Recomposition: Maintaining weight while losing fat
Options
Replies
-
Will do! Yes, most of what is out there is for weight loss....caloric deficit....fat loss.....and any other term I'm missing :-)
0 -
Thanks @usmcmp, informative thread and to everyone elses comments. My mentor from last year's Adopt a Newbie had suggested it might be time for a recomp. After a several months of modest deficit, I've been back to maintenance for over a year. Added weight-lifting and husband said he could see results in definition and endurance. Have been remiss in progressive loading. This of course made any gains I did have seem invisible. Will need to get back to it, if I really want to see changes in body shape.
Question to all/any:
How do you know when you're done? It's no longer interesting? You're satisfied with your current level of fitness and/or shape? Or is it a matter of never being done -- just a new normal of increasing lifts?2 -
I'm tagging to follow and have been unintentionally recomping for ~8 months. I'll post my stats, but have been using cardio for loss and following the US Navy guidelines for physical readiness. I started incorporating Stronglifts a few months ago and seeing great improvement.
I've slacked on tracking carbs/fat, but at minimum keep up protein intake.
USMCMP - great thread!1 -
Praying_Mantis wrote: »Thanks @usmcmp, informative thread and to everyone elses comments. My mentor from last year's Adopt a Newbie had suggested it might be time for a recomp. After a several months of modest deficit, I've been back to maintenance for over a year. Added weight-lifting and husband said he could see results in definition and endurance. Have been remiss in progressive loading. This of course made any gains I did have seem invisible. Will need to get back to it, if I really want to see changes in body shape.
Question to all/any:
How do you know when you're done? It's no longer interesting? You're satisfied with your current level of fitness and/or shape? Or is it a matter of never being done -- just a new normal of increasing lifts?
For me, I will never be done per say. I will always be finding ways to challenge and/or improve myself. I love lifting weights! So there will always be more weight to lift!!!!
2 -
auntstephie321 wrote: »If I start eating at maintenance and start doing a Pilates/yoga program will that be equivalent to lifting?
My experience has been no, it won't be equivalent. I was doing cable machine resistance work for a couple of years prior to starting lifting, with no visible results (may have helped bone density).
I am quite a bit older than you, however.0 -
Praying_Mantis wrote: »Thanks @usmcmp, informative thread and to everyone elses comments. My mentor from last year's Adopt a Newbie had suggested it might be time for a recomp. After a several months of modest deficit, I've been back to maintenance for over a year. Added weight-lifting and husband said he could see results in definition and endurance. Have been remiss in progressive loading. This of course made any gains I did have seem invisible. Will need to get back to it, if I really want to see changes in body shape.
Question to all/any:
How do you know when you're done? It's no longer interesting? You're satisfied with your current level of fitness and/or shape? Or is it a matter of never being done -- just a new normal of increasing lifts?
Done? For me, my re-comp is just a bi-product of doing the things I should be doing to be healthy and fit. For as long as I am physically able, I will lift...I will ride...I will swim and hike.
what I'm gathering from reading through these is that I possibly have a different view on re-comp...I don't really see it necessarily as a deliberate act. I'm just eating maintenance calories and working it. my physique is really just a bi-product of that...fitness lifestyle = fitness body. I think that's where the mental part comes in for a lot of people...the focus is on physique so it can be very frustrating given the very slow changes...my focus is simply on health and fitness and everything else just kind of falls into place.
I don't really have any particular physique goals at this point...I have lots of fitness goals...so I eat right and workout in an effort to achieve those goals...everything else that comes with that is gravy.10 -
cwolfman13 wrote: »Praying_Mantis wrote: »Thanks @usmcmp, informative thread and to everyone elses comments. My mentor from last year's Adopt a Newbie had suggested it might be time for a recomp. After a several months of modest deficit, I've been back to maintenance for over a year. Added weight-lifting and husband said he could see results in definition and endurance. Have been remiss in progressive loading. This of course made any gains I did have seem invisible. Will need to get back to it, if I really want to see changes in body shape.
Question to all/any:
How do you know when you're done? It's no longer interesting? You're satisfied with your current level of fitness and/or shape? Or is it a matter of never being done -- just a new normal of increasing lifts?
Done? For me, my re-comp is just a bi-product of doing the things I should be doing to be healthy and fit. For as long as I am physically able, I will lift...I will ride...I will swim and hike.
what I'm gathering from reading through these is that I possibly have a different view on re-comp...I don't really see it necessarily as a deliberate act. I'm just eating maintenance calories and working it. my physique is really just a bi-product of that...fitness lifestyle = fitness body. I think that's where the mental part comes in for a lot of people...the focus is on physique so it can be very frustrating given the very slow changes...my focus is simply on health and fitness and everything else just kind of falls into place.
I don't really have any particular physique goals at this point...I have lots of fitness goals...so I eat right and workout in an effort to achieve those goals...everything else that comes with that is gravy.
This for me too.
I started out with aesthetic goals. Now my goals are all fitness related. Anything good that happens to my physique is just gravy.3 -
auntstephie321 wrote: »If I start eating at maintenance and start doing a Pilates/yoga program will that be equivalent to lifting?
My experience has been no, it won't be equivalent. I was doing cable machine resistance work for a couple of years prior to starting lifting, with no visible results (may have helped bone density).
I am quite a bit older than you, however.
Same here. I started with pilates. I did gain some strength at first but I didn't see any aesthetic changes.0 -
cwolfman13 wrote: »Praying_Mantis wrote: »Thanks @usmcmp, informative thread and to everyone elses comments. My mentor from last year's Adopt a Newbie had suggested it might be time for a recomp. After a several months of modest deficit, I've been back to maintenance for over a year. Added weight-lifting and husband said he could see results in definition and endurance. Have been remiss in progressive loading. This of course made any gains I did have seem invisible. Will need to get back to it, if I really want to see changes in body shape.
Question to all/any:
How do you know when you're done? It's no longer interesting? You're satisfied with your current level of fitness and/or shape? Or is it a matter of never being done -- just a new normal of increasing lifts?
Done? For me, my re-comp is just a bi-product of doing the things I should be doing to be healthy and fit. For as long as I am physically able, I will lift...I will ride...I will swim and hike.
what I'm gathering from reading through these is that I possibly have a different view on re-comp...I don't really see it necessarily as a deliberate act. I'm just eating maintenance calories and working it. my physique is really just a bi-product of that...fitness lifestyle = fitness body. I think that's where the mental part comes in for a lot of people...the focus is on physique so it can be very frustrating given the very slow changes...my focus is simply on health and fitness and everything else just kind of falls into place.
I don't really have any particular physique goals at this point...I have lots of fitness goals...so I eat right and workout in an effort to achieve those goals...everything else that comes with that is gravy.
I will also never be done with any of this. There are some who will reach a certain look or other marker they set and decide they are done. I think there needs to be a level of maintenance to keep in shape, but it could look different.
I think recomp tends to be suggested to people who are at or close to their goal weight and not happy with their body. People who have a normal BMI and want to get leaner, but without losing a bunch more weight. Your goals aren't driven by physique. Some goals are and this is where deliberate recomposition is typically suggested.3 -
ILiftHeavyAcrylics wrote: »auntstephie321 wrote: »If I start eating at maintenance and start doing a Pilates/yoga program will that be equivalent to lifting?
My experience has been no, it won't be equivalent. I was doing cable machine resistance work for a couple of years prior to starting lifting, with no visible results (may have helped bone density).
I am quite a bit older than you, however.
Same here. I started with pilates. I did gain some strength at first but I didn't see any aesthetic changes.
Thanks, maybe I'll start there to build up some strength before doing to much and possibly injuring myself.0 -
This just arrived in my email. I skimmed it and didn't see any links to studies on calorie cycling (his suggestion).
http://evidencemag.com/minimalist-recomposition?__s=wyzycccxsoaihk2xqsw7
I like evidencemag.com a lot
That article is really about recomping in the looser term than this thread - gaining muscle while losing fat - but he talks more about it in the context of a small deficit - i.e. losing weight, albeit slowly.
It mentions maintenance on lifting days and deficit on rest days - therefore and overall deficit. Maybe I am reading it wrong. He also mentions a small deficit in rest data as your TDEE is lower - lowering cals to equate to maintenance is not really the same thing as cycling - but I am unclear whether he means to reduce further to create a 'real' deficit on those days. Looks like its individual depending on the circumstances - but he also recommends a 'free day' for adherence reasons, which means you have to create a deficit on some days to keep at maintenance.
Interesting article - seems not take into account the concept that you swing between a surplus and deficit throughout the day though.
1 -
Praying_Mantis wrote: »Thanks @usmcmp, informative thread and to everyone elses comments. My mentor from last year's Adopt a Newbie had suggested it might be time for a recomp. After a several months of modest deficit, I've been back to maintenance for over a year. Added weight-lifting and husband said he could see results in definition and endurance. Have been remiss in progressive loading. This of course made any gains I did have seem invisible. Will need to get back to it, if I really want to see changes in body shape.
Question to all/any:
How do you know when you're done? It's no longer interesting? You're satisfied with your current level of fitness and/or shape? Or is it a matter of never being done -- just a new normal of increasing lifts?
For me, I will never be done per say. I will always be finding ways to challenge and/or improve myself. I love lifting weights! So there will always be more weight to lift!!!!
Me too. My goals are not aesthetic related, but performance related. I am effectively recomping as I am lifting and maintaining my weight (within a daily/weekly fluctuation range) - but I am not focusing on building muscle/losing fat as such - but on improving my lifts - which is an ongoing process. Being leaner is a nice by-product of that.3 -
This just arrived in my email. I skimmed it and didn't see any links to studies on calorie cycling (his suggestion).
http://evidencemag.com/minimalist-recomposition?__s=wyzycccxsoaihk2xqsw7
I like evidencemag.com a lot
That article is really about recomping in the looser term than this thread - gaining muscle while losing fat - but he talks more about it in the context of a small deficit - i.e. losing weight, albeit slowly.
It mentions maintenance on lifting days and deficit on rest days - therefore and overall deficit. Maybe I am reading it wrong. He also mentions a small deficit in rest data as your TDEE is lower - lowering cals to equate to maintenance is not really the same thing as cycling - but I am unclear whether he means to reduce further to create a 'real' deficit on those days. Looks like its individual depending on the circumstances - but he also recommends a 'free day' for adherence reasons, which means you have to create a deficit on some days to keep at maintenance.
Interesting article - seems not take into account the concept that you swing between a surplus and deficit throughout the day though.
Sara, do you think that sort of plan would be a good idea for say my last 5-10 pounds? My deficit thanks to my height and age is going to be TINY at that point. The process of losing it is going to be really slow.
1 -
Soooo..... Everything that I have found is directly related to weight/fat loss and mainly in obese people or athletes. There was a reviewed article from 2011 on the effects of meal timing and an increase inflammatory cells which in the long term could affect body composition, performance, etc.... of course more studies needed to be done.
1 -
This thread is awesome. Thanks for the helpful information.
I'm ready for maintenance and excited to see how much stronger I can get while eating maintenance calories and lifting. I've been lifting since January and feel like I've made good progress (example: beginning squat 85lbs x 5,now able to do 145lbs x 5)
I went from 125lbs and 24% body fat in January to 115lbs and 18% body fat currently.
0 -
mamapeach910 wrote: »This just arrived in my email. I skimmed it and didn't see any links to studies on calorie cycling (his suggestion).
http://evidencemag.com/minimalist-recomposition?__s=wyzycccxsoaihk2xqsw7
I like evidencemag.com a lot
That article is really about recomping in the looser term than this thread - gaining muscle while losing fat - but he talks more about it in the context of a small deficit - i.e. losing weight, albeit slowly.
It mentions maintenance on lifting days and deficit on rest days - therefore and overall deficit. Maybe I am reading it wrong. He also mentions a small deficit in rest data as your TDEE is lower - lowering cals to equate to maintenance is not really the same thing as cycling - but I am unclear whether he means to reduce further to create a 'real' deficit on those days. Looks like its individual depending on the circumstances - but he also recommends a 'free day' for adherence reasons, which means you have to create a deficit on some days to keep at maintenance.
Interesting article - seems not take into account the concept that you swing between a surplus and deficit throughout the day though.
Sara, do you think that sort of plan would be a good idea for say my last 5-10 pounds? My deficit thanks to my height and age is going to be TINY at that point. The process of losing it is going to be really slow.
It really depends on your patience, adherence, energy levels, frequency of lifting and other individual factors such as goals outside of weight loss. The 'free day' is individual and more about adherence. If it were me, and I had a very low intake to maintain, I would not have a 'free day', or at least limit them. If you lift in the evening/afternoon, I think it easier to calorie cycle for performance reasons. If you train in the morning, especially if you only have a light or no breakfast before, then it's debatable how much having high intake on lifting days is beneficial. I find when cutting, what I eat the night before also impacts energy levels. I would look to see how your energy levels are impacted and play around with how/when you are creating your deficit. Having a small deficit on rest days and eating at roughly maintenance on lifting days will work for some people as it allows more food and therefore more energy for their workouts. It does not work for others.
1 -
Soooo..... Everything that I have found is directly related to weight/fat loss and mainly in obese people or athletes. There was a reviewed article from 2011 on the effects of meal timing and an increase inflammatory cells which in the long term could affect body composition, performance, etc.... of course more studies needed to be done.
Thank you for looking. I do not recall seeing any at maintenance but was too lazy to look again
0 -
Praying_Mantis wrote: »Question to all/any:
How do you know when you're done? It's no longer interesting? You're satisfied with your current level of fitness and/or shape? Or is it a matter of never being done -- just a new normal of increasing lifts?
With any luck, I'll be "done" shortly before the day I leave this earth.
My main motivation is to preserve my functional ability into old age. I may not care about the six pack 30 years from now, but I still want to have strong bones and be able to carry a 30 lb bag of dog kibble.
Realistically, I don't expect to keep increasing lifts forever. If I reach a peak and manage to maintain that, I'll be satisfied.6 -
Following0
-
ILiftHeavyAcrylics wrote: »cwolfman13 wrote: »Praying_Mantis wrote: »Thanks @usmcmp, informative thread and to everyone elses comments. My mentor from last year's Adopt a Newbie had suggested it might be time for a recomp. After a several months of modest deficit, I've been back to maintenance for over a year. Added weight-lifting and husband said he could see results in definition and endurance. Have been remiss in progressive loading. This of course made any gains I did have seem invisible. Will need to get back to it, if I really want to see changes in body shape.
Question to all/any:
How do you know when you're done? It's no longer interesting? You're satisfied with your current level of fitness and/or shape? Or is it a matter of never being done -- just a new normal of increasing lifts?
Done? For me, my re-comp is just a bi-product of doing the things I should be doing to be healthy and fit. For as long as I am physically able, I will lift...I will ride...I will swim and hike.
what I'm gathering from reading through these is that I possibly have a different view on re-comp...I don't really see it necessarily as a deliberate act. I'm just eating maintenance calories and working it. my physique is really just a bi-product of that...fitness lifestyle = fitness body. I think that's where the mental part comes in for a lot of people...the focus is on physique so it can be very frustrating given the very slow changes...my focus is simply on health and fitness and everything else just kind of falls into place.
I don't really have any particular physique goals at this point...I have lots of fitness goals...so I eat right and workout in an effort to achieve those goals...everything else that comes with that is gravy.
This for me too.
I started out with aesthetic goals. Now my goals are all fitness related. Anything good that happens to my physique is just gravy.
That was me, too. I lost weight using MFP and doing mostly cardio about 4 years ago. I was thrilled with the results, but got interested in strength training, too. Over the next year and a half, I didn't do any intentional bulks or cuts, but there were times that I had more motivation, and less motivation, and times I ate a little more and ate a little less. All in all, I ended up at about the same weight, and quite a bit smaller.
Then I had some bad stuff happen, physically and emotionally, quit doing all the things that made me fit (like MFP), and gained weight, but I'm getting back there again.
14
Categories
- All Categories
- 1.4M Health, Wellness and Goals
- 391.4K Introduce Yourself
- 43.5K Getting Started
- 259.7K Health and Weight Loss
- 175.6K Food and Nutrition
- 47.3K Recipes
- 232.3K Fitness and Exercise
- 387 Sleep, Mindfulness and Overall Wellness
- 6.4K Goal: Maintaining Weight
- 8.5K Goal: Gaining Weight and Body Building
- 152.7K Motivation and Support
- 7.8K Challenges
- 1.3K Debate Club
- 96.3K Chit-Chat
- 2.5K Fun and Games
- 3.2K MyFitnessPal Information
- 22 News and Announcements
- 916 Feature Suggestions and Ideas
- 2.3K MyFitnessPal Tech Support Questions