Do you lose muscles along with fat in a calorie deficit?
Answer to your questions :1) Yes you may lose muscle along with fat on a calorie deficit. The amount of muscle loss can be completely controlled by your protein intake, activity type, body fat percentage etc. It is however also possible to gain, and I will explain how.2) You need not be a calorie surplus to gain muscle if you are beginner at the gym. Newbie gains are a very real thing, where you can gain muscle and lose fat while being on a small calorie deficit. Sounds too good to be true? Nope its real ! Newbie gains however typically last upto a few months-years depending your current muscle mass and genetic muscle building potential3) It’s not about weight. Its about fat and muscle, as you already know. If you want to be in this sweet spot of gaining muscle and losing fat, calculate your BMR. Eat your BMR or 1.1*BMR everyday, while simultaneously doing resistance training. Consume atleast 1-1.5g of protein per pound of your body weight and carbs no lower than 0.8g per pound of body weight. Keep carbs relatively low , eat moderate fats (poly ,monosaturated, sarturated & NOT trans) and high protein.4) Don’t measure your progress with weight only but weight and body fat percentage. This will tell you how much lean gains you have made over time.5) Lastly, don’t compromise on nutrition when you want to be on a deficit. Make sure you consume fruits and vegetables in sufficient quantityPS- I am telling you to consume calories= BMR because you will effectively end up burning 500–600 calories a day doing resistance training, so you will still keep burning more than you consume.Best of luck with your goals. I personally really like this website. You can consult the same for further guidance : www.muscleforlife.com/
Can you gain muscle if you increase your protein at a caloric deficit?
It is not quite that simple. Muscle growth requires over-working the muscle and letting it recover. The body will note that the muscle was not sufficient for the task, and build it up so it will be more sufficient the next time.Now, to rebuild, you need protein. You need sufficient protein, but that's all. Extra protein beyond that doesn't make the muscles any larger.As for the calorie deficiency, as long as you have fat to burn (and who doesn't) and as long as you are not in calorie deficit because of super-intense anaerobic exercise, you'll be fine. Your body will burn fat to make up the deficit and use the protein to rebuild your muscles.By the way, protein powder is unnecessary for most people. Eggs, meat, fish and dairy are all excellent (and sufficient) sources of protein. My simple advice is get rid of added sugars in your diet and try to favor protein over carbohydrates. I do NOT believe in cutting carbohydrates out -- I think that is unnecessary, but if you keep to a calorie budget and make sure you have enough protein, you'll find your carbohydrates will automatically be adjusted to a better balance.The key is balance.
Can I build muscle in a caloric deficit?
As the title suggests. If your body is in a surplus of energy (fat), will your body use your fat stores as energy to build muscle, even in a caloric deficit? In other words, if you're overweight, can you build muscle and lose fat at the same time? Or even if you are not overweight, but have some fat on you, is this possible?
Can I loose fat without a caloric deficit?
You need to focus on EITHER muscle gain or fat loss- they are contradictory goals, A caloric deficit is the only thing that will enable you to drop fat. Try a balanced diet made up of mostly natural whole foods, with high protein, moderate carbs and moderate fats. Losing 1-2lbs a week is the best way to go. This way, you are losing mostly fat, rather than water and muscle. Faster weight loss is not better, nor is it sustainable. You need to know how many calories you burn- you can use an online calculator for a rough estimate. Aim for 10-20% calories fewer than you burn daily (too large a deficit will be counterproductive in the longer term). Don't worry about complicated diets or cutting things out. You can enjoy anything in moderation, as long as the majority of your diet is healthy. Base your meals around: Lean protein (e.g. chicken, tuna, lean beef, fat-free cottage cheese, egg whites) Wholegrains (e.g. wholewheat bread, oats, bran cereals, rice) Healthy fats (e.g. nuts, seeds, olive oil, avocado, salmon, whole eggs, flaxseed) Fruit and veg And drink lots of water. Second in importance to diet, is heavy resistance training- this is what will allow you to preserve muscle so you look 'toned' and defined once you've dropped the fat (rather than just a smaller version of how you look now, with the same bits you're unhappy with). More muscle also means a higher metabolism, so you definitely want to hold on to, or increase the muscle base you have, for fat loss. You need to work ALL your major muscle groups- you can't spot reduce. Then you can look at extras like cardio to help create a calorie deficit. But cardio is by far the least important of these three, and you can lose fat effectively without it. Make sure you're getting at least one rest day a week with no exercise at all.