When to switch to maintenance/recomp?

PeachyPlum

I'm 5' 2" and weigh 107 pounds, which puts me at a BMI of 19.6 (but on a small frame). I do some cardio (running) and am about to start learning to lift in the next two weeks.

My initial plan was to continue at a deficit until I was about 102 (low end of a healthy BMI at 18.5) and then start eating at a small surplus as I started lifting.

The number on the scale isn't important to me, and I'm pretty much at the size I'd like to be... I'd just like it to be a little less squishy all around.

Does that seem like a reasonable strategy? Or will I start putting on that "beginner's" muscle when I start lifting, and never actually hit my goal weight, and then stall out because I'm not eating enough to lift?

Or (most likely): Am I overthinking this?

joepratt503

definitely overthinking. Losing weight quickly is hard to maintain and requires significant effort all the way through...where it may be true that keeping a deficit will keep you losing (generally) its 35 days @ 100 deficit to lose a pound.

My thought is that when I cannot get .5 a week without serious macro control and feeling hungry and/or fatigued is when I will stop my cut and start reversing into maintenance and then into bulk to start again next Jan.

Your "newbie" gains aren't going to put on a pound a week and it may be negligible depending on HOW you are planning on lifting when you do...so just find a spot where you like the way you look and feel, stabilize there, and then plan the next move

Good luck!!

DancingMoosie

I would just try to start lifting and eating at maintenance. See how that works for at least a month, then re-evaluate based on results.

gemmamummy

I would say do your re-comp now. You're at a good weight currently, I would eat at maintenance and lift. A year ago I started a recomp at 102lbs (I'm 4'11) and I ate just above maintenance. A year on, I still weigh 102lbs, but have shed 5% body fat, 3 inches off waist and have a lot more visible muscle. Like you, I tried to lift on a deficit before switching to maintenance, to lose those last couple of pounds (which I didn't need to). I felt weak and found it hard. Not saying you will, but I found the closer I got to my low goal weight the harder it was, as soon as I up cals to above maintenance, the strength came. Recomping takes time though. So be prepared to wait to see results and there will be fluctuations in your weight along the way.

arditarose

gemmamummy wrote: »

I would say do your re-comp now. You're at a good weight currently, I would eat at maintenance and lift. A year ago I started a recomp at 102lbs (I'm 4'11) and I ate just above maintenance. A year on, I still weigh 102lbs, but have shed 5% body fat, 3 inches off waist and have a lot more visible muscle. Like you, I tried to lift on a deficit before switching to maintenance, to lose those last couple of pounds (which I didn't need to). I felt weak and found it hard. Not saying you will, but I found the closer I got to my low goal weight the harder it was, as soon as I up cals to above maintenance, the strength came. Recomping takes time though. So be prepared to wait to see results and there will be fluctuations in your weight along the way.

Nice work! 3 inches off the waist in a year is pretty amazing actually. I hope I can have results like that.

sijomial

Yes over thinking it.
The right time to lift is always now. Adding more muscle weight than the fat you burn is the least likely outcome (especially for a female).

You can adjust your weight at any time by simply changing your calorie allowance - what you do now doesn't have to be set in stone forever.
For example I've been maintaining and recomping for ages but have just started a small cut to get down to my summer cycling weight.

The keys to recomp in my experience is:
Eat at maintenance calories, lift heavy things, enjoy life (including training & food), be patient.

PeachyPlum

sijomial wrote: »

Yes over thinking it.

The keys to recomp in my experience is:
Eat at maintenance calories, lift heavy things, enjoy life (including training & food), be patient.

Sounds good to me! Thanks to everyone who responded, I figured I was making it overcomplicated - trying to lose that last few pounds has been ridiculously slow, and I couldn't care less what the scale reads.

I'll stick to my small deficit until my lifting lessons begin, then start eating at maintenance!

maxit

sijomial wrote: »

Yes over thinking it.
The right time to lift is always now. Adding more muscle weight than the fat you burn is the least likely outcome (especially for a female).

You can adjust your weight at any time by simply changing your calorie allowance - what you do now doesn't have to be set in stone forever.
For example I've been maintaining and recomping for ages but have just started a small cut to get down to my summer cycling weight.

The keys to recomp in my experience is:
Eat at maintenance calories, lift heavy things, enjoy life (including training & food), be patient.

jessicadb2

joepratt503 wrote: »

definitely overthinking.
My thought is that when I cannot get .5 a week without serious macro control and feeling hungry and/or fatigued is when I will stop my cut and start reversing into maintenance and then into bulk to start again next Jan.



Good luck!!

I am not in maintenance but I find I will be fatigued if I am losing, period. If I am not tired generally I am only losing a very small amount a week, 1 lb or less, and given the amount I need to lose I want to lose more quickly and get the weight off in at most 2 years. I am so sick of being so obese.

TitaniaEcks

Overthinking for sure. You're already at the lower end of the weight that a doctor would want you to be, plus added muscle burns calories. Do it now.

Gska17

I'm going to add you if you don't mind. I woke up this morning, stepped on the scale, put on my skinny jeans (which are loose) and just had a feeling today is the day. Enough. BMI of 20, fine. I'm really tired.

I've been analyzing this to death all day!

determined_14

I think I'm jumping into maintenance too, at least for now. I wouldn't mind losing another 5-ish pounds, so that my current weight is the top of my maintenance range, but I just bought Fitness Blender's 4-week mass/muscle building program, and if I start it right away, I'll finish up right before we go to Alaska for vacation. I doubt I'll try an actual bulk, but I will work up to maintenance eating in the next couple weeks. Cheers on your new adventure!

keithcw_the_first

I was in a similar situation. I opted for a bulk, but could (should?) have flipped to maintenance and kept lifting.

gothchiq

It sounds to me that you're already quite lean. Lifting is now? lol.... I have been lifting all along, but have been doing much better at it eating maintenance including whey protein supplements than I did at a deficit and without them. I think I did benefit from the "newbie gains" muscle effect. Thank heavens for that lol. I have not gotten any heavier, or either larger or smaller, but there is now plenty of muscle definition where before there was not. I assume that this is recomp. So you could pretty much do the same things at this point if you choose.

arditarose

gothchiq wrote: »

It sounds to me that you're already quite lean. Lifting is now? lol.... I have been lifting all along, but have been doing much better at it eating maintenance including whey protein supplements than I did at a deficit and without them. I think I did benefit from the "newbie gains" muscle effect. Thank heavens for that lol. I have not gotten any heavier, or either larger or smaller, but there is now plenty of muscle definition where before there was not. I assume that this is recomp. So you could pretty much do the same things at this point if you choose.

So your measurements have not changed either?