# Will I lose muscle on 600 calories per day?



## wikidme (Apr 26, 2013)

Consider 600 calories per day, all coming from protein, ( so 150g protein ) .

If you do this only a few days per week, will you lose muscle? And if so, why? 150g protein should easily cover muscle and gluconeogenesis requirements and remaining calories can all come from adipose tissue fat, so why would you lose muscle on this?

considering the 5:2 diet


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## paulandabbi (Mar 13, 2013)

You will die on 600kcals a day lol


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## OldMan (May 8, 2013)

Yep book your own funeral matey


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## IGotTekkers (Jun 6, 2012)

You will lose muscle, fat, your sanity, your health.


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## Queenie (May 30, 2013)

600 cals two days a week not on training days and not consecutive days.

I know ppl that have lost WEIGHT on it... can't see it being good for muscle preservation though.


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## Dead lee (Jul 4, 2010)

600 cals a day.. why?

I eat more than that for breakfast and still lose my target weight 1kg for the week

Imo yes you will, your metabolism will react badly to those cals and drop like a stone


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## foodaddict (Feb 11, 2013)

Dead lee said:


> 600 cals a day.. why?
> 
> I eat more than that for breakfast and still lose my target weight 1kg for the week
> 
> Imo yes you will, your metabolism will react badly to those cals and drop like a stone


X 2

Why??

Why the need for such a drastic deficit? You could lose fat, maintain muscle and feel much more comfortable and healthier by eating more calories than this. Its unnecessary suffering


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## AndyTee (Dec 23, 2012)

You will lose approx 70 % fat & 30% muscle if you do this long term.

If you do it on odd days you will only really lose water and deplete glycogen levels.

Why are you doing this?

What is your goal?


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## Squirrel (Jun 7, 2009)

Been doing the 5:2 for around 6 weeks now, Tues & Sat 600 cals per day, mainly from protein. No loss of strength, no loss of muscle size, increased definition, reduced body fat. There is a very good Panorama documentary on YouTube covering fasting diets, the proof is there to see. If some of the people replying actually read the OP's post & took onboard the 5:2 they'd realise that you only restrict your diet to 600 cals for 2 x 24hr periods per week, the rest of the week you eat normally. Leading up to a fast day I have my normal evening meal, next food is breakfast the following morning, protein shake & banana (300 cals), the same for lunch, then back to a normal evening meal. I was very sceptical but it's so easy & it works. Give it a go mate.


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## Pain2Gain (Feb 28, 2012)

Only reason I can even think of is if your were a fat snack but had some muscle hiding some where under the blubber but even so 600cals is extremely drastic and youd end up looking like i did years ago, ie like I'd just escaped a ww2 concentration camp


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## Squirrel (Jun 7, 2009)

Pain2Gain said:


> Only reason I can even think of is if your were a fat snack but had some muscle hiding some where under the blubber but even so 600cals is extremely drastic and youd end up looking like i did years ago, ie like I'd just escaped a ww2 concentration camp


It's the 5:2 fasting diet, not every day!


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## monkeybiker (Jul 21, 2010)

I don't think people are reading it correctly. It's not every day but 1-2 days a week.

I would think one day a week doing this and the other days eating maintanance would be fine.


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## Pain2Gain (Feb 28, 2012)

Squirrel said:


> Been doing the 5:2 for around 6 weeks now, Tues & Sat 600 cals per day, mainly from protein. No loss of strength, no loss of muscle size, increased definition, reduced body fat. There is a very good Panorama documentary on YouTube covering fasting diets, the proof is there to see. If some of the people replying actually read the OP's post & took onboard the 5:2 they'd realise that you only restrict your diet to 600 cals for 2 x 24hr periods per week, the rest of the week you eat normally. Leading up to a fast day I have my normal evening meal, next food is breakfast the following morning, protein shake & banana (300 cals), the same for lunch, then back to a normal evening meal. I was very sceptical but it's so easy & it works. Give it a go mate.


Ok that makes a bit more sense of it. Might of helped if that was explained in the opening post though


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## Squirrel (Jun 7, 2009)

Hamster said:


> And train on that many cals? :confused1:


Why not, I train on fasting days with no issues. I have 5 days a week when I'm taking in 3500 cals.


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## Dead lee (Jul 4, 2010)

Squirrel said:


> Been doing the 5:2 for around 6 weeks now, Tues & Sat 600 cals per day, mainly from protein. No loss of strength, no loss of muscle size, increased definition, reduced body fat. There is a very good Panorama documentary on YouTube covering fasting diets, the proof is there to see. If some of the people replying actually read the OP's post & took onboard the 5:2 they'd realise that you only restrict your diet to 600 cals for 2 x 24hr periods per week, the rest of the week you eat normally. Leading up to a fast day I have my normal evening meal, next food is breakfast the following morning, protein shake & banana (300 cals), the same for lunch, then back to a normal evening meal. I was very sceptical but it's so easy & it works. Give it a go mate.


Whats your maintenance calories for a normal day?

I understand the fasting phases people are doing & there are benefits to it.. personally its not my thing and hate everything about fasting/starving etc and the feeling i get while doing it.


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## KRSOne (Jul 31, 2011)

wikidme said:


> Consider *600 calories per day*, all coming from protein, ( so 150g protein ) .
> 
> If you do this only a few days per week, will you lose muscle? And if so, why? 150g protein should easily cover muscle and gluconeogenesis requirements and remaining calories can all come from adipose tissue fat, so why would you lose muscle on this?
> 
> considering the 5:2 diet


op wasnt very clear


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## Squirrel (Jun 7, 2009)

Dead lee said:


> Whats your maintenance calories for a normal day?
> 
> I understand the fasting phases people are doing & there are benefits to it.. personally its not my thing and hate everything about fasting/starving etc and the feeling i get while doing it.


Around 3500 per day on a non fasting day mate.


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## Dead lee (Jul 4, 2010)

Squirrel said:


> Around 3500 per day on a non fasting day mate.


Not bad maintenance cals, i can lose a steady 2 pounds on 4000 a day but everyone's maintenance is different.

I believe the more you mess around with calories the more you mess with your metabolism, slowly lowering it, i know people struggling to lose weight on 1800 a day, constantly on and off fad diets losing & gaining weight again.


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## wikidme (Apr 26, 2013)

Squirrel said:


> Been doing the 5:2 for around 6 weeks now, Tues & Sat 600 cals per day, mainly from protein. No loss of strength, no loss of muscle size, increased definition, reduced body fat. There is a very good Panorama documentary on YouTube covering fasting diets, the proof is there to see. If some of the people replying actually read the OP's post & took onboard the 5:2 they'd realise that you only restrict your diet to 600 cals for 2 x 24hr periods per week, the rest of the week you eat normally. Leading up to a fast day I have my normal evening meal, next food is breakfast the following morning, protein shake & banana (300 cals), the same for lunch, then back to a normal evening meal. I was very sceptical but it's so easy & it works. Give it a go mate.


Thanks for that, so muscle loss on this diet is not a concern then. Definitely gonna do this now then, 2 days per week low carb 600 cals, mostly from protein. Rest of days normal cals.

As a side note, I was also wondering what it is exactly about calorie deficit that makes you lose muscle even if your hitting 150g protein per day.


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## dirtymusket1 (May 24, 2008)

on tuesday and saturday each week?

That'll work but don't be tempted to do more or your body will go into famine mode and shut down.


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## Inapsine (Dec 17, 2011)

Im interested how you will eat just 150g of protein without eating atleast some other macro nutrients....


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## Poke (May 31, 2012)

You wont lose muscle if its just 2 days a week, it would be like carb cycling, only a really innefecient way to do it which wont work very well.

All you will do for the 2 days is lose the glycogen in your muscle's and become flat and also a bit of water, then you will go back to eating normal and re fill the glycogen back up... the only fat you will lose will be how much you are at a defecit over the whole week (it would be no different than just eating less cals each day instead of starving yourself for 2)

You need to do 3-4 days then do a carb up for 1-2 days then go again for 3-5 days ect you can mess about with it, it always keeps the body guessing. But you will need fat for energy on the no carb days or you will eat muscle.


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## wikidme (Apr 26, 2013)

Inapsine said:


> Im interested how you will eat just 150g of protein without eating atleast some other macro nutrients....


I was thinking x2 shakes of 75g whey. Its not PURE protein but close enough.

I also intend to eat alot of sauerkraut on the low cal days for the fiber/vinegar/SCFA which can help lower bodyfat.


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## funkdocta (May 29, 2013)

RXQueenie said:


> 600 cals two days a week not on training days and not consecutive days.
> 
> I know ppl that have lost WEIGHT on it... can't see it being good for muscle preservation though.


Yes that is the 5/2 diet. It is proven to be very effective, there was a bbc horizon show about fasting diets. They actually increase your life span by reducing IGF 1. Not good for body builders but if u want live longer its great haha!


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## Inapsine (Dec 17, 2011)

wikidme said:


> I was thinking x2 shakes of 75g whey. Its not PURE protein but close enough.
> 
> I also intend to eat alot of sauerkraut on the low cal days for the fiber/vinegar/SCFA which can help lower bodyfat.


sounds horrendous


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## Zola (Mar 14, 2012)

Yes. Most definitely.


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## rectus (Jan 18, 2012)

wikidme said:


> I was thinking x2 shakes of 75g whey. Its not PURE protein but close enough.
> 
> I also intend to eat alot of sauerkraut on the low cal days for the fiber/vinegar/SCFA which can help lower bodyfat.


Liquid calories on the low calorie days? I would eat something with a bit more substance to keep hunger at bay for a longer. Whey is in and out faster than a Warhammer devotee visiting a brothel.


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## Zola (Mar 14, 2012)

Looks like you'll be eating your muscles for meals on that diet!


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## simonthepieman (Jun 11, 2012)

Please be aware these diets are aimed at joe public and not trained athletes.

One day would be fine. But 2 days could affect your training at 600. If you want to take this approach I would shoot for 1000 cals with a little more fat in the diet.


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## ducky699 (Jul 23, 2012)

i think that it sounds like a pretty cool idea...let me know how it goes matey, start a log


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## Heath (Mar 3, 2011)

if you want to use extremes then look up Lyle Mcdonalds rapid fat loss diet

http://www.files.failedmiserably.com/data/aironz/The%20Rapid%20Fat%20Loss%20Handbook.pdf

wouldn't really advice it but better than your own plan.


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## marknorthumbria (Oct 1, 2009)

just stop looking for a quick fix or a gimick and sort your self out a diet plan,

protein/carbs/veg around the workout or on workout days

protein/fats/veg everywhere else


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## simonthepieman (Jun 11, 2012)

MutantX said:


> if you want to use extremes then look up Lyle Mcdonalds rapid fat loss diet
> 
> http://www.files.failedmiserably.com/data/aironz/The%20Rapid%20Fat%20Loss%20Handbook.pdf
> 
> wouldn't really advice it but better than your own plan.


My favourite thing about it is that Lyle's first bit of advice on the RFL diet is to not do it


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## Marshan (Aug 27, 2010)

Without a shadow of a doubt.


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## dtlv (Jul 24, 2009)

wikidme said:


> Consider 600 calories per day, all coming from protein, ( so 150g protein ) .
> 
> If you do this only a few days per week, will you lose muscle? And if so, why? 150g protein should easily cover muscle and gluconeogenesis requirements and remaining calories can all come from adipose tissue fat, so why would you lose muscle on this?
> 
> considering the 5:2 diet


Doing this twice a week only is not going to be as detrimental as it at first looks - the key is going to be that you eat properly on your non vlc days and energy intake isn't too low on those days also.

Is just a calorie cycling diet, nothing magic, and fat loss from this diet will largely be determined by net calorie balance over the whole week.


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## mark22 (Jul 13, 2011)

Worked a treat for me last year, just increase protein adequately on other days and add a good carb up at the weekend. Really simple.


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