Totally confused on recomping - help!

nettiklive

I've browsed through threads on lifting and body recomposition here, and I'm still completely lost as to where to go with diet...

I'm 119 lbs, 5'4. My regular weight was 110 for years, went up to 115 lbs after my second baby, and up to 119 from there once I started strength training. My body is looking a bit better and firmer overall, though still wider than I would like in places. I feel like I'm still skinny fat though, and have a bunch of fat to lose that's covering up muscle. But I don't know what to do with diet.

Here's the thing with my diet: I don't track right now; I thought I would never need to and that I had it down intuitively, because I've maintained a weight of 110 which I was happy with for 10 years. The thing is, I'll admit my diet wasn't great all these years - I didn't focus on getting nutrients or eating healthy at all, I just kept my portions tiny and overall intake very low. My stomach gradually shrank I guess so I was never hungry - I would feel extremely stuffed after just a third of a chicken breast for example, and really sick if I overate. At estimation, I was likely averaging around 1200, with a range of like 900-1500. I often skipped meals and would basically go through the day drinking coffee and grazing. Before anyone says I was likely way underestimating, I'm very small boned and have lots of symptoms of a slower metabolism, like being cold all the time and low energy, so I'm pretty sure my maintenance is pretty low.

When I was left with an extra 5 lbs after this pregnancy, my first instinct was to start eating less again as soon as I stopped breastfeeding. I went back to eating less than before pregnancy, and added in strength training (not very consistent though due to time constraints). I haven't lost weight, though I may have gained a bit of muscle. But now I feel like maybe I'm doing myself a disservice by eating so little, and I definitely don't get enough protein - been trying to fix it with protein powder because I can't stomach too much meat and have serious digestive issues with legumes.

But I'm also confused on where to move from here. On one hand, based on CICO, if I still have extra fat that means I need to cut calories further. But on the other hand, don't you need calories to build the muscle that's going to make you look better?? Bulk and cut sounds terrifying to me, and I don't want to do it. Can I just continue to eat whatever I want at a deficit and lift? Or is the only way to really focus on macros?? I admit I've never really paid attention to them as I've managed to maintain weight easily by pretty much eating tiny portions of refined carbs and dairy through the day. I was skinny fat but as I was smaller overall and looked good in clothes it didn't bother me. Now, though, I feel bigger (widened hips from the pregnancy didn't help either, as I was already a pear), and I really want to streamline everything.

feisty_bucket

nettiklive wrote: »

don't you need calories to build the muscle that's going to make you look better? .... is the only way to really focus on macros?

Yeah. Find a legit protein standard and follow it. Some people will cycle in more calories on lifting days and less on others.

nettiklive wrote: »

Bulk and cut sounds terrifying to me, and I don't want to do it.

That's what recomp is, but in a much shorter time frame. Don't worry, trust the math.

capaul42

There are two blog posts on MFP regarding recomp. According to them on lifting days you need to eat maintenance + 15%, non lifting days maintenance - 10%.
Additionally he says you should be setting protein at weight x 1.5 in grams every day.

CharlieBeansmomTracey

a recomp(eating maintenance calories) takes a long time to get where you want. a bulk is when you eat in a surplus to build muscle.a cut is when you eat less calories(deficit) than you burn to lose fat,all of them take time and hard work. and being a woman it will take longer to build that muscle since we dont have the testosterone that men do. as for protein it all depends on the person and their goals. 1.5 for most will be too much and for others not enough. most places recommend 1g per lb of lean body weight,some say 1g per lb of body weight. as for the +15% on maintenance on lifting days and then a small deficit on non lifting days what is that going to accomplish? you either want to build muscle or lose fat,its not easy to do both at the same time. if you gain muscle you will gain fat.everyone is different as well.OP if you want to recomp eat your maintenance calories(which you will have to figure out by trial and error,most calculators are just estimates),lift heavy weights(find a structured weight lifting program like stronglifts 5x5, string curves,new rules of lifting(they have one for women as well) ice cream fitness,etc.and get enough protein. find a member called arditarose or psulemon,they know a lot about these types of things and have great advice.