I tried gaining muscle in a calorie deficit last year and I got a dramatically toned body in about 3 months, eventhough it wasn't crazy gains my body still improved significantly. Now I'm returning after a 4 month break and trying it again.
Hey, I just started doing this. I’m trying to be in a significant calorie deficit and the majority of my calories are coming from protein. May I ask how you did it and how you were able to keep it up for 3 months? And how was your energy levels weight lifting?
@@adreesdon’t go on a crazy deficit or you’ll lose muscle mass too try to be in like a 300 deficit from your maintenance calorie and eat plenty of protein per pound 1gram per pound max
I had the love handles and belly forming at the end of last year. I went on a calorie deficit but with gold standard whey protein daily and workouts every 2nd day. I now have a 6 pack and prominent, larger muscles. So yeah it's possible. For me it was stating away from junk food and making sure I never missed a workout nomatter how tired I was from work. In my opinion you're either happy with your body or not.
Great video as always, Layne! I think it really comes down to absolute goals as well. Most untrained males that have a significant amount of body fat don't want to maximize every lb of muscle growth, but they still want to build some muscle while losing fat. So maximizing a recomp with this population always makes sense to me from a logical standpoint. Then, when they've lost sufficient body fat, we can focus on bulking and cutting cycles independently.
Makes sense. I am trying to gain strength/muscle in maintenance calories. I have been taking it slow and focusing on hitting my protein every day. So far, so good. You can't beat science, tho.
It’s worked for me - detrained and about two stone overweight. Lost all the excess weight in six months and added an inch to both my biceps and chest. Last few weeks I seemed to have hit the wall in terms of available gains from training at a calorie deficit and have started eating more, but - for a limited time at least - it worked for me.
Thank you, I have been waiting for this video my whole life. I fall in the first 2 categories and I was very confused for years, the info out there is so contradictory
I did an accidental recomp. On a cut, strict calorie deficit (~500 cal/day), tracked macros, 10k steps, 3x strength training per week, fat loss and muscle gain verified by consecutive DEXA scans two months apart. I was surprised. I am obese but not new to lifting so your category 2.
It is deffinatley possible. I started fasting and weight lifting 7 days a week. Whilst also watching my calories. I became obsessive and at one point was only having about 1200 calories a day. Which I don't recommend ( I eat much more now ). I lost like 3 inches in waist size. And a stone and a half. My belly fat is going down. But the scale is not saying I am putting on weight . Despite the fact I look more lean now in my arms and shoulders. At a certain point you start ignoring the scale and start seeing how you look instead.
I know the priority is usually fat loss in the context of physique/bodybuilding performance but I believe a video on fat loss as it relates to weight restricted sports would be a great topic of discussion!
That would be super cool! As a rock climber there's a constant struggle between trying to get stronger but also staying light. A discussion on strength training for those who aren't actually trying build mass per se but simply get stronger would be beneficial.
@@the_rockdoc_ I feel like the most important stenghts there are developed during climbing type training excercises (outside of climbing) and correct body fueling for endurance.
February of 2021 I did a DEXA Scan at 56 years old. I've been a lifter since 1975. I was 166 lbs and tested out at 13.9% bodyfat. 5 months later, I got another scan. During the 5 months, I was in a 200 calorie per day deficit. At the time of the test, I lost 3 lbs. and weighed 163 lbs. The test results revealed that I had gained 6 lbs of lean mass and was 9.9% bodyfat.
@@zucc3866 9lbs fat loss. Gained 6lbs muscle = 3lbs weight loss. It’s not rocket science 💀 it’s easy math. (Approx. 30 days in a month x5 months= 150 days. 150 days x 200 cal. Deficit = -30,000cal deficit, now divide by 3,500cal (how many calories needed to lose 1lb of fat) = 8.57lbs lost. Round up to 9 for those months with 31 days. Easy Peasy. Now go kick rocks. Lol.
Thanks! I've found intermittent fasting to work well concerning this issue. Not so much "bulk" building but lean sculpting. I also find sufficient energy in the gym compared to other dieting.
One of the biggest mistakes I did when I decided to transform from a fat slob to a slim lifter was starting lifting AFTER I had gotten rid of most of my fat. I should have started lifting when I was still obese. Wasted a year of gains there.
@pkingslayer Excess bodyfat is like free extra weight in the gym. Spread out across most of the body. If you start lifting whilst being obese, well, a few dozen pounds overweight ideally, you can burn calories and stimulate muscle growth at the same time. You won't build muscles as quickly during a caloric deficit but your body will already adapt to the extra strain and challenge you put forth. There's also the advantage of muscle preservation. If you lose fat during a long-term diet but don't train your muscles enough at the same time, you will lose some of your lean mass as well. So if you only start hypertrophy training AFTER intensive fat loss, you'll first have to spend several months _re-gaining_ muscle mass that you had BEFORE you started losing all that excess bodyfat. In short: Start doing hypertrophy training at the beginning of your diet, whilst still being overweight. Important: Make sure to only use joint-friendly exercises and training equipment for the first year or so. That way, you'll be far less likely to overwhelm & (maybe) permanently damage joints during the timeframe when your sinews and muscles haven't had a chance yet to adapt to a high-stress regiment. I give thanks to Captain Hindsight.
The more fat you have the safer your muscle is during a hard cut. Your fat stores are spread out around the body and can only give up a small amount of the stored energy at a time.
@@Hoaxed00 you should go higher on the deficit in a cut than the surplus on a bulk. Cutting fat is easier than gaining muscle and can and should be done quicker. Just aim for up to 1% total weight loss per week.
@@Shvabicu Working under the assumption that we want to preserve as much muscle mass as possible 1% total weight loss per week can be a bit high. Deficits above 500 calories or 1lbs tissue loss per week start to introduce risks to muscle loss, especially if you are already on the leaner side. The 250 I mentioned earlier is perhaps a bit conservative, but losing as much as 1% total weight per week is generally reserved for people with higher bfp. If you're at 200 lbs and want to lose 1% a week you are looking at a deficit of roughly 1000 calories
I think I related too much to the "bulk then cut" repetitions and getting nowhere that you mentioned earlier. I can put on weight pretty easily and lose it easily too. But, when I bulk, I really don't like getting to the point of not being able to see my abs anymore ~15% body fat. I'm currently trying to cut while being in a deficit but still getting >1g protein per pound of body weight. I don't fit in any of those 3 categories for deficit gainers, so I'm hoping if I repeat this bulk then high protein cut that I can make better long term gains.
@@adrees right now I'm doing ~2200 calories and ~210 grams of protein (at 6'5" 205lbs), with the other macros split between carbs and fat, not paying as much attention to those. I previously didn't do high protein deficits, so I'm hoping this time around I maintain muscle, but it's still too early to tell
@@AlexanderMoen2200 calories? Dude your over 6ft. Your absolutely killing yourself. Being in a deficit for long periods really isn't healthy. Do you look good? Yes. Do you feel good? Definitely not. Do you think that feeling like death everyday is worth it?
I've been strength training for almost 4 months. Never lifted weights before. Went from 260 to 173 since February. I'm at 18.5% body fat. I have no idea how long it's going to take to get to around 14% I've been told this time of year I should go into a calorie surplus. I'm lost. (49yrs old)
I'm 5ft 10 weighing at 67KG (147lbs) BMI is normal range but I am skinny with only fat at my stomach. I want to put on more muscle to fill out my frame. Would it be advised to bulk or cut?
I tore my ACL a year and a half ago, Ive been training for a bodybuilding show thats in 11 weeks, i started 6 months ago. About 16 weeks out from the show i started my deficit. My surgical leg was about 10% smaller than my stronger leg. Ive spent the past month bringing up with weaker leg with unilateral movements, while keeping the stronger leg at maintenance volume. Its now the same size as the non surgical leg For what its worth
I was able to recomp at 45 as an experienced lifter in a deficit. I’d never really used creatine consistently so I started that every day while tracking a calorie deficit. The creatine helped me gain while I lost fat. It did plateau after about six months but it’s definitely possible. I pretty much stayed the same weight for that six months but got stronger and visibly more jacked.
I was at 242 Jan and now about 187 waist size from 40 to 36 but strength lifting dumbells mostly at home not going gym just yet.. and Carlioc deficit as well.. but really do not see the lean mass taking in.. I see the fat lost yes I would assume I was over 30 percent still going down though.
Thanks for another great video. It would be interesting to hear your thoughts on Perfect Amino. They claim to be more effective than whey protein, claiming that only a small percentage of the whey protein aminos uptake.
I did get lots of strength back (Even go a little stronger) while training on a deficit. BUT I should say this was after a state of being de-trained for like 6 months due to a surgery and getting COVID last year. At 14 pounds down over 5 months, I still managed to work my way up to my original working weights before getting wrist surgery and now look leaner with some muscles looking fuller. I got that semi-noob again gains hack after being detrained lmao
Great video 👍 with regards to overweight people being able to do both significantly at the same time, what sort of body fat percentage we talking? Even then would you say it’s much more efficient to do dedicated bulking and cutting phases instead of trying to do both at the same time?
Im an ectomorph, very fast metabolism. Very difficult for me to eat enough calories to be in a surplus to build muscle. On top of that I have a very physical job where I walk for 9-10 hours a day, burning even more calories. I require 4000 calories a day just to be in a calorie surplus. I physically cannot eat that amount of food. Im not sure what to do because I want to build muscle but I feel like I physically no longer can eat enough food to sustain my muscle building
How much of a deficit is the question ! You can find the Goldilocks area with a small deficit (100-200 calories under maintenance) as long as protein is requirements are met . Mixing few days maintenance will also help keep metabolism up. Add Walking as active rest . It will take a year or more but it can be done ✔️
I’m very overweight at 6’2 and 320. Just started with zepbound and will be drastically reducing my intake to about 1500 calories a day (hopefully I’ll be able to eat at least that much). I’m making sure every meal is packed with healthy foods with high nutritional value. Im also lifting and getting some cardio. However, I’m scared of losing muscle which would drop my metabolism instead of losing fat, which is the whole point of these changes in my life. Is my understanding that as long as you eat enough protein and lift in my situation that my body will break down my fat and use the protein to rebuild/strengthen muscle? Trying to do things right here…
Having more slow twitch fibers, does it make any difference ?!! since two months I work legs 3.5 times a week (quads then hams/glutes). I'm seeing a big diffrerence in growth. so about 8 times a month for both side.... and a lot of series, sets from 16 to 5...... my question is, if you've got more fast or slow twitch fibers, does it make any difference ?
I was both fat and a new lifter and successfully recomped over a few years. It took a while to develop the habits, so only in the past year have I been totally consistent both in diet and training. Now I'd say I'm high-beginner or low-intermediate lifter. 2 days home workout with KBs during the week, then a heavy day at the gym on Saturday. It's probably time to focus on distinct phases of gain/cut, but I have a beach vacation in 2 months. Would you suggest cutting for the next 8 weeks, sacrificing some of my possible gains for a little vanity, or just go on a slow bulk and wait until next year? I'd estimate my bodyfat at low-to-mid 20s%.
Hi Layne, I heard over our local news that a new China study linked energy drinks to male pattern balding. Would be keen to hear you dissect it and see if there is any validity to it.
Does this apply to strength too? Should I expect a loss of strength during a weight loss phase whilst keeping protein and calories equated and attempting to continue progressive overload?
Im overweight 32% body fat, im in a calorie deficit (1700 a day) eating mostly only protein, i was kind of muscley/skinny before i stopped working out in covid (2 years of gym 5 days a week) and im on a first s4 sarm cycle 2 does at 25ml a day (total50mg) - 2 weeks in and haven't lost anything! Q_Q i meet 3 of the first categories and still not dropping. And im working out extra hard, 3rd week of Jeff Nippard workout program 5 day split too!!
As someone coming in from being overweight, been consistent at the gym for 3 months now (have prior experience too) I'm now sitting at 30% body fat 37% muscles. Doing 2 week bulk, 1-week cut cycles. But I don't want to eat in a surplus even during the bulk because I'm already storing enough calories to feed the muscles and so far it's working, but I feel like I'm reaching my first plateau. So I'm wondering what the science has to say about all this (also I'm a natural lifter and don't intend to juicing I just wanna reach my natural peak)
Hey bro, I hope you can reply. I'm skinny fat that's why I want to lose fat and build muscle at the same time. I am on a calorie deficit, I eat more protein, and I do strength training every MWF and 30 minutes (only) cardio every TTh. All I want is to lose my stubborn belly fat and my for my body to become toned and pretty muscular (I don't want to get big like a typical bodybuilder). Will my workout plan work?
Yeah, deficit, or maintenance, it don't really matter, ur new to lifting so you'll build muscle either way and eventually ur skinny fat appearance will dissappear
Of course you can. I personally have but also especially when you first start your using your own fat as fuel so there's no reason why it can't contribute to muscle building if your deficient isn't too large. Your not complelty losing body tissue just fat at first and that is your fuel for workouts and muscle building as opposed to outside food.
I started my recomp around mid-september. I am still in a recomp, and my body is in metabolic adaptation. Now my maintenance is around 1,575 I am not quite at my goal weight, but I need to slowly get my maintenance up. Any ideas?
I consider myself as skinny fat. Been lifting for about a year now. I see some muscles growing in my arms but not that much. Should i be on a surplus, my belly fat will increase for sure and that i dont like cause its really stubborn.. Im. confused 😂
This is literally my problem mate, from someone who has lived with skinny arms and a big belly for years. Did 10k steps and went on a massive calorie restriction for 6 months and actually managed to get down to 13% body fat. Started going to the gym and couldnt lift due to no muscle, so started eating more and now I am getting gains in my shoulders and arms but my belly is bulging back despite doing 30 mins cardio 5 times a week :/
Great video. Bulking - cutting = BS. Way too many people don’t understand the Science of nutrition and training. Keeping a diet that is maintenance or very slightly a caloric surplus is key. Doing a yo-yo form is horrible for hormones and rarely works long-term. The examples Lane gave of certain populations are spot on. For somebody starting the best idea is training effectively, recovery and eating quality foods (protein, carbs and fat) while staying consistent. Ask questions if you need help.
@@np1663 I personally don’t believe so. I always think of a balance so matter the goals. If you’re trying to gain weight a light caloric surplus is perfect. 300-500 calorie extra will work well. Those calories should come from real food. Diets in my opinion are short term successes that rarely work over the long haul. Let me know if this helps.
@daveh71 not according to what many people do. Adding a slight caloric surplus is how you can avoid getting too much fat gain. Most people eat way too much crap and gain more fat than muscle.
@daveh71 I won’t get into a back and forth. Just know that most people do not do a caloric surplus correctly. They gain too much fat, then cut back and repeat. The best way to improve is a consistent training cycle with it yo-yo back and forth cycling. You can call it what you like. Also, I’ve been training and competing for probably longer than you’ve been living.
I was able to do it because I was fat (230 pounds at 5'8) and became dedicated to working out and doing cardio while lifting weights. Like the video says, the first 40 pounds were easy to transform as a new lifter, but the last 10 pounds have been slow like watching paint dry.
As an advanced lifter (14 years training) what about for example adding muscle to an untrained areas e.g neck, would you still be able to build muscle with that in a deficit if the area is untrained but not the individual?
How does your workout protocol change when shifting from bulking to cutting.? I understand that calorie surplus/deficit is the primary driver but do you still lift as if you are trying to gain t in order to maintain muscle.
Renaissance Periodization has detailed vids on how to train in a deficit or surplus, respectively. In short, deficit training is lower volume because your recovery ability (along with energy and strength) is significantly dimished.
I’m currently about 13% body fat and have been losing fat at about 4 pounds per week with around .4g of protein/ pound of body weight and have not only been gaining muscle but doing so very quickly. Never taken any sort of performance enhancing drugs and am not taking any supplements currently. I’d consider myself an advanced lifter who’s been lifting for awhile and am the strongest I’ve ever been. Maybe I’m just an absolute genetic freak, I really don’t know. I walk right around 40 miles/ day at work at 200 pounds body weight at 4.5 miles per hour pulling heavy objects and still manage to get stronger in the gym every week despite going right after work.
I do it all the time, but you have to keep cycling your activity and eating cycles. You will NOT gain more than small amounts of muscle this way, however, and you will plateau easily. It’s taken me ten years to kinda dial in, and I couldn’t write up how I do it even if I wanted to. It’s more intuitive at this point, and wouldn’t recommend it to most if they asked. I’d point them to a more traditional bulk/cut cycle.
The last months I have gained muscles and lost fat so yeah, it is possible. Im in the furst category though and ive had around 1.8g protein/kg bw while at 600-1000kcal deficit
Ab anxiety kept me in a deficit for way too long. Hit a hard wall after the newbie gains. Eating in a consistent surplus is the only way I'm able to build and progress. Cutting the fat off is easy, building the muscle is the hard part.
@@SurfyStories It's not possible for anybody without adequate protein intake. You can get plenty of protein while in a deficit though, and if you're fat you can build muscle while losing that fat. I'm getting like 200g of protein a day on 1400 calories.
@FyreWanderer Yes lots of lean chicken, but other stuff with a high protein/calorie ratio as well. Lean beef, greek yogurt, eggs, protein powders, cottage cheese, etc. I still eat other stuff that isn't as protein rich so I can have a more balanced nutrient profile but it's relative caloric impact is lower. Spinach, broccoli, kale, cucumber, celery, etc. Foods with a decent amount of bulk and nutrients/vitamins but very low calories. Most of them also bring along some protein too, even if it's not as prevalent as in something like chicken breast. I still have leeway to snack on small amounts of other stuff too, like some feta cheese or almonds or whatever I feel like really. A slice of aged cheddar here and there. I'd struggle a lot more if I was just eating chicken breast all day. The variety of stuff makes it okay.
Hey Dr. Layne, I had bariatric surgery about two years ago and I am struggling to add lean muscle mass because my stomach is only 6oz. and I'm having a very difficult time consuming enough calories to lose body fat and gain muscle mass. Do you have any suggestions? Thanks.
What happens if i stay in maintenance calories roughly all the time? instead of surplus, i can`t count macros, and it drains me mentally, when i counted macros and scaled food i almost went crazy and feel obssesed all the time, so, my question is, can i be in maintenance and/or some other day on surplus and still be in a "gaining phase" instead of "maingaining/recomping"
When I started a carnivore diet I went down from around 175 lbs to 159. I didn’t go back to a regular diet because I really like the benefits I have seen. One month ago I started lifting weights again and so far I gain 3 pounds of muscle. I hope I keep gaining at that rate. I will update this comment in the future.
I’m in a very similar situation 185 to 158 and I just sent my self into a clean bulk phase cause I want more muscle bad, will let u know what happens, plan to cut in about six months and will have a better bmi
I wondered if you might be able to help me understand my recent journey. About 10 years ago I was an avid bodybuilder at about 89kg around 5-6% fat. I then way overfilled up to 112kg and then I got hit by a car and depression set in and I gained about 5-6kg of fat. In the last 6 months I have trained very heavy weights, 4 days a week, lots of compound. Alongside that my diet has been varying between 2000-2500 calories and I’ve been doing between 10-20 mins of cycling each workout day. I have somehow gained from 118kg-123kg. Objectively lower fat, significant growth in my quads, chest and shoulders but lost about 2 inches on my waist. Is this possible or am I just tricking myself into thinking I’m making progress?
"Objectively lower fat, significant growth in my quads, chest and shoulders but lost about 2 inches on my waist." If this is in fact true and you have the objective numbers recorded then it must indeed be possible. Everything depends on the measurements being fair and accurate, but if true, then there is no reason to doubt.
I tried gaining muscle in a calorie deficit last year and I got a dramatically toned body in about 3 months, eventhough it wasn't crazy gains my body still improved significantly. Now I'm returning after a 4 month break and trying it again.
Hey, I just started doing this. I’m trying to be in a significant calorie deficit and the majority of my calories are coming from protein. May I ask how you did it and how you were able to keep it up for 3 months? And how was your energy levels weight lifting?
@@adreesdon’t go on a crazy deficit or you’ll lose muscle mass too try to be in like a 300 deficit from your maintenance calorie and eat plenty of protein per pound 1gram per pound max
how much protein were you eating daily?
@@etcetc38001.4/kg is enough
I had the love handles and belly forming at the end of last year. I went on a calorie deficit but with gold standard whey protein daily and workouts every 2nd day. I now have a 6 pack and prominent, larger muscles. So yeah it's possible.
For me it was stating away from junk food and making sure I never missed a workout nomatter how tired I was from work. In my opinion you're either happy with your body or not.
Informative video indeed! I used this video and a custom meal plan from Next Level Diet to lose 10 pounds. I'm stoked!
4 the algo 😂 you are awesome. Got me to rethink my life, actually you ve got petter attia to rethink some stuff so…you re awsome💪
Yes. Also, no.
Maybe, too
@@rockyevans1584it depends, is the real answer.
@@DiskoKDiskoL it's a joke, you pleb
😅
Pretty much the answer to everything ever lmao
Great video as always, Layne! I think it really comes down to absolute goals as well. Most untrained males that have a significant amount of body fat don't want to maximize every lb of muscle growth, but they still want to build some muscle while losing fat. So maximizing a recomp with this population always makes sense to me from a logical standpoint. Then, when they've lost sufficient body fat, we can focus on bulking and cutting cycles independently.
Yes you absolutely can. The last time I ran tren 350mg/week I built muscle while losing lots of fat it really works
It'd be the best supplement out there if it wasn't for creatine10g/d.
Liver King, is that you ?
Mike o Tren
How much tren is considered still natty
@@DiskoKDiskoL any PED less than 1 gram is natty
I think the key takeaway is "significant". Thanks Layne.
Makes sense. I am trying to gain strength/muscle in maintenance calories. I have been taking it slow and focusing on hitting my protein every day. So far, so good. You can't beat science, tho.
It’s worked for me - detrained and about two stone overweight. Lost all the excess weight in six months and added an inch to both my biceps and chest. Last few weeks I seemed to have hit the wall in terms of available gains from training at a calorie deficit and have started eating more, but - for a limited time at least - it worked for me.
Thank you for being a voice of reason in a giant sea of bro science.
Thank you, I have been waiting for this video my whole life.
I fall in the first 2 categories and I was very confused for years, the info out there is so contradictory
I did an accidental recomp. On a cut, strict calorie deficit (~500 cal/day), tracked macros, 10k steps, 3x strength training per week, fat loss and muscle gain verified by consecutive DEXA scans two months apart. I was surprised. I am obese but not new to lifting so your category 2.
It is deffinatley possible. I started fasting and weight lifting 7 days a week. Whilst also watching my calories. I became obsessive and at one point was only having about 1200 calories a day. Which I don't recommend ( I eat much more now ). I lost like 3 inches in waist size. And a stone and a half. My belly fat is going down. But the scale is not saying I am putting on weight . Despite the fact I look more lean now in my arms and shoulders.
At a certain point you start ignoring the scale and start seeing how you look instead.
I know the priority is usually fat loss in the context of physique/bodybuilding performance but I believe a video on fat loss as it relates to weight restricted sports would be a great topic of discussion!
That would be super cool! As a rock climber there's a constant struggle between trying to get stronger but also staying light. A discussion on strength training for those who aren't actually trying build mass per se but simply get stronger would be beneficial.
@@the_rockdoc_ I feel like the most important stenghts there are developed during climbing type training excercises (outside of climbing) and correct body fueling for endurance.
Thank you. Youve just effectively answered a question ive been going bonkers about just like you in your initial training.
February of 2021 I did a DEXA Scan at 56 years old. I've been a lifter since 1975. I was 166 lbs and tested out at 13.9% bodyfat. 5 months later, I got another scan. During the 5 months, I was in a 200 calorie per day deficit. At the time of the test, I lost 3 lbs. and weighed 163 lbs. The test results revealed that I had gained 6 lbs of lean mass and was 9.9% bodyfat.
If you lost 3lbs, you definitelly were not in 200 calorie deficit per day:)
You are absolutely right. It was more like 70 calories. @@zucc3866
@@zucc3866 9lbs fat loss. Gained 6lbs muscle = 3lbs weight loss. It’s not rocket science 💀 it’s easy math. (Approx. 30 days in a month x5 months= 150 days. 150 days x 200 cal. Deficit = -30,000cal deficit, now divide by 3,500cal (how many calories needed to lose 1lb of fat) = 8.57lbs lost. Round up to 9 for those months with 31 days. Easy Peasy. Now go kick rocks. Lol.
Thanks! I've found intermittent fasting to work well concerning this issue. Not so much "bulk" building but lean sculpting. I also find sufficient energy in the gym compared to other dieting.
One of the biggest mistakes I did when I decided to transform from a fat slob to a slim lifter was starting lifting AFTER I had gotten rid of most of my fat. I should have started lifting when I was still obese. Wasted a year of gains there.
@pkingslayer
Excess bodyfat is like free extra weight in the gym. Spread out across most of the body. If you start lifting whilst being obese, well, a few dozen pounds overweight ideally, you can burn calories and stimulate muscle growth at the same time.
You won't build muscles as quickly during a caloric deficit but your body will already adapt to the extra strain and challenge you put forth.
There's also the advantage of muscle preservation. If you lose fat during a long-term diet but don't train your muscles enough at the same time, you will lose some of your lean mass as well. So if you only start hypertrophy training AFTER intensive fat loss, you'll first have to spend several months _re-gaining_ muscle mass that you had BEFORE you started losing all that excess bodyfat.
In short: Start doing hypertrophy training at the beginning of your diet, whilst still being overweight.
Important:
Make sure to only use joint-friendly exercises and training equipment for the first year or so. That way, you'll be far less likely to overwhelm & (maybe) permanently damage joints during the timeframe when your sinews and muscles haven't had a chance yet to adapt to a high-stress regiment.
I give thanks to Captain Hindsight.
Topic for a video: how aggressive can my deficit caloric be on a cut before starting to lose muscle mass?
that will depend on how lean you are as well as your training and protein intake too
The more fat you have the safer your muscle is during a hard cut. Your fat stores are spread out around the body and can only give up a small amount of the stored energy at a time.
Generally anything above a 10% deficit is considered counterproductive, people with high bfp can possible get away with more but it is not recommended
@@Hoaxed00 you should go higher on the deficit in a cut than the surplus on a bulk. Cutting fat is easier than gaining muscle and can and should be done quicker. Just aim for up to 1% total weight loss per week.
@@Shvabicu Working under the assumption that we want to preserve as much muscle mass as possible 1% total weight loss per week can be a bit high. Deficits above 500 calories or 1lbs tissue loss per week start to introduce risks to muscle loss, especially if you are already on the leaner side. The 250 I mentioned earlier is perhaps a bit conservative, but losing as much as 1% total weight per week is generally reserved for people with higher bfp. If you're at 200 lbs and want to lose 1% a week you are looking at a deficit of roughly 1000 calories
Such a great and helpful and concise video.
As a category 1 and 2 guy i can say it works 6 months in. Will start to bulk in june should be decent tune in ! 💪🏾
I think I related too much to the "bulk then cut" repetitions and getting nowhere that you mentioned earlier. I can put on weight pretty easily and lose it easily too. But, when I bulk, I really don't like getting to the point of not being able to see my abs anymore ~15% body fat. I'm currently trying to cut while being in a deficit but still getting >1g protein per pound of body weight. I don't fit in any of those 3 categories for deficit gainers, so I'm hoping if I repeat this bulk then high protein cut that I can make better long term gains.
What do you do for your other macros if everything is focused on protein? How many calories do you get?
@@adrees right now I'm doing ~2200 calories and ~210 grams of protein (at 6'5" 205lbs), with the other macros split between carbs and fat, not paying as much attention to those. I previously didn't do high protein deficits, so I'm hoping this time around I maintain muscle, but it's still too early to tell
@@AlexanderMoen2200 calories? Dude your over 6ft. Your absolutely killing yourself. Being in a deficit for long periods really isn't healthy. Do you look good? Yes. Do you feel good? Definitely not. Do you think that feeling like death everyday is worth it?
Commenting for my boy layne and the algorithm
Just found this channel. Subbed and loved 👌
I can also confirm this can be done, I am doing it right now.
So you're saying when you go back and forth between gaining and cutting you're only changing energy consumption?
PS: Not changing macros?
Love Layne! Wish i could be his best bud so we could talk about nutrition science all day long!
Yes especially comin back from an injury... i can vouch
I've been strength training for almost 4 months.
Never lifted weights before.
Went from 260 to 173
since February.
I'm at 18.5% body fat.
I have no idea how long it's going to take to get to around 14%
I've been told this time of year I should go into a calorie surplus.
I'm lost.
(49yrs old)
I'm 5ft 10 weighing at 67KG (147lbs) BMI is normal range but I am skinny with only fat at my stomach. I want to put on more muscle to fill out my frame. Would it be advised to bulk or cut?
Definitely bulk..
Well explained as always! 💪👌👍
I tore my ACL a year and a half ago, Ive been training for a bodybuilding show thats in 11 weeks, i started 6 months ago.
About 16 weeks out from the show i started my deficit.
My surgical leg was about 10% smaller than my stronger leg.
Ive spent the past month bringing up with weaker leg with unilateral movements, while keeping the stronger leg at maintenance volume.
Its now the same size as the non surgical leg
For what its worth
nice info once again Layne 💪✊👏
I was able to recomp at 45 as an experienced lifter in a deficit. I’d never really used creatine consistently so I started that every day while tracking a calorie deficit. The creatine helped me gain while I lost fat. It did plateau after about six months but it’s definitely possible. I pretty much stayed the same weight for that six months but got stronger and visibly more jacked.
Thank you for simplifying 😊
For the algorithm and as always for the quality content. Much appreciated Layne!
Thanks so much for all the great content you put constantly. True value in your content
I was at 242 Jan and now about 187 waist size from 40 to 36 but strength lifting dumbells mostly at home not going gym just yet.. and Carlioc deficit as well.. but really do not see the lean mass taking in.. I see the fat lost yes I would assume I was over 30 percent still going down though.
Gracias holmes
Thanks for another great video. It would be interesting to hear your thoughts on Perfect Amino. They claim to be more effective than whey protein, claiming that only a small percentage of the whey protein aminos uptake.
I did get lots of strength back (Even go a little stronger) while training on a deficit. BUT I should say this was after a state of being de-trained for like 6 months due to a surgery and getting COVID last year.
At 14 pounds down over 5 months, I still managed to work my way up to my original working weights before getting wrist surgery and now look leaner with some muscles looking fuller. I got that semi-noob again gains hack after being detrained lmao
Been doing it for a year.
It is slow, but very possible.
Another very useful video
Great video 👍 with regards to overweight people being able to do both significantly at the same time, what sort of body fat percentage we talking? Even then would you say it’s much more efficient to do dedicated bulking and cutting phases instead of trying to do both at the same time?
Skinny fat newbie lifters are the best person for a recomp
Muscle building is based on signals, adequate protein intake and proper resistance training. Thats it
Im an ectomorph, very fast metabolism. Very difficult for me to eat enough calories to be in a surplus to build muscle. On top of that I have a very physical job where I walk for 9-10 hours a day, burning even more calories. I require 4000 calories a day just to be in a calorie surplus. I physically cannot eat that amount of food. Im not sure what to do because I want to build muscle but I feel like I physically no longer can eat enough food to sustain my muscle building
You need to get older. :->
I was the same as you. Then… metabolism seems to slow down as you age, and you can put weight on. Muscle and fat.
Protein shakes are your best friend buddy
How much of a deficit is the question ! You can find the Goldilocks area with a small deficit (100-200 calories under maintenance) as long as protein is requirements are met . Mixing few days maintenance will also help keep metabolism up. Add Walking as active rest . It will take a year or more but it can be done ✔️
It’s not. Once you get weight to below your total muscle mass, of course you lost muscle
Gaining muscle on OMAD!
I’m very overweight at 6’2 and 320. Just started with zepbound and will be drastically reducing my intake to about 1500 calories a day (hopefully I’ll be able to eat at least that much). I’m making sure every meal is packed with healthy foods with high nutritional value. Im also lifting and getting some cardio. However, I’m scared of losing muscle which would drop my metabolism instead of losing fat, which is the whole point of these changes in my life. Is my understanding that as long as you eat enough protein and lift in my situation that my body will break down my fat and use the protein to rebuild/strengthen muscle? Trying to do things right here…
Great video!
Having more slow twitch fibers, does it make any difference ?!! since two months I work legs 3.5 times a week (quads then hams/glutes). I'm seeing a big diffrerence in growth. so about 8 times a month for both side.... and a lot of series, sets from 16 to 5...... my question is, if you've got more fast or slow twitch fibers, does it make any difference ?
I was both fat and a new lifter and successfully recomped over a few years. It took a while to develop the habits, so only in the past year have I been totally consistent both in diet and training. Now I'd say I'm high-beginner or low-intermediate lifter. 2 days home workout with KBs during the week, then a heavy day at the gym on Saturday. It's probably time to focus on distinct phases of gain/cut, but I have a beach vacation in 2 months. Would you suggest cutting for the next 8 weeks, sacrificing some of my possible gains for a little vanity, or just go on a slow bulk and wait until next year? I'd estimate my bodyfat at low-to-mid 20s%.
Hi Layne, I heard over our local news that a new China study linked energy drinks to male pattern balding. Would be keen to hear you dissect it and see if there is any validity to it.
Does this apply to strength too? Should I expect a loss of strength during a weight loss phase whilst keeping protein and calories equated and attempting to continue progressive overload?
Im overweight 32% body fat, im in a calorie deficit (1700 a day) eating mostly only protein, i was kind of muscley/skinny before i stopped working out in covid (2 years of gym 5 days a week) and im on a first s4 sarm cycle 2 does at 25ml a day (total50mg) - 2 weeks in and haven't lost anything! Q_Q i meet 3 of the first categories and still not dropping. And im working out extra hard, 3rd week of Jeff Nippard workout program 5 day split too!!
most likely you can add good amount of muscle depending on your protein intake. even if your in calorie deficit
Love the new setup with the lighting and position of the camera and editing and other things I don’t know about yet. But this looks great
On point!
As someone coming in from being overweight, been consistent at the gym for 3 months now (have prior experience too) I'm now sitting at 30% body fat 37% muscles. Doing 2 week bulk, 1-week cut cycles.
But I don't want to eat in a surplus even during the bulk because I'm already storing enough calories to feed the muscles and so far it's working, but I feel like I'm reaching my first plateau.
So I'm wondering what the science has to say about all this (also I'm a natural lifter and don't intend to juicing I just wanna reach my natural peak)
Hey bro, I hope you can reply. I'm skinny fat that's why I want to lose fat and build muscle at the same time. I am on a calorie deficit, I eat more protein, and I do strength training every MWF and 30 minutes (only) cardio every TTh. All I want is to lose my stubborn belly fat and my for my body to become toned and pretty muscular (I don't want to get big like a typical bodybuilder). Will my workout plan work?
Yeah, deficit, or maintenance, it don't really matter, ur new to lifting so you'll build muscle either way and eventually ur skinny fat appearance will dissappear
Can resistence training help with weight loss plateau?
Of course you can. I personally have but also especially when you first start your using your own fat as fuel so there's no reason why it can't contribute to muscle building if your deficient isn't too large. Your not complelty losing body tissue just fat at first and that is your fuel for workouts and muscle building as opposed to outside food.
Great vid thanks
I can confirm it's possible, but it's tough. I've had many athletes do it but not at significant levels.
I was kokony for this!
I started my recomp around mid-september.
I am still in a recomp, and my body is in metabolic adaptation.
Now my maintenance is around 1,575
I am not quite at my goal weight, but I need to slowly get my maintenance up.
Any ideas?
Greta video! Thank you
What if I am an intermediate who has only Now started training correctly?with better intensity and technique that before?
I consider myself as skinny fat. Been lifting for about a year now. I see some muscles growing in my arms but not that much. Should i be on a surplus, my belly fat will increase for sure and that i dont like cause its really stubborn.. Im. confused 😂
This is literally my problem mate, from someone who has lived with skinny arms and a big belly for years. Did 10k steps and went on a massive calorie restriction for 6 months and actually managed to get down to 13% body fat. Started going to the gym and couldnt lift due to no muscle, so started eating more and now I am getting gains in my shoulders and arms but my belly is bulging back despite doing 30 mins cardio 5 times a week :/
Great video. Bulking - cutting = BS. Way too many people don’t understand the Science of nutrition and training. Keeping a diet that is maintenance or very slightly a caloric surplus is key. Doing a yo-yo form is horrible for hormones and rarely works long-term. The examples Lane gave of certain populations are spot on. For somebody starting the best idea is training effectively, recovery and eating quality foods (protein, carbs and fat) while staying consistent. Ask questions if you need help.
Should carbs be kept minimal? I naturally crave meats with their fats. Although not deliberate my diet is very Keto.
@@np1663 I personally don’t believe so. I always think of a balance so matter the goals. If you’re trying to gain weight a light caloric surplus is perfect. 300-500 calorie extra will work well. Those calories should come from real food. Diets in my
opinion are short term successes that rarely work over the long haul. Let me know if this helps.
@daveh71 not according to what many people do. Adding a slight caloric surplus is how you can avoid getting too much fat gain. Most people eat way too much crap and gain more fat than muscle.
@daveh71 I won’t get into a back and forth. Just know that most people do not do a caloric surplus correctly. They gain too much fat, then cut back and repeat. The best way to improve is a consistent training cycle with it yo-yo back and forth cycling. You can call it what you like. Also, I’ve been training and competing for probably longer than you’ve been living.
Love this guy
I was able to do it because I was fat (230 pounds at 5'8) and became dedicated to working out and doing cardio while lifting weights. Like the video says, the first 40 pounds were easy to transform as a new lifter, but the last 10 pounds have been slow like watching paint dry.
As an advanced lifter (14 years training) what about for example adding muscle to an untrained areas e.g neck, would you still be able to build muscle with that in a deficit if the area is untrained but not the individual?
The secret is calorie surplus for 5 days for muscle gain, then fast 2 days for fat loss…there you go
How does your workout protocol change when shifting from bulking to cutting.? I understand that calorie surplus/deficit is the primary driver but do you still lift as if you are trying to gain t in order to maintain muscle.
Renaissance Periodization has detailed vids on how to train in a deficit or surplus, respectively. In short, deficit training is lower volume because your recovery ability (along with energy and strength) is significantly dimished.
If you’re cutting you might be doing higher reps with less weight and shorter rests between sets
But really it’s all about the food.
What about a maintenance phase?
Take creatine and 1.2x of body weight protein if you want to build muscle and cut fat at same time..
"It depends" is such a good answer to questions. And often, the most appropriate.
You should watch PictureFit videos.
Is it really a good answer? Well, it depends...
It doesn’t. Everyone can recomp
I’m currently about 13% body fat and have been losing fat at about 4 pounds per week with around .4g of protein/ pound of body weight and have not only been gaining muscle but doing so very quickly. Never taken any sort of performance enhancing drugs and am not taking any supplements currently. I’d consider myself an advanced lifter who’s been lifting for awhile and am the strongest I’ve ever been. Maybe I’m just an absolute genetic freak, I really don’t know. I walk right around 40 miles/ day at work at 200 pounds body weight at 4.5 miles per hour pulling heavy objects and still manage to get stronger in the gym every week despite going right after work.
I do it all the time, but you have to keep cycling your activity and eating cycles. You will NOT gain more than small amounts of muscle this way, however, and you will plateau easily. It’s taken me ten years to kinda dial in, and I couldn’t write up how I do it even if I wanted to. It’s more intuitive at this point, and wouldn’t recommend it to most if they asked. I’d point them to a more traditional bulk/cut cycle.
Yes. Source I did it. Got stronger and stretch marks while losing like 30 pounds and abs
Building muscle whilst eating lots of food is faster, but being on a cut is faster way to improve fat to muscle ratio.
So if I'm skinny fat I should not do a recomp and try get to 15% body fat then lean bulk?
Great video. Just what I needed to hear!
The last months I have gained muscles and lost fat so yeah, it is possible. Im in the furst category though and ive had around 1.8g protein/kg bw while at 600-1000kcal deficit
Ab anxiety kept me in a deficit for way too long. Hit a hard wall after the newbie gains. Eating in a consistent surplus is the only way I'm able to build and progress. Cutting the fat off is easy, building the muscle is the hard part.
great video
If you’re fat: absolutely.
If you’re somewhat lean: yes but its hard
If you’re very lean: practically no
@@SurfyStories It's not possible for anybody without adequate protein intake. You can get plenty of protein while in a deficit though, and if you're fat you can build muscle while losing that fat. I'm getting like 200g of protein a day on 1400 calories.
@FyreWanderer Yes lots of lean chicken, but other stuff with a high protein/calorie ratio as well. Lean beef, greek yogurt, eggs, protein powders, cottage cheese, etc. I still eat other stuff that isn't as protein rich so I can have a more balanced nutrient profile but it's relative caloric impact is lower. Spinach, broccoli, kale, cucumber, celery, etc. Foods with a decent amount of bulk and nutrients/vitamins but very low calories. Most of them also bring along some protein too, even if it's not as prevalent as in something like chicken breast.
I still have leeway to snack on small amounts of other stuff too, like some feta cheese or almonds or whatever I feel like really. A slice of aged cheddar here and there.
I'd struggle a lot more if I was just eating chicken breast all day. The variety of stuff makes it okay.
What if you stayed in a deficit wouldn't still build your tendons and make you thicker over time?
Yes, especially on gear
Thank you
I think sir was important remark that for begginer is easy gain muscle and lose weight at same time... it's working for me.
Yes you can ..... its not complicated ......
Hey Dr. Layne, I had bariatric surgery about two years ago and I am struggling to add lean muscle mass because my stomach is only 6oz. and I'm having a very difficult time consuming enough calories to lose body fat and gain muscle mass. Do you have any suggestions? Thanks.
Just do the work and consume what you can
Blend your food
What happens if i stay in maintenance calories roughly all the time? instead of surplus, i can`t count macros, and it drains me mentally, when i counted macros and scaled food i almost went crazy and feel obssesed all the time, so, my question is, can i be in maintenance and/or some other day on surplus and still be in a "gaining phase" instead of "maingaining/recomping"
What happens? What do the numbers say after a year, that’s your new weight
As an overweight person in a calorie deficit who had just started lifting I once lost 3kg fat and gained almost 2kg lean muscle mass in one month.
When I started a carnivore diet I went down from around 175 lbs to 159. I didn’t go back to a regular diet because I really like the benefits I have seen. One month ago I started lifting weights again and so far I gain 3 pounds of muscle. I hope I keep gaining at that rate. I will update this comment in the future.
I’m in a very similar situation 185 to 158 and I just sent my self into a clean bulk phase cause I want more muscle bad, will let u know what happens, plan to cut in about six months and will have a better bmi
I believe it is. But it can only go so far. The answer is still yes though.
I wondered if you might be able to help me understand my recent journey. About 10 years ago I was an avid bodybuilder at about 89kg around 5-6% fat. I then way overfilled up to 112kg and then I got hit by a car and depression set in and I gained about 5-6kg of fat. In the last 6 months I have trained very heavy weights, 4 days a week, lots of compound. Alongside that my diet has been varying between 2000-2500 calories and I’ve been doing between 10-20 mins of cycling each workout day.
I have somehow gained from 118kg-123kg. Objectively lower fat, significant growth in my quads, chest and shoulders but lost about 2 inches on my waist.
Is this possible or am I just tricking myself into thinking I’m making progress?
"Objectively lower fat, significant growth in my quads, chest and shoulders but lost about 2 inches on my waist." If this is in fact true and you have the objective numbers recorded then it must indeed be possible. Everything depends on the measurements being fair and accurate, but if true, then there is no reason to doubt.