Recomposition: Maintaining weight while losing fat

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  • Sumiblue
    Sumiblue Posts: 1,597 Member
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    @tigerblue , have you found a group her on MFP who use DBs like you do? I know that when I started Stronglifts having that group of women who also were doing it really helped. Made it more fun, cheered each other on. I'm still part of that group even though I'm not doing SL anymore.
  • deathbot615
    deathbot615 Posts: 5 Member
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    this is a lot of good info yall are giving out cause I feel really lost in the whole gym thing right now, intimidated is a better way to put it cause I've never had to go to the gym to be in shape, thanks
  • griffinca2
    griffinca2 Posts: 672 Member
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    Georgia, I agree w/codsterlaing; you are under weight for your height. I'm 5'2.5/3" and weigh abt 116/117 which is a good weight. Don't want to weigh over 121 or under 115--I'm over 60 and and any thing below 115 doesn't look good. I broke my wrist back in Dec and not allowed to lift weights just yet, so I take walks when the weather is nice and started doing yoga poses that don't require me to put weight on my right hand which have helped my balance. You will probably need to increase your calories slightly and start lifting weights to reduce the body fat; there are lots of plans mentioned in this thread, you should be able one that you like. Just make sure you are not lifting too heavy so that your form suffers (which is more important than the weight). Once the exercise becomes easy you can either increase the weight, increase the reps or the # of sets in order to make gains. Take care and good luck. B)
  • VividVegan
    VividVegan Posts: 200 Member
    edited March 2016
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    Following... I'm on a ketogenic diet by my neurologist for my epilepsy so does that mean extra fats and proteins for me?
    (5'7 and 122 pounds but high bf%) :(
  • griffinca2
    griffinca2 Posts: 672 Member
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    Yes, but you also need to incorporate weights (check out "New Rules of Weight Lifting for Women) and small amts of cardo. B)
  • robininfl
    robininfl Posts: 1,137 Member
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    Watching with interest.
    Want to shrink my belly! Like everyone else on the planet just about, huh? But the rest of me is at a size i consider ideal for height, I like it. Not looking for perfection, 4 kids and slight diastasis (sp?), ribs and hips, waist will never be hourglassy. But I do think that's the only place there is "extra" fat. Boobs are small, legs are lean, arms have definition, can feel hipbones, collarbones, ribs just fine.

    I bulked last year, adding muscle and fat, to reach a healthy weight. I'm happy with everything except waist but feel like I can't get it smaller without losing muscle elsewhere and sacrificing health.
  • macchiatto
    macchiatto Posts: 2,890 Member
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    krissyrchew wrote: »
    Following... I'm on a ketogenic diet by my neurologist for my epilepsy so does that mean extra fats and proteins for me?
    (5'7 and 122 pounds but high bf%) :(

    Hi, I'm also doing keto, in part for neurological issues. Did your neuro give you certain macro percentages to follow? I'd been doing 10% carbs, 65% fat and 25% protein but I know a strict keto diet for epilepsy might be even higher fat and lower carb. Hope keto works for you!
    (Also I'm 5'7" and 130 lbs so similar in stats!)
  • sunflowerhippi
    sunflowerhippi Posts: 1,086 Member
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    This is why you lift. haha 157lbs in both 5'7" so right at top of "healthy" BMI.

    Left is after a year plus of lifting, right is 6 months post baby and after not lifting for over 1 1/2 years.

    66fca159925b3df41211259ba756a95a5ffb.jpg

    Can't wait to get back into lifting shortly now that the baby is older.
  • hcolligan
    hcolligan Posts: 75 Member
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    That's fantastic, sunflowerhippi and GJMQ,
    are you following a particular lifting program or doing your own? I'm just starting recomp and would like some advice. Don't have access to a gym
  • cnbbnc
    cnbbnc Posts: 1,267 Member
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    hcolligan wrote: »
    That's fantastic, sunflowerhippi and GJMQ,
    are you following a particular lifting program or doing your own? I'm just starting recomp and would like some advice. Don't have access to a gym

    Amazing work ladies!

  • CJ_Holmes
    CJ_Holmes Posts: 759 Member
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    hcolligan wrote: »
    That's fantastic, sunflowerhippi and GJMQ,
    are you following a particular lifting program or doing your own? I'm just starting recomp and would like some advice. Don't have access to a gym

    I go to crossfit- I don't think I would have had the confidence to lift heavy without coaching. That being said, there are tons of women who make it happen following strong lifts 5x5 or New Rules of Lifting, with feedback from online community in lieu of coaching. On the left, I was doing bodyweight exercise, biking and running. A lot of exercise. The heavy weights have made all the difference.
  • sunflowerhippi
    sunflowerhippi Posts: 1,086 Member
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    When I went to a gym in the purple swimsuit pic I followed a modified stronglift 5x5. I say modified because my deadlift never broke 90lbs + bar due to a messed up back from a car accident. I also added in good mornings and some extra ab/back work because of this to keep my core strong. I actually enjoy sit ups, so I would do weighted decline sit ups for fun at the gym and also do hanging leg lifts and such.

    Now is the red shirt pic. My daughter just turned 6 months old. I am just working on cutting down to around 145-150 so 7lbs left so gradually increasing my calories to figure out my new maintenance amount. I ordered dumbbells that go up to 52.5lbs each. Since I have to workout at home I am doing modified workout with those. Will post updated pictures once I know how it goes.

    Still plan to do the basic moves, squat, deadlifts, bench press, and such. Only one that I will be upping my sets a lot for is squats because I was over 300lbs before, and I have been using two 40lb cat litter bins for squats over the past month. lol
  • Carla1962Shaw2015
    Carla1962Shaw2015 Posts: 31 Member
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    Following
    Started lifting June 2015. Lost about 9 lbs but completely changed body shape.
    5'1" 115.8 lbs
    Upper body good muscle definition, calves as well. Always had big thighs but now they are hard. Not much definition there yet or in abs.
    Glutes firming up (yay I have a butt after all these years!) But still a bit of muffin top.
    scale shows bf% about 24% (I know, not the most accurate! ) & caliper reading steadily going down.

    I lift 5-6 days a week, progressively adding weight. LOVE IT
    Cardio or HITT 3 days week. Hate it
    About 1700 calories daily, hitting protein regularly.

    But...I feel like I've plateaud. Bf not dropping but weight still going down slightly.
    Any advice? Btw, 53 yrs old, female
  • hcolligan
    hcolligan Posts: 75 Member
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    Thanks CJMQ and sunflowerhippi, I have looked at stronglifts and think I need to step up to that sort of level to see results.
  • Kerryatoon
    Kerryatoon Posts: 374 Member
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    Following.. I'm almost here!
  • heybales
    heybales Posts: 18,842 Member
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    Carla1962Shaw2015 wrote: »
    Following
    Started lifting June 2015. Lost about 9 lbs but completely changed body shape.
    5'1" 115.8 lbs
    Upper body good muscle definition, calves as well. Always had big thighs but now they are hard. Not much definition there yet or in abs.
    Glutes firming up (yay I have a butt after all these years!) But still a bit of muffin top.
    scale shows bf% about 24% (I know, not the most accurate! ) & caliper reading steadily going down.

    I lift 5-6 days a week, progressively adding weight. LOVE IT
    Cardio or HITT 3 days week. Hate it
    About 1700 calories daily, hitting protein regularly.

    But...I feel like I've plateaud. Bf not dropping but weight still going down slightly.
    Any advice? Btw, 53 yrs old, female

    If indeed steady since June, you are almost out of beginner stage.
    Progress on the bar will be harder to come by, need more focused efforts probably. Following a specific program?

    That could be effecting your daily burn, and if dropping weight then not recomp'ing - which could be effecting the workouts too. Recovery isn't enough or too slow, always slower in a diet.
    If not strong progressive workouts - then not much or nothing for the body to improve from.
    If nothing to improve from, then no need to burn extra fat fuel while using food for repair work since there isn't much/any.

    Margin of error will be less if less weigh to lose, and if past beginner stage of lifting more specifics to get slower benefits.

    Just a tough combo possibly.

    Hence the reason it's said to start lifting at the start of weight loss, while you can progress and lose fat and maybe build some muscle all at the same time - it won't happen later or will be much harder.

    Latter part added for others reading who may not be ready for recomp yet, and think to wait till closer to goal weight to start lifting.
  • Carla1962Shaw2015
    Carla1962Shaw2015 Posts: 31 Member
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    Thanks for the feed back. The owner of my gym is former bodybuilder & she has given my programs every 6-8 weeks. By the end of each program, I've either added weight to each lift or increased reps. Still pushing, still challenging.

    I'm moving back to the states in a couple of weeks for 6 months & won't have programs planned for me. I've been thinking of starting a new program such as PHUL or Strong curves. I really, really like a 5-6 day program tho. Wondering if I can do accessory work a couple of days as well & if I should possibly up calories a bit if I do PHUL or Strong Curves. I know it seems counter intuitive but thinking slight increase for a period & then drop to small deficit may kick things back in.

    Thoughts? Oh & encouraging to hear I'm almost out of newbie stage! But yes, getting harder to see changes.
  • Sumiblue
    Sumiblue Posts: 1,597 Member
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    Carla1962Shaw2015 wrote: »
    Thanks for the feed back. The owner of my gym is former bodybuilder & she has given my programs every 6-8 weeks. By the end of each program, I've either added weight to each lift or increased reps. Still pushing, still challenging.

    I'm moving back to the states in a couple of weeks for 6 months & won't have programs planned for me. I've been thinking of starting a new program such as PHUL or Strong curves. I really, really like a 5-6 day program tho. Wondering if I can do accessory work a couple of days as well & if I should possibly up calories a bit if I do PHUL or Strong Curves. I know it seems counter intuitive but thinking slight increase for a period & then drop to small deficit may kick things back in.

    Thoughts? Oh & encouraging to hear I'm almost out of newbie stage! But yes, getting harder to see changes.

    Just my two cents; I'm doing PHUL now (after SL). It's far more demanding than Strong Curves. Takes more than an hour for each workout. I've added a Glute day to it because the hip thrusters I'd previously added to PHUL weren't cutting it. I felt I wasn't truly activating my glutes during certain exercises. I use the Jefit app to keep track of PHUL and you can create workouts. I selected a bunch of glute exercises on Jefit. It definitely activates glutes & posterior chain.

    I've been eating at maintenance calories for a month now (I'm at 19-20% BF) and have been increasing my calories. It's definitely tightening up everything. I also got very lean on top and lost enough weight (47, 5'2" & 114-117lbs) but I'm trying to lean out on bottom. Seems to be working.
  • bmj2015
    bmj2015 Posts: 31 Member
    edited April 2016
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    I've read through most of this thread, there is some great info here!

    I'm NEW to lifting and recomp. I started about 3 weeks ago on a strength training program, working to failure with a trainer who seems like he really knows his stuff. I am LOVING it so far. I'm 34 and female, 5'4, 127 pounds, and I'm guessing between 23-24% body fat currently.

    I'd like to get my body fat down to 20%-ish. That was my goal for the end of 2016, but after reading this thread I think realistically it could take a bit longer than that. I'm good with that, I'm patient, and I am enjoying this process — the LIFTING and the eating at maintenance.

    A couple questions I have:

    1) Can you guys/gals talk a little about your rest days and your sleep? And just your strategies for recovery in general? I am finding that after my workouts I am pretty wrecked! BUT I am used to being VERY active, and I enjoy activities like HIIT, a very strong yoga practice (it's my "sport"), jogging, etc on a regular basis. I don't want to hinder my strength training progress (my trainer has said several times already to me that working in this way kind of eliminates the need for cardio), but I enjoy my activities and I want to find a balance.

    2) This is maybe a silly question, but one of the biggest changes I have noticed since I started lifting heavy and working to failure about 3 weeks ago... my sex drive is through the roof!! Is that normal? Or am I just hormonal? Seriously, I am feeling more "awake" in that department than I ever have, and I have a pretty healthy drive to begin with.

    Thanks for reading. Happy to be in such good company here!

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