
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Slowed MetabolismYour muscles are metabolically active tissue and they actually burn calories at rest. You will decrease your basal metabolic rate (BMR) and as a result it will be much harder to lose fat and easy be to gain weight again once you return eating normal. The fastest gainers are those who rely mostly on glycogen when dieting, and this is why more carbs when transitioning into a building phase can lead to more fat gain.
Decreased Strength and Performance
The loss of muscle directly correlates to a decrease in strength, endurance, and other aspects that play into athletic performance. You may even have trouble lifting weights, doing cardio or, recovering from training. This decline in performance can lead to a less consistent fitness regime.
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Aesthetic ConcernsWhat if one of your training goals was to achieve a lean, muscular physique… you would not want the muscle gained to fade during a calorie deficit for example. You will burn some fat but you will also be burning muscle which gives your body shape so you may end up as a skinny-fatgirl rather than lean and toned.
Skipping the calorie deficit trap
So, let's review how to not lose muscle in a calorie deficit since we need one for fat loss.
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Eat Enough Protein
During a calorie deficit, protein is your most powerful deterrent against muscle loss. Try to eat between 1.6–2.2 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight This will help prevent muscle breakdown by providing your body with the amino acids it needs to promote protein synthesis and repair muscle.
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Add Strength Training.A major part of my program is the inclusion of strength training.
Best Method for maintaining muscle during a calorie deficit :Resistance Training regularly! The reason lifting weights is able to do this is because weightlifting (muscle-building) tells your body that you need those muscles and it will prevent them from breaking down. Squats, deadlifts, and bench presses are the best compound exercises that will help you keep every ounce of muscle during phases of fat loss.
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Avoid an Extreme Deficit
One of the most common errors I witness people making when it comes to fat loss is they try to be too aggressive with their calorie deficit, as faster weight loss is “better.” And that will make you lose a tremendous amount of muscle. A less aggressive deficit — around 300-500 calories under maintenance — is more tenable, and is unlikely to include muscle loss. Instead, try for the slow and steady weight loss that will keep more muscle mass in play as your body burns fat.
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Prioritize Recovery
Both sleep and the right nutrition are needed to maintain muscle. Muscle is more susceptible to be used during a calorie deficit, so adding exercise on top of that, other stressors and weakened recovery strategies only increase these chances. Shoot for 7-9 hours of good sleep per night and train but do not overtrain.
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Stay Consistent
The best way to prevent muscle loss is a slow and steady fat burning. Going on crash diets or perpetually cycling between bulking and cutting can lose precious muscle mass and replace that weight with unwanted fat, leaving you in a perpetual state where you are not getting any fitter. Eat a balanced, nutrient-rich diet, perform consistent strength training workouts and wait for the results.
Conclusion: Balancing Act
Yes, it is the real calorie deficit trap of muscle death. So, hopefully you can see now that although its importance is paramount and subsequently leads to reductions in body fat which will assist with overall health & aesthetic endeavours, it does not have to be due to a loss of muscle mass. While the ideal approach is one that is more balanced — with sufficient protein consumption, a focus on building strength, optimizing rest and recovery — coupled with an appropriate caloric deficit to allow for fat loss without los of muscle.
Muscle is important to metabolism, strength, overall health so remember that. Be sure to keep it at the forefront of your mind while you are setting out on your journey to lose weight, so that you can avoid falling into the calorie deficit trap.