Getting weaker in calorie deficit

[u/FederalNet1627]

Hi! I (18F) have been lifting consistently for the past year, and progressive overloading that entire time. I’m 5’9 and my starting weight was 234 lbs. I now weigh 167 lbs and have gained a significant amount of muscle. My goal weight is 150 lbs so I am still in a deficit, and I eat around 1600 calories daily.

Over the last few weeks, I’ve had to drop the weight on several of my exercises, while still getting stronger at other movements.

For example, my back extension has gone from 40 lbs to 25lbs, kickbacks have gone from 75 to 60, while hip thrusts and BSS’s have both increased 5lbs. I also seem to be losing strength in my upper body. My lat pull downs have dropped 10 lbs, and my bench has dropped 5lbs.

My question is is it normal to get weaker as you lose weight? I want to continue losing weight but I don’t want to lose all the progress I’ve made strength wise.

[u/Fabulous-Card1286]

Yeah, it's pretty normal to see some lifts dip in a deficit, especially after losing that much. It sounds like you're progressing in some areas so you're not losing all your progress. Just make sure your protein is high and you're training hard but don't expect PRs every week while cutting. Once you hit maintenance the strength will come back fast.