Recomposition: Maintaining weight while losing fat
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For you recompers... how do you measure your success? Weight remains the same, so what metrics do you use for goal setting? Purely increasing load and getting stronger?
The belly is a little smaller - love handles are shrinking- jeans are looser- shirts are tighter - arms & shoulders & traps are bigger - the weights are going up - more reps & sets. - I have no idea what my body weight is doing. I really don't care. It's been a while since I've weighed myself, and I probably weight about the same - Eastcoast Jim4 -
For you recompers... how do you measure your success? Weight remains the same, so what metrics do you use for goal setting? Purely increasing load and getting stronger?
I really didn't answer your question, but if you are increasing the load , then you are getting stronger & making progress. If you want to maintain your should be staying at or near the same weight, & loosing inches. You may have to adjust your food intake or timing for this to happen Eastcoast Jim2 -
Hey guys, first time posting here.
I'm 5'11 and 159 pounds. Initially I wanted to get down to 150 but I'm just tired of being in a deficit. I've lost 45 pounds since last March. Been lifting since August. I still carry a fair amount of fat on my thighs bit have leaned out in my midsection especially and weight loss has slowed to a crawl now. I can also see that I don't have a lot of muscle definition, so at this point I feel like recomp is the way to go and maybe go back into a deficit down the road.
Does that sound reasonable? I've read everywhere that recomp is slow, takes patience etc but what are we talking about? Months? Years? What about the gym, how fast could you see improvement in weights? When I started I went up nearly every week, the last month or so I haven't made much progress, but I'm not sure if that's the end of the newbie gains or simply because I'm in a deficit?
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Hey guys, first time posting here.
I'm 5'11 and 159 pounds. Initially I wanted to get down to 150 but I'm just tired of being in a deficit. I've lost 45 pounds since last March. Been lifting since August. I still carry a fair amount of fat on my thighs bit have leaned out in my midsection especially and weight loss has slowed to a crawl now. I can also see that I don't have a lot of muscle definition, so at this point I feel like recomp is the way to go and maybe go back into a deficit down the road.
Does that sound reasonable? I've read everywhere that recomp is slow, takes patience etc but what are we talking about? Months? Years? What about the gym, how fast could you see improvement in weights? When I started I went up nearly every week, the last month or so I haven't made much progress, but I'm not sure if that's the end of the newbie gains or simply because I'm in a deficit?
I think with decent training and nutrition you'll see some changes every few months or so. I found that it is helpful to focus on performance, and the body composition follows.
Stalls in the gym could either be from the deficit, or if you've been following a linear program for a long amount of time, it might be time to change to a more daily undulating type of periodization.2 -
I think with decent training and nutrition you'll see some changes every few months or so. I found that it is helpful to focus on performance, and the body composition follows.
Stalls in the gym could either be from the deficit, or if you've been following a linear program for a long amount of time, it might be time to change to a more daily undulating type of periodization.
Thanks for your reply! Ok, every few months sounds doable. I'm sure I'll be wishing for faster results but the weight didn't come off overnight so I think I can be patient. I'm looking to hire a trainer to make a program so hopefully that'll be on point. I spent a lot of time learning about nutrition and weight loss, now it's time to focus on training.
What do I need to expect in terms of scale weight? I've seen people maintain in a range of about 5 pounds or so, would that be the same in recomp?
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I think with decent training and nutrition you'll see some changes every few months or so. I found that it is helpful to focus on performance, and the body composition follows.
Stalls in the gym could either be from the deficit, or if you've been following a linear program for a long amount of time, it might be time to change to a more daily undulating type of periodization.
Thanks for your reply! Ok, every few months sounds doable. I'm sure I'll be wishing for faster results but the weight didn't come off overnight so I think I can be patient. I'm looking to hire a trainer to make a program so hopefully that'll be on point. I spent a lot of time learning about nutrition and weight loss, now it's time to focus on training.
What do I need to expect in terms of scale weight? I've seen people maintain in a range of about 5 pounds or so, would that be the same in recomp?
It's easier to be patient when you see your gym performance get better and better. And when you're not in a deficit, it will.
Female? Yeah, I'd say it's natural to fluctuate within 5 pounds.0 -
For sure! I loved lifting from the beginning and I think a large part of that was actually seeing progress so quickly.
Yup, female. Awesome! Thanks again0 -
I've determined that doing a recomp is probably what I need. I'm at a weight where I'm reasonably comfortable (5'5", 143 lb) ... but I have a little more fat/flab than I like. This is really the top of the weight range I'm happy with though. I'm eating around 1900-2000 calories and it's just clear that I'm not going to eat less than that long term and be happy. I'm not willing to eat less, but I love exercise and I'm happy to do that.
Here's my question: Right now, I do a fair amount of exercise, but most of it is cardio-focused on the theory that I like to eat as much food as possible therefore I should burn as many calories as I reasonably can. If I start heavy lifting, the time for that is going to come by reducing other exercise - I just don't have time for more. What should I drop or reconfigure in my exercise routine to accommodate lifting? I have access to a gym at work with equipment. I have to admit I'm scared that if I drop some of the cardio workouts to add heavy lifting without reducing calories, I'm going to gain. Right now my routine is something like this:
Mon - 45-60 min HIIT Workout (FitnessBlender Website)
Tue - Jog 3 mi, walk 1 mi.
Wed - 45-60 min HIIT Workout (FitnessBlender Website)
Thur - 60 min Power Yoga
Fri - Jog 3 mi, walk 1 mi.
Sat - Something light, like a 45 minute walk with the dog. Maybe a hike or bike ride if it's nice.
Sun - 60 min Power Yoga1 -
HIIT is not as big a calorie burner as many think. At least true HIIT.
And for that length of time you mention - I'm betting this is actually a non-HIIT workout with the faddish term slapped on it to get interest.
This is probably attempting to get close to resistance training, so could be dropped.
Yoga would serve well on recovery day after lifting, as would walking and if jog isn't full effort.
To increase avg calorie burn on lifting day and the week in general (if you do TDEE method instead of MFP method), whatever time you have available (and a 3x weekly routine could be 45 min) - after lifting do a bike or run at whatever max intensity you can handle, no intervals, just max that doesn't hurt you.
That will burn the most calories to allow you to eat more on the day (or week on avg) lifting isn't burning as much.
Of course for 3 x weekly, you'll have to shift some of those days around.
If you really have that kind of time available almost daily, a 3 x weekly 2-day split (upper/lower) would allow for shorter lifting time and more other time, upper days could be yoga, lower could be that hard cardio effort to increase calories in general.7 -
@robingmurphy
Good advice (as usual) from Heybales above .
I found having a gym at work was a big factor in fitting in a heavy exercise routine into a busy life.
Lifting routine could fit quite nicely into your lunch-breaks.
Yes strength training is a low calorie burn (about the same as a brisk walk despite feeling really hard!) so if you want to compensate for the drop in calories then I would drop the interval work unless you really enjoy that kind of workout. You could get a much higher burn in the same time doing moderate to high steady state cardio.
It's a balancing act but start with planning your schedule around the activities that are the most important to you and build the rest around that in a way that compromises your performance and recovery the least.
Worth considering increasing NEAT as a way of getting a higher calorie allowance in a way that's time efficient and non-intrusive.2 -
New guy here - I have learned a lot from this article. I was just trying to get in better shape after some injuries held me back but the recomp is exactly what I'm doing - I want to maintain the same weight (after making up some lost from my initial workout re-motivation), cut fat, and increase muscle definition. I've inadvertently dropped about 10lbs so far and want to gain it back slowly while also continuing to lose fat. I'm eating very clean and really emphasizing complex carbs. I work out 5-6x per week, but mostly high intensity, 800+ cal workouts. Primarily "boot camp" type fitness classes, running, ultimate football, and mountain biking. Hiking on the weekends. Since I'm fitting all this in, I usually only do one true weightlifting session per week. My goal is 11% BF and making up some of the weight I've inadvertently lost while jumping back into it after some injuries.
30yr male, 6'2"
Current: 173lbs, 15% BF (per calipers)
6mo Goal: 185lbs, 11% BF
While I am eating clean, I'm still learning how to cook to meet macro goals. I am just not sure on what my ratios should be. What macro ratio should I shoot for? I assume I should keep fat low, near 15%; I'm just not sure what I should input for carbs vs protein. Finally, is it unrealistic to think that I can gain back 10lbs over 6mo.s while considerably dropping BF% along the way? Should I focus on one goal first, then the other?
Thanks!0 -
HIIT is not as big a calorie burner as many think. At least true HIIT.
And for that length of time you mention - I'm betting this is actually a non-HIIT workout with the faddish term slapped on it to get interest.
This is probably attempting to get close to resistance training, so could be dropped.
Yoga would serve well on recovery day after lifting, as would walking and if jog isn't full effort.
To increase avg calorie burn on lifting day and the week in general (if you do TDEE method instead of MFP method), whatever time you have available (and a 3x weekly routine could be 45 min) - after lifting do a bike or run at whatever max intensity you can handle, no intervals, just max that doesn't hurt you.
That will burn the most calories to allow you to eat more on the day (or week on avg) lifting isn't burning as much.
Of course for 3 x weekly, you'll have to shift some of those days around.
If you really have that kind of time available almost daily, a 3 x weekly 2-day split (upper/lower) would allow for shorter lifting time and more other time, upper days could be yoga, lower could be that hard cardio effort to increase calories in general.
I love fitness blender, but the HIIT workouts I’ve done are exactly what @heybales described - a trendy label and not true HIIT.
I’d call them interval or circuit workouts, usually combining body weight resistance exercises and cardio. Which I love, don’t get me wrong! But if you’re logging them as HIIT, you may be overestimating your burn. I personally find their lower estimates about line up with my Apple Watch, but that’s with a big grain of salt, especially the more a workout focuses on resistance work.3 -
Hi guys! I was wondering what bodyfat percentage is recommended before starting a recomp? I'm 5'10.5" and weigh 145 pounds, which I'm fairly certain is within my healthy weight range but based on estimations from online my bodyfat % is somewhere between 25-30%. Based on this, should I still be eating in a deficit to try and bring my percentage down before trying to recomp?
As far as fitness goes, I work from home so am pretty sedentary but I've recently started the bodyweight Strong Curves program doing either 3-4 workouts a week depending on what is happening that week (currently just using bodyweight but I plan on picking up a weight set to help with muscle growth after next payday). I'm currently aiming for a 1800 calorie, 120 protein goal, but am still kind of new at this and am unsure if I'm eating too much/too little/just enough considering my work is so sedentary.
I appreciate all thoughts and advice you have for me!2 -
rainingribbons wrote: »Hi guys! I was wondering what bodyfat percentage is recommended before starting a recomp? I'm 5'10.5" and weigh 145 pounds, which I'm fairly certain is within my healthy weight range but based on estimations from online my bodyfat % is somewhere between 25-30%. Based on this, should I still be eating in a deficit to try and bring my percentage down before trying to recomp?
As far as fitness goes, I work from home so am pretty sedentary but I've recently started the bodyweight Strong Curves program doing either 3-4 workouts a week depending on what is happening that week (currently just using bodyweight but I plan on picking up a weight set to help with muscle growth after next payday). I'm currently aiming for a 1800 calorie, 120 protein goal, but am still kind of new at this and am unsure if I'm eating too much/too little/just enough considering my work is so sedentary.
I appreciate all thoughts and advice you have for me!
I would say when you get to a weight you are comfortable maintaining. As long as you are not looking for quick/drastic results, you should be fine where you are. But then again, I may not be the best advice giver. My plan of recomp turned into a really slow bulk.
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rainingribbons wrote: »Hi guys! I was wondering what bodyfat percentage is recommended before starting a recomp? I'm 5'10.5" and weigh 145 pounds, which I'm fairly certain is within my healthy weight range but based on estimations from online my bodyfat % is somewhere between 25-30%. Based on this, should I still be eating in a deficit to try and bring my percentage down before trying to recomp?
As far as fitness goes, I work from home so am pretty sedentary but I've recently started the bodyweight Strong Curves program doing either 3-4 workouts a week depending on what is happening that week (currently just using bodyweight but I plan on picking up a weight set to help with muscle growth after next payday). I'm currently aiming for a 1800 calorie, 120 protein goal, but am still kind of new at this and am unsure if I'm eating too much/too little/just enough considering my work is so sedentary.
I appreciate all thoughts and advice you have for me!
I'm no recomp expert as I'm going through my first "official" one.
For me, I'm in a healthy-for-my-height weight range (not for my frame), and fitness is far more important to me than losing fat right now, so recomp seemed like a better way to go.
Historically, when I was very fit and did not have the extra fat, I was about 25 pounds lighter than I am now (currently 155, then I was around 130). I know I could cut and trim the scale down a bit, but with my fitness goals that's just not reasonable to expect my body to do all of that at once, plus, I'm trying to put on a bit more muscle. Since it's been over 8 years since I was last in my goal weight range, and currently I have more demanding fitness needs, I decided to quite worrying about the scale and just go with how happy I am with my body.
Thus far, the plan seems to be working fairly well, as I'm noticing differences even if they aren't huge, and my workouts aren't suffering which is the main thing right now.1 -
rainingribbons wrote: »Hi guys! I was wondering what bodyfat percentage is recommended before starting a recomp? I'm 5'10.5" and weigh 145 pounds, which I'm fairly certain is within my healthy weight range but based on estimations from online my bodyfat % is somewhere between 25-30%. Based on this, should I still be eating in a deficit to try and bring my percentage down before trying to recomp?
As far as fitness goes, I work from home so am pretty sedentary but I've recently started the bodyweight Strong Curves program doing either 3-4 workouts a week depending on what is happening that week (currently just using bodyweight but I plan on picking up a weight set to help with muscle growth after next payday). I'm currently aiming for a 1800 calorie, 120 protein goal, but am still kind of new at this and am unsure if I'm eating too much/too little/just enough considering my work is so sedentary.
I appreciate all thoughts and advice you have for me!
Do you have a picture? I am 5'4" ad 145. I can't imagine you being 30% bodyfat at 5'10" and 145.
Being comfortable where you are is a start. Remember that the results are not fast so if one does have a decent amount of fat to lose, it may be best to get to 22-25% at the highest before you give recomp a try.1
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