Anyone else started trying to main build muscle???
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No. Eat at maintenance, lift heavy, hit your protein macros, gain muscle, lose fat.Tedebearduff wrote: »
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Yes, figure out your caloric break-even/maintenance level. Lift heavy weight, preferably compound movements like bench, squat, deadlift, barbell row, assisted dips and pull ups. This worked for me. After I built some muscle I reduced calories slightly and kept lifting. The fat kept coming off and I starting losing weight, more fat than muscle. You may need to adjust your macros (protein/fat/carbs) but for now keep your calories at maintenance and pump iron, if body recomp is what you want to do.0
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gemmamummy wrote: »Yes its called recomping. I've just spent a year doing it, with good results. No weight gained or lost, just reduced body fat and increased muscle mass.
@gemmamummy Do you mind sharing some details on how this worked out for you? Did you just eat at maintenance? What strength training program do you use? I’m not sure if I want to bulk or do a recomp. Ideally I want to gain lots of muscle mass faster, but the idea of gaining does scare me a bit.0 -
Question on recomp calories on off days. On lift days, I eat at maintenance. I do 3 days legs, 3 days upper body. With 10-20 min cardio before. If I take a day off, should I lower my calories that day? I have the UP24 band and I tracked my daily burn on a spreadsheet (I know, crazy), but I know that on a day that I lift and run, I'm burning 1650-1700, sometimes a bit more. On an off day only 1385. My BMR is 1297. Should I cut calories on off days?
Thank you.0 -
You can recomp with same calories every day (TDEE method) or using the MFP eat back exercise calories method.Question on recomp calories on off days. On lift days, I eat at maintenance. I do 3 days legs, 3 days upper body. With 10-20 min cardio before. If I take a day off, should I lower my calories that day? I have the UP24 band and I tracked my daily burn on a spreadsheet (I know, crazy), but I know that on a day that I lift and run, I'm burning 1650-1700, sometimes a bit more. On an off day only 1385. My BMR is 1297. Should I cut calories on off days?
Thank you.
Personal choice.
There may be some small benefit in nutrient timing around exercise but really for normal people we aren't talking about a huge difference.
Far more important to have a good training regime than over-emphasise minor details that are more relevant to elite athletes or physique competitors IMO.
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Tedebearduff wrote: »
Not true.0 -
Wait!! I'm late we're all in recomp mode!! Just kidding I'm still cutting to then recomp
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@Emilia777. I used the calorie calculator in scoobysworkshop.com to find my appropriate intake (it says build muscle, lose fat). Which worked out at around 1850 per day. I did the Allpro beginners workout 3 days a week plus 20 mins cardio and was patient. The scales would sometimes go up but I resisted temptation to drop my calories and just accepted the fluctuations as part of the process. Fast forward to now and I still weigh the same as when I began but look very different. Recomping is slow, but if you want to make a change without adding alot of fat and are willing to ride it out then great. I considered bulking but the thought of then having to drop calories to cut was horrible. With 1850 cals, I can eat a bit of what I fancy every day without it feeling like a 'diet' and never feel hungry. Its sustainable and something I could keep on with year on year. Do it!!!0
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I am on a small cut atm shouldn't take me too long then onto hopefully a year long recomp.
I am currently doing 5/3/1 with light cardio but plan on starting C25K in May and hoping that will help my cut down to 140 then onto maintenance and recomp.0 -
I have started using a whey protein supplement and am getting much better results than before. Also maintaining weight and building muscle, like you.0
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gemmamummy wrote: »@Emilia777. I used the calorie calculator in scoobysworkshop.com to find my appropriate intake (it says build muscle, lose fat). Which worked out at around 1850 per day. I did the Allpro beginners workout 3 days a week plus 20 mins cardio and was patient. The scales would sometimes go up but I resisted temptation to drop my calories and just accepted the fluctuations as part of the process. Fast forward to now and I still weigh the same as when I began but look very different. Recomping is slow, but if you want to make a change without adding alot of fat and are willing to ride it out then great. I considered bulking but the thought of then having to drop calories to cut was horrible. With 1850 cals, I can eat a bit of what I fancy every day without it feeling like a 'diet' and never feel hungry. Its sustainable and something I could keep on with year on year. Do it!!!
Just curious @gemmamummy, when you say fast forward to now, how long did the process take when you really started to notice changes as far as fat loss?0 -
gemmamummy wrote: »@Emilia777. I used the calorie calculator in scoobysworkshop.com to find my appropriate intake (it says build muscle, lose fat). Which worked out at around 1850 per day. I did the Allpro beginners workout 3 days a week plus 20 mins cardio and was patient. The scales would sometimes go up but I resisted temptation to drop my calories and just accepted the fluctuations as part of the process. Fast forward to now and I still weigh the same as when I began but look very different. Recomping is slow, but if you want to make a change without adding alot of fat and are willing to ride it out then great. I considered bulking but the thought of then having to drop calories to cut was horrible. With 1850 cals, I can eat a bit of what I fancy every day without it feeling like a 'diet' and never feel hungry. Its sustainable and something I could keep on with year on year. Do it!!!
Thank you so much for sharing this! It’s so helpful to get an idea of how others go about it. I definitely like your approach - I’m writing this info in my “to bulk or not to bulk” file
Can’t wait to be in the position to do *something* focused on building muscle (still trying to lower my bf% a bit first). Thanks again! 0 -
I have started using a whey protein supplement and am getting much better results than before. Also maintaining weight and building muscle, like you.
I started using protein supplements too about 8-10 weeks back when I realized I seriously was missing the protein macro boat. Things are really starting to take off now in terms of strength and definition and I'm loving it.
My goal is around 100g a day. I get about 30-40% of those from shakes/bars. My favorite shake right now is Designer Protein Lite Strawberry Sundae. I don't know what they put in them, but they are so filling for 60 cals + 6 cals of cashew milk (1/4c). It takes me 1-2 hours at work to finish one. I also really like the Pure Protein Chocolate Deluxe bars.
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@lisag0109 I started properly (actually eating enough to encourage muscle growth!) in May last year, but I would say it was around January this year that I took my first comparison photo and saw a huge difference. I have a before and after pic on my profile that is 8 months apart.0
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add me please need tips an motivation. Want to maintain but build muscle.
SUCH a painfully slooooow process but worth the hard work & patience in the end.
So my tip would be make sure your mentality is on par otherwise you may get frustrated & quit.
Best of luck to you!
P.S. - Congrats on reaching your goal!0
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