Recomp technique

MrTolerable

Hey guys, I keep hitting on this, and I know questions have been answered in other forums saying it is basically impossible but I came across the recomp technique and I was wondering if it is applicable for people with sub 12% body fat?

It seems the primary people using this are people that claim to be in the 20-30% body fat that are looking to bulk while cutting their body fat - which is exactly what I am trying to do - gain lean mass while cutting down the body fat - I am slooooooowly gaining weight - I think honestly it is at a rate of .2-.3lbs a week, and then it drops big time, and then I am back to where I am + a marginal amount.

The PROBLEM is my body fat percentage is going up according to the scale and my abs are incredibly important to me - not to sound vain but I literally poured months of work into getting them so I don't want to go through a bulk cycle especially in the summer and loose so much work - but at the same time I am a stickler for reaching goals and I have some goals of how much weight I want to put up on a few lifts and I'm not ganna reach those goals without gaining at least another 10-15 lbs.



Also - I did just add carbs to my diet which is helping me gain weight - but I am also getting a little constipated :embarassed: I think from adding the wheat bread, oatmeal - so I am getting super worried about that. - should I cut out the amount of carbs and stick to the primary diet I formerly had of protein and fats (healthy fats from nuts and good oils like extra virgin olive oil etc.) ? - when I was doing that I was cutting my body fat % super well - but I was also cutting lean mass..

....why can't we just have the best of both worlds?....

My journal is on public.


Any tips or comments from serious strength trainers are welcome. :drinker: - even if it is not what I want to hear.

AliceSwarthout

I have nothing useful to say. However, your hard work shows!

tycho_mx

Not to sound like a jerk, but what you're doing is relatively commonplace - amongst elite athletes.

I'd read Matt Fitzgerald's "Racing Weight", "The Lean Look and his articles. Everything is based on peer-reviewed science, with references. Essentially he suggests a periodization approach for endurance athletes, where they get leaner (not necessarily lighter) when they approach peak competition dates - and he accepts that no one is at 100% fitness 100% of the time so he suggests loosening up a little bit on the off season.

Anyway, look over the reviews and see if it convinces you...

http://mattfitzgerald.org/books/

MrTolerable

I have nothing useful to say. However, your hard work shows!

:flowerforyou:

@tycho_mx - I may purchase the book - sorta swamped with books on sales at the moment, but this is important and I might check it out- your dead on though I wan to get leaner but not lighter. - I still feel like a fatty some days despite the compartmentalized belly.

JoRocka

for constipation- add more fat

secondly- if you want to get a bit bigger- you know this- you are going to have to put on some fat. Recomping is just terribly inefficient and time consuming- and my understanding especially for people at your level.

But doing a 3-4 month bulk- putting on 10-15 pounds- no one will notice but you - and then you can strip it back off quickly- losing fat is much easier than putting on muscle.

I'll let waldo chime in on that- he's much more efficient at explaining that stuff.

NRBreit

You look to be around 10% BF plus or minus. Seriously, what do you expect to recomp? Your body is going to hold onto whatever remaining fat it has. Eat, bulk, get stronger, and gain some weight. If you start to lose your abs, cut back. Either that, or maintain what you currently have.

GreatDepression

Yeah, you're really vain. Also, what's the deal with blurring out the pixels on your eyes? Scared someone will find a shirtless photo of you?

MrTolerable

Yeah, you're really vain. Also, what's the deal with blurring out the pixels on your eyes? Scared someone will find a shirtless photo of you?

^anything else you can point out for us Sherlock Holmes? No I had a problem with women on MFP hitting me up on FB.

@JoRocka: Your actually the first person to say that - I cut back on the fat BIG time because I'm consuming more carbs - soo I have been thinking it is carbs but I guess I am not balancing my diet very properly - guess that means more nuts and olive oil. Thanks for your input :flowerforyou:

jimmmer

Have you checked out some of Lyle McDonalds work? I'm thinking something like UD2.0. Or, if you don't want his convoluted diet/training approach, perhaps his stubborn fat solution which can be done in addition to your normal/preferred training.

TavistockToad

Yeah, you're really vain. Also, what's the deal with blurring out the pixels on your eyes? Scared someone will find a shirtless photo of you?

Any reason you're so bothered about the OP?

LolBroScience

It takes a really long time, but I guess that's subjective depending on your goals.

Lean bulking - you won't completely lose your abs i... just bulk at a slow pace. If you're so concerned about it why not just postpone bulking until after summer?

LolBroScience

....why can't we just have the best of both worlds?....

eat clen, tren hard, test your limits, anavar give up. Nom sayain?

MagnumBurrito

Your calorie and macros totals are all over the place. For a recomp, try to eat right at maintenance (+/-100 calories ), and hit your minimum protein and fats everyday. You can play with around with the carb %.

_benjammin

eat clen, tren hard, test your limits, anavar give up. Nom sayain?

Ha! Brilliant!
;-)

Ashes_To_Beast

Bump

MrTolerable

Your calorie and macros totals are all over the place. For a recomp, try to eat right at maintenance (+/-100 calories ), and hit your minimum protein and fats everyday. You can play with around with the carb %.

^Yeah humbling but I guess your right - I guess it is all over the place because on days I was putting 3+ hours in the gym and doing HIIT I was eating as much as I could through out the day, while on the off days I was not. - I'm 5'10" - 148-154lbs - think I should be doing 2000 calories daily and then on my off days going with 1800 for intake?

Have a recommendation for where my macro % should be?

@lolbroscience

eat clen, tren hard, test your limits, anavar give up. Nom sayain?

-:laugh: lmao sure do boss

MrTolerable

Have you checked out some of Lyle McDonalds work? I'm thinking something like UD2.0. Or, if you don't want his convoluted diet/training approach, perhaps his stubborn fat solution which can be done in addition to your normal/preferred training.

I have never even heard of Lyle McDonalds- but I just got UD2.0 for the Kindle Glowing reviews - so thanks for the input - I will be reading it next week.

jimmmer

Have you checked out some of Lyle McDonalds work? I'm thinking something like UD2.0. Or, if you don't want his convoluted diet/training approach, perhaps his stubborn fat solution which can be done in addition to your normal/preferred training.

I have never even heard of Lyle McDonalds- but I just got UD2.0 for the Kindle Glowing reviews - so thanks for the input - I will be reading it next week.

I've never done it, but I've got the book and it's a great read. You need to do the integrated training protocol and it just doesn't line up with my training goals at the moment.

It does get a lot of positive feedback though... I will tackle it in the future when my goals shift, I think.

jmt08c

I'm 5'10" and 175 lbs @ roughly 12% BF...from that pic looks like you're closer to 9%. I tried to body recomp at first and saw very little gains. If you're wanting to gain muscle you NEED to eat at a surplus. It is highly unlikely that you would put on 10-15 lbs of muscle without gaining some fat.

Someone mentioned waiting until winter to bulk...this is what I would recommend if you are concerned about your abs and being shirtless.

Most people have found that a recomp is less effective than a bulk and shred cycle...myself included.

MrTolerable

I'm 5'10" and 175 lbs @ roughly 12% BF...from that pic looks like you're closer to 9%. I tried to body recomp at first and saw very little gains. If you're wanting to gain muscle you NEED to eat at a surplus. It is highly unlikely that you would put on 10-15 lbs of muscle without gaining some fat.

Someone mentioned waiting until winter to bulk...this is what I would recommend if you are concerned about your abs and being shirtless.

Most people have found that a recomp is less effective than a bulk and shred cycle...myself included.

^Just so you know - I'm sooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo jealy man - your exactly where I wish I was -

I'm going to read the book - I'm going to just go ballllz 2 da wall - for getting cut and trim for the rest of the summer - come fall I'm going to attempt the recomp again - come winter I'm going for a super super big bulk cycle - come spring it's time for cutting again.

I guess your right -time is very important and the quickest way to do this is to bulk, take on the fat, and loose the six pack for a few months.

markiend

http://www.bodyrecomposition.com/