I lifted three times a week throughout and still lost lean mass. Not as much as I expected to, but the idea that training prevents it entirely is not what my scan says.
What would genuinely help is knowing whether resistance training and protein change the ratio or only the absolute amount.
If the honest answer is that nobody knows, that is a useful answer and I would rather have it.
This one has a reasonably settled answer, so here it is. The intervention that works is boring and well evidenced: resistance training two to three times a week at a genuine effort, protein at 1.4 to 2.0 g/kg of reference body weight, and not making the deficit larger than the training can support. Cardio does not protect lean mass and in a deep deficit competes with recovery.
NurseKim_ATL said:The intervention that works is boring and well evidenced: resistance training two to three times a week at a genuine effort, protein at 1.4 to 2.0…
Right, and protein targets should be set on a reference weight rather than current weight. Setting 1.6 g/kg on a starting weight of 130kg produces a target nobody hits on a suppressed appetite.
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Browse GL Biochemtyler_CSCS said:I lifted three times a week throughout and still lost lean mass.
Can confirm the pattern tyler_CSCS describes. The honest range is roughly 20 to 40% of total loss as lean mass without deliberate resistance training, and roughly 10 to 20% with it plus adequate protein. Both numbers need a caveat that matters: "lean mass" on a DEXA is not muscle. It includes water, glycogen and the lean fraction of organs, and glycogen alone carries about three grams of water per gram. A large early lean drop is mostly the glycogen and water going, which is why the first scan flatters and the second is the honest one.
From the other side of the consultation, briefly.
Regarding lean mass: I accidentally injected my dose intramuscularly instead of subcutaneously last week (went in at wrong angle, too deep). Called my pharmacist — they said it's not dangerous but may absorb faster, potentially causing more GI effects.
Sure enough, had worse nausea that day. Lesson learned: pinch the skin properly and use the right needle length for your body composition.