Recomp and calorie cycling

Reading a little more about recomp, and some sources say to eat at maintenance on lifting days, while others say to maintain a slight calorie deficit all the time. Anyone have more success with one strategy versus another?

Replies

  • sardelsa
    sardelsa Posts: 9,812 Member
    If you are eating in a deficit all the time then you are truly not recomping, but losing at a very small rate. In the end you want to maintain your weight (within +/- 5lbs or so) over time. However you want to do it is up to you.
  • sijomial
    sijomial Posts: 19,809 Member
    Calorie cycling while recomping is totally optional but a lot of the reasons I've seen behind the suggestions are frankly based on ignorance by the authors (e.g. "need a surplus to build muscle", "can't gain muscle in a deficit"....)

    You can eat same every day (TDEE method), eat back exercise calories (MFP method) or have a net calorie cycling routine - beyond adherence doubtful you would get any significant differences in results.

    Eat in a (very small) overall deficit if you want to lose weight, eat at overall maintenance calories if you want to maintain weight.... Only you know what you want your weight to do.

    Yes I've had success doing both things at different times but my weight loss was down to 1lb/month and most of my days were at maintenance with just some occasional deficit days. But I was old and lots of training years - no idea what your personal situation is.

    You need to define what you mean by "more success" as it's not clear what metrics you are using to judge that.
  • Ro_4R
    Ro_4R Posts: 100 Member
    So please help me out. I am 6,1 and currently 185 lbs. I train 4 to 5 times a week (lifting) and my calls are without training 3090 a day. My goal is to gain muscle but then again, don't want my fat to incready. So i guess recomp is the thing I am doing (right?).

    If I train i eat beat. I figured out the amount of call i can eat back with my training since a couploe of days. My marco's are 50/20/30. I am also not a saint, so on birthdays and stuff i do eat (a small piece of ) cake or a couple of snacks but.....i keep focussed on my macro's. For the rest i eat healthy.

    I do see great results but i am doubting if the macro of fat is not to low. What are you opinions and thoughts?
  • sijomial
    sijomial Posts: 19,809 Member
    Ro_4R wrote: »
    So please help me out. I am 6,1 and currently 185 lbs. I train 4 to 5 times a week (lifting) and my calls are without training 3090 a day. My goal is to gain muscle but then again, don't want my fat to incready. So i guess recomp is the thing I am doing (right?).

    If I train i eat beat. I figured out the amount of call i can eat back with my training since a couploe of days. My marco's are 50/20/30. I am also not a saint, so on birthdays and stuff i do eat (a small piece of ) cake or a couple of snacks but.....i keep focussed on my macro's. For the rest i eat healthy.

    I do see great results but i am doubting if the macro of fat is not to low. What are you opinions and thoughts?

    You need a minimum amount of fat for health but beyond that it's a preference.
    Personally I just set a minimum of 0.4g per pound of bodyweight but hit that naturally with my normal diet and it didn't need any special nurturing or care.
    With your high calorie allowance I'm not seeing a problem.

    Protein is the thing I do take special care about when training hard.
    Rather than a percentage I would suggest setting a minimumgoal in grams. If you are just getting 20% (155g) then I would regard that as sub-optimal.
  • Ro_4R
    Ro_4R Posts: 100 Member
    sijomial wrote: »
    Ro_4R wrote: »
    So please help me out. I am 6,1 and currently 185 lbs. I train 4 to 5 times a week (lifting) and my calls are without training 3090 a day. My goal is to gain muscle but then again, don't want my fat to incready. So i guess recomp is the thing I am doing (right?).

    If I train i eat beat. I figured out the amount of call i can eat back with my training since a couploe of days. My marco's are 50/20/30. I am also not a saint, so on birthdays and stuff i do eat (a small piece of ) cake or a couple of snacks but.....i keep focussed on my macro's. For the rest i eat healthy.

    I do see great results but i am doubting if the macro of fat is not to low. What are you opinions and thoughts?

    You need a minimum amount of fat for health but beyond that it's a preference.
    Personally I just set a minimum of 0.4g per pound of bodyweight but hit that naturally with my normal diet and it didn't need any special nurturing or care.
    With your high calorie allowance I'm not seeing a problem.

    Protein is the thing I do take special care about when training hard.
    Rather than a percentage I would suggest setting a minimumgoal in grams. If you are just getting 20% (155g) then I would regard that as sub-optimal.

    Thanks! Proteins are set on 233 grams
  • sijomial
    sijomial Posts: 19,809 Member
    Ro_4R wrote: »
    sijomial wrote: »
    Ro_4R wrote: »
    So please help me out. I am 6,1 and currently 185 lbs. I train 4 to 5 times a week (lifting) and my calls are without training 3090 a day. My goal is to gain muscle but then again, don't want my fat to incready. So i guess recomp is the thing I am doing (right?).

    If I train i eat beat. I figured out the amount of call i can eat back with my training since a couploe of days. My marco's are 50/20/30. I am also not a saint, so on birthdays and stuff i do eat (a small piece of ) cake or a couple of snacks but.....i keep focussed on my macro's. For the rest i eat healthy.

    I do see great results but i am doubting if the macro of fat is not to low. What are you opinions and thoughts?

    You need a minimum amount of fat for health but beyond that it's a preference.
    Personally I just set a minimum of 0.4g per pound of bodyweight but hit that naturally with my normal diet and it didn't need any special nurturing or care.
    With your high calorie allowance I'm not seeing a problem.

    Protein is the thing I do take special care about when training hard.
    Rather than a percentage I would suggest setting a minimumgoal in grams. If you are just getting 20% (155g) then I would regard that as sub-optimal.

    Thanks! Proteins are set on 233 grams

    Ah - the 30% not the 20%. Yes that should be fine for protein.

    Do remember that it's your training that drives the process of building muscle, diet "just" supports your training.
    IMHO there's generally a bit too much emphasis on this site on the diet side - an optimal diet and a poor training routine won't give good results.

    Yes I know it's understandable on a calorie counting website! :wink:
  • Ro_4R
    Ro_4R Posts: 100 Member
    Lol

    I understand. The gym is going well. I am goiung to change gym in 2 weeks. From a big gym to a smaller one. Less massive and more personal. I don't have a spotter. I like to be in my owm zone without being distracted. Then again, i realize havind a spotter can motivated to push those last reps even more