What comes after recomp? Maintaining, right? But ...

distinctlybeautiful
distinctlybeautiful Posts: 1,041 Member
in Goal: Maintaining Weight
... aren't they very similar?

I mean, I'm not going to suddenly stop lifting when I'm happy with my body fat, and I'm guessing protein doesn't become any less important for maintaining muscle. What am I missing?

Thanks!

Replies

  • jeepinshawn
    jeepinshawn Posts: 642 Member
    Idk, that's a good question. I just keep setting fitness goals with the idea i'm never done. I try to easy about 140g of protein, other then that and making sure I eat at maintenence I don't do anything different.
  • robertw486
    robertw486 Posts: 2,398 Member
    If you're like me, by the time you get to where you think you want to be, you change a goal anyway. That way you can recomp in some form forever!

    I always just look at it as trying to adapt my body to whatever physical things I want to do, understanding that at some point we have to decide to excel at fewer things, or be less capable at a wider range of things. But compromise at some point will happen unless a person just wants to do the same physical things for life.
  • blankiefinder
    blankiefinder Posts: 3,599 Member
    distinctlybeautiful wrote: »
    ... aren't they very similar?

    I mean, I'm not going to suddenly stop lifting when I'm happy with my body fat, and I'm guessing protein doesn't become any less important for maintaining muscle. What am I missing?

    Thanks!

    I guess it depends on if you've reached your goal look. For some people, a lean bulk might follow a recomp, if they are at their desired BF but want to add more muscle. Others might be happy with their look and enter a maintenance program for weights just like for their diet.
  • Sued0nim
    Sued0nim Posts: 17,456 Member
    My maintenance is recomp I just don't really have specific goals

    But I have noticed continued changes in my physique as a result of continuing to workout in a progressive way

    I don't specifically want more muscle or lower fat but there are areas I look at, scrunch up my face and think well it's fine but it wouldn't hurt if that bit was a bit tighter or higher etc

    so I'd have to say yes - for me maintenance is vaguely recomping .. but then I'm not at a low low BF% and don't wish to be

  • sijomial
    sijomial Posts: 19,809 Member
    Similar to @rabbitjb
    Recomp is just part of my maintenance lifestyle. Gave up specific body composition goals ages ago - my body just changes depending on my fitness & strength goals & performance.

    As for protein - maintaining as opposed to cutting weight takes away one of the drivers to have a higher than "average" protein goal. So a little less important.
    But endurance cardio and strength training remain as two other drivers for me to keep my protein goal a little higher.
  • distinctlybeautiful
    distinctlybeautiful Posts: 1,041 Member
    Thanks y'all!
  • usmcmp
    usmcmp Posts: 21,219 Member
    Not everyone focuses on recomposition in maintenance. Lifters do recomp in maintenance by default.

    Not everyone in maintenance lifts.
  • RoxieDawn
    RoxieDawn Posts: 15,488 Member
    usmcmp wrote: »
    Not everyone focuses on recomposition in maintenance. Lifters do recomp in maintenance by default.

    Not everyone in maintenance lifts.

    This is a good point.
  • Yi5hedr3
    Yi5hedr3 Posts: 2,696 Member
    Ah the never-ending journey.....that's the fun of it!!! :)
  • macchiatto
    macchiatto Posts: 2,890 Member
    Good question. I am 1 lb below my GW now and deciding if I want to try to lose a bit more (still have more belly fat than I'd really like) or just shift to recomp.
    Can I ask what guidelines you followed for your recomp, and how you went about increasing to maintenance calories? How has your recomp been?
  • distinctlybeautiful
    distinctlybeautiful Posts: 1,041 Member
    I'm not sure my case is typical because I went pretty directly to recomp. I didn't spend much time in a deficit, maybe a month, probably less, before I realized I didn't really want to lose pounds, just fat. So I just upped to maintenance all of a sudden, but I think my deficit had only been a couple hundred calories anyway. I lift about four days a week and was eating 20% protein. In six months I dropped 6% body fat, losing 12 pounds of fat and gaining 2 pounds of muscle. More recently I upped my protein to 25%, which I think will be really good. I've just been off a little with sticking to my calorie goal, which I know is stalling my progress. It's probably important to say that when I started this process I essentially had never lifted before, and I'm sure that allowed me to make good progress right away.
  • BigGuy47
    BigGuy47 Posts: 1,768 Member
    I'm going to continue recomping until...
    ...well forever is my current plan. Isn't death the end date for trying to stay in shape?
  • RoxieDawn
    RoxieDawn Posts: 15,488 Member
    BigGuy47 wrote: »
    I'm going to continue recomping until...
    ...well forever is my current plan. Isn't death the end date for trying to stay in shape?

    Or at least when arthritis or any other "itis" gets too bad. :):)
  • Mr_Capt_America
    Mr_Capt_America Posts: 32 Member
    I didn't realize there was a set finish line. If and when you reach a goal, don't you set another one? Isn't the goal to always improve?

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