You can lift weights while on a calorie deficit. This is of importance because it vitalizes the synthesis of muscle proteins and with an adequate number of dietary proteins, this can conserve lean body mass.
Proteins are very vital in building muscles. After ingestion of proteins, they are broken down into building blocks called amino acids, your body utilizes and reassembles these amino acids to build tissues and muscles.
Throughout the day, you will burn more calories if your lean body mass is higher, resulting in faster weight loss. Weight lifting can help improve libido, mental clarity, and stamina. It will also boost the growth of muscles and revamp the composition of your body without losing muscle mass.
WHAT HAPPENS IF I LIFT WEIGHTS ON A CALORIE DEFICIT?
When you are lifting weights in the right way, consistently being directed by a weight loss trainer, eating cleanly with a well-balanced diet, keeping your calorie deficit logical, and taking the right amount of protein, then your body will reduce fat and gain more muscle mass. You will be more energized, and stronger with dense bones, and your connective body tissues will be more damage resistant.
The strength and energy come from amino acids, the body reassembles those amino acids to build muscle and other important body tissues. After weight lifting, food cravings will reduce since lifting weight suppress appetite. Lifting light-medium weights will increase the pace of your fat loss.
DOES EXERCISE COUNT TOWARDS THE CALORIE DEFICIT?
It is of significance to note that exercising can lead to a calorie deficit but the deficit with be small. You should consider the calories you burn and the calories you consume in a day as they equate to the number of calories you will burn through exercise. Therefore, a sustainable calorie deficit should be created by a balance of diet and exercise.
SHOULD I WORK OUT IF I AM ALREADY AT A CALORIC DEFICIT?
Depending on what you are trying to accomplish with your program, you will determine the next step forward, if it is simply to lose weight, don’t stop exercising, or eat a well-balanced diet. Make sure to add more proteins to your diet in the form of lean meats, beans, and nuts as they will help you not to go into a further deficit.
However, working out is of great importance whether you are trying to lose weight or not. If you stop exercising and eating healthy meals after reaching a caloric deficit state, then all the effort you have put in place and preserved will be to waste. Just make the exercise not to be too strenuous if you are satisfied with the current weight loss and muscle gain.
Our bodies need physical exercises to function well at optimal levels and have good focus.
CAN YOU PUT ON WEIGHT IN A CALORIE DEFICIT?
No, you cannot gain weight when you are in a calorie deficit. During a caloric deficit, your body is fueled by stored body fat, since you’re consuming fewer calories than your daily energy usage.
Gaining weight might only happen if you think that you’re in a calorie deficit state and in reality, you are in a calorie surplus. This might happen when one has daily water fluctuations and doesn’t observe a balanced diet with enough proteins. Your body can’t store fat if you are not eating excess calories. The excess calories are then converted to glycogen and stored in the body as fats
You might add weight if the number of estimated calories they need does not account for the lean loss being caused by their calorie reduction. However, some people will still gain weight even after carefully observing what they consume and their exercise. Some of the main reasons why you may be gaining weight while on a calorie deficit include;
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Increased Stress Levels
You might be doing the right things like eating a well-balanced meal and exercising but increased stress levels may hinder your weight loss progress. This might be stress from work, a toxic home, or financial problems. It’s very important that you control your stress levels to lose weight. Make sure you avoid the things or toxic environments that trigger stress.
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Not getting enough sleep.
Not getting enough sleep will make you not see the fruits of weight loss. You can spend time in the sun during your day-to-day activities and avoid spending more time on your computers, have a sleeping schedule in place, and avoid drinking alcohol or caffeine in the evening.
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Adjust Your Diet
A healthy diet plays a major role in weight loss, increases your overall well-being, and promotes positive mental health. Easting a healthy diet can help reduce your stress levels, improve your moods, boost your general immunity, and lower immunity diseases. Add complex carbs to your diet, lean proteins, and healthy fats.
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Not Lifting Weights
Most people do a lot of cardio and aerobic exercises and forget to lift weights. This is not wrong because they burn a lot of calories . However, lifting weights plays a major role in weight loss as it is linked to increased muscle mass which contributes greatly to amount of dailly calories being burnt.
Therefore, if you notice that you are gaining more weight than losing it, then you should go back to the drawing board and see where the problem is. Calculate your calorie intake guided by a weight loss trainer and follow it strictly.
HOW TO DO WEIGHT TRAINING WHILE CALORIE DEFICIT?
I believe that the hardest thing for weight training while on a calorie deficit is avoiding or cutting down on some foods that you love consuming regularly. However, the main issue with training this way is that your body has little energy for all the activities you are undertaking. Also, this kind of training taxes you both physically and mentally.
Start by focusing on the number of calories you are consuming per day. Learn how to control your food portions, eat 20-30% proteins at each meal but stay in a calorie deficit.
For a beginner, don’t push yourself too hard, start with simple exercises and weight lifts. You can begin by doing weekly running as you increase gradually. For weight lifts, you can begin with gym equipment with the lowest weight and you increase steadily. Make sure you train both your upper and lower body.
When it comes to this kind of training, train less and rest more. You must try to balance and monitor both the frequency and volume of your training and give your body enough time to recover.
Try to engage in bodyweight exercises like push-ups, and chin-ups as they will motivate you more while you lose weight. It is advisable that you train on your calorie deficit diet for 10-12 months then switch to a maintenance diet for 2-3 weeks, if you see the need, then go back to the calorie deficit.
SUMMARY
Generating a calorie deficit may be of great help when it comes to weight loss. This can be done by a combination of consuming a well-balanced diet with 20-30% proteins and a combination of exercises like weight lifts, cardio, and aerobics. A balanced diet should involve taking highly nutritious foods and drinking plenty of water.
It is very important for one to calculate the number of calories they burn in a day; this will enable you to know the number of calories you need to consume in order to have a calorie deficit.
If one takes a well-balanced diet with the right amounts of calories and proteins, exercises correctly, and is in the right mental state, then they are supposed to lose weight and not gain. If you gain weight on a calorie deficit, then this indicates that there is something you are doing wrong.
It is very important for you to follow a certain pace most especially for beginners. Don’t push yourself too hard but take gradual steps be real and have consistency. It is very important for one to have enough rest compared to training since this plays a major role in weight loss. One should know that weight lifting helps reduce your appetite.
Therefore, the calories you burn and those that you consume in a day and in every meal equates to the number of calories you will burn through physical exercises. There should be a balance between physical exercises and food consumed to create a sustainable calorie deficit.
