Quote:
Originally Posted by bubbleblower
Hi Scorbett ... Question for you: Does the weight loss slow down when you're exercising just because you're adding muscle while you're losing the fat? After all, muscle does weigh more, so that would seem to make sense.
I'm also one of those who used to exercise 3-5 times per week but have ceased everything except for situps and using hand weights once in awhile while I'm feeling like a slouch.  When I'm diving, I add a pouch in between my dives and that seems to work fine.
I'm looking forward to getting back into my normal routine if these last pounds would just magically melt away!!!  |
This is a good question and the answer can depend on the context of the specific dieter so the simplest answer is ... it depends. Generally speaking - exercise retains muscle which slows weight loss. Intense exercise in a steep caloric deficit can cause the body to slow the one metabolism faster via decreased NEAT and SPA. (That is the output side of the energy equation) At leaner levels cortisol can start to play a role and cause additional issues but that isn't going to be something the average IP dieter needs to worry about.
Want to understand this more? Read on.
First of all - it takes a surplus of energy to build muscle. So if you want to build muscle you also have to accept the fact that you're going to add fat as well. Unless you're an overweight novice. Meaning - if you haven't exercised much or any before your body will partition energy such that it is possible to gain some muscle in an energy deficit for a period of time. How long and how much depends but for the most part this is not going to represent a large figure and with the IP diet calories are quite restricted so it would take a statistical outlier to really add any significant amount of muscle. Simple answer - it's not muscle growth on the IP diet.
Having said all of that - exercise tends to retain muscles we have. If you're not using your muscles, and you're in an energy deficit, your body will catabolize muscle for energy over time. Obese people tend to have large muscles. They have to because moving around 300lbs takes more muscle than moving around 150lbs. Losing this muscle by not using it accelerates weight loss. (Not fat loss - total weight)
Too much exercise will cause you to be more lethargic that you normally might be as the body attempts to recover. An energy deficit impairs recovery. So while you might burn 350 calories due to the exercise you might use 350 less calories because you're moving around less.
Personally, I would suggest low volume weight lifting as a means to retain muscle when someone is 100lbs or less overweight and walking at a fast enough rate to increase heart rate for 30 minutes 3x a week if they are following the IP diet or any other PSMF and depending on the size and gender of the person more protein may or may not be needed but that is just my opinion.
