Continue 'Recomp' or lose more weight?
PinkPixiexox
Posts: 4,142 Member
Hi every one :]
I've been eating at maintenance now for around 3 weeks (and enjoying it, I have to say!).
I'm 5ft2 and 125 lbs so technically a 'healthy weight'. I've starting a really decent lifting routine put together by my trainer as I'm currently what people call 'skinny fat'. I've been doing this for two weeks and I'm really enjoying my work-out's.
I started at around 157 lbs so I've lost 32 lbs of 'weight' in total. My 'problem areas' are my tummy. I have a flabby, wobbly stomach still. I also have wobbly arms still. I read up a lot on 'recomping' and decided that this was the way to go to gain some definition. I came to the conclusion that losing another 10 lbs or so wouldn't necessarily give me the body I desire (Fit, strong, defined).
There are many women on here who are the same height as me but have lower goal weights (105 -110lbs) and I was wondering if I was jumping into maintenance too soon? Is recomping a realistic idea for me now? Is it necessary to lose more? I know I technically have room to 'lose' more but not sure if that's the answer..
Put it this way - I have a very fit friend who is the same height and same weight as me - yet she looks a good 10 lbs lighter. She is 'recomping' and succeeding..
Thoughts would be great! Thanks!
ETA - I am tracking BF% now. Currently at 22% - looking to get to around 18-20%.
I've been eating at maintenance now for around 3 weeks (and enjoying it, I have to say!).
I'm 5ft2 and 125 lbs so technically a 'healthy weight'. I've starting a really decent lifting routine put together by my trainer as I'm currently what people call 'skinny fat'. I've been doing this for two weeks and I'm really enjoying my work-out's.
I started at around 157 lbs so I've lost 32 lbs of 'weight' in total. My 'problem areas' are my tummy. I have a flabby, wobbly stomach still. I also have wobbly arms still. I read up a lot on 'recomping' and decided that this was the way to go to gain some definition. I came to the conclusion that losing another 10 lbs or so wouldn't necessarily give me the body I desire (Fit, strong, defined).
There are many women on here who are the same height as me but have lower goal weights (105 -110lbs) and I was wondering if I was jumping into maintenance too soon? Is recomping a realistic idea for me now? Is it necessary to lose more? I know I technically have room to 'lose' more but not sure if that's the answer..
Put it this way - I have a very fit friend who is the same height and same weight as me - yet she looks a good 10 lbs lighter. She is 'recomping' and succeeding..
Thoughts would be great! Thanks!
ETA - I am tracking BF% now. Currently at 22% - looking to get to around 18-20%.
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Replies
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I'm glad you are enjoying maintenance, its great isn't it
Don't worry about other peoples goals/weights, you do what works for you - I'm quite similar to you, I'm happy at 132lbs 5ft2 (I know I easily look 10lbs lighter than I actually am but then throughout my weight loss journey I have consistently ran/walked etc with some lifting). I am also recomping, week 8 and seeing fantastic results - inch loss on my waist/tummy. I definately don't feel I need to lose any more weight. My arms that were slightly flabby are really firmed up with visible muscle already. My abs are also tightening up nicely, the top abs clearly visible now, there is still a layer of fat on my lower tummy but I know in time that will also get smaller and smaller.
If you're happy then stick with this, I know thats what I intend on doing.
I love being able to eat 2000+ calories a day
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Recomp is known to be a slow process. 3 weeks aren't enough to evaluate your progress. Give it more time, you can start to cut again whenever you want.0
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RunRutheeRun wrote: »I'm glad you are enjoying maintenance, its great isn't it
Don't worry about other peoples goals/weights, you do what works for you - I'm quite similar to you, I'm happy at 132lbs 5ft2 (I know I easily look 10lbs lighter than I actually am but then throughout my weight loss journey I have consistently ran/walked etc with some lifting). I am also recomping, week 8 and seeing fantastic results - inch loss on my waist/tummy. I definately don't feel I need to lose any more weight. My arms that were slightly flabby are really firmed up with visible muscle already. My abs are also tightening up nicely, the top abs clearly visible now, there is still a layer of fat on my lower tummy but I know in time that will also get smaller and smaller.
If you're happy then stick with this, I know thats what I intend on doing.
I love being able to eat 2000+ calories a day
Fantastic - thank you for clarifying and congratulations on your amazing progress :]
I'm definitely happy doing what I'm doing! I think I need to stop comparing my size with other people's sizes! I'm looking forward to seeing some results 0 -
Patience!
3 weeks when you are trying to change your body is a drop in the ocean.0 -
@PinkPixiexox keep up the great work I fully expect this recomp to take the guts of a year but sure we're in no hurry, we'll just keep improving bit by bit 0
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I know I personally wouldn't be satisfied around at that weight even recomped, but I am one of "those" people on the low end on my bmi. If you haven't given it a serious try I'd stick it out a bit longer. I will say the last 5-8 lbs I lost with cardio and weight lifting I lost a bunch of inches. I used to have 26 inch waist at 105 at 5'3" but I usually measure between 22.5"-23" these days so losing even a few more lbs in my experience I can make a huge difference. So if you find you aren't getting the results you want try losing a few more lbs while keeping up the lifting and cardio and it might whoosh off like it did for me.0
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I know I personally wouldn't be satisfied around at that weight even recomped, but I am one of "those" people on the low end on my bmi. If you haven't given it a serious try I'd stick it out a bit longer. I will say the last 5-8 lbs I lost with cardio and weight lifting I lost a bunch of inches. I used to have 26 inch waist at 105 at 5'3" but I usually measure between 22.5"-23" these days so losing even a few more lbs in my experience I can make a huge difference. So if you find you aren't getting the results you want try losing a few more lbs while keeping up the lifting and cardio and it might whoosh off like it did for me.
For me, it's not so much about 'weight'. And this picture is why:
What I'm saying is - The 'heavier' weight looks the best in this photograph, in my opinion. I need to build muscle to get a look like that. I can't build muscle in a deficit..
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3 weeks is nothing. It took me 6 months at least to get rid of the wobble. Fat was there physically and there's a lot of SPACE where it was. Go with the recomp. It will make you feel healthier anyway. Then you can decide what to do.
And congratulations!0 -
I generally don't know what to do now.
I'm not sure if it's best I cut my calories again and 'lose weight' or continue eating at maintenance?
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I know I won't see results in 3 weeks :]
I'm not worried about that as such. This is a work in progress.
But I'm worried that I should really be losing more weight. I'm a little stuck0 -
You simply have to give it more time before re-evaluating or you will just be flitting from one thing to another and achieving nothing. Or as my Mum would have described it - blowing around like a fart in a thunder storm.
Progress with your lifts, photos and measurements help but changes are subtle. Even those can "lie". My chest measurement stayed the same but I lost chest fat and gained bigger lats for example.
You do seem to be contradicting yourself when you say your priority is muscle and recomposition but then obsess about your weight. Put that energy into your training instead.
Suggest you give it 3 months not 3 weeks.0 -
PinkPixiexox wrote: »I know I won't see results in 3 weeks :]
I'm not worried about that as such. This is a work in progress.
But I'm worried that I should really be losing more weight. I'm a little stuck
why do you think you should really be losing weight?0 -
You simply have to give it more time before re-evaluating or you will just be flitting from one thing to another and achieving nothing. Or as my Mum would have described it - blowing around like a fart in a thunder storm.
Progress with your lifts, photos and measurements help but changes are subtle. Even those can "lie". My chest measurement stayed the same but I lost chest fat and gained bigger lats for example.
You do seem to be contradicting yourself when you say your priority is muscle and recomposition but then obsess about your weight. Put that energy into your training instead.
Suggest you give it 3 months not 3 weeks.
Totally contradicting myself, you're right.
I guess I'm finding it hard to get out of that 'losing weight' mentality. I was 157 lbs a few months ago and at my height that was quite overweight. I'm now at a reasonably healthy weight yet there are so many conflicting ideas about what I should be doing. There are those that say continue to cut and then 'bulk' to gain the muscle. There are some that claim I'm still too big. There are some that think I should eat at a surplus NOW. It's all a bit confusing.
Would you suggest continuing eating at maintenance and lifting?0 -
TavistockToad wrote: »PinkPixiexox wrote: »I know I won't see results in 3 weeks :]
I'm not worried about that as such. This is a work in progress.
But I'm worried that I should really be losing more weight. I'm a little stuck
why do you think you should really be losing weight?
Based on other women and their statistics. Now I'm the first person to say "Do not compare with others" - but I worry that recomp isn't possible for me. It's all very new and I'm still in the 'overweight' mindset.0 -
I will just add that I did get within 5 pounds of my goal weight and decided I did not need to loose any more weight and started recomp in April of this year.
It does not happen over night but it does happen. My goals change each month as does my workout. I like the idea of not putting on a lot of extra weight (I can stay in my clothes for now) while I am building muscle. And yes I am loosing fat and building muscle at the same time.
I hope one day in the next couple of months I have some before and afters I can share publicly as I do not have the same body I did in April of this year. My profile pic is from April when I was just starting so you cannot see anything in that pic.
Pick a goal, stick to it for a month or so and if you are not getting results, change it up. Recomp is slow. I was at a weight I was comfortable with to start this process, so you need to decide if you want to loose a few more or not. No one can decide for you, but you have plenty of time and I am doing this for the long haul and enjoying it along the way.0 -
Stop comparing yourself to others.
Don't fixate on numbers.
Don't major in the minors.
Be patient.
I feel like I could post these four sentences in every one of your threads. You get great advice from lots of people about recomping and how long that takes. One person says they personally would want to lose more so now that's what you are focusing on...0 -
WinoGelato wrote: »Stop comparing yourself to others.
Don't fixate on numbers.
Don't major in the minors.
Be patient.
I feel like I could post these four sentences in every one of your threads. You get great advice from lots of people about recomping and how long that takes. One person says they personally would want to lose more so now that's what you are focusing on...
I'm not disputing or disagreeing with what anyone is saying to me.
Just takes me a little longer to 'get it' than most.
I just wanted to be sure I was suitable for body recomping at this point. I wasn't sure if there was a criteria for it? I am certainly not expecting quick results0 -
PinkPixiexox wrote: »You simply have to give it more time before re-evaluating or you will just be flitting from one thing to another and achieving nothing. Or as my Mum would have described it - blowing around like a fart in a thunder storm.
Progress with your lifts, photos and measurements help but changes are subtle. Even those can "lie". My chest measurement stayed the same but I lost chest fat and gained bigger lats for example.
You do seem to be contradicting yourself when you say your priority is muscle and recomposition but then obsess about your weight. Put that energy into your training instead.
Suggest you give it 3 months not 3 weeks.
Totally contradicting myself, you're right.
I guess I'm finding it hard to get out of that 'losing weight' mentality. I was 157 lbs a few months ago and at my height that was quite overweight. I'm now at a reasonably healthy weight yet there are so many conflicting ideas about what I should be doing. There are those that say continue to cut and then 'bulk' to gain the muscle. There are some that claim I'm still too big. There are some that think I should eat at a surplus NOW. It's all a bit confusing.
Would you suggest continuing eating at maintenance and lifting?
There's so many conflicting ideas because people have so many different goals, capabilities, knowledge and personal experience.
Work towards your goals not someone else's.
As for going to surplus now - well that would work if your goal was to go from "skinny fat" to "fat fat".
You made your choice three weeks ago - now do it.0 -
PinkPixiexox wrote: »You simply have to give it more time before re-evaluating or you will just be flitting from one thing to another and achieving nothing. Or as my Mum would have described it - blowing around like a fart in a thunder storm.
Progress with your lifts, photos and measurements help but changes are subtle. Even those can "lie". My chest measurement stayed the same but I lost chest fat and gained bigger lats for example.
You do seem to be contradicting yourself when you say your priority is muscle and recomposition but then obsess about your weight. Put that energy into your training instead.
Suggest you give it 3 months not 3 weeks.
Totally contradicting myself, you're right.
I guess I'm finding it hard to get out of that 'losing weight' mentality. I was 157 lbs a few months ago and at my height that was quite overweight. I'm now at a reasonably healthy weight yet there are so many conflicting ideas about what I should be doing. There are those that say continue to cut and then 'bulk' to gain the muscle. There are some that claim I'm still too big. There are some that think I should eat at a surplus NOW. It's all a bit confusing.
Would you suggest continuing eating at maintenance and lifting?
There's so many conflicting ideas because people have so many different goals, capabilities, knowledge and personal experience.
Work towards your goals not someone else's.
As for going to surplus now - well that would work if your goal was to go from "skinny fat" to "fat fat".
You made your choice three weeks ago - now do it.
Thank you 0 -
WinoGelato wrote: »Stop comparing yourself to others.
Don't fixate on numbers.
Don't major in the minors.
Be patient.
I feel like I could post these four sentences in every one of your threads. You get great advice from lots of people about recomping and how long that takes. One person says they personally would want to lose more so now that's what you are focusing on...
I just wanted to add (in the nicest way possible) - I've been doing 'this' healthily for around 5 months. MFP became a community that I felt I could involve myself in and learn from. I came from an uneducated mind-set, knowing nothing of the process or the sensible way of doing things. I had a very disordered way of eating through plain ignorance and a life-time of insecurities. It is very, very difficult for me at times to simply 'not compare myself to others' or 'not to fixate on numbers' but thankfully, thanks to MFP - logic always kicks in and I breathe a little. You may suggest professional help to me - something I have sought and succeeded in getting previously. I use MFP for ongoing advice when I doubt myself and when I need re-affirmation.
I also use MFP to reach out to others and offer my kindness and my experiences too. My threads bother you and I understand the 'softly softly' approach isn't always what people need. But I can't apologise for reaching out either. There are some people, like me - that sometimes need a boost here and there. That sometimes need facts and a reminder. I do not have a support system around me in regards to weight loss and all involved with it so I do take advantage of the forum's. I have only ever offered kindness and understanding here. My aim isn't to 'annoy' or to have people repeat themselves. I appreciate every single bit of advice I am given. I may sound like a broken record and I'm hoping the community can overlook that and understand.0 -
It might also be worth remembering that you can move out of maintenance back into a losing at any point in time. I find that recomp is much harder than losing because it can take so much longer to see results. Instead of losing a pound every week or two, I might lose half an inch on my hips in a month. I have found that when I eat a bit more, my workouts get better and I do see the results. I would give it another month before you make any changes.0
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PinkPixiexox wrote: »WinoGelato wrote: »Stop comparing yourself to others.
Don't fixate on numbers.
Don't major in the minors.
Be patient.
I feel like I could post these four sentences in every one of your threads. You get great advice from lots of people about recomping and how long that takes. One person says they personally would want to lose more so now that's what you are focusing on...
I just wanted to add (in the nicest way possible) - I've been doing 'this' healthily for around 5 months. MFP became a community that I felt I could involve myself in and learn from. I came from an uneducated mind-set, knowing nothing of the process or the sensible way of doing things. I had a very disordered way of eating through plain ignorance and a life-time of insecurities. It is very, very difficult for me at times to simply 'not compare myself to others' or 'not to fixate on numbers' but thankfully, thanks to MFP - logic always kicks in and I breathe a little. You may suggest professional help to me - something I have sought and succeeded in getting previously. I use MFP for ongoing advice when I doubt myself and when I need re-affirmation.
I also use MFP to reach out to others and offer my kindness and my experiences too. My threads bother you and I understand the 'softly softly' approach isn't always what people need. But I can't apologise for reaching out either. There are some people, like me - that sometimes need a boost here and there. That sometimes need facts and a reminder. I do not have a support system around me in regards to weight loss and all involved with it so I do take advantage of the forum's. I have only ever offered kindness and understanding here. My aim isn't to 'annoy' or to have people repeat themselves. I appreciate every single bit of advice I am given. I may sound like a broken record and I'm hoping the community can overlook that and understand.
I'm sorry if you took my post the wrong way. I am never annoyed with people asking questions and I understand that different types of feedback resonate with different people. I have seen your advice to others in the forums and I think you have given very sound, logical advice and have been a helpful addition to this community. When you ask questions for yourself though, you tend to get very confused by any conflicting opinions and it clearly unsettles you. I just wish you could have the same confidence in your own approach to this as you do when advising others what to do.
That's all. My frustration isn't that you asked a question or aren't sure what to do. My frustration is that you tend to focus on one piece of advice that seems to muddy the waters from what most people largely agree on. Give the recomp time. Don't worry about the scale for a while. Approach recomp the same healthy way that you approached weight loss. You are doing great.
Also back to your original question I have same stats as you, started about 153 at 5'2 and am maintaining at 123. I'm very interested in your results with recomp as I have not started a formal strength program but definitely see myself heading that way.
Good luck!
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if you are skinny fat and are at about 22% body fat, then you may want to run a bulk/cut cycle. Aim for .5 pound per week gain and add some muscle to your frame, and you will be amazed at how you look/feel.
I agree with others as three weeks is not enough time to assess a recomp, that will take you at least six months to a year.0 -
if you are skinny fat and are at about 22% body fat, then you may want to run a bulk/cut cycle. Aim for .5 pound per week gain and add some muscle to your frame, and you will be amazed at how you look/feel.
I agree with others as three weeks is not enough time to assess a recomp, that will take you at least six months to a year.
I like this advice! I am going with recomp because at my age I suspect that I will not be able to grow muscle fast enough to use the extra calories and will gain too much fat. But that shouldn't be the case for you. You aren't confined to the slow route for age reasons at least. You may be happier with more noticeable changes (in both parts of the cycle).0 -
if you are skinny fat and are at about 22% body fat, then you may want to run a bulk/cut cycle. Aim for .5 pound per week gain and add some muscle to your frame, and you will be amazed at how you look/feel.
I agree with others as three weeks is not enough time to assess a recomp, that will take you at least six months to a year.
22% body fat for a female is in the fitness range, and is not "skinny fat".
http://www.oxygenmag.com/article/the-fit-womans-guide-to-body-fat-92350 -
You asked the exact question that has been plaguing me, and I have almost the EXACT stats as you...0
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if you are skinny fat and are at about 22% body fat, then you may want to run a bulk/cut cycle. Aim for .5 pound per week gain and add some muscle to your frame, and you will be amazed at how you look/feel.
I agree with others as three weeks is not enough time to assess a recomp, that will take you at least six months to a year.
22% body fat for a female is in the fitness range, and is not "skinny fat".
http://www.oxygenmag.com/article/the-fit-womans-guide-to-body-fat-9235
I am going by what OP said in her opening statement which is that she is 22% body fat and is what people would call "skinny fat" her words, not mine.
that is why I started my statement with "if"...
how can you determine she is or is not skinny fat without seeing pictures???? If she is 22% body fat and has no mass then she may meet the qualification for skinny fat...0 -
if you are skinny fat and are at about 22% body fat, then you may want to run a bulk/cut cycle. Aim for .5 pound per week gain and add some muscle to your frame, and you will be amazed at how you look/feel.
I agree with others as three weeks is not enough time to assess a recomp, that will take you at least six months to a year.
22% body fat for a female is in the fitness range, and is not "skinny fat".
http://www.oxygenmag.com/article/the-fit-womans-guide-to-body-fat-9235
I am going by what OP said in her opening statement which is that she is 22% body fat and is what people would call "skinny fat" her words, not mine.
that is why I started my statement with "if"...
how can you determine she is or is not skinny fat without seeing pictures???? If she is 22% body fat and has no mass then she may meet the qualification for skinny fat...
The OP has pics in her profile, and my post was intended for her benefit, to realise she is not "skinny fat". 22% body fat means 78% LBM.0 -
I am definitely 'skinny fat' :]
I think gaining at this point just isn't something I can really get my ahead around - maybe in the future when I'm a little more comfortable with the idea but right now, I definitely want to remain at the weight I am. I guess I just want to see the definition and lose this 'wobble'! I will give it time, as advised. Thank you so much.0 -
I agree with what the majority of people have said -- recomp, give yourself time, ignore what other people's weights are, etc. One thing I would like to recommend is to set a fitness-related goal, or a few. If you've been losing weight for awhile, you've had a goal and have seen regular progress toward that goal. That's fun, and rewarding, and it's easy to motivate yourself once you start seeing success. Maintenance can be tricky because you're not seeing that regular progress toward something, and progress during a recomp is slow and isn't measured on a week-to-week basis (like you can measure weight loss). Setting some lifting goals, where you can watch yourself make progress from week to week, might help get you into a different mindset.
FWIW, if your goal is to gain muscle and strength, and if you really are skinny fat (in the sense of having low LBM), losing more weight isn't going to help. I feel like you already know that, but might need to hear other people say it.0
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