Recomposition: Maintaining weight while losing fat

bioklutz

Dang it...I remember why I raised my calories by 50 about 2 months ago. http://www.bodyrecomposition.com/research-review/dissecting-the-energy-needs-of-the-body-research-review.html/ From this article: To put that into mathematical perspective, gaining 20 pounds of muscle would be expected to increase resting energy expenditure by approximately 120 calories per day.

I am positive I did not gain 8.3 pounds of muscle in the past year which would be about 50 calories. I also figured that there would be a small increase in the non resting expenditure and decided 50 would be a nice number to experiment with. It probably is too soon to increase my calories again.

Thanks for bringing up fiber Robertw486. I took a look and in the past 30 days I did have some lower days. I'm going to try remedy that and see if that helps.

briscogun

So can I ask a noob question after reading through some of these posts? So if you want to lose fat/add muscle (recomp?), then you need to focus on weights/heavy lifting and stay away from cardio? Is that the basic premise?

I've lost 25 lbs+ in the last few months and want to kind of improve my physique a bit (showing some abs would be nice, just look more fit in the chest and shoulders, the usual stuff). So from this thread I stopped doing my circuit training (higher reps, less rest) and started bodyweight progressives this morning. I also wanted to start doing a C25K on the off days that I'm not doing my bodyweight exercises, but it sounds like cardio is a problem for my goals and will actually hurt my progress? Am I understanding that right?

Thanks in advance!

robertw486

brian_gunther wrote: »

So can I ask a noob question after reading through some of these posts? So if you want to lose fat/add muscle (recomp?), then you need to focus on weights/heavy lifting and stay away from cardio? Is that the basic premise?

I've lost 25 lbs+ in the last few months and want to kind of improve my physique a bit (showing some abs would be nice, just look more fit in the chest and shoulders, the usual stuff). So from this thread I stopped doing my circuit training (higher reps, less rest) and started bodyweight progressives this morning. I also wanted to start doing a C25K on the off days that I'm not doing my bodyweight exercises, but it sounds like cardio is a problem for my goals and will actually hurt my progress? Am I understanding that right?

Thanks in advance!

I wouldn't say that cardio would hurt as long as you eat right to refuel and recover from both cardio and strength training. And personally I don't even think you need a super structured program, as long as you have some progressive overload in a workout.

There are type of exercises that would help with both strength and cardio, such as circuits that you mentioned. But if you want to build muscle, you'd have to make sure your circuits were at a high enough weight for what you are doing. Likewise HIIT type cardio can build muscle mass as well as help with cardio.

But at some point you have to push to see gains. Similar to a slow walk vs running hard, there are limits to gains you can see doing most types of exercise. And lifting heavy does promote quicker muscle gain than most other options.

sijomial

brian_gunther wrote: »

So can I ask a noob question after reading through some of these posts? So if you want to lose fat/add muscle (recomp?), then you need to focus on weights/heavy lifting and stay away from cardio? Is that the basic premise?

Absolutely not!
There may be some interference in terms of training performance and recovery but that's all.
The horrible myth that cardio burns muscle is just that - a myth.

Personal experience - I have a very heavy cardio volume (cycling) and it hasn't stopped me recomping.

brian_gunther wrote: »

I also wanted to start doing a C25K on the off days that I'm not doing my bodyweight exercises, but it sounds like cardio is a problem for my goals and will actually hurt my progress? Am I understanding that right?

No - C25K is a very gentle amount of cardio, can't see it hurting your progress in the slightest.

briscogun

Thanks for the responses!

Ok, I'll go ahead and give the C25K a go and keep up with the workouts. Appreciate the clarifications/advice! Thanks!

d_thomas02

brian_gunther wrote: »

Thanks for the responses!

Ok, I'll go ahead and give the C25K a go and keep up with the workouts. Appreciate the clarifications/advice! Thanks!

Check out our group if you like.

http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/group/110336-deediddygees-couch-to-10k-starting-january-4th

Its a 10K group but we welcome C25Kers as well.

summerkissed

brian_gunther wrote: »

So can I ask a noob question after reading through some of these posts? So if you want to lose fat/add muscle (recomp?), then you need to focus on weights/heavy lifting and stay away from cardio? Is that the basic premise?

I've lost 25 lbs+ in the last few months and want to kind of improve my physique a bit (showing some abs would be nice, just look more fit in the chest and shoulders, the usual stuff). So from this thread I stopped doing my circuit training (higher reps, less rest) and started bodyweight progressives this morning. I also wanted to start doing a C25K on the off days that I'm not doing my bodyweight exercises, but it sounds like cardio is a problem for my goals and will actually hurt my progress? Am I understanding that right?

Thanks in advance!

The heart is a muscle a very very important muscle, cardio is how we train it don't dismiss it altogether......keep that heart healthy! I'll stay with at least one cardio session just for the purpose of a healthy heart

FatMoojor

brian_gunther wrote: »

So can I ask a noob question after reading through some of these posts? So if you want to lose fat/add muscle (recomp?), then you need to focus on weights/heavy lifting and stay away from cardio? Is that the basic premise?

I've lost 25 lbs+ in the last few months and want to kind of improve my physique a bit (showing some abs would be nice, just look more fit in the chest and shoulders, the usual stuff). So from this thread I stopped doing my circuit training (higher reps, less rest) and started bodyweight progressives this morning. I also wanted to start doing a C25K on the off days that I'm not doing my bodyweight exercises, but it sounds like cardio is a problem for my goals and will actually hurt my progress? Am I understanding that right?

Thanks in advance!

Don't stay away from cardio. I am currently re-comping after realising that I didn't want to bulk to add muscle at my BF% and cutting would make me look really scrawny.
I'm doing SL5x5 3 times a week and am currently training for a couple of ultra runs in April and 1 in July. So long as you eat enough food to fuel your exercise you won't start burning muscle instead of fat.

cat_smith1

Hi. Another new to weight training here. I've lost quite a lot of weight primarily due to running/Body Pump classes. I don't want to lose more 8st 7-10 at 5'4''. But I do want to reduce my BF% from 20%. I've started the Lee Labrada 'plan' and am in Wk 4 but I don't feel like I'm making much progress. Really interested by the TDEE spreadsheet so I'm going to try that, but I think my calories may be about right, certainly the couple of weeks I upped them I really put on weight (although that may have been carb overload!). I'm using Cal - 1710. P35%, C45%, F20% - does this seem reasonable?

JustMissTracy

Bumping so I can find this thread after work!! New to maintenance and recomp for the last two weeks, but this seems harder than weight loss was...lol

heybales

cat_smith1 wrote: »

Hi. Another new to weight training here. I've lost quite a lot of weight primarily due to running/Body Pump classes. I don't want to lose more 8st 7-10 at 5'4''. But I do want to reduce my BF% from 20%. I've started the Lee Labrada 'plan' and am in Wk 4 but I don't feel like I'm making much progress. Really interested by the TDEE spreadsheet so I'm going to try that, but I think my calories may be about right, certainly the couple of weeks I upped them I really put on weight (although that may have been carb overload!). I'm using Cal - 1710. P35%, C45%, F20% - does this seem reasonable?

Just remember that fat is not fast - lost or gained.

So if really put on weight means a couple stones, but you only ate say 200 over prior level - if that was really 200 over true TDEE, it would take 17 days to slowly add on 1 lb of weight.

Reasonable would require all your stats and workout times and daily activity.

Better just to check and see.
Just TDEE Please spreadsheet - better than 5 level TDEE charts.
https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1G7FgNzPq3v5WMjDtH0n93LXSMRY_hjmzNTMJb3aZSxM/edit?usp=sharing

MNLittleFinn

That's an awesome spreadsheet, thank you for sharing

jessiefrancine

That spreadsheet is super great! Thanks!

Mariekegetsfit

Saving this thread!

Hornsby

Here are back pics about 9 months apart. Weight has remained constant. Left is recent, right is about 9, maybe 10 months ago.

Bicep growth about and inch.

robingmurphy

So, here's something I've been considering, but someone with more knowledge should tell me if it's reasonable. I know that they say losing fat AND gaining muscle is difficult/impossible. However, after I lose another 5 pounds, I'll be within spitting range of my goal weight (7 or so pounds above) and I'd love to ease into that final stage and eventual maintenance by increasing calorie intake a bit. I think what would be good in my mind is to continue losing fat at a slow rate - maybe 1/4 to 1/2 lb a week - by eating at a deficit AND start building muscle. Is it possible to build muscle while still at a slight deficit? Or will any deficit stop muscle building?

sijomial

robingmurphy wrote: »

So, here's something I've been considering, but someone with more knowledge should tell me if it's reasonable. I know that they say losing fat AND gaining muscle is difficult/impossible. However, after I lose another 5 pounds, I'll be within spitting range of my goal weight (7 or so pounds above) and I'd love to ease into that final stage and eventual maintenance by increasing calorie intake a bit. I think what would be good in my mind is to continue losing fat at a slow rate - maybe 1/4 to 1/2 lb a week - by eating at a deficit AND start building muscle. Is it possible to build muscle while still at a slight deficit? Or will any deficit stop muscle building?

@robingmurphy
If anyone says "impossible" then walk away!!
Recomp works at or around maintenance - your body doesn't actually have a switch at TDEE minus one calorie that gets thrown to stop the posibility of net muscle gain.

Your plan is similar to when I slowed my weight loss down to a crawl - here are my results:
In six months lost 4lbs of weight, lost 8lbs of fat and gained 4lbs of lean mass. That was 4% body fat change.

Just an example as obviously your results will be different as you aren't an elderly male cyclist who has been training for 40 years....

bioklutz

Hornsby wrote: »

Here are back pics about 9 months apart. Weight has remained constant. Left is recent, right is about 9, maybe 10 months ago.

Bicep growth about and inch.

Awesome!

sijomial

@Hornsby
Nice work - especially as you started out quite lean.

MNLittleFinn

I think I finally read through all of this discussion, and it is awesome. I only needed to drop 5 pounds to reach the weight I wanted to be at, and I'm working on recomping. The hard thing for for me right now is eating enough calories without blowing out my fat and sodium levels. I' 5'5" 141# right now, and looking to start building up my muscle mass while dropping some more fat. I figured out my TDEE, which is 2390 (actually doing 10% defecit to lose fat) and an working on eating to that, been under most days, because my sodium count always gets too high for what I want/need (Have hypertension), and I just don't feel hungry enough to eat that much. Walking 40 minutes per week day (2 2o minute walks), Doing a Kettlebell circuit 2 days a week for 25 minutes, plus a 45 minute HIIT workout on Saturdays and Running/walking 1:10/0:50 intervals 4-5 miles every Sunday.