This is a continuation of a long topic, addressed by post number rather than by page. Start at post 1.
Frequency: three sessions per week of full-body training is easier to maintain than higher frequencies on an energy deficit. Consistency beats intensity when recovery capacity is limited.
Worth separating two things that post #28 runs together.
Intensity: using weights that allow 6 to 12 reps before fatigue is a reasonable range for preserving muscle. Heavier weights with lower reps can work but require more recovery.
Maintenance is the goal: preserving lean mass and strength during weight loss is the goal of resistance training in this context, not building new muscle. That goal is usually achievable with consistent, moderate training.
post #34 answers the question as asked. The question underneath it is different.
Cardio and resistance: the interaction between energy-intense cardiovascular training and resistance training is real. Moderate cardio is fine; excessive endurance training can interfere with muscle maintenance.
Recovery: heavier training on a energy deficit and on a compound that slows gastric emptying requires attention to recovery (sleep, nutrition, stress). Recovery capacity declines with deficit, so training volume might need adjustment.
Maintenance is the goal: preserving lean mass and strength during weight loss is the goal of resistance training in this context, not building new muscle. That goal is usually achievable with consistent, moderate training.
Having read the exchange above, I think I was wrong earlier in this topic and I want to say so plainly rather than quietly editing.
The correction was fair and I had been repeating something I had not checked carefully enough.
This follows post #41 rather than contradicting it.
Post-weight-loss training: once weight loss is complete and energy deficit ends, training can shift to building again. The transition from preservation mode to building mode is real and worth planning.
Adaptation and plateau: if strength does not change for weeks, that is stability, not backsliding. Expecting continuous progress during weight loss is unrealistic.
Thank you for the correction. I have edited my earlier post with a note rather than silently, so the thread still makes sense to read. The error was mine and it was the kind that comes from remembering a figure instead of looking it up.
Coming back to post #45, because the follow-up matters more than the original answer.
Intensity: using weights that allow 6 to 12 reps before fatigue is a reasonable range for preserving muscle. Heavier weights with lower reps can work but require more recovery.
Picking up post #45: that is the part I would want checked first.
Volume: the number of sets per muscle group per week that supports muscle maintenance is roughly 12 to 18 hard sets. That varies by individual but gives a target range.
Cardio and resistance: the interaction between energy-intense cardiovascular training and resistance training is real. Moderate cardio is fine; excessive endurance training can interfere with muscle maintenance.
Post-weight-loss training: once weight loss is complete and energy deficit ends, training can shift to building again. The transition from preservation mode to building mode is real and worth planning.
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