Recomp strength training late at night?

JDRN266

I'm not sure if this matters but 2 of my 3 strength training days I have to work out late at night after my kids go to bed, around 9-930. I know the basic rule of recomp is eat maintenance/surplus on lifting days and deficit on rest/cardio days. Does it matter that on the days I eat maintenance/surplus I don't lift until late at night? Is there a time frame for anabolic gains surrounding my workout that I'm missing by doing that? Or is it still a cumulative thing? Thanks!

sijomial

You don't have to vary your calories to recomp - it's an option not a rule.
An unnecessary complication IMHO.

Your "anabolic gains" could last 24 - 36hrs after the workout.

No it doesn't matter if you work out late at night, you also don't have to time your food around your workout or recovery periods.
There may be personal preferences and possibly some workout performance benefits but not compulsory.

JDRN266

sijomial wrote: »

You don't have to vary your calories to recomp - it's an option not a rule.
An unnecessary complication IMHO.

Your "anabolic gains" could last 24 - 36hrs after the workout.

No it doesn't matter if you work out late at night, you also don't have to time your food around your workout or recovery periods.
There may be personal preferences and possibly some workout performance benefits but not compulsory.

OK thanks! I'm new to recomp so still learning. So you're saying I could just eat maintenance every day then? That would be easier to keep up with.

Also if I do that should I eat back cardio excercise calories? I do cardio on my non weightlifting days.

sijomial

You can eat in any pattern that suits you.
Recomp is a normal reaction to training stimulus, it's not really anything special and doesn't have to be forced.
Train hard, eat an overall healthy diet and have some patience - it's as simple as that.

(BTW - I'm a dinosaur, don't log my food and frequently get thrown out of the gym at 10pm - hasn't stopped me recomping.)

How you manage your calories to maintain your weight is again your choice. But if you are successfully maintaining your weight you must be eating your exercise calories whether you label them as such or not.

I prefer the MFP "eat back exercise calories" method when I'm food logging as my cardio is extremely variable and at times extreme.
If you prefer the TDEE method that also works - it just averages your estimated exercise out into a daily allowance.
They end up in the same place over the course of time.

There's a huge thread about recomp in this forum - well worth skimming.