Is it possible to maintain muscle without working out?

Question is exactly as the thread states. Can you keep what mass you have with a certain diet or is weight training always going to be a factor even in maintenance?
 
Simply put, no.

Working out is a stimulus for muscle growth. Take that stimulus away, and there's no growth. Instead, your body starts adapting to complacency, and muscle size decreases. It's the typical "use it or lose it" principal.

Diet can control your weight and body composition to a degree, but dont' expect an increase in protein and decrease in fats/carbs to stave off muscle atrophy due to disuse. You can keep your weight up/down, whatever you choose, but if you keep it up, you'll be carrying more fat, keep it down and you'll likely loose even more muscle.

Another point is, you said "work out" in the subject, but "weight training" in the post. It's possible to maintain muscle mass without weight training, using other forms of resistance - body weight, stretch cables, etc. However, won't be able to lift as much if you go back to weight lifting, since you're not using the muscles in the same exercise-specific manner.
 
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