On days that you do a strength training workout for 30 minutes or more, eat more calories than your maintenance number with a focus on protein
. Depending on how much muscle you want to put on and how quickly you want to gain it, add 5% to 15% to your maintenance calories.
What happens if you eat at maintenance?
Eating at maintenance means that the calories you eat are roughly equivalent to the calories you expend, meaning
you are eating enough to neither gain or lose weight
. Chronic dieters are at an increased risk for developing metabolic adaptation.
Can you get stronger eating maintenance calories?
Yes, it is possible to get stronger without being in a caloric surplus as long as you are using a high-resistance training program and eating no less than 2.4g of protein per kg of bodyweight and 4-6g of carbs per kg of bodyweight each day.
Can you gain muscle and lose fat eating at maintenance?
To lose fat while maintaining or building your physique,
it’s best to moderately decrease your calorie intake while incorporating exercises that build muscle mass into your routine, such as strength training
.
How long should I eat at maintenance?
How long should a maintenance phase be?
At least 2 weeks
. It’s not well known how long it takes for any physiological effects of dieting to return to baseline. Maintenance phases should probably last for several weeks to several months.
Can you get lean on maintenance calories?
Good. If you want to get lean,
you’ll need to cut 200–300 calories from your maintenance calories
. This will help ensure that you’re in a sufficient caloric deficit and will stimulate fat loss.
Why am I gaining weight on maintenance calories?
During a maintenance phase, body weight may rise a little due to:
Increased carbohydrates in the liver and muscles
. Increased fluid retention stored along with those carbohydrates and from additional sodium. Increased intestinal weight sitting in your stomach from more food volume & fibre.
Can you bulk at maintenance?
After a maintenance phase, you can begin to increase your calories gradually to initiate the bulk phase
. To do so, you want to increase your calories by 300-500 calories from maintenance in the first week and track your weight gain.
Can you build muscle on a 500 calorie deficit?
While
you can gain muscle on a calorie deficit
, a 500-calorie deficit may be better than a 1000-calorie deficit. Because you still need enough energy and strength to help with weight lifting during your workout, a greater calorie deficit could interfere with this, making it harder for you to lift weights.
Can you still lose weight in maintenance?
No you can’t lose fat on maintenance calories
. Maintenance calories are the calories needed by your body just to perform everyday activities. You can only lose weight if your calorie intake is less than maintainence calories.
Can you gain muscle while cutting?
It is possible to gain muscle and still cut body fat
but completing the phases separately can improve your results. In order to cut body fat, you need to burn more calories than you take in on a daily basis.
Can belly fat be converted to muscle?
The simple answer is no.
Turning fat into muscle is physiologically impossible
, as muscle and fat are made up of different cells. A good analogy to this would be that you cannot turn a banana into an apple — they’re two separate things.
Does lifting weights burn fat?
In fact, a review of 32 studies including more than 4,700 people with obesity found the best strategy for reducing fat appears to be combined aerobic exercise and weightlifting ( 18 ).
Weightlifting or resistance training can help boost metabolic rate, increase muscle mass, and promote fat loss.
How long should maintenance be before cutting?
The place your body comfortably sits without losing or gaining weight. We recommend staying in maintenance at LEAST for
2 months
before thinking about going into another cut (if you choose to do so).
Why do I gain muscle but not lose fat?
If you’re building muscle but not losing weight, then
your body is undergoing a process commonly known as body recomposition
. This is a coveted state that is ideal for maintaining fat loss. According to the Mayo Clinic, strength training can help you reduce your body fat while increasing your lean muscle.
Do maintenance calories change?
It’s important to keep in mind that very few people’s maintenance calories are set in stone, so you should take the time to recalculate them periodically.
If you’re working toward losing weight or you’re trying to bulk up, your maintenance calories could change on a weekly basis
.
Should I eat at maintenance for body recomposition?
In order to achieve body recomposition, as stated above
I’d probably aim to stick at maintenance calories
. This should ensure you’re getting all the energy you need to train and build muscle, whilst reducing or least maintaining body fat.
How long can you stay on maintenance calories?
Stay on your new maintenance calories for a while,
at least 3-4 months
so your body fully settles into this new normal. Keep up the weight lifting routine.
When should I stop cutting and start bulking?
If you want to gain muscle and strength as quickly as possible and you’re at or below 10% (men) or 20% (women) body fat, then you should bulk. And if you want to lose fat as quickly as possible and you’re at or above 15% (men) or 25% (women) body fat, then you should cut.
Can you lean bulk?
One of the most effective ways to bulk is the lean bulk
. In contrast to a typical dirty bulk, a lean bulk – as the name implies – is focused on staying relatively lean while you are bulking. To achieve this, you’ll need to reign in your calorie surplus a bit when you’re on a lean bulk.
How long is bulking phase?
A bulking phase can last anywhere from
1 month to over 6 months or longer
, depending on your goals. To start bulking, add a given number of calories to your typical daily calorie intake.
