maintaining weight while losing fat

jc1961AA

OK i have read some of the posts and just want to make sure that i am not going to sabotage my progress. I have reached a weight where i am happy at. I still got a bit of fat around my middle (waiting for some caliper to arrive i can try to have a better idea of how much BF i have) and I also know that it is impossible to spot reduce fat, it has to come off from a deficit diet.
So lets say my daily calories intake to maintain my current weight is 2,000 just to make it easy, would it work if on day i train to eat up to 2,200 calories, and on days i don't train 1,800. Would I overtime build some muscle and lose the fat eventually even if it's a very slow process, or did it get that completely wrong? I am new to this recomposition, also forgot to say that I am 56 years old, would my metabolism still be able to do its thing?
Thanks
J

jjpptt2

Assuming you train the same number of days you don't train, then yes... the 2200 and the 1800 would, over time, average out to your maintenance number of 2000.

sijomial

When we were young (I'm 58) recomp was just called "getting in shape".
You went to the gym and trained hard - it worked then and it still works now.

Some people like to calorie cycle when recomping - a bit more extreme than what you are describing which is really just accounting for exercise the way MyFitnessPal is set up anyway. (a.k.a. you do more that day, you eat more that day). Your net calories aren't really changing this way day to day, not that it really matters apart from adherence anyway as nothing significant happens in any one day.

My suggestion would be eat in the style that make adherence to your maintenance goal easier and more enjoyable for you long term and focus on training well with a really good program and not a random selection of lifts. random lifts/awful routines works for young men but not so well for us. Be prepared to learn - some of the stuff we were taught really wasn't too great. I see a lot of my contemporaries stuck in a training time warp, it's so much easier to get good advice, information and programs these days.

And some age-related extras:
Be extra patient, progress and recovery from exercise are both slower at our age. Take progress pictures and measurements.
Prioritise avoidance of injury - speaking for myself I lose strength and condition just as quick now when injured but getting it back takes far longer. Don't let niggles turn into chronic conditions (note to self!).
Do remember to enjoy the ride.

jc1961AA

Thanks guys. Sijomial, regarding the routine, i was on PPL for a few weeks but got bored of it, i have just switched to a full body workout using dumbbell. I don't like really doing the same thing all the time as I get bored. As a guy which is the same age bracket as me and seems to know his stuff, what would you suggest I do, ideally something that change once in a while, thanks
PS: I am not against a program like PPL but i just like to vary a bit.

sijomial

I certainly wouldn't recommend my own particular routine for anyone else as it's bespoke to cater for a big cycle riding hobby and a few restricting injuries.

But my principles are a foundation around a focus on big compound lifts, balance of push and pull, enough varieties to be able to be flexible and supplemented with a few accessory lifts for particular goals (injury management or cross training for my cycling). I use quite a wide variety of equipment too. From experience I know I respond well to quite high volume and am also very goal oriented which mitigates boredom for me too.

Some things I have found helpful in my 50's: Warm up sets and often pyramid training, both to help me avoid new, or aggravating old, injuries. Downside is pyramids aren't optimal for strength improvement. I also tend to very rarely go below 3RM (the risk and fatigue outweighs the benefit for me). But I did get tempted into a 1RM this week to hit a shoulder press PR.
Keeping on top of recovery by managing intensity is a big thing too, especially as I tend to train daily (alternating strength and cycling mostly but this week is all mixed up).

I would get bored to tears by a 5x5 routine, there has to be a balance of results and enjoyment.
There's a comprehensive list of programs in the Gaining Weight forum by the way.

@psuLemon may be able to add from his experience and knowledge.

psuLemon

The biggest driver for success is following a program that will allow you to stay interested by still enable progressive overload. And while dumbbells are not bad, they have their limitations, especially when it comes to squats and deadlifts. Additionally, switching routines often is going to limit the gains as well. At best, I'd look at the below list and try a few programs out that will at the very least keep you interested for 4 to 6 months. Alternatively, you could also start with a basic 5x5 program and incorporate your own accessory work (pending you know how to design something that will allow for balanced muscle development).

http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10332083/which-lifting-program-is-the-best-for-you/p1

Overall, consistency, both from a weight training progression, diet and recovery perspective is the key. Become stronger and maintain overall weight and you will see progress. It's when people who do not stay consistent who tend to not see results.

jc1961AA

psuLemon, thank you. Consistency is not a problem, i will stick to what i am doing. Good idea about taking a lifting program and adding some extra work, thus I am not sure that I would add the right stuff. I am enjoying the dumbbell work out right now, but next Monday i am having a coaching session to show me the proper form of some of the compound movements. i may also ask a few question to the trainer what would be good to add to a heavy lifting program. One thing i enjoy but defect i guess the object of heavy lifting, is mixing cardio and weight, I just like the feeling of pushing through the "out of breath" feeling. I come from a background of running and cycling too (even had a few dibs at triathlons), so this heavy lifting direction is new to me, one side of my brain says get bigger muscle and defined, but the other side says you need to keep that cardio fitness going (got London to Brighton coming up in a few months, and I am taking part in the transplant games in Birmingham this summer. I guess it's for me to find the right way of training, with the right amount and staying injury free (I know how you feel sijomial). I even looked at Crossfit, but tbh I can't afford their fees, that's just too much for me, I think i would like their workout with the proper guidance. Thanks again

psuLemon

jc1961AA wrote: »

psuLemon, thank you. Consistency is not a problem, i will stick to what i am doing. Good idea about taking a lifting program and adding some extra work, thus I am not sure that I would add the right stuff. I am enjoying the dumbbell work out right now, but next Monday i am having a coaching session to show me the proper form of some of the compound movements. i may also ask a few question to the trainer what would be good to add to a heavy lifting program. One thing i enjoy but defect i guess the object of heavy lifting, is mixing cardio and weight, I just like the feeling of pushing through the "out of breath" feeling. I come from a background of running and cycling too (even had a few dibs at triathlons), so this heavy lifting direction is new to me, one side of my brain says get bigger muscle and defined, but the other side says you need to keep that cardio fitness going (got London to Brighton coming up in a few months, and I am taking part in the transplant games in Birmingham this summer. I guess it's for me to find the right way of training, with the right amount and staying injury free (I know how you feel sijomial). I even looked at Crossfit, but tbh I can't afford their fees, that's just too much for me, I think i would like their workout with the proper guidance. Thanks again

So you might benefit from a program like PHUL or PHAT. They have a good mix of hypertrophy (higher rep/lower weight) and strength (low rep/high weight) work. At best, it might help you gain a few lbs of muscle and cut some fat (not enough to get huge). On hypertrophy days, you would have shorter rest periods which can help improve your anaerobic threshold which can also support your cardiovascular system.

I will add though, if you have never lifted heavy (talking 1.5 -2x+ bw), than you have never experience the exhaustion caused by heavy lifting. When I heavy deadlift/squat, I struggle to reduce rest periods to less than 3 minutes. I do I like the hypertrophy work as I can keep rest periods to 60-120 seconds.

jc1961AA

psuLemon wrote: »

So you might benefit from a program like PHUL or PHAT. They have a good mix of hypertrophy (higher rep/lower weight) and strength (low rep/high weight) work. At best, it might help you gain a few lbs of muscle and cut some fat (not enough to get huge). On hypertrophy days, you would have shorter rest periods which can help improve your anaerobic threshold which can also support your cardiovascular system.
.

psuLemon, i think this is something that could work well for me. Thank you!! Trying to find a good program now.

sijomial

jc1961AA wrote: »

psuLemon, thank you. Consistency is not a problem, i will stick to what i am doing. Good idea about taking a lifting program and adding some extra work, thus I am not sure that I would add the right stuff. I am enjoying the dumbbell work out right now, but next Monday i am having a coaching session to show me the proper form of some of the compound movements. i may also ask a few question to the trainer what would be good to add to a heavy lifting program. One thing i enjoy but defect i guess the object of heavy lifting, is mixing cardio and weight, I just like the feeling of pushing through the "out of breath" feeling. I come from a background of running and cycling too (even had a few dibs at triathlons), so this heavy lifting direction is new to me, one side of my brain says get bigger muscle and defined, but the other side says you need to keep that cardio fitness going (got London to Brighton coming up in a few months, and I am taking part in the transplant games in Birmingham this summer. I guess it's for me to find the right way of training, with the right amount and staying injury free (I know how you feel sijomial). I even looked at Crossfit, but tbh I can't afford their fees, that's just too much for me, I think i would like their workout with the proper guidance. Thanks again

Enjoy riding up Ditchling Beacon - it's a beast!


But it's all downhill into Brighton after the summit.

jc1961AA

sijomial wrote: »

Enjoy riding up Ditchling Beacon - it's a beast!


But it's all downhill into Brighton after the summit.

Thanks! It does not make me feel better but that's good to know . Waiting for the weather to pick up a bit and I will get the old trusted Specialized out of the garage