Body Recomp fail

flrancho
flrancho Posts: 271 Member
edited November 14 in Goal: Maintaining Weight
After reaching my goal weight a year ago, I started body recomp. My current body fat percentage is around 28% and I have quite a bit of visible body fat (especially on my underarms and belly). Anyway, I started recomp, coming here for advice. On rest days I aim for 1,350 calories and on days when I hit the gym (which is 3 times a week), I aim for 1,650 calories in the day. I was initially told that keeping a close eye on my macro percentages wasn't important (fat and carbs), as long as I watched my protein intake, with everyone suggesting I aim for about 104 grams of protein per day.

Fast forward a year, I'm the same weight and the same body fat percentage. I'm suspecting that I either got incorrect advice when it comes to macros and that carbs and fat are more important than what I was told, or that I need to try to throw in HIIT into the mix - or maybe I'm just not lifting hard enough at the gym. I know recomp takes a while, but it's been a year and I've really seen no progress. So, what went wrong?

Are my calories wrong? What should my fat, carb, and protein macros be to build muscle and lose fat at 135 lbs? Could I not be working out hard enough, or need some HIIT in addition to the weight training?

Replies

  • singingflutelady
    singingflutelady Posts: 8,736 Member
    What lifting program are you doing?
  • Noreenmarie1234
    Noreenmarie1234 Posts: 7,492 Member
    1650 a day with exercise and you didnt lose weight?! Something isnt right I eat 2100-2600 a day and maintain and I am only 105lbs
  • mburgess458
    mburgess458 Posts: 480 Member
    edited December 2016
    Also, how heavy are you lifting? If you have been waving around pink weights that you can comfortably lift dozens of times it isn't too surprising your body hasn't changed. If you aren't pushing yourself there is no reason for your body to adapt.

    Research a good program and lift heavy things.

    I agree that macro percentages aren't that important as long as you get enough protein. At least where you are.... might be important in shaving those last few fat lbs off but not at 28%.
  • sijomial
    sijomial Posts: 19,809 Member
    edited December 2016
    It all starts with your training, not your food.

    90% of your post is about calories and macros - you are looking in the wrong place for the problem.
    And HIIT isn't the answer.
  • flrancho
    flrancho Posts: 271 Member
    singingflutelady wrote: »
    What lifting program are you doing?

    I'm not doing any specific lifting program, other than going to the gym and doing weights (free weights and machine). I don't lift especially heavy (sometimes as little as 10 pounds depending on the exercise). My goal is to go at whatever exercise/weight I am doing at 10 sets of 8-10 or until failure, whichever comes first. In the cases where I meet my 10 sets of 10 first, next time I do the exercise, I increase the weight until I reach point of failure. If the 10x10 comes first again, I increase the weight again. You get the idea.
    Noreenmarie1234 wrote: »
    1650 a day with exercise and you didnt lose weight?! Something isnt right I eat 2100-2600 a day and maintain and I am only 105lbs

    Sorry, I got my numbers off. 1,650 a day on my non-workout days and 1,950 on my workout days.
  • rainbowbow
    rainbowbow Posts: 7,490 Member
    edited January 2017
    And how much have you progressed in your training plan? Is your plan progressive and well rounded?

    if not, this is where you went wrong.

    In any case, at 28% body fat I would probably go ahead and purposely lose some body fat through a small calorie deficit while beginning a proper lifting routine. in my personal opinion, this is too high to rely on recomping (which i only recommend for women in the low 20's of bf).
  • SideSteel
    SideSteel Posts: 11,068 Member
    The first place I would look would be training as others have mentioned.

    How are you measuring your bodyfat% and are you keeping other metrics like performance numbers in the gym for each exercise, and circumference measurements?
  • bioklutz
    bioklutz Posts: 1,365 Member
    If you are able to lift 10 sets of 10 - the weight is too light.

    This is a great list of programs. Check out the the beginner programs:
    http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10332083/which-lifting-program-is-the-best-for-you/p1
    Strong lifts 5x5 is probably the easiest and simplest to follow but the other programs are great too!

    If your BMI is within the normal range I don't think 28% is too high for recomp - especially if you are towards the middle or low side on the BMI chart.
  • Orphia
    Orphia Posts: 7,097 Member
    Noreenmarie1234 wrote: »
    1650 a day with exercise and you didnt lose weight?! Something isnt right I eat 2100-2600 a day and maintain and I am only 105lbs
    rainbowbow wrote: »
    [...] at 28% body fat I would probably go ahead and purposely lose some body fat through a small calorie deficit while beginning a proper lifting routine. in my personal opinion, this is too high to rely on recomping (which i only recommend for women in the low 20's of bf).

    I'm not a lifter, so take that into account. I agree with the above posts.

    I think you need to take a look at your food diary logging, and see if it needs tightening, and also maybe switch to a calorie deficit.
  • nowine4me
    nowine4me Posts: 3,985 Member
    You maintained, so that's one in the win column! I second the reco to work with a trainer and set up a structured program to accomplish your goals. You didn't mention your height or weight, but with 28% BF, some HIIT couldn't hurt. I'm 5-7, 150#, also 28%BF. New goal is 135# and 24%BF.
  • cwolfman13
    cwolfman13 Posts: 41,865 Member
    Yeah, for best result, you should really follow some kind of structured program...doing 10x10 isn't going to do a whole lot for you.

    My biggest issue with many structured programs is linear periodization which I'm not a big fan of (i.e. working in the same set and rep scheme for months on end and even years)...even people who "specialize" tend towards undulating periodization depending on where they are in their season, etc.

    As structured, commercially available programs go, I like New Rules Supercharged for that reason...it's a program that provides for undulating periodization and provides templates with certain types of movements to perform, but lets you pick the movement. Depending on what your overall goals are, you can weight an undulating periodization program to suit your needs...for example, if strength is the objective then you can weight it with more "heavy" weeks with some moderate weeks and a few light weeks...if hypertrophy is the objective you can weight it with more moderate weeks, some heavy weeks, and some light, deload weeks, etc.

    I'm currently following a protocol of undulating periodization combined with non-linear periodization and I'm loving it...this basically means that I'm working in variable set and rep ranges on each training day, weighted towards strength.

  • 2011rocket3touring
    2011rocket3touring Posts: 1,346 Member
    You should be changing up your program at least 3x a year to keep your body from getting acclimated to one routine and maximize potential.
    BTW, congrats on reaching your goal!
  • trigden1991
    trigden1991 Posts: 4,658 Member
    Recomping relies on you building muscle and losing fat. If your training program isn't sufficient you won't build muscle so that'll explain that. Personally, at 28% bodyfat, I would eat in a deficit and sort out your training plan and get leaner before eating at maintenance.
  • ilovesweeties
    ilovesweeties Posts: 84 Member
    I would second any recommendation for stronglifts 5x5. It's easy to keep track of, easy enough to learn the form and it feels unbelievably amazing when you can squat your own bodyweight (and more!). I have no idea what difference it's made to my body fat % as I don't trust that measure on my scale, I have been very patchy with training and my body weight has been all over the place, but I can see how great I am starting to look and how strong I am beginning to feel.
  • SideSteel
    SideSteel Posts: 11,068 Member
    2011rocket3touring wrote: »
    You should be changing up your program at least 3x a year to keep your body from getting acclimated to one routine and maximize potential.
    BTW, congrats on reaching your goal!

    I think that would depend on what the program is and whether or not the person running the program is still making progress.
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