Almost at goal - what happens next? (girl who lifts)

_lyndseybrooke_

ABOUT ME:
-24 year old female; 5'5"; SW 155 CW 136.2 GW 130
-Average daily calorie intake: 1650 cal/day (1450-1500 M-F, 1700-2500 SaSu)
-Just started the SL 5x5 program a little under a month ago; lift on MWF (60 min incl. warm up/cool down), cardio TTh (30 min)
-Anywhere from 100-140 g protein per day
-Losing anywhere from 0-.8 lb/week

Once I reach my goal weight, I'd like to switch it up, increase my calories, and start focusing on building some muscle while still losing some fat. I'm guessing I'm still quite a few weeks away from reaching my goal, so the amount I lift should be higher and my workouts should be more intense.

I went to Scooby's site and put in my height, goal weight, 3-5 hrs moderate activity weekly, 5 meals per day, 45% carb/25% fat/30% protein. This is what I got for "Gain muscle, Lose fat":

Daily Calorie Intake: 2180
160 g protein daily

FIRST QUESTION: Should I change my percentages or are those fine? These are the ones I'm currently using.

SECOND QUESTION: Should I start off with 1800-2000 calories first to make sure I don't gain fat or should I jump right up to 2180? My BMR is 1432, current TDEE is 1969 (TDEE-15%=1674). I'm worried about just getting fatter instead of gaining muscle if I eat too much for my activity level.

THIRD QUESTION: Any advice for transitioning from weight loss to muscle gain? Anything I should expect?

eimaj5575

Bump

_lyndseybrooke_

Anyone?

SezxyStef

As for what to do when you reach goal...if you want to do a recomp you slowly start upping your calories to maintenance before reaching goal (I am in that process 100 calories a week) and continue your lifting.

That way you can build muscle while still losing fat. This takes patience and time.

Your macros are someone personal and should be based on BF%...mine are currently set to 45/30/25 and will remain there.

Do not go over maintenance if you don't want to gain...in a bulk there is some fat gained.

As for advice sorry I am not at maintenance yet or doing a recomp at the moment nor have I done one.

I have read lots here tho from those who have and the only suggestion they give is be patient...this takes time, diligent logging, watching macros and measurments etc. Similar to losing but without the gratification of scale weight going down, but BF% going down.

_lyndseybrooke_

As for what to do when you reach goal...if you want to do a recomp you slowly start upping your calories to maintenance before reaching goal (I am in that process 100 calories a week) and continue your lifting.

That way you can build muscle while still losing fat. This takes patience and time.

Your macros are someone personal and should be based on BF%...mine are currently set to 45/30/25 and will remain there.

Do not go over maintenance if you don't want to gain...in a bulk there is some fat gained.

As for advice sorry I am not at maintenance yet or doing a recomp at the moment nor have I done one.

I have read lots here tho from those who have and the only suggestion they give is be patient...this takes time, diligent logging, watching macros and measurments etc. Similar to losing but without the gratification of scale weight going down, but BF% going down.

So would you suggest that I start increasing my calories by 100 per week now, with 6 lbs left to go? Or should I wait until I'm closer?

SezxyStef

As for what to do when you reach goal...if you want to do a recomp you slowly start upping your calories to maintenance before reaching goal (I am in that process 100 calories a week) and continue your lifting.

That way you can build muscle while still losing fat. This takes patience and time.

Your macros are someone personal and should be based on BF%...mine are currently set to 45/30/25 and will remain there.

Do not go over maintenance if you don't want to gain...in a bulk there is some fat gained.

As for advice sorry I am not at maintenance yet or doing a recomp at the moment nor have I done one.

I have read lots here tho from those who have and the only suggestion they give is be patient...this takes time, diligent logging, watching macros and measurments etc. Similar to losing but without the gratification of scale weight going down, but BF% going down.

So would you suggest that I start increasing my calories by 100 per week now, with 6 lbs left to go? Or should I wait until I'm closer?

I think that depends on your deficet currently.

I plan on going up to 2100 calories so I am adding 100 a week so that in 5 weeks I am at 2100...I am my 3rd week in. If that last pound isn't gone by then...eh...whatever.

I will watch my intake by logging (same as I do now) and weigh once a week like I do now and if I see an upward trend I will go down by 100...watch that ofr a couple of weeks and see what happens...

If you have 6lbs to lose you could up by 100 every 2-3 or even weeks till you hit goal...personal choice.

You will however find that your lifts improve mine have already with just an extra 200 calories.

CorvusCorax77

I don't think you can "build muscle and lose fat" at the same time. When you get to maintenance, it basically turns into a complex dance of how to balance things (in my experience). I found it easier to be losing and focused on losing because once I got to goal weight, it became a bulk and cut cycle. If you want to build muscle, you have to do a bulk cycle. If you want to lose fat, you have to do a cut cycle. If there is any place where things just always stay the same and your body is perfectly where you want it to be and you don't have to put effort into stayin there, let me in on the memo! (I hit my GW two years ago, currently working on the last ten...again....went ten below my GW, started lifting, gained 20 (including LBM), am cutting again, will probably bulk again after that to increase my strength stats, will probably cut again after that.... you see the pattern)

SezxyStef

I don't think you can "build muscle and lose fat" at the same time. When you get to maintenance, it basically turns into a complex dance of how to balance things (in my experience). I found it easier to be losing and focused on losing because once I got to goal weight, it became a bulk and cut cycle. If you want to build muscle, you have to do a bulk cycle. If you want to lose fat, you have to do a cut cycle. If there is any place where things just always stay the same and your body is perfectly where you want it to be and you don't have to put effort into stayin there, let me in on the memo! (I hit my GW two years ago, currently working on the last ten...again....went ten below my GW, started lifting, gained 20 (including LBM), am cutting again, will probably bulk again after that to increase my strength stats, will probably cut again after that.... you see the pattern)

No you can do a recomp...which is building muscle and losing fat at the same time...it is easier to do cut/bulk cycles.

harphy

Actually you can both build muscle and loose fat at maintainance calories, but it goes very, very slowly. Alternating between suficit and deficit along heavy lifting is a better option.

CorvusCorax77

I don't think you can "build muscle and lose fat" at the same time. When you get to maintenance, it basically turns into a complex dance of how to balance things (in my experience). I found it easier to be losing and focused on losing because once I got to goal weight, it became a bulk and cut cycle. If you want to build muscle, you have to do a bulk cycle. If you want to lose fat, you have to do a cut cycle. If there is any place where things just always stay the same and your body is perfectly where you want it to be and you don't have to put effort into stayin there, let me in on the memo! (I hit my GW two years ago, currently working on the last ten...again....went ten below my GW, started lifting, gained 20 (including LBM), am cutting again, will probably bulk again after that to increase my strength stats, will probably cut again after that.... you see the pattern)

No you can do a recomp...which is building muscle and losing fat at the same time...it is easier to do cut/bulk cycles.

can you explain this to me? Like in kinda details. Like are you saying just eat TDEE and lift?

SezxyStef

I don't think you can "build muscle and lose fat" at the same time. When you get to maintenance, it basically turns into a complex dance of how to balance things (in my experience). I found it easier to be losing and focused on losing because once I got to goal weight, it became a bulk and cut cycle. If you want to build muscle, you have to do a bulk cycle. If you want to lose fat, you have to do a cut cycle. If there is any place where things just always stay the same and your body is perfectly where you want it to be and you don't have to put effort into stayin there, let me in on the memo! (I hit my GW two years ago, currently working on the last ten...again....went ten below my GW, started lifting, gained 20 (including LBM), am cutting again, will probably bulk again after that to increase my strength stats, will probably cut again after that.... you see the pattern)

No you can do a recomp...which is building muscle and losing fat at the same time...it is easier to do cut/bulk cycles.

can you explain this to me? Like in kinda details. Like are you saying just eat TDEE and lift?

The basics are that you eat at maintenance and continue a progressive load lifting program like Stronglifts or starting strength.

The key to this is watching nutrition and macros...protien, fat then carbs.

It is a long process I personally haven't done it yet but there are lots here who have. I am working my way to one in the next couple weeks as I don't want to do a bulk until I am at 20% BF (if i ever do one)

Based on personal accounts it takes a while...some have done it for a solid year and dropped down 2-3% on BF and gained a few lbs of muscle...these being women of course.

If you are okay with building slowly and not a lot of muscle this is good as you lower body fat% while maintaining weight but going down in clothing size, get leaner and show more muscle.

CorvusCorax77

I do 5/3/1 and I think my problem is I could never peg down my "maintenance" calories. I tried 1700-1900 and ended up gaining weight (and fat) even tho I was lifting. (That was TDEE minus 10-20% supposedly). Feels like maintenance , for me, has been weight fluctuation between 123 and 145 (tho I admit 123 is too small for me) and constantly adjusting how I exercise. I would stick to 5/3/1 but I would add cardio, assistance training, rock climbing, etcetera to switch it up.

SezxyStef

There is typically a 5lb-10lbs pf weight gain (glycogen stores) being replensihed when one switches to maintenance, because your body is no longer using those as the energy it requires while in a deficet.

I plan on giving myself an 8lb buffer...no higher than 158..no lower than 149....but again my goal is not weight it's bodyfat%.

Perhaps decide on your buffer, choose a BF% you want and forget about the scale.

http://www.nerdfitness.com/blog/2011/07/21/meet-staci-your-new-powerlifting-super-hero/

Here is an example of why scale weight means nothing to me.

LividMuffin

Bumping in for when I need this