Lean Mass and switching from loose to gain

[Looseandbuild]

• Started Weight Training 4 times week and Cardio 2 times a week in July 2020
• 190 cm tall
• Started on 2000kcal now at between 1800-1900Kcal so a 700-900kcal deficit
• lost 15.4kg (84.5kg) and 8.28% (12.6%) body fat
• Also lost 5.2kg lean mass (apparently)

My calorie deficit has meant its been nigh on impossible to gain muscle but I have been shocked to realise how much lean mass I have lost since I started. I am now getting to a stage where I would really like to start bulking however my weight and body fat are now pretty static even at this deficit which makes me wonder if I've screwed my metabolism.  If I ever have a day where I'm off on my calorie intake my weight and BF% shoot up and then takes a while to readjust which is making me scared to increase my intake. 

• Started Weight Training 4 times week and Cardio 2 times a week in July 2020
• 190 cm tall
• Started on 2000kcal now at between 1800-1900Kcal so a 700-900kcal deficit
• lost 15.4kg (84.5kg) and 8.28% (12.6%) body fat
• Also lost 5.2kg lean mass (apparently)

Does anyone have any suggestions as to the best way forward?

[Heybales]

First, be aware of how inaccurate figures are from devices that calculate BF%.

Except DEXA which is still an estimate, the others are calculating a figure based on other readings - they are not reading your BF%.

The best ones may be upwards of 5% accurate IF you present exactly the same hydrated body to them - and that is very unlikely.

Not good ones can be 10% or worse. But if consistent they can at least tell a decent story of direction even if absolute figures are not accurate.

Sadly not all are even consistent with inaccurate figures.

If this is your own scale - even gotten off, reset, and got back on to get another figure?

Second, be aware that LBM (Lean Body Mass) is merely everything that is not FM (Fat Mass).

So you drink 16 oz of water you just gained 1 lb of LBM (hence the same hydrated body requirement).

Slightly dehydrated from prior day workout perhaps, and you lost LBM compared to say prior figure.

Third, do you still have over 30-50 lbs to lose to make that deficit amount reasonable?

An unreasonable deficit does cause loss of muscle mass (1 part of LBM along with organs, bones, ect), some studies have shown upwards of 25% of weight loss was muscle mass when several things done poorly.

Weight training is one of 3 legs to maintain it, reasonable deficit for amount to lose, and enough protein (2g per kg bodyweight).

So at least it sounds like you have 1 leg. How much protein you doing and what is current weight and goal weight?

Beyond those points, you are expected to lose some LBM, as you have less fat, you need less water volume in blood and intracellular.

You may even need less muscle carrying around less mass, still a bummer to lose it since so hard to increase it.

So taking into account inaccuracies in readings, and expected loss - you may be reasonable. Though that does sound high on the surface if your scale is consistent.

Muscle mass is a small part of your daily metabolism.

Your body's first reaction to unreasonable deficit is get you to move less in spontaneous activity, so actually burn less daily to make the deficit less.

Then slow down some optional processes like hair/nail growth and skin replenishment, keeping the warmth up so you just put on more clothes when feeling cold. During this time is when muscle just isn't rebuilt from the normal daily breakdown that occurs, if it's not used and there isn't enough protein in diet, amino acids required for more basic life sustaining purposes.

If all that doesn't help body reduce the deficit, then your base metabolism will adapt worse (that's where women start losing their periods as that is high energy use, sleeping more can occur, hair fallout).