Body Recomp help

alesiafisherart

Hi,
I’m having trouble accurately calculating my macros for body recomp.

I am
5’1”
126lbs
28 years old
I work out 3 to 4 times a week (lifting with 2 or 3 days of cardio)

I used a calculator online and I feel like the macros are excessive for my stature.

Does this look weird to anyone else?
Low fat option:

Training days:
2119 calories/ 126g protein/319carbs/38g fat

Rest days:
1413 calories/126g protein/142 carbs/38g fat

Thanks if anyone can offer advice or experience!

GaryRuns

Those aren't totally unreasonable. You typically want 0.8-1 gram of protein per pound of body weight, and you want that regardless of rest day or training day because muscle protein synthesis can happen any time up to about 72 hours after you lift. 126g is right there.

The fat might be a bit low. I think generally folks who are in the know recommend between 20-30% of your calories come from fat. Yours is down at 16% on training days and 24% on non-training days. Over a week that might put you into the 20-30% range, on average.

Anyway, I don't see any of it as out of line. If you're recomping the next step is to just apply it and monitor your weight, and even better, use calipers to track fat. If you find you're gaining fat, reduce the calories by about 10%. If you find you're losing weight, up them by 10%. Keep that up until you find the zero-gain/loss point.

Oh, and here's an excellent thread on macros:

https://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/911011/calculating-calorie-macronutrient-needs/p1

sijomial

Not sure exactly seeing how how "macros can be excessive" - what do you mean by that?
A macro could be excessive but not all three?

Calories could be excessive if it led to weight gain over time but although you are petite you also exercise a lot more than average so yours don't look unreasonable.

Protein is fairly standard recommendation for someone training hard, fat is a bit low, carbs - completely individual.

By the way - the driver for recomp is your training not your diet, diet supports training and recovery but it doesn't drive adding muscle.

cupcakesandproteinshakes

Why is there such a variation in the calories? Recomp is structured resistance training at maintenance calories. You need to work out your maintenance calories.

Yr protein is fine.

Maybe you have worked out your weekly maintenance and divided it over 7 days?

Talan79

I’m tagging @sardelsa , she may be able to chime in.

sardelsa

Thanks @Talan79 not sure how much more I can add

Calculators are only a guess, real life results over time is the best way to know if those calorie amounts are right for you. I do agree that your fat is quite low, especially for a woman. I would aim for at least 0.35-4g per lb bodyweight minimum. Protein is good. You can play around with the rest to suit your needs and preferences.

You don't need to change your calories on training vs non-training days to recomp, some people like to calorie cycle, some people don't but that is up to you. In the end you want to maintain your weight (over time, fluctuations and slight gains/losses will happen), follow a progressive lifting program, get enough protein and have patience!