How to Gain Muscle While Losing Fat: How Much of a Calorie Deficit Is Appropriate?
如何在减脂的同时增加肌肉重量：适当的卡路里缺口应该是多少呢？

It might seem impossible to lose fat and build muscle at the same time, but it can be done. This is known as body recomposition. Rather than just watching the scale, the aim is to lower body fat while slowly keeping or adding muscle.
看起来同时减脂和增肌似乎是不可能的，但实际上这是可以做到的。这种现象被称为身体重构。与其仅仅关注体重的变化，更重要的是在减少体脂的同时，逐步保持或增加肌肉量。

Getting your calorie deficit right is key for body recomposition. If you cut too many calories, you might lose weight faster, but it can also make it harder to build muscle and keep up your workouts.
正确管理热量缺口是恢复身体平衡的关键。如果摄入的热量过少，虽然可能会快速减轻体重，但这样会阻碍肌肉的增长，也难以持续进行锻炼。

So, how much of a calorie deficit is appropriate?
那么，适当的热量缺口应该是多少呢？

What Is Body Recomposition?
什么是身体成分重组？

Body recomposition means changing your body composition by reducing body fat while preserving or gaining muscle.
身体重构意味着通过减少体脂来改变身体的组成结构，同时保留或增加肌肉量。

Traditional fat loss focuses primarily on creating a calorie deficit. Muscle building, on the other hand, generally benefits from sufficient calories, protein, and resistance training. Body recomposition attempts to balance these goals rather than pursuing aggressive weight loss.
传统的减肥方法主要集中在创造热量缺口上。而肌肉建设则通常需要足够的热量、蛋白质以及阻力训练来促进。身体重构则试图平衡这些目标，而不是追求极端的减肥效果。

This approach tends to work particularly well for:
这种方法尤其适用于以下情况：

· People who are new to resistance training
· 那些刚开始进行力量训练的人

· People returning to training after a long break
· 在长时间休息后重返训练的人们

· People with relatively higher body-fat levels
· 体脂率相对较高的人员

· People who have not previously followed a structured strength-training program
· 之前没有遵循过任何结构化力量训练计划的人

For experienced lifters who are already relatively lean, gaining significant muscle while losing fat can be considerably slower.
对于那些已经相对瘦弱的资深举重运动员来说，在增加肌肉质量的同时减少脂肪的过程会慢一些。

How Large Should Your Calorie Deficit Be?
你的热量缺口应该有多大呢？

If your main goal is to lose fat while preserving or gaining muscle, a small calorie deficit is generally more appropriate than an aggressive one.
如果你的主要目标是减少脂肪同时保留或增加肌肉量，那么适度的热量缺口比过度消耗热量更为合适。

A practical starting point for many people is around 10–20 percent below maintenance calories. To estimate your maintenance calories, you can use a free online calculator that takes into account your age, weight, height, and activity level. Alternatively, you can track your food intake and body weight for a week. If your weight stays roughly the same, your average daily calorie intake during that week is a good estimate of your maintenance calories.
对许多人来说，一个实用的起点是将其每日所需热量控制在维持正常生活的热量水平以下 10-20%。要计算自己的维持热量，可以使用一些免费的在线计算器，这些工具会考虑你的年龄、体重、身高以及活动水平等因素。或者，你也可以记录一周内的食物摄入量和体重变化。如果体重保持相对稳定，那么这一周内的平均每日热量摄入就可以作为你维持生活所需热量的近似值。

For example, if your estimated maintenance intake is 2,000 calories per day:
例如，如果您的日常所需热量为每天 2,000 卡路里，那么……

· 10% deficit → about 1,800 calories
· 10%的亏损意味着大约 1,800 卡路里的热量不足

· 15% deficit → about 1,700 calories
· 15%的亏损意味着大约 1,700 卡路里不足

· 20% deficit → about 1,600 calories
· 20%的亏损意味着大约 1,600 卡路里不足

The right amount depends on your body size, activity level, training experience, current body composition, and rate of weight loss. For example, someone with a larger body size or higher activity level might be able to use a slightly larger deficit and still maintain muscle, while someone who is smaller, less active, or already quite lean may benefit from a more conservative approach. Keeping track of your daily intake can also help you see whether you're consistently meeting your calorie target. An AI calorie tracker such as Tabak AI can make this process more convenient by helping you log meals and estimate calorie intake. If you are losing weight faster than planned or noticing drops in strength, try raising your calorie intake slightly. On the other hand, if you are not seeing any progress over several weeks, a small further reduction of calories might be appropriate. Adjustments can be made gradually based on how your body responds.
合适的热量缺口取决于你的体型、活动水平、训练经验、当前的身体成分以及减肥速度。例如，体型较大或活动水平较高的人可能可以接受稍大的热量缺口，同时还能保持肌肉量；而体型较小、活动较少或已经很瘦的人则可能需要采取更保守的方法。记录每天的热量摄入也有助于你了解自己是否始终符合设定的热量目标。像 Tabak AI 这样的 AI 热量追踪工具可以让你更方便地记录饮食情况并估算热量摄入。如果你比预期更快地减肥，或者注意到体力有所下降，可以尝试稍微增加一些热量摄入。相反，如果几周内没有进展，那么减少一些热量摄入可能是合适的选择。可以根据身体的反应逐渐进行调整。

A smaller deficit gives your body more energy to support resistance training, recovery, and muscle maintenance.
较小的能量缺口意味着你的身体有更多能量用于支持阻力训练、恢复过程以及肌肉维护。

Why Avoid an Aggressive Calorie Deficit?
为什么要避免采用激进的卡路里消耗减少策略呢？

It can be tempting to cut calories dramatically when trying to lose fat. However, eating far below your energy needs can create several problems.
在尝试减脂时，大幅减少热量摄入或许很有吸引力。然而，如果摄入的热量远远低于身体的需求，就会引发一系列问题。

You may experience:  您可能会遇到以下情况：

· Lower training performance
· 训练效果下降

· Increased fatigue  · 疲劳感加剧

· Poorer recovery  · 恢复情况较差

· Greater hunger  · 更强烈的渴望感

· Reduced ability to maintain muscle
· 维持肌肉的能力下降

· Difficulty consuming enough protein and nutrients
· 难以摄入足够的蛋白质和营养物质

Weight may drop quickly, but rapid scale loss does not necessarily mean rapid fat loss. Some of the decrease can come from water, glycogen, and lean tissue.
体重可能会迅速下降，但体重的快速减少并不一定意味着脂肪的迅速流失。部分体重下降可能来自水分、糖原以及瘦组织的减少。

If muscle gain is one of your goals, there is usually little benefit in making the deficit unnecessarily aggressive.
如果增加肌肉量是你的目标之一，那么过度增加训练强度通常并没有什么好处。

How Fast Should You Lose Weight?
你应该以多快的速度减肥呢？

Instead of choosing an extreme calorie target, monitor your progress over several weeks.
与其设定一个极端的卡路里目标，不如在几周的时间里持续监测你的进展。

A commonly used target for gradual fat loss is approximately 0.5–1% of body weight per week, although people pursuing body recomposition may prefer the slower end of that range.
通常用于实现逐步减脂的目标值是每周减少约 0.5%到 1%的体重，不过那些希望维持身体成分的人可能会更倾向于选择较慢的减脂速度。

For someone trying to maximize muscle retention or gain, a slower rate can be more practical.
对于那些希望最大限度地保持或增加肌肉的人来说，较慢的锻炼速度可能更为实用。

Your scale weight can also fluctuate because of:
您的秤的权重也可能因为以下原因而发生变化：

· Water retention  · 水分滞留

· Sodium intake  · 钠的摄入量

· Carbohydrate intake  · 碳水化合物的摄入量

· Menstrual cycle changes 

· Food volume 

· Training-related inflammation 

For this reason, don’t judge your progress based on a single weigh-in. Look at trends over several weeks and consider measurements, photos, clothing fit, and strength performance as well. 

Protein Is Essential for Muscle Growth 

Calories are only part of the equation. If you want to build or maintain muscle during a calorie deficit, getting enough protein is particularly important. 

For people who regularly perform resistance training, a daily protein intake around 1.6–2.2 grams per kilogram of body weight is commonly used as a practical range. 

For example, someone weighing 70 kg might aim for approximately: 

70 × 1.6–2.2 = 112–154 grams of protein per day 

You don’t necessarily need to hit the exact same number every day. Consistency over time matters more. 

Good protein sources include: 

· Chicken and turkey 

· Fish and seafood 

· Eggs 

· Greek yogurt 

· Milk 

· Cottage cheese 

· Lean beef 

· Tofu and tempeh 

· Beans and lentils 

· Protein powders when convenient 

Resistance Training Should Be the Foundation 

If your goal is body recomposition, cardio alone is not enough. 

Resistance training provides the stimulus your muscles need to adapt and grow. A well-designed program should include exercises that target major muscle groups and allow you to gradually increase the difficulty of your training. If you find it difficult to plan workouts on your own, an online training option such as Be Fit with Jess เทรนออนไลน์ can help provide more structure and make it easier to stay consistent. 

Depending on your experience, this could include: 

· Squats and leg presses 

· Deadlifts or hip hinges

· Lunges

· Bench presses or push-ups

· Rows

· Pull-downs or pull-ups

· Shoulder presses

· Accessory exercises for smaller muscle groups

The key is progressive overload. Over time, try to improve your performance through additional weight, repetitions, better technique, or increased training volume.

Don’t Eliminate Carbohydrates and Fats

A calorie deficit does not mean eliminating entire food groups.

Carbohydrates can help support training performance, while dietary fats play important roles in normal physiological functions.

Instead of removing carbohydrates or fats completely, focus on overall calorie intake and food quality.

A balanced diet can include:

· Protein-rich foods

· Fruits and vegetables

· Whole grains and other carbohydrate sources

· Healthy fats

· Adequate fiber

· Plenty of fluids

The best diet is one you can follow consistently while still supporting your training and recovery.

How to Know If Your Deficit Is Working

Your calorie target is a starting point rather than a permanent number.

Track several indicators for at least a few weeks:

Body weight: Look at your weekly average rather than individual measurements.

Strength: If your performance is generally stable or improving, your energy intake may be supporting your training well.

Body measurements: Waist and other measurements can provide useful information that the scale cannot.

Progress photos: Similar lighting, poses, and timing can make changes easier to identify.

Energy and recovery: Persistent fatigue, poor sleep, declining performance, or excessive hunger may indicate that your deficit is too aggressive.

If your weight is not changing after several weeks and fat loss is the goal, a small adjustment may be appropriate. If you’re losing weight rapidly and your training performance is deteriorating, increasing your calorie intake may be worth considering.

What About Cardio?

Cardio can help increase energy expenditure and improve cardiovascular fitness, but more is not always better.

A combination of resistance training and moderate cardio is often easier to sustain than trying to burn large amounts of calories through exercise.

Walking, cycling, jogging, swimming, or other activities can be useful additions. However, make sure cardio does not interfere with your strength training or recovery.

Daily movement outside the gym also matters. Increasing general activity, such as walking more throughout the day, can support fat loss without requiring excessive workouts.

Sleep and Recovery Matter Too

Muscle growth doesn’t happen during the workout itself. Recovery is an important part of the process.

Aim for adequate sleep and allow your muscles enough time to recover between demanding training sessions.

Poor sleep can make training harder and may affect hunger, recovery, and overall adherence to your nutrition plan.

A successful body-recomposition strategy therefore combines:

Moderate calorie deficit + adequate protein + resistance training + recovery + consistency

Can You Gain Muscle While Losing Fat?

Yes, but the rate of progress varies significantly between individuals.

Someone new to strength training may notice relatively quick improvements in strength and body composition. Someone with years of lifting experience and a low body-fat percentage may find simultaneous muscle gain and fat loss much more difficult.

It’s also important to remember that body recomposition is usually a slow process. You may not see dramatic changes on the scale because gaining muscle while losing fat can partially offset changes in body weight.

Instead of asking only, “How much do I weigh?”, consider asking:

· Is my waist measurement decreasing?

· Am I maintaining or improving my strength?

· Do my clothes fit differently?

· Am I recovering well?

· Am I consistently following my nutrition and training plan?

These measurements can provide a much clearer picture of progress.

Moving Forward
If you want to gain muscle while losing fat, you generally don’t need an extreme calorie deficit. Starting around 10–20% below estimated maintenance calories can be a reasonable approach, with adjustments based on your actual progress.

Prioritize adequate protein, regular resistance training, balanced nutrition, sufficient sleep, and patience. The goal isn’t to lose weight as quickly as possible. It’s to create an environment where you can gradually reduce body fat while giving your muscles the nutrition and training stimulus they need.

If you have a medical condition, are significantly underweight, are pregnant, or have a history of disordered eating, calorie restriction should be discussed with a qualified healthcare professional rather than approached through a generic calorie-deficit formula.