Cut, bulk, or recomp? After 5 months of lifting..

ChiliPepperLifter

Hello, I'm a newbie lifter and have been doing the stronglifts program 5x5 since March. I really like it, and lift 2 to 4 times a week. I now am eating about 1500 calories, and only go on walks on my rest days. I dislike cardio. I know I am eating 1500, since I weigh every single thing that enters my mouth. Except restaurant meals, which I rarely indulge in. My diet is honestly spot on.
I have plateaued for over a month. I was losing about 3 to 5 pounds a month during this cut, and since mid June have only lost a pound or two (it is hard to see what the fluctuations are, so I am using my "trend weight")
Since I really do not think I could eat less than 1500 calories a day, I am hesitant to try cutting more. And since I am lifting heavy weights, I honestly think I need the fuel. I really need some advice, since my primary goal is to lower my body fat % to the low 20s, and to get stronger (and fitter!). Recomps seem to be very slow, and I just don't know if I should continue cutting or what. I'm so new to lifting!

My stats: 28 year old woman, 5'5'', about 137 pounds, desk job, eating 1500 cals, about 110g protein, and 65g fat daily. Please, any advice would be helpful, the plateau is so frustrating!!

LisaTcan

Hi! I don't really have any advice except to say that I am pretty much in the exact same place as you! I eat 1700 calories a day but I cycle 5-10 hours a week on top of weight lifting. This is supposedly supposed to put me at TDEE - 25% but I've also been stuck at the same weight for 2 months.

Stats: 29 years, old 5'6'' 138lbs

ChiliPepperLifter

@LisaTcan I feel you! It's hard, especially since I re-enter my calorie/macro requirements every couple pounds or so in order to NOT plateau this hard! I understand a slow down, but at this rate it would take me 2 years to lose enough fat to get to the body fat % I want
Any experienced lifters out there for some advice?

Mischievous_Rascal

I'm personally in the recomp camp. This is a good read:

http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10177803/recomposition-maintaining-weight-while-losing-fat/p1

TONS of experience on this thread. My stats (except my age!) are the same as yours and I'm recomping on 2300. It's way slower than a bulk/cut cycle, but I find it way less stressful, too.

AmandaHugginkiss

At 5 months in, you wouldn't have added an appreciable amount of muscle mass, and it can go either way on what you can do. Honestly, even though your weight is in the middle of healthy range, I would continue to cut for a little longer, then bulk. Don't change your calorie requirements or macros, but add in more cardio. I added biking. When you start to see more muscle definition from the loss of body fat, start a slow, long bulk. Cut VERY slowly so you aren't losing more lean mass, and maybe just another 5 pounds over the next 3-4 months. It's close to a recomp, but you're still in a slight deficit.

I'm 5'7", 129 and mostly happy with the results. I still have work to do. I also eat 1800 to lose, 2100 calories while maintaining, and some days up to 3000 calories if I go for a long ride, still maintaining. I'm almost 43.

LisaTcan, what are your macros? Maybe up the protein macro to see if things get back to normal. You could be retaining water from the 10 hours of cycling (road biking or stationary?)

ChiliPepperLifter

Thanks for the replies!

LisaTcan

AmandaHugginKiss thanks for the reply! And congrats on your success!

I have mine set to 191 carbs, 106 protein and 57 fat. To be honest a lot of days I am under my protein goal and over my fat goal.

I think I might be doing a small recomp as I've lost inches and can see more definition but the scale won't drop below 137. My goal is around 125 - 128

I rode bike. Water weight is possible but I do a long ride most of weekends and short rides (16 mile commute) during the week so I'm not sure how to prevent that!

vismal

Whether to cut or bulk always comes down to how you want to look. Would you rather continue to get leaner before you decide to build some mass, or would you rather add lean muscle knowing that you will add a little bit of fat with that muscle. Recomps, in my opinion, are a bad idea for someone who hasn't done a few bulk/cut cycles. They are VERY slow and inefficient for folks who don't have at least a few years of lifting under their belt. Bulk/cut cycling will net much more fat loss and muscle gain at the end of a year then a recomp will for most people, in my opinion. All that being said, are you happy with how lean you are? If not, continue your cut. If you are okay with where you are at, a bulking cycle would be fine.

As for the stall, you aren't stalling! You've been losing you went from losing about 1 lb a week to losing about 1/2 a lb a week. I'm sure water retention is playing a part as well. Seeing as you can't have that much more weight to lose (based on your stats), I wouldn't worry about your rate of loss quite yet. Here's the number 1 question. What are your personal goals? Strength, muscle mass, look good naked, athletic performance, health, a 6 pack, etc. If you are going to pick more than one (and it's fine if all those are your goals) it would help if you ranked them.

ChiliPepperLifter

Hmm my goals are mostly a combination of vanity and just wanting to be stronger. Having a great shape is a huge motivator to me, and I can fit into clothes at 137 that, about 8 years ago, would only fit at 120ish. I probably have a better body comp now, but I still have some areas with fat that is like to see gone. I think I will continue my slow cut for a few more months, just so I can get more lean. Thanks so much for all your advice!

SezxyStef

ninagray000 wrote: »

Hello, I'm a newbie lifter and have been doing the stronglifts program 5x5 since March. I really like it, and lift 2 to 4 times a week. I now am eating about 1500 calories, and only go on walks on my rest days. I dislike cardio. I know I am eating 1500, since I weigh every single thing that enters my mouth. Except restaurant meals, which I rarely indulge in. My diet is honestly spot on.
I have plateaued for over a month. I was losing about 3 to 5 pounds a month during this cut, and since mid June have only lost a pound or two (it is hard to see what the fluctuations are, so I am using my "trend weight")
Since I really do not think I could eat less than 1500 calories a day, I am hesitant to try cutting more. And since I am lifting heavy weights, I honestly think I need the fuel. I really need some advice, since my primary goal is to lower my body fat % to the low 20s, and to get stronger (and fitter!). Recomps seem to be very slow, and I just don't know if I should continue cutting or what. I'm so new to lifting!

My stats: 28 year old woman, 5'5'', about 137 pounds, desk job, eating 1500 cals, about 110g protein, and 65g fat daily. Please, any advice would be helpful, the plateau is so frustrating!!

This is not a plateau...losing 3-5lbs a month is too fast and you have lost 1-2lbs since mid june which is about 1/2lb a week.

Bulks happen when you are goal weight
Recomp is when you have hit goal weight and want to work on BF% and building lean mass without the head games of a bulk as you will gain fat with the muscle on a bulk.

Until you hit goal weight and are more experienced with lifting and understand plateaus mean you are eating at maintenance and that losing 1/2lb to 1lb a week is a good reasonable goal...leave the bulk alone. As for the recomp if you aren't at goal weight eh...you need patience for that too.

suggestion stay the course...get your head wrapped around what a plateau really is and move on with lifting until you are further in.

ChiliPepperLifter

@SezxyStef yeah, I guess I'd never been in this situation, and wasn't prepared for such a slow down at this weight and rate! To be honest I'm not even sure what a goal weight would be, but I think I will continue cutting and add cardio or eat at a slightly higher deficit. Thanks again

vismal

ninagray000 wrote: »

@SezxyStef yeah, I guess I'd never been in this situation, and wasn't prepared for such a slow down at this weight and rate! To be honest I'm not even sure what a goal weight would be, but I think I will continue cutting and add cardio or eat at a slightly higher deficit. Thanks again

Your goal shouldn't be a weight. When you get to be relatively lean, the scale becomes less and less relevant in terms of the number it displays vs the trend in which the number is moving. Based on what you stated your goals were, you will know when you have reached them by looking in the mirror, not an arbitrary round figure on the scale. Continue with the cut until you are not only comfortable with your size/shape, but also comfortable with the fact that the ensuing bulk will add a little bit of fat if done correctly. It helps to have that mindset so you don't "freak out" when it's time to actually gain some weight.

Ironmaiden4life

vismal wrote: »

Whether to cut or bulk always comes down to how you want to look. Would you rather continue to get leaner before you decide to build some mass, or would you rather add lean muscle knowing that you will add a little bit of fat with that muscle. Recomps, in my opinion, are a bad idea for someone who hasn't done a few bulk/cut cycles. They are VERY slow and inefficient for folks who don't have at least a few years of lifting under their belt. Bulk/cut cycling will net much more fat loss and muscle gain at the end of a year then a recomp will for most people, in my opinion. All that being said, are you happy with how lean you are? If not, continue your cut. If you are okay with where you are at, a bulking cycle would be fine.

As for the stall, you aren't stalling! You've been losing you went from losing about 1 lb a week to losing about 1/2 a lb a week. I'm sure water retention is playing a part as well. Seeing as you can't have that much more weight to lose (based on your stats), I wouldn't worry about your rate of loss quite yet. Here's the number 1 question. What are your personal goals? Strength, muscle mass, look good naked, athletic performance, health, a 6 pack, etc. If you are going to pick more than one (and it's fine if all those are your goals) it would help if you ranked them. Your goal shouldn't be a weight. When you get to be relatively lean, the scale becomes less and less relevant in terms of the number it displays vs the trend in which the number is moving. Based on what you stated your goals were, you will know when you have reached them by looking in the mirror, not an arbitrary round figure on the scale. Continue with the cut until you are not only comfortable with your size/shape, but also comfortable with the fact that the ensuing bulk will add a little bit of fat if done correctly. It helps to have that mindset so you don't "freak out" when it's time to actually gain some weight.

^^^ ALL THIS