Body recomposition
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bschoo01
Posts: 175 Member
I am trying to lose weight. I have been lifting for about 4-5 months now. I have been slowly losing weight. I have heard several people talk about recomposition. Gaining lean muscle while losing body fat. This would be ideal! I'm starting to get a bit discouraged because I haven't been losing as much lately, which in return makes me start to slack off. So I'm thinking about switching things up to get me back on track.
I came across this article: http://blog.myfitnesspal.com/2014/11/the-basics-of-body-recomposition-how-to-lose-fat-gain-muscle-at-the-same-time/?utm_source=MFP&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=weekly_20141117&mkt_tok=3RkMMJWWfF9wsRonvKXOZKXonjHpfsXx6ewqX6W1lMI/0ER3fOvrPUfGjI4ARMViI+SLDwEYGJlv6SgFSrTFMblm0LgLXhM=
I'm sure many of you have read it as well. So I calculated the calories I should eat on rest days vs training days. On rest days I would eat 2097 calories! And then on training days I would eat 2680! I feel like this is a lot of calories and I am afraid if I eat this much I will gain back the fat I have worked so hard to get rid of. Right now I have my calories goal set at 1830 a day and I eat my exercise cals back.
Anybody else doing this? What are your thoughts? I would love to hear from people this has worked for. Or should I continue to eat at a deficit to lose weight and continue to lift to try to preserve as much muscle as possible?
I came across this article: http://blog.myfitnesspal.com/2014/11/the-basics-of-body-recomposition-how-to-lose-fat-gain-muscle-at-the-same-time/?utm_source=MFP&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=weekly_20141117&mkt_tok=3RkMMJWWfF9wsRonvKXOZKXonjHpfsXx6ewqX6W1lMI/0ER3fOvrPUfGjI4ARMViI+SLDwEYGJlv6SgFSrTFMblm0LgLXhM=
I'm sure many of you have read it as well. So I calculated the calories I should eat on rest days vs training days. On rest days I would eat 2097 calories! And then on training days I would eat 2680! I feel like this is a lot of calories and I am afraid if I eat this much I will gain back the fat I have worked so hard to get rid of. Right now I have my calories goal set at 1830 a day and I eat my exercise cals back.
Anybody else doing this? What are your thoughts? I would love to hear from people this has worked for. Or should I continue to eat at a deficit to lose weight and continue to lift to try to preserve as much muscle as possible?
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Replies
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Just eat at a slight deficit and lift heavy stuff to keep as much muscle as possible.0
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I figured most people would say that... Thanks for your response
The idea of gaining muscle and losing fat at the same time is just so tempting! I would love to still hear from people who are using this method before I make a decision.
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Its a slow process, Thats why a lot of peeps fined it easier to cut down then bulk back up and then cut again......ect.0
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It's a grind. Think in terms of years instead of months.0
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But I want to be skinny and muscular now!!! **throws temper-tantrum**
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I don't want to "bulk" at this point because I'm afraid I won't go back to a cut! lol I'm not far enough in to trust myself at this point. So my options are: eat a deficit until I get to a desired weight (risking losing muscle) and then do bulking and cutting cycles or try this recomp thing that people are talking about.0
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I've been trying to lose weight and gain ( or at least maintain) muscle. I have a straight 1750 calories a day, and try to keep my protein above 30%. I usually exercise every day, but it is usually just some mild cardio when I really need a rest day from sore muscles. The first month I lost 5 pounds. I have been stalling the last couple weeks, but I am still seeing improvements as far as muscles and waist measurements. The weight loss stall is a bit discouraging, but since I am still seeing visible progress I am trying not to worry. My maintenance calories are generally estimated between 2250-2500, but I suspect I would gain weight at that level, even though I usually spend a couple hours a day at the gym. I think my metabolism is probably slow from spending much of the last year at a calorie deficit.0
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It's a grind. Think in terms of years instead of months.
Exactly this. OP - I do not know how much weight you are trying to lose, but in January 2012, I was staring down the barrel of a 100 pound weight loss requirement. Here we are almost 3 full years later and I am almost at 95 pounds. During these 3 years I have gone through phases of cuts, maintenance, and re-composition all very much depending on what was happening in my life at the time. I have not attempted a bulk and will not do so until I get to the 100 pound goal.
I think a very common mistake with weight loss is the short term mentality which does not recognize how life can get in the way. If you can wrap you mind around thinking of weight loss and fitness as long term goal setting, you might find the answers present themselves a little more easily for you...0 -
Just eat healthy food, don't "eat back calories you burn", that doesn't make any sense. You need to be in a calorie deficit, it's that simple.
Eat healthy and you'll get fuller on less calories and it's good you do lifting but your diet is 85% of losing weight.
And 2700 calories is way too much.0 -
Good point. I can't not find it right now but was reading going no more than 5-10% was the thought from one source. I think the goal is to keep your body from thinking it is going to starve to dead at the new rate it is been feed.
By way of illustration only ff you cut by say 500 cals a day but one's metabolism slows by 600 cals a day in response to your sudden cut in calories you still are over eating. Our bodies know more a surviving than we know about dieting for sure.
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try this site http://www.bodyrecomposition.com/; lots of info under articles0
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I am not trying to be rude so please don't take this the wrong way... I know how to eat at a deficit, what I need to eat to lose weight, and how to lift heavy (well at least heavy for me)! I know this is a life long process and something I will have to change forever and not just a quick fix (even though most of us wish it were).
I'm not asking for advice on deficits. I'm asking people if they have tried body recomp. Whether it be by eating at maintenance and lifting or calorie cycling and lifting. And what their experiences are. Is it worth trying?
My concern is... even though I am lifting I am still eating at a deficit so no matter what I will lose muscle. I know I will lose less muscle lifting than if I were a cardio bunny. But I am still going to lose muscle. The less muscle I have the less fat I burn. So body recomp is saying you can lose fat and gain muscle at the same time. The more muscle gained the quicker the fat loss.
Has anybody tried it and had good results?
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try this site http://www.bodyrecomposition.com/; lots of info under articles
Thanks! I will take a look... Have you tried it?
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You are not rude at all, you are just re-stating your question so that people understand. Nothing at all wrong with that.I am not trying to be rude so please don't take this the wrong way... I know how to eat at a deficit, what I need to eat to lose weight, and how to lift heavy (well at least heavy for me)! I know this is a life long process and something I will have to change forever and not just a quick fix (even though most of us wish it were).
I'm not asking for advice on deficits. I'm asking people if they have tried body recomp. Whether it be by eating at maintenance and lifting or calorie cycling and lifting. And what their experiences are. Is it worth trying?
My concern is... even though I am lifting I am still eating at a deficit so no matter what I will lose muscle. I know I will lose less muscle lifting than if I were a cardio bunny. But I am still going to lose muscle. The less muscle I have the less fat I burn. So body recomp is saying you can lose fat and gain muscle at the same time. The more muscle gained the quicker the fat loss.
Has anybody tried it and had good results?
I've been weight lifting for years, but it has only been this last year or so that I've been heavy lifting. I eat at maintenance, sometimes slightly above, and I've seen amazing changes in my body. Sometimes when I see myself in the mirror I can't believe it's me.
I don't have a clue as to whether I've really built muscle, but I do know my body is tighter, I appear more toned, my clothes have become looser though my weight stays about the same, and I feel so fantastic!
I weight lift and run as well.
Good luck!
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Thanks SLL! That gives me hope 0
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@OP - the point I was trying to make in my response was that it is a long process that for me, was a balancing act of deficit, maintenance and re-comp. During these 3 years, I have not noticed any loss of muscle mass, nor any real gain of muscle mass either. I have most certainly seen the muscles I have come through once the layers of fat started coming off as my profile photos would clearly show.
I think in the end, you need to decide what your weight loss and fitness priorities are. I have not taken the quickest route but I find the re-comp approach such a delicate balancing act that I, personally, prefer the periods of deficit and maintenance.
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madrose0715 wrote: »@OP - the point I was trying to make in my response was that it is a long process that for me, was a balancing act of deficit, maintenance and re-comp. During these 3 years, I have not noticed any loss of muscle mass, nor any real gain of muscle mass either. I have most certainly seen the muscles I have come through once the layers of fat started coming off as my profile photos would clearly show.
I think in the end, you need to decide what your weight loss and fitness priorities are. I have not taken the quickest route but I find the re-comp approach such a delicate balancing act that I, personally, prefer the periods of deficit and maintenance.
I was not specifically referring to your post when I reiterated my point. I value your opinion and I like to hear what works well for others. Thank you for your insight 0 -
MFP did an article on recomp recently. I'll see if I can find it.
Here it is.
tl;dr:
Eat 10% below maintenance on rest days.
Eat 15% above maintenance on lifting days.
Eat higher carbs on lifting days.0
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