How can you safely lose 2lbs a week withoug losing muscle?

[Jage8]

As a 6ft 3 man, 189lbs, i've calculated my maintenance to be~ 2900. So to lose 2lbs a week that means eating 1900 cals a day :£. Im currently eating about 1800 before dinner and not counting calories for dinner (so i can "fit in") i've been seeing some progress in the mirror but not so much on the scales! Any advice as to what to do/what's currently happening with my body would be appreciated!

Note: i've on off exercised for a few years and am in "ok" shape. So not sure i have too many noob gains left in me! ~ J

[dmuscle1234]

Not sure if you can "safely" lose 2 lbs a week without losing any muscle. probably not. But i'll leave it for someone to answer who knows more than me.

[packattack87]

1. Why are you eating 1800 cals before dinner and then not counting dinner. Possible typo?

2. When cutting significant weight you can always expect to lose some lbm. Continue to lift heavy and eat adequate protein to help preserve what you got.

[Rabbitjb]

1. Why are you eating 1800 cals before dinner and then not counting dinner. Possible typo?

2. When cutting significant weight you can always expect to lose some lbm. Continue to lift heavy and eat adequate protein to help preserve what you got.

Was going to post this exactly, but no point

So this ^^^

[AD1985]

I've found a good offense is the best defense, I'm hitting the weights 6 days a week just as before, no light days.

[Jage8]

Thanks for the tips guys, the reason im not counting dinner (at least accurately, its more guesswork) is because most nights either dinner is cooked for me or i'm eating out. I'm in the unfortunate situation of 99% of my mates don't care about fitness and cant understand why anyone would track calories it's getting to me!

I'm still lifting heavy, eating mostly clean and my reps arent dropping so shall keep things as they are atm thanks for the advice again guys and gals

[Rabbitjb]

Thanks for the tips guys, the reason im not counting dinner (at least accurately, its more guesswork) is because most nights either dinner is cooked for me or i'm eating out. I'm in the unfortunate situation of 99% of my mates don't care about fitness and cant understand why anyone would track calories it's getting to me!

I'm still lifting heavy, eating mostly clean and my reps arent dropping so shall keep things as they are atm thanks for the advice again guys and gals

The reason you aren't losing weight is because you're eating 1800 calories and then eating dinner which could be 2000 calories for all you know ...if you're going to have a no count evening meal you need to not be eating 1800 calories up front, know what you're eating and choose portion sizes carefully

[Jage8]

I think i'm making progress, my weight is gradually going down/staying the same over the weeks and i think i look better in the mirror and in pictures just curious as to they always say you can lose 1-2 lbs a week but i think a 1000cal deficit is far to low!

I'll be sure to keep dinners healthy and of reasonable size ty Rabbit

[unplugged]

The reason you aren't losing weight is because you're eating 1800 calories and then eating dinner which could be 2000 calories for all you know ...if you're going to have a no count evening meal you need to not be eating 1800 calories up front, know what you're eating and choose portion sizes carefully

Exactly. If you aren't tracking or counting dinner then how do you know what your actual intake is or if you are even in a deficit? The answer is you don't. Also it is not surprising that your friends do not understand bodybuilding or fitness and what it takes to achieve a great physique as most do not.

[hema94x]

2 lbs a week "without losing muscle" is kinda impossible.....U should aim for 1lb/week, u still gonna lose a little bit of muscle but its how things go.
and whats the point of counting calories before dinner if u won't count dinner calories ?
I mean sometimes my dinner is 400 cals and other times it can be over 1000.

[Maverick2015]

If your body fat is high enough, then 2 lbs a week won't matter vs 1 lb. When you get leaner, then the key to 2 lbs a week loss is to make sure you are lifting heavy and hitting your protein macro minimums. At 6'3, and 189 lbs, how low do you plan to go? I imagine you are about 15%, but a pic would help.

[unplugged]

2 lbs a week "without losing muscle" is kinda impossible.....U should aim for 1lb/week, u still gonna lose a little bit of muscle but its how things go.
and whats the point of counting calories before dinner if u won't count dinner calories ?
I mean sometimes my dinner is 400 cals and other times it can be over 1000.

No not necessarily as it depends on how much body fat you have to loose. A beginner who is 300lbs can loose easily over 2lbs without muscle loss so your statement is false in most cases except people who are close to 10% or lower

[LimpDawg]

1. Why are you eating 1800 cals before dinner and then not counting dinner. Possible typo?

2. When cutting significant weight you can always expect to lose some lbm. Continue to lift heavy and eat adequate protein to help preserve what you got.

Lol yeah for #1 Thats what i do when i am lean bulking

[unplugged]

Lol yeah for #1 Thats what i do when i am lean bulking

Why? lol

[LimpDawg]

Why? lol

Well my dinner is usually 5-1000 cals so even if i don't hit a surplus i still eat enough to progress with the weights. Its worked a lot so far as i am slowly improving my physique to what it was last summer. Only thing i am worried about is losing all my stregnth during basic training which i have to leave for in July-September

[Schlangemann]

Going back to the original question.. You will lose some muscle, how much depends on how accurately you track calories and macros, what your workout routine is like and some stuff like hormone levels (given they aren't artificially raised).

The bigger the calorie deficit (the quicker you lose weight) the more muscle you will lose.

Eat plenty of protein.
Stick to a good lifting program.

[unplugged]

Well my dinner is usually 5-1000 cals so even if i don't hit a surplus i still eat enough to progress with the weights. Its worked a lot so far as i am slowly improving my physique to what it was last summer. Only thing i am worried about is losing all my stregnth during basic training which i have to leave for in July-September

Ah yea you may loose some but if you do it will come back relatively easily afterwards!

[LimpDawg]

Ah yea you may loose some but if you do it will come back relatively easily afterwards!

Yeah, plus ill get really ripped anyways which can be useful in the summer ! Lol