Thread: How long does it take to lose muscle mass?

You will lose 100% of your gains.

Body Fat wise is the same song and dance....can't really tell without knowing then and now. But either way, it comes off the same as anyone else and that is how much you diet and cardio.

Although, and this is also a question .. I've heard a term called muscle memory.. wherin, once in shape.. its not so hard to bounce back. Course there is no dates to consider on how long a person has gone without exercise.. but in my case I would gather I could go a few years and still retain some athletics to get back on track, that is if I kept at least a maintance diet or more.

it takes one day

I kinda meant how long would it take to go from big and ripped, to pudgy and fat.

Originally Posted by Morox

I kinda meant how long would it take to go from big and ripped, to pudgy and fat.

Too many variables to put a time line on that.

Well there must be a decent guess at this. Just a difference from noticing the person being ripped and then dropping down to an average person. Any guesses at all?

One or two weeks won't do a thing if your diet is OK. You may feel a little wimpy but if you ask people "Do i look wimpy?" they will laugh at you. Then you will cry and eat ice cream and watch Barney all day while drinking pabst blue ribbon and thinking about the good old days. Your girlfriend dumps you and you decide to really start drinking. Four months later you wake up witha needle stuck in your arm, lipstick on and bruises all over your body.

Originally Posted by Thunder

Too many variables to put a time line on that.

Agreed. It depends on what your diet is like, it depends on your age, it depends on how much muscle mass you have to lose - all which affect your metabolism.

Your muscular growth and decay would follow an exponential growth and decay curve. So it depends where you are up to in the curve when you stop training.

I think that the more you have, the more you have to lose.
Me, I don't use drugs or supplements... or much of a diet at all... so I don't lose a lot of muscle when I take time off.

I doubt you will lose that much, although you will get a bit weaker on some lifts. You could always do pushups/situps or any body weight exercises that are convenient if you can't lift at the time.

Actually, taking a week off from lifting everynow and then is good for you.
Gives your body time to recouperate fully and rest.

I think something is wrong in my arms. Any time I lift something heavy at work, I will feel a sharp pain when I set the item down (in both arms). It happens when I have pressure on my arms, and then I take the pressure off. I feel it when I work out. It's paintful.

Originally Posted by squanto

One or two weeks won't do a thing if your diet is OK. You may feel a little wimpy but if you ask people "Do i look wimpy?" they will laugh at you. Then you will cry and eat ice cream and watch Barney all day while drinking pabst blue ribbon and thinking about the good old days. Your girlfriend dumps you and you decide to really start drinking. Four months later you wake up witha needle stuck in your arm, lipstick on and bruises all over your body.

It must have been painful for you to recall this personal experience. We're not here to judge.

Originally Posted by squanto

One or two weeks won't do a thing if your diet is OK. You may feel a little wimpy but if you ask people "Do i look wimpy?" they will laugh at you. Then you will cry and eat ice cream and watch Barney all day while drinking pabst blue ribbon and thinking about the good old days. Your girlfriend dumps you and you decide to really start drinking. Four months later you wake up witha needle stuck in your arm, lipstick on and bruises all over your body.

Dude, I told you not to ever tell that story around here ever again. Now it won't be a surprise when I publish it in my autobiography.

Originally Posted by Morox

Well there must be a decent guess at this. Just a difference from noticing the person being ripped and then dropping down to an average person. Any guesses at all?

There are many factors that play into this. The most important ones I can think of would be genetics, training age, how advanced you were beyond that of an average person, and of course diet.