Calorie deficit | Veedma's evidence-based men's health articles

Can you build muscle in a deficit? The science of body recomposition

Dr. Bruno Rodriguez, DPT, CSCS: Strength, Recovery, and Physical Therapy Expert

Jan 02, 2026 · 10 min read

Building muscle in a calorie deficit is possible when the deficit is mild (about 200–300 calories below maintenance) and paired with high protein intake plus progressive resistance training, allowing stored body fat to help cover the energy cost of muscle protein synthesis through improved nutrient partitioning. The key is learning the physiological “rules” that let ...

Can you build muscle in a calorie deficit? The science of body recomposition

Dr. Bruno Rodriguez, DPT, CSCS: Strength, Recovery, and Physical Therapy Expert

Dec 29, 2025 · 10 min read

Men can build muscle while in a calorie deficit when resistance training drives muscle protein synthesis and the body mobilizes stored fat to subsidize the energy cost of new tissue. The effect is most pronounced in beginners, men returning after a layoff, and those with higher body-fat, but the “margin for error” is small if ...

Can somatic exercises for weight loss actually help men get lean?

Dr. Jonathan Pierce, PhD: Clinical Psychologist & Neuroscience Specialist

Dec 27, 2025 · 9 min read

Somatic exercises don’t meaningfully drive fat loss through calorie burn, but they can help men get leaner by shifting the autonomic nervous system from sympathetic “fight-or-flight” to parasympathetic “rest-and-digest,” lowering chronic HPA-axis stress and cortisol — a hormone linked to visceral abdominal fat accumulation in men. If you’re training hard and dieting but your midsection ...

Low calorie protein shakes: How to keep muscle while cutting fat

Dr. Bruno Rodriguez, DPT, CSCS: Strength, Recovery, and Physical Therapy Expert

Dec 17, 2025 · 11 min read

Low calorie protein shakes can help preserve lean mass during a cut by delivering essential amino acids (especially leucine) that stimulate muscle protein synthesis and support a positive nitrogen balance even in a calorie deficit; most lean, resistance-trained men need about 1.6–2.4 g/kg/day of protein to minimize muscle loss. Here’s how to use shakes to ...