How fast can the body lose muscle?

**Undercover** · 08-28-2009, 01:19 PM

I've been on vacation for about a month, with family and lots of home cooking. I've been to the gym a few times but stopped going completely last week.

Also, I let myself go and my diet hasn't been up to standard this past month. My daily protein intake was about 250 g before, but throughout this month it was 100ish. Caloric intake was about 3000ish. I did one good thing though and converted completely to whole grain foods and cut down on simple sugars.

I've lost about 8 lbs so far, but I'm totally lost. I don't notice any changes in muscle size nor in definition. My face definitely looks thinner and I dropped about half an inch from my waist, but shouldn't 8lbs show more than that?

Is a 100g of protein enough to maintain 190 lbs of muscle (now 182 - 5'11")? I'm sure a doctor would say yes, but I think a lot here would disagree. Also, how fast can a body lose muscle in a protein-deficit state?

**MuscleScience** · 08-28-2009, 01:27 PM

Strength and Muscular gains are one of the last things to go as far as training adaptation. Some studies report that there is virtually no strength or mass loss up to 6 months of detraining negating neurological changes.

It would probably be ok to try to increase your protein intake if you can. Your on the low end of the spectrum as far as intake right now. Although you are well within the recommended amount for the average person out there. The body is actually very efficient at holding on to protein. The average adult male can get away with only about 50 grams of protein intake a day. Of course for trained individuals this does not apply really.