Advice needed on what to do next - to recomp or not?

29_adjacent

Ok, so I am 1lb away from my goal and need some help about what to do when I get there.

I have lost 83 lbs so far and now have a healthy BMI (although I am towards the higher end the scale) but I am not 100% happy (particularly with my stomach). I could probably lose another 14lbs (+ the 1 still to lose) to put me smack bang in the middle of the healthy BMI range for my height but I am not so concerned with that as long as I can achieve the following things instead:

1. Lose belly fat and just generally "tighten" things up in that area, as well as my upper arms (I know you can't spot reduce).
2. Go down one more dress size to a UK size 10.
3. Reduce general body fat percentage/increase strength.

My question is, what's the best way to achieve the above (with or without the extra overall weight loss)?

Do I eat at maintenance and try a recomp? Or should I stick with a slight deficit and do strength/resistance training?

I have done zero strength/resistance training to date (only cardio) but I know to achieve my new goals I need to start. But should I do it eating at maintenance or deficit?

I don't have access to a gym but I have dumbbells (that I haven't used yet) and I am planning to buy some kettlebells, so any strength training routine would need to be done at home using these.

Can recomp be done using just dumbbells/kettlebells/body weight or would I be best to keep eating at deficit?

Thanks!

p.s - my stats: female, 31 y/o, 5ft 7, currently 154 lbs

rockclimberr

If you don't have a gym nearby maybe try bodyweight stuff? http://www.startbodyweight.com/p/start-bodyweight-basic-routine.html You could replace some cardio workouts with high intensity bodyweight routines. If you do the right exercises in the 4-8 rep range you'll see some definition in no time.

If you have a rockclimbing gym around that's what I do. Fun way to gain some muscle.

RaspberryTickleChicken

Continue to eat at a slight deficit
Decrease cardio or better yet cardio w/resistance to build muscle ie. circuit
Start strength training ... strength training as the above poster mentioned doesn't necessarily mean weights at the gym.
If you have never strength train before body weight strength training is a great place to start because it can be 100% equipment free!
Push Ups, Dips, Planks are all strength training exercises that anyone can do anywhere. Personally I have had better results with body weight strength training than the standard of lifting weights.

Here are some sample workouts: Sample

Good luck!

professionalHobbyist

I am right there with you

I finally have zero muffin top or belly overhang

My trainer got me doing compound exercises for my recomp. Deadlifts are the key thing. And it also strengthens your core

But bike riding has been a surprise activity

It gets your legs and thighs stronger and burns rediculous calories to cut out body fat or burn it as fuel.

Yesterday was a decent ride but it was 99 degrees hot out

But I still got a great burn off in. Today is lift day and no cardio

Yesterday off Map My Ride

29_adjacent

rockclimberr wrote: »

If you don't have a gym nearby maybe try bodyweight stuff? http://www.startbodyweight.com/p/start-bodyweight-basic-routine.html You could replace some cardio workouts with high intensity bodyweight routines. If you do the right exercises in the 4-8 rep range you'll see some definition in no time.

If you have a rockclimbing gym around that's what I do. Fun way to gain some muscle.

Thanks, I definitely intend to do some bodyweight workouts! I just don't know whether to continue at a deficit or eat at maintenance and try a recomp. Which do you think would be best?

29_adjacent

RaspberryTickleChicken wrote: »

Continue to eat at a slight deficit
Decrease cardio or better yet cardio w/resistance to build muscle ie. circuit
Start strength training ... strength training as the above poster mentioned doesn't necessarily mean weights at the gym.
If you have never strength train before body weight strength training is a great place to start because it can be 100% equipment free!
Push Ups, Dips, Planks are all strength training exercises that anyone can do anywhere. Personally I have had better results with body weight strength training than the standard of lifting weights.

Here are some sample workouts: Sample

Good luck!

Thanks for the advice!

MB_Positif

Eat at maintenance. No need to eat at a deficit. Give me a few minutes, I will post a pic that shows you the results from my last big recomp after my 50+ pound weight loss.

MB_Positif

It's not the greatest comparison pic, but in a year of just lifting weights with very minimal cardio I went down from a US size 8-10 to a size 4 while eating at maintenance. You can see that my hips/waist got smaller, less fat in my face, arms, legs, etc. Since the recomp I have done 2 bulks and 1 cut and am currently on my second cut.

29_adjacent

MB_Positif wrote: »

Eat at maintenance. No need to eat at a deficit. Give me a few minutes, I will post a pic that shows you the results from my last big recomp after my 50+ pound weight loss.

Awesome, thanks so much for the advice. You look great!! I am starting to lean more towards eating at maintenance because... well, I just love food. LOL!

MB_Positif

29_adjacent wrote: »

MB_Positif wrote: »

Eat at maintenance. No need to eat at a deficit. Give me a few minutes, I will post a pic that shows you the results from my last big recomp after my 50+ pound weight loss.

Awesome, thanks so much for the advice. You look great!! I am starting to lean more towards eating at maintenance because... well, I just love food. LOL!

Food is your friend, trust me

MB_Positif

I failed to mention I'm exactly the same weight in both pics

DeterminedFee201426

good advices .. iam ready to maintain"again" soon as well and start with body weight exercise until I order my weight set/station in late august or september.. I have 5 lbs to lose but I really really do not think I should dip under 120 lbs even tho I want to >.<

galprincess

I'm just starting in maintenance going to definitely use those exercises. I'm struggling to eat so much now there's a sentence I thought id never use.

MB_Positif

@galprincess I found it easy to up my calories to maintenance by switching to more calorie dense foods as opposed to more volume of food. Now I could out eat some men, but that's a whole different story. Good luck!

_Terrapin_

MB_Positif wrote: »

@galprincess I found it easy to up my calories to maintenance by switching to more calorie dense foods as opposed to more volume of food. Now I could out eat some men, but that's a whole different story. Good luck!

It was too early to read this and. . . .nvm. Great pics MB!

slaite1

MB_Positif wrote: »

It's not the greatest comparison pic, but in a year of just lifting weights with very minimal cardio I went down from a US size 8-10 to a size 4 while eating at maintenance. You can see that my hips/waist got smaller, less fat in my face, arms, legs, etc. Since the recomp I have done 2 bulks and 1 cut and am currently on my second cut.

Your arms are awesome!! I'd love to see updated progress since your bulk and cut cycles

dmt4641

MB Positif - I'd love to see an updated pic too! I just started a recomp a few weeks ago and love seeing great results like yours to motivate me!

MB_Positif

Thanks @slaite1 and @dmt4641 I'll see what I can find.

MB_Positif

@slaite1 and @dmt4641 this pic is a 6 month difference, the first 2 months eating at maintenance, the rest of the time bulking at a 500-1000 calorie surplus per day



My most recent tricep picture after 8 weeks of recomp before lowering calories more for my cut.

dmt4641

Wow love the tris. You have absolutely transformed yourself good work.

MB_Positif

Thank you so much @dmt4641