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 can confirm it's absolutely possible! I've been in a caloric deficit for about 7 weeks, walking 10k steps everyday and doing Push/Pull/Legs split 6x week. The number on my scale isn't really changing (190lbs) but I'm much more lean and have put on a considerable amount of muscle mass already.
Mostly improved myogenic tone from the constant training, more glycogen in muscles, some muscle gain from the sudden change in routine and possibly increase in weekly volume, some definite fat loss from the increased activity. It wont last.
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.
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.
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
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.
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.
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.
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.
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'm in a recomp right now; weight is staying the same while I'm reducing body fat and making strength gains. It's not intentional since I'm trying to cut to a lower weight for health, but I just accept it at this point.
Intermittent fasting has been a great tool for my calorie deficit, you still feel satisfied and full during your eating window and have to sacrifice a little during the fasting window, but if has other added benefits so it's overall a good idea if calorie deficit is your goal.
@Sbs Nate When I did IF, I'd overfeed outside my fasts, and it was a serious detriment to my ability to work that I'd be so tired on my fasting days. I've seen results with flexible dieting in that my body fat percentage has been steadily decreasing despite my weight staying stable.
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 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
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
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
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.
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 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.
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
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)
@@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.
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.
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 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?
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.
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?
I personally over come this challenge by taking copious amounts of Tren or Test or preferably both. I think you'll find that strategy particularly effective.
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)
It’s almost like no you can’t gain muscle if you have a deficit in body fat itself already and you go on a calorie deficit, but you can gain muscle in a calorie deficit if you’re not body fat deficit already. Hopefully that makes sense 😅
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.
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!!
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.
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.
@@Xilladan093 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.
For any confusions, take a simple hypothetical example. Suppose a person needs 1300 calories, of which assume 400 comes from 100 gram proteins (1 g protein gives 4 calories) and 900 cals come from 100 gram of fats (1 g fat = 9 cals). So you'll be have a 200 gram intake. Suppose you cut down calories to 1200 but all of it is protein. That would make it 300 g of proteins. So the total intake is 300 grams. So yes, reducing calories by cutting down fats and replacing them with proteins CAN make you bigger. How healthy it will be, that's a different story.
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.
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
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?
Don't let that parrot who is screaming and yelling about "maingaining" on his couch all the time hear that over the long term you need a surplus to build muscle...
I 1000% believe you could have recomped your way there. Over how many years? Absolutely possible. It also sounds like what you did in your earlier years of bulking and cutting was, by definition, NOT even body recomp...? (As you quite clearly stated you gained a ton of fat and so you quickly switched to then cut in a way that lost you muscle mass). Essentially what you said was that you took the approach of bulking and cutting, but simply didn't give either of those phases enough time to effectively work. And then you did and you saw better results. In a nut shell, what we are arguing is - do we want to take the approach of 3 steps forward and 1 step back (experiencing a "fluffy" phase and then cutting back and losing some mass) or do we want to take slower steps that all march progressively forward (experiencing a leaner look year-round). I personally think one consistent year or maximizing protein intake and training hard while minimizing fat gain is both a more sustainable and more enjoyable way to experience my body and my gains journey than this back and forth of excess fat into big cuts.
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?
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
Off-topic: Could you do a video addressing whether or not there are any health or performance benefits (arthritis/inflammation, cognitive function/focus, etc) to avoiding gluten for non-celiac folks?
Yes: enough stored energy, permissive amino acid, fatty acid, and micro-nutrient intake, sufficient stimulus with training paired with sleep/rest/recovery; most likely with an overfat, untrained individual with proper diet, exercise, and lifestyle; extremely unlikely for an exotically lean, advanced trainee, deep into a long cut, especially if hormonally tanked by poor sleep.
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%.
Informative video indeed! I used this video and a custom meal plan from Next Level Diet to lose 10 pounds. I'm stoked!
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
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
I can confirm it's absolutely possible! I've been in a caloric deficit for about 7 weeks, walking 10k steps everyday and doing Push/Pull/Legs split 6x week. The number on my scale isn't really changing (190lbs) but I'm much more lean and have put on a considerable amount of muscle mass already.
That's not really how you do science. But good on you!
Mostly improved myogenic tone from the constant training, more glycogen in muscles, some muscle gain from the sudden change in routine and possibly increase in weekly volume, some definite fat loss from the increased activity. It wont last.
If number on scale hasn’t changed that’s probably a recomp on weight maintenance
Same here
Lost 20 kg fat, gained 5 kg muscle in 2 years. 44 years old.
7 weeks is nothing for muscle building
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 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.
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.
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.
SLIGHT caloric surplus is an important part of this conversation that we don't emphasize enough
It’s not. You can always cut later
Thank you for being a voice of reason in a giant sea of bro science.
I think the key takeaway is "significant". Thanks Layne.
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
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.
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.
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💪
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.
Just found this channel. Subbed and loved 👌
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.
For the algorithm and as always for the quality content. Much appreciated Layne!
I can also confirm this can be done, I am doing it right now.
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'm in a recomp right now; weight is staying the same while I'm reducing body fat and making strength gains. It's not intentional since I'm trying to cut to a lower weight for health, but I just accept it at this point.
Intermittent fasting has been a great tool for my calorie deficit, you still feel satisfied and full during your eating window and have to sacrifice a little during the fasting window, but if has other added benefits so it's overall a good idea if calorie deficit is your goal.
@Sbs Nate When I did IF, I'd overfeed outside my fasts, and it was a serious detriment to my ability to work that I'd be so tired on my fasting days. I've seen results with flexible dieting in that my body fat percentage has been steadily decreasing despite my weight staying stable.
Thanks so much for all the great content you put constantly. True value in your content
Commenting for my boy layne and the algorithm
Such a great and helpful and concise video.
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
Love Layne! Wish i could be his best bud so we could talk about nutrition science all day long!
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
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 ! 💪🏾
"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 like this video you said exactly what I was thinking. Thanks for the clarification
Been doing it for a year.
It is slow, but very possible.
Gaining muscle on OMAD!
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
Well explained as always! 💪👌👍
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
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.
Yes especially comin back from an injury... i can vouch
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.
Thank you for simplifying 😊
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.
Gracias holmes
Building muscle whilst eating lots of food is faster, but being on a cut is faster way to improve fat to muscle ratio.
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
I was kokony for this!
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.
Muscle building is based on signals, adequate protein intake and proper resistance training. Thats it
nice info once again Layne 💪✊👏
Another very useful video
I can confirm it's possible, but it's tough. I've had many athletes do it but not at significant levels.
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
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)
The lesson here is bulk for 3-4 years 25+ bf then start monitoring calories
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.
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.
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
On point!
Greta video! Thank you
So you're saying when you go back and forth between gaining and cutting you're only changing energy consumption?
PS: Not changing macros?
Great video. Just what I needed to hear!
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..
Great video!
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.
Take creatine and 1.2x of body weight protein if you want to build muscle and cut fat at same time..
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?
Insightful as always. Thanks!
I personally over come this challenge by taking copious amounts of Tren or Test or preferably both. I think you'll find that strategy particularly effective.
Hah, this did make me chuckle.
If you’re on steroids yes, if you’re natural, no. Short answer
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)
It’s almost like no you can’t gain muscle if you have a deficit in body fat itself already and you go on a calorie deficit, but you can gain muscle in a calorie deficit if you’re not body fat deficit already.
Hopefully that makes sense 😅
The answer is yes, it's possible. Is it optimal? Not even close.
Yes, especially on gear
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.
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!!
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.
As someone who is at 25% body fat, I don't think being in a surplus applies to me.
As a fat guy new to lifting this is great. I got 2/3 on my side lol
My 21 year bulk allows me to do this hahaha
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.
@@chattingwithshap8010 lol so that is bulking. U love greg doucette maingaining huh
@@Xilladan093 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.
@@chattingwithshap8010 which is bulking . A slow bulk
For any confusions, take a simple hypothetical example. Suppose a person needs 1300 calories, of which assume 400 comes from 100 gram proteins (1 g protein gives 4 calories) and 900 cals come from 100 gram of fats (1 g fat = 9 cals). So you'll be have a 200 gram intake.
Suppose you cut down calories to 1200 but all of it is protein. That would make it 300 g of proteins. So the total intake is 300 grams.
So yes, reducing calories by cutting down fats and replacing them with proteins CAN make you bigger.
How healthy it will be, that's a different story.
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.
most likely you can add good amount of muscle depending on your protein intake. even if your in calorie deficit
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
Love this guy
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?
Finally we agree on something 💯😝😅👏🤝
Don't let that parrot who is screaming and yelling about "maingaining" on his couch all the time hear that over the long term you need a surplus to build muscle...
I 1000% believe you could have recomped your way there. Over how many years? Absolutely possible. It also sounds like what you did in your earlier years of bulking and cutting was, by definition, NOT even body recomp...? (As you quite clearly stated you gained a ton of fat and so you quickly switched to then cut in a way that lost you muscle mass). Essentially what you said was that you took the approach of bulking and cutting, but simply didn't give either of those phases enough time to effectively work. And then you did and you saw better results.
In a nut shell, what we are arguing is - do we want to take the approach of 3 steps forward and 1 step back (experiencing a "fluffy" phase and then cutting back and losing some mass) or do we want to take slower steps that all march progressively forward (experiencing a leaner look year-round). I personally think one consistent year or maximizing protein intake and training hard while minimizing fat gain is both a more sustainable and more enjoyable way to experience my body and my gains journey than this back and forth of excess fat into big cuts.
A bit complicated, but the answer is yes and no depending on the specific situation
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?
The reality is most people watching this are likely overweight and or not advanced lifters. So yes, it applies to most people.
Cheat code: Be fat, be new / returning lifter/ be on gear = profit
Great vid thanks
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
Off-topic: Could you do a video addressing whether or not there are any health or performance benefits (arthritis/inflammation, cognitive function/focus, etc) to avoiding gluten for non-celiac folks?
Yes: enough stored energy, permissive amino acid, fatty acid, and micro-nutrient intake, sufficient stimulus with training paired with sleep/rest/recovery; most likely with an overfat, untrained individual with proper diet, exercise, and lifestyle; extremely unlikely for an exotically lean, advanced trainee, deep into a long cut, especially if hormonally tanked by poor sleep.
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%.
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. Source I did it. Got stronger and stretch marks while losing like 30 pounds and abs