Setting calories for post partum belly fat loss/skinny fat/body recomp?

sessa642
sessa642 Posts: 3 Member
in Food and Nutrition
I'm 6 months postpartum, 5'8", 133 lbs. I've always been (and still am) skinnyfat. My goal is to shrink my waist/belly (it's ~5" bigger than pre-pregnancy), but to gain (or at least not lose) any muscle. I don't care about "losing weight" since 133lbs, although 10lbs greater than pre-pregnancy, is fine for my height. I care more about how my clothes fit and just generally looking fit and toned and making sure that extra weight is muscle, not just fat as it currently is.

My question is: how do I set calorie targets? Do I need to do calorie cycling? I'm aware of the importance of protein and lifting weights for this kind of a goal, I just don't know how to set the calorie targets. Current maintenance calories are calculated at ~1650. Losing belly fat makes think I should eat in a deficit, but maintaining or gaining muscle makes me want to eat in a surplus, so it's confusing.

I think overall my goal should be a slight deficit everyday at about 1500, plus exercising to burn an extra 250 calories for a total of ~400 deficit. Does that sound right? Or do I need to do calorie cycling?

Any guidance is appreciated!
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Replies

  • Lietchi
    Lietchi Posts: 6,879 Member
    Recomposition is lowering bodyfat while increasing muscle mass, usually while staying at the same weight or losing weight very slightly. If you want to stay at the same weight, you should eat at maintenance level. Losing slowly could also be an option, but a 400 calorie deficit seems a bit steep for that. The higher the deficit, the harder it is to build muscle.

    Whether or not you 'calorie cycle' is up to you. You can look at your calorie intake on weekly basis - how you spread your calories (both intake as well as exercise) over the week is your choice.
  • AnnPT77
    AnnPT77 Posts: 34,598 Member
    The thread here about recomposition would be a good read for you, I think:

    https://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10177803/recomposition-maintaining-weight-while-losing-fat
  • sessa642
    sessa642 Posts: 3 Member
    Lietchi wrote: »
    Recomposition is lowering bodyfat while increasing muscle mass, usually while staying at the same weight or losing weight very slightly. If you want to stay at the same weight, you should eat at maintenance level. Losing slowly could also be an option, but a 400 calorie deficit seems a bit steep for that. The higher the deficit, the harder it is to build muscle.

    Whether or not you 'calorie cycle' is up to you. You can look at your calorie intake on weekly basis - how you spread your calories (both intake as well as exercise) over the week is your choice.

    Thank you. I don't mind if I stay at the same weight or lose say 5-8lbs, as long as my clothes fit and I generally look/feel fit. If I need to lose a few lbs in order to shrink my waist, that's fine. Thanks for pointing out that the higher the deficit, the harder to build muscle - maybe a 400 deficit is too aggressive if I'm not going for straight weight loss.
  • ninerbuff
    ninerbuff Posts: 49,024 Member
    sessa642 wrote: »
    I'm 6 months postpartum, 5'8", 133 lbs. I've always been (and still am) skinnyfat. My goal is to shrink my waist/belly (it's ~5" bigger than pre-pregnancy), but to gain (or at least not lose) any muscle. I don't care about "losing weight" since 133lbs, although 10lbs greater than pre-pregnancy, is fine for my height. I care more about how my clothes fit and just generally looking fit and toned and making sure that extra weight is muscle, not just fat as it currently is.

    My question is: how do I set calorie targets? Do I need to do calorie cycling? I'm aware of the importance of protein and lifting weights for this kind of a goal, I just don't know how to set the calorie targets. Current maintenance calories are calculated at ~1650. Losing belly fat makes think I should eat in a deficit, but maintaining or gaining muscle makes me want to eat in a surplus, so it's confusing.

    I think overall my goal should be a slight deficit everyday at about 1500, plus exercising to burn an extra 250 calories for a total of ~400 deficit. Does that sound right? Or do I need to do calorie cycling?

    Any guidance is appreciated!
    Find your TDEE and just meet it. If you're recomping, that's what you do.

    A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
    IDEA Fitness member
    Kickboxing Certified Instructor
    Been in fitness for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition
    9285851.png

  • sijomial
    sijomial Posts: 19,809 Member
    My question is: how do I set calorie targets?
    Do your goal set up and choose maintain current weight.

    Do I need to do calorie cycling?
    Entirely optional.

    Current maintenance calories are calculated at ~1650.
    If that's a MyFitnessPal calculated goal it's plus exercise calories not just 1650.

    so it's confusing
    No it's simple, eat to maintain current weight (with a decent amount of protein) and most crucially, train effectively.


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