What happens if you lift heavy whilst eating maintenance calories?

Since the new year I've been losing weight, and I now my BMI is just under 21. I originally set myself a goal to have a BMI of 20, which would involve losing another 5lbs, but I'm not sure if I want to go that low, as I like having a bit of curve to my body and in all honesty it's not going to make me any healthier than I am now,just miserable trying to maintain a weight my body doesn't seem to naturally want to be.

Anyway, I know that now my main goal is to get more definition. At the minute I am home for the summer and can't really afford to pay a fiver every time I go to the gym, so I'm waiting until I go back to uni to start with the serious heavy lifting stuff. I'm thinking of starting the 5x5 strong lifts programme. In the meantime I do have some dumbbells which are doing the job at giving me more definition in my upper body, and I'm progressively loading up a rucksack with weights for squats and lunges, so I don't feel so intimidated when I do get to the gym.

Anyway, my plan is to continue eating at a defecit over the rest of the summer just to get rid of as much fat as possible. I know lifting heavy at a defecit allows you to keep more muscle, whilst eating more than you need helps you gain muscle, my question is will it do me any good to lift weights and increase my calories to roughly maintenance level? Will my body composition change at all? Or will I have to keep eating at a defecit which quite frankly is making me miserable until I am completely happy with my physique? I do NOT want to do bulking/ cutting cycles, seems quite unnecessary seeing as I'm not after a body builder physique here, just a tight round ass and defined arms.

Sorry if it's a bit ramblh and unclear what my point is, if you need me to clarify anything go ahead. Also any advice on heavy lifting would be much appreciated, I'm an absolute noob and I don't even know how you attach the weights to the bar.

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Reply 1

drewBusby

Disregard BMI, it does not take your body fat percentage into account. Aim at acquiring a figure you desire, don't aim for a number.

Reply 2

ttankzhang

Eating exactly at maintenance level (factoring in exercise) means you won't lose fat since there's no calorific deficit, but the important thing for gaining muscle is nitric balance. If you take in enough protein, you can build muscle even at a calorific deficit.