How to stop losing muscle when burning fat?
Discussion
I'm 6'2, and despite having a ravenous appetite, my natural weight is about 81kg. I do have some muscle definition, but I've also got a bit of stomach fat I want to shift and some on my rear flanks.
Using guidance from some online reading and Android apps, I've started limiting my daily calorie intake to 1680, consisting of 210g carbs, 126g protein and 37g fat (50/30/20).
I'm also burning between 250-600 calories a day by either walking, cycling, or bodyweight exercises in my garden, this is probably putting me at in a potential calorie deficit in the region of 750-1000 a day.
I've been weighing myself consistently (same time of day, after bathroom break etc.) and I've lost 1.2kg in 5 days. The problem is according to my electronic scales, I'm also seeing a loss of muscle mass, it's not much, but it's going in the wrong direction.
I know none of these figures is 100% accurate, but I think they are pretty close and their consistency is what's important.
Is there any way to starve off my muscle loss? I thought getting almost 130g of protein a day (spaced evenly 5 times a day) would have done just that but evidently not. Do I need to increase this even further, or am I doing something wrong?
Using guidance from some online reading and Android apps, I've started limiting my daily calorie intake to 1680, consisting of 210g carbs, 126g protein and 37g fat (50/30/20).
I'm also burning between 250-600 calories a day by either walking, cycling, or bodyweight exercises in my garden, this is probably putting me at in a potential calorie deficit in the region of 750-1000 a day.
I've been weighing myself consistently (same time of day, after bathroom break etc.) and I've lost 1.2kg in 5 days. The problem is according to my electronic scales, I'm also seeing a loss of muscle mass, it's not much, but it's going in the wrong direction.
I know none of these figures is 100% accurate, but I think they are pretty close and their consistency is what's important.
Is there any way to starve off my muscle loss? I thought getting almost 130g of protein a day (spaced evenly 5 times a day) would have done just that but evidently not. Do I need to increase this even further, or am I doing something wrong?
Lift some heavy stuff. Then maybe consider BCAAs.
Your carb ratio might be a little high, but if you're exercising and losing weight I wouldn't worry about changing it too much, once you're at a weight you're happy with you can always worry about building muscle from there. And don't trust the scales too much.
Your carb ratio might be a little high, but if you're exercising and losing weight I wouldn't worry about changing it too much, once you're at a weight you're happy with you can always worry about building muscle from there. And don't trust the scales too much.
SkinnyPete said:
Hmm.
I can't do heavy resistance training while the gyms are closed, and 2g per KG means another 30g of protein and I think I'm already at my max on my vegan diet
Perhaps it's worth me reducing my calorific deficit to something less aggressive, until the gyms are back open.
Any kind of resistance training will do - as long as you put effort and intensity in to it. And 30g of protein is just 1 scoop if you have powder- lots of vegan blends available.I can't do heavy resistance training while the gyms are closed, and 2g per KG means another 30g of protein and I think I'm already at my max on my vegan diet
Perhaps it's worth me reducing my calorific deficit to something less aggressive, until the gyms are back open.
didelydoo said:
SkinnyPete said:
Hmm.
I can't do heavy resistance training while the gyms are closed, and 2g per KG means another 30g of protein and I think I'm already at my max on my vegan diet
Perhaps it's worth me reducing my calorific deficit to something less aggressive, until the gyms are back open.
Any kind of resistance training will do - as long as you put effort and intensity in to it. And 30g of protein is just 1 scoop if you have powder- lots of vegan blends available.I can't do heavy resistance training while the gyms are closed, and 2g per KG means another 30g of protein and I think I'm already at my max on my vegan diet
Perhaps it's worth me reducing my calorific deficit to something less aggressive, until the gyms are back open.
Used to squatting around 140kg and dead lifting the same i never bothered with getting home weights as fully committing to a home gym with squat rack, bench press etc and all the weights to go with it would cost thousands, just stick to the gym they will never close..
Anyway 6 weeks later with no gym i dug out my heavy duty camping bed which weighs about 12kg, shoved a pestle and mortar in the bag to add about 4kg and doing 100 squats, 100 bent over rows and trying to get as many as i can in my first set (normally around 50) and i am f
ked by the time i reach target. Throw in some good mornings and shoulder presses and its time to shower as i'm that sweaty!Remember weight training will burn fat while your body repairs the damaged muscles, so you keep some muscle mass while burning fat and getting the heart pumping. Win win in this current situation
Thanks for the comments so far.
Doing some more research I come across the below, I think I'll give it a try and increase my protein intake to 2g/kg/day and see if that helps.
I'm not sure how much resistance training I can do without a gym though, I have very little equipment unless I want to start using a 60kg trolley jack or bags of sand. At the moment I'm limited to pushups, crunches etc., and some cycling.
Doing some more research I come across the below, I think I'll give it a try and increase my protein intake to 2g/kg/day and see if that helps.
MyFitnessPal said:
In a study published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, researchers had 40 overweight young men follow a diet that was either lower in protein (1.2g/kg/day) or higher in protein (2.4g/kg/day), and perform a combination of strength training and HIIT six days per week. Though the two groups consumed different amounts of protein, both followed a hypocaloric (low-calorie) diet that reduced their estimated caloric needs by 40%.
By the end of four weeks, the higher-protein group not only lost more fat than the lower-protein group (10.6 pounds versus 7.7), but they also gained roughly 2.6 pounds of muscle, whereas the lower-protein group added none.
https://blog.myfitnesspal.com/3-ways-to-avoid-losing-muscle-while-on-a-fat-loss-program/By the end of four weeks, the higher-protein group not only lost more fat than the lower-protein group (10.6 pounds versus 7.7), but they also gained roughly 2.6 pounds of muscle, whereas the lower-protein group added none.
I'm not sure how much resistance training I can do without a gym though, I have very little equipment unless I want to start using a 60kg trolley jack or bags of sand. At the moment I'm limited to pushups, crunches etc., and some cycling.
I'm 185cm 98kg and cutting on 3000kcal, maintenance cals are 3200
I fear you're not eating enough nor anywhere near enough protein
Eat more protein circa 2.2g per KG BW, lift heavy (it's possible but not ideal in the current climate - resistance and time under tension is key) and religiously track and weigh everything that goes in your mouth, inc drinks and sugar in tea/coffee beware the 'forgotten' calories
Good luck
I fear you're not eating enough nor anywhere near enough protein
Eat more protein circa 2.2g per KG BW, lift heavy (it's possible but not ideal in the current climate - resistance and time under tension is key) and religiously track and weigh everything that goes in your mouth, inc drinks and sugar in tea/coffee beware the 'forgotten' calories
Good luck
SkinnyPete said:
I'm not sure how much resistance training I can do without a gym though, I have very little equipment unless I want to start using a 60kg trolley jack or bags of sand. At the moment I'm limited to pushups, crunches etc., and some cycling.
Bodyweight exercises can take you a long way.Pushing is easy to do at home (Push ups, dips), pulling is a little more difficult. If you can work out how to do pulling exercises (pull ups, rows etc) then you are set.
Legs is a also a little more tricky, but pistol squats and so on are better than nothing.
Pete - just my 2p for what it's worth. I am in no way an expert having never before been on a diet, nor done any consistent training, other than swimming regularly some 20 years ago!
To give this some context i'm a mighty 5ft 6 - and it all started on 4th January when I stood on the scales and the thought 'you fat bast...d'. A injury in 2018 combined with working hard last year and the normal Christmas and New Year excess led me to being 74.4kg - more than i'd ever weighed before. As you can tell, i'm not exactly huge to start with and never been well built. Although I ate a little more than I should, and probably drank a little more, nothing was excessive. I've never been well built, and never wanted to be - but like you didn't want to turn into a pencil, albeit a short one, during the process.
I knew a diet was out of the question! Would never stick to that. I have cut back slightly on alcohol and Coke - am thought whether I really need that cheese on crackers at the end of the day a little more - but by and large have not materially changed what i've eaten.
I am lucky - I have a small home gym with an elliptical trainer, rowing machine, free weights and a weight bench. Quite why you may well ask given the above! (actually put in when we redeveloped the house in the hope the teenage children would use it - the weights from a post marriage failure turnaround plan, i had loftier ideas than I could be bothered with in reality).
I decided to crack on with the elliptical trainer (the rowing machine caused me wrist pain initially and I've not gone back to it yet) but use weights to maintain muscle. I also got hold of some protein powder to aid with stopping muscle loss. Weights generally have been higher rep, lighter weights but with good technique to maintain tone rather than build - but that said I am starting to put more metal on the ends of the bars too (but not so much to threaten the guys on the "What training have you done today" thread - in fact they'd likely laugh at my pitiful attempts).
Target has been 4+ workouts a week (i do both cardio and weights at the same time) with minimum 2000 cals / week on the trainer. The trainer is used consistently, weights work different groups across the week to allow rest.
Net effect, having kept at this pretty consistently for 4 months is a 11.5kg weight loss to 63kg, all weight gone from the 'right areas' and much better tone. The beer keg belly has been replaced by a flatter torso and I feel much better in general. I never had a weight target, but have achieved my 'body target'.
I know i'm very fortunate to have the gym and a lot of free time on my hands, even before the lockdown, both of which have helped, even facilitated, the ability to consistently work out. I thought the above would give you some idea of what worked for me (and height aside it seems we face similar issues) and I hope possibly even some encouragement.
Good luck
To give this some context i'm a mighty 5ft 6 - and it all started on 4th January when I stood on the scales and the thought 'you fat bast...d'. A injury in 2018 combined with working hard last year and the normal Christmas and New Year excess led me to being 74.4kg - more than i'd ever weighed before. As you can tell, i'm not exactly huge to start with and never been well built. Although I ate a little more than I should, and probably drank a little more, nothing was excessive. I've never been well built, and never wanted to be - but like you didn't want to turn into a pencil, albeit a short one, during the process.
I knew a diet was out of the question! Would never stick to that. I have cut back slightly on alcohol and Coke - am thought whether I really need that cheese on crackers at the end of the day a little more - but by and large have not materially changed what i've eaten.
I am lucky - I have a small home gym with an elliptical trainer, rowing machine, free weights and a weight bench. Quite why you may well ask given the above! (actually put in when we redeveloped the house in the hope the teenage children would use it - the weights from a post marriage failure turnaround plan, i had loftier ideas than I could be bothered with in reality).
I decided to crack on with the elliptical trainer (the rowing machine caused me wrist pain initially and I've not gone back to it yet) but use weights to maintain muscle. I also got hold of some protein powder to aid with stopping muscle loss. Weights generally have been higher rep, lighter weights but with good technique to maintain tone rather than build - but that said I am starting to put more metal on the ends of the bars too (but not so much to threaten the guys on the "What training have you done today" thread - in fact they'd likely laugh at my pitiful attempts).
Target has been 4+ workouts a week (i do both cardio and weights at the same time) with minimum 2000 cals / week on the trainer. The trainer is used consistently, weights work different groups across the week to allow rest.
Net effect, having kept at this pretty consistently for 4 months is a 11.5kg weight loss to 63kg, all weight gone from the 'right areas' and much better tone. The beer keg belly has been replaced by a flatter torso and I feel much better in general. I never had a weight target, but have achieved my 'body target'.
I know i'm very fortunate to have the gym and a lot of free time on my hands, even before the lockdown, both of which have helped, even facilitated, the ability to consistently work out. I thought the above would give you some idea of what worked for me (and height aside it seems we face similar issues) and I hope possibly even some encouragement.
Good luck
SkinnyPete said:
I'm 6'2, and despite having a ravenous appetite, my natural weight is about 81kg. I do have some muscle definition, but I've also got a bit of stomach fat I want to shift and some on my rear flanks.....
For someone your age (30s?), weight and height and carrying little muscle you are well inside (at 12,10) your healthy weight 12, 4 - 13,10. If you try to reduce your fat further you will undoubtedly burn some muscle as protein, as most people would when they near quite low bodyfat levels. Noting your forum username could I point out that carrying a little fat is healthy, and if you want the body of an athlete then wait till lockdown ends and get to a decent weights gym and build some muscle. Building muscle with calisthenics is seriously hard work and the gyms will be open again before you see any lean growth from calisthenics anyway.Apologies if I'm way out with your age!
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