Where did I go wrong muscle gone

[Aidan]

Hey guys I’m in a bit of a rut, 28 year old male relatively fit about 2 months ago I set a goal I wanted to cut and lose some body fat (was not chubby or overweight) just wanted to show my abs.

I train hard iv been consistent with diet and training and I have lost weight and my abs are more present BUT the big problem is I have found especially my arms have shrunk in size even tho iv been training hard consistently and with intensity.

My diet has been 2 meals a day high protein lunch and dinner consuming roughly 170-210 G protein per day and I weight 79kg.

My workouts haven’t really gone up in weight but I have felt my strength has been great.

So to wrap up super happy iv lost weight and able to shred up but very upsetting that I have lost muscle mass even tho iv been training so hard. Where do you think I have gone wrong?

And before you say you lose muscle while shredding I was really under the impression thro research and talking to people you could build muscle while on a calorie deficit or am I completely wrong.

Not sure where to go from here feeling a bit deflated literally.

Thanks

 

[flexymcflexface]

Hey mate, first off, congrats on sticking to your plan and achieving your goal of showing your abs!

That’s a big win, and you should be proud of the progress you’ve made.

I get how frustrating it can be to feel like you're losing muscle size along the way, so let’s unpack what might be going on and how you can course-correct.


1. Muscle Loss in a Calorie Deficit

While it is possible to maintain or even build some muscle in a calorie deficit (especially for beginners, people returning to training, or those with excess body fat), it becomes increasingly difficult as you get leaner. Here’s why:

• Energy Deficit: To lose fat, you need to consume fewer calories than you burn. If the deficit is too large, your body may use muscle as an energy source.
• Protein Breakdown vs. Synthesis: Even with high protein intake, a calorie deficit can tip the scales toward more muscle breakdown than synthesis, especially for lean individuals.

2. Two Meals a Day

Eating only two meals a day may not be optimal for muscle preservation. Research suggests that spreading your protein intake across 3–4 meals helps maximize muscle protein synthesis throughout the day. Consider adding a high-protein breakfast or a post-workout snack (e.g., a shake with ~30g protein).


3. Training Volume and Intensity

You mentioned your strength has been great, but your weights haven’t gone up. While maintaining strength is a good sign, muscle growth (or preservation) often requires progressive overload. Ensure you’re progressively increasing the weight, reps, or overall training volume to challenge your muscles. Focus on compound lifts and consider incorporating some hypertrophy-specific work.


4. Caloric Deficit Size

If your deficit is too aggressive, it’s more likely you’ll lose muscle. Make sure you’re not cutting too many calories. A slight deficit (10–20% below maintenance) is usually sufficient for fat loss without sacrificing too much muscle.


5. Expectations vs. Reality

It’s normal to lose a bit of size while cutting due to:

• Glycogen and Water Loss: Your muscles might appear smaller because they’re storing less glycogen and water during a cut.
• Body Fat Distribution: Losing fat in specific areas can make other areas look smaller. For example, leaner arms might just be a side effect of overall fat loss.

6. Next Steps

Here’s what I’d recommend:

• Assess Your Caloric Intake: Use a calorie calculator to ensure your deficit isn’t too steep.
• Protein Timing: Spread out your protein intake across 3–4 meals (e.g., 30–50g per meal).
• Adjust Training: Focus on progressive overload and include hypertrophy work. Ensure you’re training each muscle group at least twice a week.
• Refeeds or Diet Breaks: If you’ve been in a deficit for two months, a refeed or short diet break (a week at maintenance calories) can help restore glycogen, boost hormones, and give your muscles a fuller appearance.
• Patience: Building or even maintaining muscle in a deficit requires time and precision. Keep consistent and adjust based on your results.

Cutting and retaining size is a fine balance, but you’ve already achieved a great result. Tweaking your nutrition and training can help you hold onto that hard-earned muscle while staying lean. Keep going—you’re doing great!

 

[Aidan]

Thanks so much for the reply and in depth answer, looks like I got a lot of tweaking to do.