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Body Recomposition vs. Bulking and Cutting

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KaterinaTerese
KaterinaTerese Posts: 345 Member
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So I'm looking for opinions on this stance on getting rid of "those last five pounds." I'm not looking to lose anymore weight, but to lose BF%.

I am 5'5", 155lbs and currently at 25-29% BF, and took up weight lifting in October 2013. I have been slowly getting up reset since December (been at TDEE for about three weeks), but am wondering if I should "cut" after my reset or follow Kaleo's advice:

https://gokaleo.com/2012/09/19/body-composition-that-last-five-pounds-and-how-to-deal-with-problem-areas/

I am, of course, worried about just gaining fat. I do StrongLifts 5x5 3 times a week, not much cardio, and seem to be maintaining at my current TDEE.

Just looking for others' opinions! I'm not sure about enough the benefits or cons of either way to make up my mind! :indifferent:

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  • KaterinaTerese
    KaterinaTerese Posts: 345 Member
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    No takers...?
  • rlw0031
    rlw0031 Posts: 88 Member
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    Bump I really want to know the answer to this...I am about the same BF as you and do it looks about the same workout. Except I do want to lose...
  • Warchortle
    Warchortle Posts: 2,197 Member
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    Body recomping requires a lot more consistency than a traditional bulking/cutting cycles in my opinion. I also believe if someone isn't experienced enough on how to perform exercises properly then body recomping may be difficult.. for example if you feel your shoulders ache during flat bench and feel no chest activation recomping may not be the way to go. You can't gain fat if you're not in a caloric surplus and as long as you're progressing in your lifts you'll keep putting on lean body mass.
  • BarbellCowgirl
    BarbellCowgirl Posts: 1,271 Member
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    Your stats are very similar to mine and I've had the same question recently as my main focus has shifted to BF% and strength versus scale weight. I've been "cutting" off and on for a long time and get tired of trying to eat at a deficit. However, I started doing some research and came across this article and it made sense:http://www.bodyrecomposition.com/fat-loss/reducing-body-fat-percentage-by-gaining-muscle-qa.html

    I think it boils down to your mental status. If you're sick of trying to cut and you are willing to wait a while to see real results, by all means go for recomp. But I am impatient and enjoy seeing tangible changes, so I chose to continue at a slight deficit with breaks every so often and then will probably bulk this Fall.
  • KaterinaTerese
    KaterinaTerese Posts: 345 Member
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    Looking at Lyle's article, it seems as maybe I should just continue my weight loss journey for a little bit longer before trying to "beef up."
    I am progressing well (but slowly -- why I was wondering about increasing calories) on StrongLifts, but definitely not overburdened with muscle mass as of yet.

    Thanks for your imput, all!
  • BarbellCowgirl
    BarbellCowgirl Posts: 1,271 Member
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    If you're still making strength gains, it's always a good sign you're doing things right. When you start cutting again, and if you completely stall on strength gains, that's when you have to start making decisions on what your overall goal is. Once I had been lifting and cutting for close to a year, my strength gains stalled. I was ok with maintaining for a while, but eventually decided I still love seeing the weights go up the but also need to cut more fat. So I decreased my deficit and so far I'm still progressing in strength AND I am losing fat. It's a delicate and lengthy process that sometimes takes some of trial and error and understanding what will work for your body. Good luck!

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