Recently I was engaged in a conversation about whether you can put on muscle whilst dieting/being in a caloric deficit and it got me thinking.
A simple answer is yes but perhaps more importantly in all likelihood the answer will be no for most people. Now lets delve deeper into the topic to find out why.
When it comes to putting on muscle mass everyone will agree that a caloric surplus(higher level of calories than maintenance) is what's needed along with a well implemented training plan.
A higher amount of calories allows the body to grow more optimally as it is being fed more often allowing quicker, more efficient muscle recovery and therefore growth. Higher calories generally creates higher energy levels which can be applied to a greater level of training performance in the gym. This should if programmed correctly create muscle mass.
There are however times in which it could be said that muscle mass can be created even whilst in a caloric deficit. Now how could this be achieved?
One situation in which this could take place is in that of someone new to weight training. This individuals body is not used to the stimulus created by weight training and as a result their body is going to have to adapt to the new stimulus its being placed under. Muscle mass should be created as the bodies way of repairing the broken down muscle from the training which is of course at a much quicker rate when you are new to training.
So the new stimulus is whats creating the muscle mass increase even whilst in a diet. Now this is not the optimal way for a new gym starter to put on muscle but it is possible and for many highly achievable early on.
So when it comes to more experienced gym goers increasing muscle mass whilst on a diet is far less likely. Their bodies are used to the stimulus of training which combined with lower calories does not create a good environment for muscle growth.
Does that mean that they cannot put on muscle in this situation? No it does not. There are circumstances in which this can be achieved.
An example may be that the more experienced gym goers nutrition hadn't been on point beforehand, that their training was far from optimal or that they are now implementing a different training style. The later two would be presenting the individuals body with a new stimulus which could lead to muscle gain. It does have to be stated that this isn't likely for the vast majority of people.
It has to be said that perhaps the best way of obtaining new muscle mass whilst dieting is through performance enhancing drugs which I am not endorsing the use of or disparaging. Performance enhancing drugs can allow individuals to not only maintain more muscle mass whilst in a diet but in some circumstances to add more muscle.
in theory yes you can put on muscle during a caloric deficit diet but in practise it is very difficult and rarely achieved by most so you shouldn’t set unrealistic expectations.
When you diet down you can create the illusion of being more muscular though and you chip away at the fat and the muscle starts to pop through more.
A diet phase isn’t supposed to be about attaining new muscle mass, it’s about leaning out and showing the muscle that you do have so that should be the main focus of your thoughts
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