How to Maintain Strength While Losing Weight

[RipStone]

The question of how to maintain, or even gain, strength while losing weight comes up often, so I thought in order to cut down on threads asking bascially the same question that I'd create a sticky.

First of all, here's a good little article by Justin Harris. I like how the author gets right to the point and does not over-complicate things.

Maintaining Strength While Dieting
By Justin Harris
For www.EliteFTS.com

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Trying to decrease body fat while maintaining and/or increasing your strength? Confused about supplements, food intake, and nutrient timing? Read on?

According to most studies on the subject, the human body is mostly anabolic around the 10?15% body fat range, which is actually fairly low. As you gain body fat, your body will actually increase the production of estrogen and ?learn? to store body fat better. For dieting, while maintaining strength, rotate your carbs and calories.

Keep your carbs and total calories higher on heavy training days (ME days for example), drop them a bit on other training days, and take your carbs and calories very low on off days. Your low carb off days could also be a day to focus on cardio.

You don?t have to lose strength when losing fat. Don?t let yourself believe that. The muscle is still there. You still have the contractile tissue to move the weight. Your leverages will change and you may have less energy reserves, but your strength potential should still be there. If you believe you?ll lose strength, you will.

For example, one of my training partners and good friends, Steve Kuclo, is a two time teen national bodybuilding champion and won a national qualifier overall at the age of 20 in bodybuilding. When he did his first bodybuilding diet, he didn?t know that you were ?supposed to lose strength? on low carbs and low energy. He was young, and no one told him that farce. So, he just didn?t lose strength. He didn?t know that was supposed to happen. He figured that he was going to the gym and training. He assumed that when you lift weights, you?re supposed to get stronger. So he just kept getting stronger.

Keep the nutrition basic. You will get the vast majority of your gains in nutrition from a few simple, basic things:



1. Eat protein every few hours.

2. Eat multiple times per day (I eat six or more times a day).

3. Eat complex carbohydrate sources with higher amounts around your workout

4. If you eat fat, make it good fat, and watch the calories.



If you do that EVERY day, you?ll be farther ahead after five years than you would be by missing just one day of that per week but knowing EVERYTHING about perfect supplementation. Supplements provide a big boost IF your basic nutrition is in line. Remember, if you can?t pick it, grow it, or kill it, you shouldn?t be eating it.

Now let me expand on a few of these points, in particular, diet--what is in my opinion the make it or break it factor of successfully maintaining strength while losing weight.

Harris alluded to eating complex carbohydrate sources around your workout. Let me give you an idea of how this would look like through a diet template assuming you train in the morning after your first meal...

pre-wo/breakfast: starchy carbs, lean protein, moderate healthy fats
post-wo shake: whey protein shake, starchy carbs, fruit, moderate healthy fats
meal 3: moderate starchy carbs, lean protein, healthy fats, veggies
meal 4: veggies, healthy fats, lean protein
meal 5: same as meal 4
meal 6(before bed): casein protein(dairy), healthy fats

Now, your non-training day diet would look like..

pre/wo breakfast: moderate starchy carbs, lean protein, moderate healthy fats
meal 2: veggies, healthy fats, lean protein
meal 3: veggies, healthy fats, lean protein
meal 4: veggies, healthy fats, lean protein
meal 5: veggies, healthy fats, lean protein
meal 6(before bed): casein protein(dairy), healthy fats

Starchy carbs are foods such as oats, whole wheat bread, whole wheat pasta, brown rice, quinoa, barley, etc.

[holbee]

Great article! I really appreciate you taking the time to post it here.
Reps for your work.

[crackyflipside]

Great article and finally a sticky on it! Good thing I've been following all the rules on my cutting diet.

[James456]

Is it possible to lose bodyfat but stay the same through gaining muscle. Or do you just have to bulk then cut

[daYDreAmErX]

Is it possible to lose bodyfat but stay the same through gaining muscle. Or do you just have to bulk then cut

I've had great success with doing a recomp. I stayed at 140 lbs during a year and my bf% dropped from 19 to 15 (I'm a female, so 15% was faily the lowest I wanted to go). Good diet, around maintenance, a little higher on training days and cardio 2-3 times/week (or GPP) was my recipe to 'success'. I never really cut/bulk... I bulked the first time I got into serious training because I didn't feel good at 120 lbs... And now I feel a little too fat at 150 lbs @ 20% bf. But usually, slow & continuous bulk or maintenaance while losing fat is the way to go IMO.

[RipStone]

But usually, slow & continuous bulk or maintenaance while losing fat is the way to go IMO.

Hit. Nail. On. Head.

[RipStone]

But usually, slow & continuous bulk or maintenaance while losing fat is the way to go IMO.

Hit. Nail. On. Head.

[partymonster975]

Do you know where I can find more article by justin? I looked on that website but didnt find any.

[RipStone]

Do you know where I can find more article by justin? I looked on that website but didnt find any.

Check your PMs.

[Big_fuzzy]

Thanks for that.

But what about if someone is looking to drop weight very very very fast. I have been asked by th AWF president to compete at Oceania as a 94 and need to drop from almost to 230 to 206 in less then 8 weeks, 6 would be better.

[RipStone]

Thanks for that.

But what about if someone is looking to drop weight very very very fast. I have been asked by th AWF president to compete at Oceania as a 94 and need to drop from almost to 230 to 206 in less then 8 weeks, 6 would be better.

Things change then....

It is going to be very difficult to drop 24lbs in 6-8 weeks without sacrificing muscle mass and strength. That is why you see bodybuilders start their contest prep 20+ weeks out from a show.

[Big_fuzzy]

Things change then....

It is going to be very difficult to drop 24lbs in 6-8 weeks without sacrificing muscle mass and strength. That is why you see bodybuilders start their contest prep 20+ weeks out from a show.

Well, i figured the best people to ask would be bodybuildrs themselves, in m ever lasting quest to learn more Ive gone under the wing of an Aussie pro who has been a big help.

PMSF style diet, 2000 and less a day, pretty much all protein.

Tuna is key.

[Laszlo]

watch out with an all protein diet fuzz, you dont want to use protein as an energy source. Which is why if you cut carbs you have to raise fat.

[mcfadden47]

great article man, thanks for posting. being an idiot, i posted a thread asking for this exact type of info, before realising there were already 300 of them around

[anth28]

Just wanted some clarification on some of the points mentioned in this great thread. So are you saying that it is better to eat a maintenance amount of calories while trying to cut fat? This is something I always thought was an interesting approach, but everyone always suggests cutting calories...

[RipStone]

Just wanted some clarification on some of the points mentioned in this great thread. So are you saying that it is better to eat a maintenance amount of calories while trying to cut fat? This is something I always thought was an interesting approach, but everyone always suggests cutting calories...

Where did I say that? If I did say that, then it's not accurate and I should change my statement.

What I am advocating is cycling AND timing your carbs so that on non-training days your starchy carb intake is limited AND on your training days you consume starchy carbs only around your training.

[ogesII]

Does cardio, HIIT, and core work count as a workout?

between those 3 and Rippetoes I workout 5-6 days a week. Should all 5-6 of those days have starchy carbs around my workouts or only on heavy lifting days?

[partymonster975]

Does cardio, HIIT, and core work count as a workout?

between those 3 and Rippetoes I workout 5-6 days a week. Should all 5-6 of those days have starchy carbs around my workouts or only on heavy lifting days?

no, the weight lifting days should have the starchy carbs, the cardio days is when u shy away from them.

[anth28]

Sorry, I was just asking for clarification because you agreed with this statement:

But usually, slow & continuous bulk or maintenaance while losing fat is the way to go IMO.

Perhaps I understood it incorrectly?

[RipStone]

Does cardio, HIIT, and core work count as a workout?

between those 3 and Rippetoes I workout 5-6 days a week. Should all 5-6 of those days have starchy carbs around my workouts or only on heavy lifting days?

HIIT is a bit tricky, as it tends to be a lot more glycogen depleteing than low intensity cardio.

Some say have some starchy carbs after HIIT, some say don't. It depends on what your body responds best to...like everything in this game

Sorry, I was just asking for clarification because you agreed with this statement:

Perhaps I understood it incorrectly?

I see now.

What daydreamerX was refering to is a "recomp" (aka; recompistion) diet. A recomp strategy is a slightly different animal than a cutting strategy. The former is more optimal for those who don't have a whole lot of weight/bodyfat to lose, while the latter is better for those who DO have a good deal of weight/body fat to lose.

For a recomp, your net caloric level or favored slightly towards the surplus side of things.

Does that clarify your question?

[anth28]

Sure does, thank

[ogesII]

HIIT is a bit tricky, as it tends to be a lot more glycogen depleteing than low intensity cardio.

Some say have some starchy carbs after HIIT, some say don't. It depends on what your body responds best to...like everything in this game

That's kinda what I was thinking. I'll just keep experimenting. Thanks

[Iceman1800]

I'm following the diet of one of Justin's crew. I've lost around 15#, 4" off my waist and haven't lost any strength. Still squat around 600, bench close to 500 and pull close to 600. It works but you have to be disciplined as to not missing meals.

[RipStone]

I'm following the diet of one of Justin's crew. I've lost around 15#, 4" off my waist and haven't lost any strength. Still squat around 600, bench close to 500 and pull close to 600. It works but you have to be disciplined as to not missing meals.

Great work!

Goes to show that losing weight, yet still being strong as an ox, can be done

[Indringa]

Great article!

Everything looks good, but the non-training day diet:

"pre/wo breakfast: moderate starchy carbs, lean protein, moderate healthy fats
meal 2: veggies, healthy fats, lean protein
meal 3: veggies, healthy fats, lean protein
meal 4: veggies, healthy fats, lean protein
meal 5: veggies, healthy fats, lean protein
meal 6(before bed): casein protein(dairy), healthy fats"


I don't know if I have the willpower for that hah

It seems so bland to me. Is there anything I could do to make it more "exciting?"

[RipStone]

Great article!

Everything looks good, but the non-training day diet:

"pre/wo breakfast: moderate starchy carbs, lean protein, moderate healthy fats
meal 2: veggies, healthy fats, lean protein
meal 3: veggies, healthy fats, lean protein
meal 4: veggies, healthy fats, lean protein
meal 5: veggies, healthy fats, lean protein
meal 6(before bed): casein protein(dairy), healthy fats"


I don't know if I have the willpower for that hah

It seems so bland to me. Is there anything I could do to make it more "exciting?"

Well, depending on your body type you can have refeeds on non-training days every once in a while. For some, refeeds can be as frequent as once a week. So, looking forward to those refeeds can take away some of the perceived "blandness" of the non-training days.

Also, be creative with your meals! Veggies, fats, and lean protein does not have to be just brocolli, fish oil, and chicken breast. Get some recipes and "spice" things up.

[sirwazzles]

pre-wo/breakfast: starchy carbs, lean protein, moderate healthy fats
post-wo shake: whey protein shake, starchy carbs, fruit, moderate healthy fats
meal 3: moderate starchy carbs, lean protein, healthy fats, veggies
meal 4: veggies, healthy fats, lean protein
meal 5: same as meal 4
meal 6(before bed): casein protein(dairy), healthy fats

Now, your non-training day diet would look like..

pre/wo breakfast: moderate starchy carbs, lean protein, moderate healthy fats
meal 2: veggies, healthy fats, lean protein
meal 3: veggies, healthy fats, lean protein
meal 4: veggies, healthy fats, lean protein
meal 5: veggies, healthy fats, lean protein
meal 6(before bed): casein protein(dairy), healthy fats

Starchy carbs are foods such as oats, whole wheat bread, whole wheat pasta, brown rice, quinoa, barley, etc.

Hey, I'd like to start a recomp. diet and was wondering about how many carbs should I eat on my off days and information such as that... or at least how many carbs are roughly being suggested in this passage. You suggested "how/when" to eat... just not "how much". (Anybody's help is greatly appreciated.)

By the way, what's a refeed?

[Soilworker]

JUSTIN HARRIS HAS IT SPOT ON!!!


1. Eat protein every few hours.

2. Eat multiple times per day (I eat six or more times a day).

3. Eat complex carbohydrate sources with higher amounts around your workout

4. If you eat fat, make it good fat, and watch the calories.



i follow this exact rule set for mine and i tell you it works, ive written a blog about mine if anyone wants to check it out its called cut AND mass

[RipStone]

Hey, I'd like to start a recomp. diet and was wondering about how many carbs should I eat on my off days and information such as that... or at least how many carbs are roughly being suggested in this passage. You suggested "how/when" to eat... just not "how much". (Anybody's help is greatly appreciated.)

By the way, what's a refeed?

The reason I did not give solid numbers is that there are so many variables among different people that quoting even a range of numbers would liklely be misleading.

Such variables are one's metabolism, insulin sensitivity, insulin output, body type, weight, etc. Basically, it comes down to how the individual responds to carbs.

Person A can respond very well to carbs and there "low carb" day could be upwards of 200g or carbs. Converesly, person B can be very carb sensitive and consume only 40g of carbs on their low carb day.

You have to think back on how your body reacts to carbs and then make a deducitve decison based on your best estimation.

[sirwazzles]

The reason I did not give solid numbers is that there are so many variables among different people that quoting even a range of numbers would liklely be misleading.

Such variables are one's metabolism, insulin sensitivity, insulin output, body type, weight, etc. Basically, it comes down to how the individual responds to carbs.

Person A can respond very well to carbs and there "low carb" day could be upwards of 200g or carbs. Converesly, person B can be very carb sensitive and consume only 40g of carbs on their low carb day.

You have to think back on how your body reacts to carbs and then make a deducitve decison based on your best estimation.

Lol, thanks. I see your point. Thinking back I'm not even sure how carbs affect me. I haven't had any kind of drastic fat change with my body in years... when I lost my babyfat, lol.