Ready to Recomp . . .
sgt1372
Posts: 3,977 Member
So, here's an update on my progress.
Started out at 196.2# on 5/16/2016. Hit my initial target of 175 (based on the 7 day moving average) and 174.5 (actual measurement) on 7/30/2016 -- a loss of 21.7 lbs (as measured).
Since I hit my inital target, I thought I should go into maintenance, which I did, which is reflected in only a 2.3# loss (as measured) in the following month.
Had a DEXA scan done on 8/29/2016 with a measured weight of 172.2 lbs and BF of 20.3% -- a measured loss of 24.0 lbs -- or 173.1 and a loss of 23.2# (based on the 7 day moving average).
Thought I still had too much noticeable belly fat after the DEXA scan, so I set a new target of 165lbs. Haven't exactly hit this target yet but weighed in at exactly 166 lbs today (only 1# above the target).
Coincidentally a local mobile truck that does hydrostatic weigh-ins was located nearby today. So, I got weighed this morning and the result was 16.9% BF at 166# -- 137.9# LBM and 28.1# BF -- a loss of 30.2# (as measured) vs 167.6 or a loss of 28.6# (based on the 7 day moving average).
This reading was almost identical to my last hydrostatic weigh-in on 3/23/13, which was at 17.2% BF at 168# - 139# LBM and 28# BF, which followed a squat injury that prevented me from working out for 3 months following the previous hydrostatic weigh-in on 12/1/2012, which was at 14.3% BF at 169# -- 145# LBM and 24# BF.
So, looks like I'm now actually ready to go into recomp mode now. The objective will be to get back to the 12/1/2012 reading by gaining a net 3# of weight by means of increasing LBM by 7# and reducing BF by 4#.
Tricky problem. Wish me luck!
PS: Both DEXA and hydrostatic weigh-ins have about a +/-5% degree of error. This would put the last DEXA scan at 20.3% on 8/29/16 in the range of 19.3-21.3 and the hydrostatic weigh-in at 16.9% on 9/28/16 in the range of 16.1-17.7. So, I'm relatively confident that I've lost 3% BF in the interim despite the different measurement techniques used.
PPS: As external confirmation of the weight loss, I have been able to get back into a couple of 32" pants -- my college size -- that I haven't been able to wear since I weighed the same 3 years ago. Of course, it's vanity sizing. My actual waist measurement is 33.5" but the labels say 32", so I'll take it.
LOL!!
Started out at 196.2# on 5/16/2016. Hit my initial target of 175 (based on the 7 day moving average) and 174.5 (actual measurement) on 7/30/2016 -- a loss of 21.7 lbs (as measured).
Since I hit my inital target, I thought I should go into maintenance, which I did, which is reflected in only a 2.3# loss (as measured) in the following month.
Had a DEXA scan done on 8/29/2016 with a measured weight of 172.2 lbs and BF of 20.3% -- a measured loss of 24.0 lbs -- or 173.1 and a loss of 23.2# (based on the 7 day moving average).
Thought I still had too much noticeable belly fat after the DEXA scan, so I set a new target of 165lbs. Haven't exactly hit this target yet but weighed in at exactly 166 lbs today (only 1# above the target).
Coincidentally a local mobile truck that does hydrostatic weigh-ins was located nearby today. So, I got weighed this morning and the result was 16.9% BF at 166# -- 137.9# LBM and 28.1# BF -- a loss of 30.2# (as measured) vs 167.6 or a loss of 28.6# (based on the 7 day moving average).
This reading was almost identical to my last hydrostatic weigh-in on 3/23/13, which was at 17.2% BF at 168# - 139# LBM and 28# BF, which followed a squat injury that prevented me from working out for 3 months following the previous hydrostatic weigh-in on 12/1/2012, which was at 14.3% BF at 169# -- 145# LBM and 24# BF.
So, looks like I'm now actually ready to go into recomp mode now. The objective will be to get back to the 12/1/2012 reading by gaining a net 3# of weight by means of increasing LBM by 7# and reducing BF by 4#.
Tricky problem. Wish me luck!
PS: Both DEXA and hydrostatic weigh-ins have about a +/-5% degree of error. This would put the last DEXA scan at 20.3% on 8/29/16 in the range of 19.3-21.3 and the hydrostatic weigh-in at 16.9% on 9/28/16 in the range of 16.1-17.7. So, I'm relatively confident that I've lost 3% BF in the interim despite the different measurement techniques used.
PPS: As external confirmation of the weight loss, I have been able to get back into a couple of 32" pants -- my college size -- that I haven't been able to wear since I weighed the same 3 years ago. Of course, it's vanity sizing. My actual waist measurement is 33.5" but the labels say 32", so I'll take it.
LOL!!
7
Replies
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Awesome progress! You've got this 0
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Well done - enjoy your recomp.0
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I'm curious (as I'm in the same general boat)....did that extra weight loss make a noticeable change in belly fat. Yes, I know it comes from all over -- but I'm hoping you'll say that the last bit makes a big impact.0
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congrats!
and great tracking of your progress; really remarkable the gains (or losses, depends on how you look at it!) you've made in such a short amount of time.1 -
I'm curious (as I'm in the same general boat)....did that extra weight loss make a noticeable change in belly fat. Yes, I know it comes from all over -- but I'm hoping you'll say that the last bit makes a big impact.
Thanks to everyone who offered congratulations for my progress.
To answer "nowine4me": There is still some noticeable lower belly fat and wrinkly skin down there (the latter I attribute mainly to old age) BUT dropping the extra 6.2# made a noticeable difference because I went from 137.2# LBM and 35# BF at 172.2# to 138 LBM to 28# BF at 166.
In other words, while I gained less than 1# of LBM, I lost 7# of BF and most of that fat was located in my lower belly.
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Great to know. Hope your recoup puts you right where you want to be!0
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Hi
This is a very helpful thread for a recomp
http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10177803/recomposition-maintaining-weight-while-losing-fat#latest
Good luck in your healthy journey0 -
Took another DXA scan taken today (10/22/16).
The Results:15.96% BF at 166.7# (down from 20.27% and 172.2# from last DXA on 8/29/16). Gained 2.8# LBM and lost 8.3# fat (net loss 5.5#) on a DEFICIT diet of 1785 cal/day (based on a 30 day moving average). During this time I stopped doing any cardio (spin bike or rowing) and focused on heavy lifting (the Big4) and the 3 major body weight exercises (dips/pushups/pullups) 5-7 days a week.
Who says you can't gain LBM on a deficit diet?
Although I weighed-in today at 166.7#, my 7 day moving average weight is currently 165.13# -- right at my target weight of 165. Estimated TDEE 2330 and BMR 1505. DXA estimated RMR at 1664. So, on average, I've been eating about 545 cal/day less than my TDEE and only 280 cal/day over my BMR and only 121 cals over my RMR. 5 days ago, I began increasing my daily intake to 2100 cal/day based on MFP's estimate of what I needed to maintain my weight at 165, but I started to gain weight at that level. So, I am going to drop back down to 1750-1800 cals/day because my weight was pretty stable between 164-166# at that level for the past month before I started increasing my intake to 2100.
Can't directly compare today's DXA results with the hydrostatic test results on 9/29/16 (166# and 16.9%BF) because of the different methodologies (DXA tends to report higher BF%'s than hydrostatic), but today's DXA scan BF% reading today (16%) was less than the hydrostatic reading on 9/29 (16.9%), which confirms the trend. If I took a hydrostatic test today, I would expect the reading to be even lower, possibly at or below 15%BF which is the next objective.
So, it looks like I'm making good progress towards my recomp goals.
If maintain my weight at 166.7, I can drop below 15%BF by just losing 1.6# of BF down to 25# total BF and gaining 1.6# of LBM from 140 to 141.6# (including 7# BMC, which is constant) at my current BW of 166.7#. I think I can do better than this in the next month but this is what I hope to do at a minimum.
We'll see . . .
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It sound like you have made great progress, congratulations. Maybe it's just me, but I'd drop the decimals in any of the measurements you're talking about. There is nothing out there that measures bodyfat to the 100th of a percent (even if it registers that way). Just too many variables, measurement error, etc.1
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Packerjohn wrote: »It sound like you have made great progress, congratulations. Maybe it's just me, but I'd drop the decimals in any of the measurements you're talking about.
Posted a detailed report on my progress and the only thing you can comment about is the decimal points? Duly noted but I prefer posting w/at least 1 or 2 decimal places for precision.
That's just me. If it doesn't make a difference to you, just round off the decimal places in your mind to whole numbers w/o regard to the decimals.
LOL!!!!
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Packerjohn wrote: »It sound like you have made great progress, congratulations. Maybe it's just me, but I'd drop the decimals in any of the measurements you're talking about.
Posted a detailed report on my progress and the only thing you can comment about is the decimal points? Duly noted but I prefer posting w/at least 1 or 2 decimal places for precision.
That's just me. If it doesn't make a difference to you, just round off the decimal places in your mind to whole numbers w/o regard to the decimals.
LOL!!!!
The machine isn't that precise hence why you can't state your values to that decimal level. That aside; good work.2 -
Packerjohn wrote: »It sound like you have made great progress, congratulations. Maybe it's just me, but I'd drop the decimals in any of the measurements you're talking about.
Posted a detailed report on my progress and the only thing you can comment about is the decimal points? Duly noted but I prefer posting w/at least 1 or 2 decimal places for precision.
That's just me. If it doesn't make a difference to you, just round off the decimal places in your mind to whole numbers w/o regard to the decimals.
LOL!!!!
Sorry to offend you, but if re-read my original post the first thing I said was "It sound like you have made great progress, congratulations."
If you want to post with decimal points, it is surely your choice but it is a false "precision" because none of the tools you are using measures (even though they may give a readout) to that level of precision. You said yourself both tools used have a stated 5% +/- error.4 -
Packerjohn wrote: »Sorry to offend you, but if re-read my original post the first thing I said was "It sound like you have made great progress, congratulations."
You didn't offend me. I noted and appreciated the compliment.
I just think that the decimal place thing is trival. Recording BF the way I do doesn't distort results, so I really don't think it matters.
What is more important is how I've been able to reduce BF and increase LBM while on a deficit diet, which eveyone says is difficult to do and is something I thought others would like to know is possible to achieve.
Enuf said. Ciao! 6 -
Just an update.
Dropped down to 161# and 12.1% BF as measured on 12/3/16. Have been maintaining weight between 159-162 for the past month on a 30 day average of 1846 cals/day including 2-3 hrs of exercise (mainly lifting) 3-5 days/week.
1846 cals/day is 12.8% below my average TDEE of 2116 cals/day calculated based on my age (66), BF% and a "lightly active" activity level; 1846 cals/day is closest to the cals needed for a "sedentary" activity level. Average recalculated BMR is only 1485 cals/day.
I briefly increased my food intake to 2100 cals/day based on the TDEE calculations but immediately began to gain weight. Dropped back to 1800-1900 cals/day and my weight dropped back and stabilized at 160# + or - 2#.
Have reported this result elsewhere on MFP and some people get their feathers ruffled when I do so. They deny the possibility of maintaining weight at less than calculated TDEE but they forget that TDEE calculations are just estimates and that people differ.
FYI, I used SailRabbit (which uses 6 different formulas to calculate TDEE and BMR) to arrive at these numbers. See: http://www.sailrabbit.com/bmr.
My weight/cal numbers are extremely accurate and are based on daily weighing and food logging, which I have been recording on Excel for the past 6 months. I stand by them.
My macro goal over this time period was (and continues to be) 40P/40C/20F but my actual macros as recorded by MFP were 35P/39C/26F based on a gross average of 181g protein, 206g carbs and 60g fat per day.
The protein ratio has been between 1.12g per # of BW and 1.27g per # of LBM. Much higher than generally recommended, as was intended, because of my goal to maintain and, if possible, increase LBM while on a deficit diet and based on certain reports that older people need a higher ratio of protein in their diet in order to maintain LBM.
For those who worry about such things, I have experienced no ill effects - physically or medically -- while on this high protein diet. However, I have been supplementing my diet w/psyllium husk for fiber and papaya & pineapple enzyme to aid in the digestion of the protein and to reduce gas. All of these supplements have been effective in doing what the are intended to do.
An increase in my LBM was twice measured during the past 4 months. Between Aug-Oct 2016, LBM as measured by DXA increased 2.8# from 137.2 to 140# and between Sep-Dec 2016, LBM as measured by Hydrostatic Testing increased 3.6# from 137.9 to 141.5. So, I believe that my high protein diet and weight lifting program have proven their effectiveness in not only maintaining but actually increasing my LBM while on a deficit diet.
Based on this data, I have decided that no recomp is needed. I am very happy with where I am now and am going strictly for maintenance from now on. I hope others find this info useful in planning and managing their own weight reduction and/or maintenance program.
Good luck to you all!
5 -
Just an update.
Dropped down to 161# and 12.1% BF as measured on 12/3/16. Have been maintaining weight between 159-162 for the past month on a 30 day average of 1846 cals/day including 2-3 hrs of exercise (mainly lifting) 3-5 days/week.
1846 cals/day is 12.8% below my average TDEE of 2116 cals/day calculated based on my age (66), BF% and a "lightly active" activity level; 1846 cals/day is closest to the cals needed for a "sedentary" activity level. Average recalculated BMR is only 1485 cals/day.
I briefly increased my food intake to 2100 cals/day based on the TDEE calculations but immediately began to gain weight. Dropped back to 1800-1900 cals/day and my weight dropped back and stabilized at 160# + or - 2#.
Have reported this result elsewhere on MFP and some people get their feathers ruffled when I do so. They deny the possibility of maintaining weight at less than calculated TDEE but they forget that TDEE calculations are just estimates and that people differ.
FYI, I used SailRabbit (which uses 6 different formulas to calculate TDEE and BMR) to arrive at these numbers. See: http://www.sailrabbit.com/bmr.
My weight/cal numbers are extremely accurate and are based on daily weighing and food logging, which I have been recording on Excel for the past 6 months. I stand by them.
My macro goal over this time period was (and continues to be) 40P/40C/20F but my actual macros as recorded by MFP were 35P/39C/26F based on a gross average of 181g protein, 206g carbs and 60g fat per day.
The protein ratio has been between 1.12g per # of BW and 1.27g per # of LBM. Much higher than generally recommended, as was intended, because of my goal to maintain and, if possible, increase LBM while on a deficit diet and based on certain reports that older people need a higher ratio of protein in their diet in order to maintain LBM.
For those who worry about such things, I have experienced no ill effects - physically or medically -- while on this high protein diet. However, I have been supplementing my diet w/psyllium husk for fiber and papaya & pineapple enzyme to aid in the digestion of the protein and to reduce gas. All of these supplements have been effective in doing what the are intended to do.
An increase in my LBM was twice measured during the past 4 months. Between Aug-Oct 2016, LBM as measured by DXA increased 2.8# from 137.2 to 140# and between Sep-Dec 2016, LBM as measured by Hydrostatic Testing increased 3.6# from 137.9 to 141.5. So, I believe that my high protein diet and weight lifting program have proven their effectiveness in not only maintaining but actually increasing my LBM while on a deficit diet.
Based on this data, I have decided that no recomp is needed. I am very happy with where I am now and am going strictly for maintenance from now on. I hope others find this info useful in planning and managing their own weight reduction and/or maintenance program.
Good luck to you all!
Great job. I know you said you follow the big 4, are you following a self designed program or preprogrammed like Wendler?
And the bold is really shocking... so shocking I want to bang my head on my desk.2 -
Just an update.
Dropped down to 161# and 12.1% BF as measured on 12/3/16. Have been maintaining weight between 159-162 for the past month on a 30 day average of 1846 cals/day including 2-3 hrs of exercise (mainly lifting) 3-5 days/week.
1846 cals/day is 12.8% below my average TDEE of 2116 cals/day calculated based on my age (66), BF% and a "lightly active" activity level; 1846 cals/day is closest to the cals needed for a "sedentary" activity level. Average recalculated BMR is only 1485 cals/day.
I briefly increased my food intake to 2100 cals/day based on the TDEE calculations but immediately began to gain weight. Dropped back to 1800-1900 cals/day and my weight dropped back and stabilized at 160# + or - 2#.
Have reported this result elsewhere on MFP and some people get their feathers ruffled when I do so. They deny the possibility of maintaining weight at less than calculated TDEE but they forget that TDEE calculations are just estimates and that people differ.
FYI, I used SailRabbit (which uses 6 different formulas to calculate TDEE and BMR) to arrive at these numbers. See: http://www.sailrabbit.com/bmr.
My weight/cal numbers are extremely accurate and are based on daily weighing and food logging, which I have been recording on Excel for the past 6 months. I stand by them.
My macro goal over this time period was (and continues to be) 40P/40C/20F but my actual macros as recorded by MFP were 35P/39C/26F based on a gross average of 181g protein, 206g carbs and 60g fat per day.
The protein ratio has been between 1.12g per # of BW and 1.27g per # of LBM. Much higher than generally recommended, as was intended, because of my goal to maintain and, if possible, increase LBM while on a deficit diet and based on certain reports that older people need a higher ratio of protein in their diet in order to maintain LBM.
For those who worry about such things, I have experienced no ill effects - physically or medically -- while on this high protein diet. However, I have been supplementing my diet w/psyllium husk for fiber and papaya & pineapple enzyme to aid in the digestion of the protein and to reduce gas. All of these supplements have been effective in doing what the are intended to do.
An increase in my LBM was twice measured during the past 4 months. Between Aug-Oct 2016, LBM as measured by DXA increased 2.8# from 137.2 to 140# and between Sep-Dec 2016, LBM as measured by Hydrostatic Testing increased 3.6# from 137.9 to 141.5. So, I believe that my high protein diet and weight lifting program have proven their effectiveness in not only maintaining but actually increasing my LBM while on a deficit diet.
Based on this data, I have decided that no recomp is needed. I am very happy with where I am now and am going strictly for maintenance from now on. I hope others find this info useful in planning and managing their own weight reduction and/or maintenance program.
Good luck to you all!
Congratulations on your progress. Are you finding it easy to maintain 12% bodyfat so far?
I fully appreciate your comment about TDEE calculations as my real world TDEE is lower than all estimates.4 -
Good job0
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Great job. I know you said you follow the big 4, are you following a self designed program or preprogrammed like Wendler?
Thanks!
This time around, I started w/Starting Strength 3x5 but quickly topped out in 3-4 months, as I did with Strong Lifts 5x5, three to four years ago b4 I very seriously injured myself doing squats
My 1RM topped out pretty much as the same place back then at: SQT 195, OHP 107, BP 170 and DL 275. So, what to do now?
I considered 5/3/1, -- read the articles and downloaded the spreadsheets but it just looked too complicated to me. I also considered the Texas Method and other "intermediate" programs but they didn't "click" with me.
Thought there must be something else and started scanning the Net for articles and came across the stuff on doing daily SQT & DL and certain 1RM routines, which made sense to me for a variety of reasons.
So, I just cobbled together what I call my 1RM program, which I have until recently been doing 5 days/wk for SQTs and DL and once a week for BP and OHP.
I recently stopped doing this program for SQTs because I was worried about getting injured again doing SQTs again at such heavy weight for me. So, I have been experimenting w/a lower weight/higher rep approach with SQTs recently.
It would take too much time/space to discuss my 1RM program here but which I did explain it in various posts on Pages 6 & 7 in the the "20Rep Squat Program" thread: http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10356879/20-rep-squat-program#latest.
Check there for details, which you can ask me about here, if you like, to avoid hijacking that thread any further.
Using this program in the past 2 months, I increased my 1RM lifts to: SQT 240, OHP 125, BP 205 and DL 320. This was a ^23.1% for SQT, ^16.4% for DL, ^16.8% for OHP and ^20.6% for BP.
According to Killustrated, these numbers place me in the Elite class for men my age (66) and size (160#) for all categories except SQT which is only considered Advanced by 10#. According to Strength Level, these numbers are Advanced (and just short of Elite) for men my age/weight across the board.
Whether Advanced or Elite, I think these are pretty remarkable improvements over only a 2 month period. While I am still making gains in the DL, my SQT, BP and OHP have pretty much topped out and I have plateaued again.
However, I don't think I want to push the weight much anymore because I really have achieved all of my basic lifting goals -- DL 2xBW, SQT 1.5xBW, BP 1.25xBW and OHP 0.75xBW -- and, at my age, I really do not want to risk injury just to eek out a few more pounds of "glory."
I think that I'm really fit and strong enough as I am. So, I'm reconsidering my weight lifting and exercise options at this time in order to do what I think will work best to help me maintain my weight, LBM and BF at current levels without subjecting myself to needless risk of injury.
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trigden1991 wrote: »Congratulations on your progress. Are you finding it easy to maintain 12% bodyfat so far?
Thanks!
It's too early to say if what I'm doing (or going to do) has been successful in maintaining my BF at 12% because it was just measured at that level 10 days ago.
I was doing a DXA scan and/or Hydrostatic test every month for the past 5 months because I was "curious" about the changes I was seeing in my body and wanted data to confirm it. Every scan/test did, except for one DXA scan which I threw out because the results were inconsistent with the others. However now that I am where I want to be, I'm not going to get scanned or tested so often, unless I start to see changes that I don't like.
Assuming that everything goes to plan, I'll probably just get scanned or tested every 3 months from now on and I can tell you after my next test in March whether I was successful in maintaining my weight at 12% or not.
4
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