Recomposition: Maintaining weight while losing fat
Options
Replies
-
Agree w/the two above; I've do full body 3X week and periodically change the exercises and have noticed changes (increases in strength and hypertrophy (and I'm in my 60s).
3 -
16
-
I would love to hear comments regarding 3 days full body lifting program, vs. 3 days of working separate muscle groups (for instance, leg day, arm day, shoulder day). Both are lifting programs, and not circuit training with cardio intervals.
The workouts are all similar in length (approx 45 minutes) and have progression planned by increasing weight. They also use similar lifts, it is just that one program mixes them up so that you are hitting full body three days a week, where on the other you are working each part one day a week for the entire session.
Is there an advantage to one type of program over the other?
@standenvernet great work!
@tigerblue regarding the above I'll echo what's been said with a bit more nerdery.
The main advantages to full body training are as follows in my opinion:
1) More frequent training may allow faster skill development for any movements that overlap throughout the week. For example if you are squatting 3 days per week you could make a logical argument that this would provide faster skill acquisition in the squat. Better skill = more weight on the barbell.
2) More frequent training may allow for reduced soreness due to the repeated bout effect kicking in earlier. Reduced soreness may not seem like a big deal but it can be important both for performance and quality of life reasons.
3) More frequent training will upregulate protein synthesis more frequently and this has positive implications for hypertrophy. In theory, if you can cause muscle protein synthesis in the legs to go up 3 times per week, you can accumulate more muscle mass over time compared to a scenario where you're only achieving this once per week.
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/2710217212 -
So, I took some comparison photos. On left is today @121 lbs, eating 1700 calories & right is from June 2016, 116 lbs & eating 1350 calories. I'm trying to get my calories up to my estimated TDEE of 1900 calories. In June I was also doing 16:8 IF so I could eat that low. Now I am eating breakfast again to fuel my morning workouts & loving it! No question here, just sharing what I've been doing and to say, don't be afraid to eat more.
How tall are you, if you don't mind my asking?2 -
So, I took some comparison photos. On left is today @121 lbs, eating 1700 calories & right is from June 2016, 116 lbs & eating 1350 calories. I'm trying to get my calories up to my estimated TDEE of 1900 calories. In June I was also doing 16:8 IF so I could eat that low. Now I am eating breakfast again to fuel my morning workouts & loving it! No question here, just sharing what I've been doing and to say, don't be afraid to eat more.
How tall are you, if you don't mind my asking?
I'm 5'2.5" (.5" really matters, lol).6 -
I'm trying to build muscle & lose body fat--not weight. My question is how come every eating plan out there deals with a calorie deficit (300 - 400 cals worth) designed to lose weight???? I'm 60+, 5"3" and weigh abt 115 lbs (AND DO NOT WANT TO LOSE ANY MORE WEIGHT); I do full-body workouts 3X a week, and lift as heavy as I possibly can (don't want to injure myself). I'm in maintenance @ abt 1610 cals (+/-) a day. My question is should I increase or decrease my cals to lose body fat only (I'm @ 23% and want to get to around 21%)? BTW, I can do 10+ full-body push-ups. I've been trying to work w/my eating plan, but can't seen to find the info I need. Any suggestions would be welcomed!! Many thanks. 1
-
griffinca2 wrote: »I'm trying to build muscle & lose body fat--not weight. My question is how come every eating plan out there deals with a calorie deficit (300 - 400 cals worth) designed to lose weight???? I'm 60+, 5"3" and weigh abt 115 lbs (AND DO NOT WANT TO LOSE ANY MORE WEIGHT); I do full-body workouts 3X a week, and lift as heavy as I possibly can (don't want to injure myself). I'm in maintenance @ abt 1610 cals (+/-) a day. My question is should I increase or decrease my cals to lose body fat only (I'm @ 23% and want to get to around 21%)? BTW, I can do 10+ full-body push-ups. I've been trying to work w/my eating plan, but can't seen to find the info I need. Any suggestions would be welcomed!! Many thanks.
May I ask why you want an eating plan? Set MFP at maintain. Eat nutritious foods and a good amount of protein. Use a good progressive lifting program. Be patient. You could complicate it more, but those are the basics. For that matter, you could simply use an eating plan and increase the calories to maintain.2 -
@griffinca2
You don't need an eating plan - just an overall healthy diet that you enjoy.
You don't want a calorie deficit if you don't want to lose weight.
Keep it simple: eat at maintenance, follow an effective lifting routine, be patient, be realistic.5 -
Hi ! This is perfect for me but I have some questions.
1. Will this work If I am still young ? ( 19 years old )
2. Is there a way I could recomp by lifting dumbbells at home / doing pilates / using resistance bands ?
3. What size of dumbbells should I buy if I am an absolute beginner ?
4. Is it alright if I still do cardio everyday ? ( walking and elliptical )
Thanks
1 -
@JustDoIt987
1/ It's an advantage being young.
2/ Yes. But as you progress you may need more/heavier equipment. You can also do bodyweight exercises.
3/ Ones that will challenge you but be a manageable weight. (Adjustable ones can be good and are space/price efficient.)
4/ Yes. Depends on intensity and duration of course, you may get some recovery/performance clashes.3 -
BUMP for later reading. Currently on a slow cut after bulking too much.0
-
You will need various sizes of dumbbells for upper vs lower body and you will need more as you build strength.0
-
So in the spirit of lent I am giving up my recomp excuses haha. I already have Strong Lifts at the ready and own all my own equipment (shame on me I know) and will be running it concurrently with my marathon training for the coming race season. I'm even cutting one of my ultra distances and instead running a HM distance on the more technical side to get this done!
A thought that occurred to me last night though, how long would you expect to wait to see visible improvement in a leaner woman (20-sub 20, I'm really garbage at pinning it down)? I know there isn't going to be a hard and fast answer but I was just thinking on it. 6 months? A year+?1 -
JessicaMcB wrote: »So in the spirit of lent I am giving up my recomp excuses haha. I already have Strong Lifts at the ready and own all my own equipment (shame on me I know) and will be running it concurrently with my marathon training for the coming race season. I'm even cutting one of my ultra distances and instead running a HM distance on the more technical side to get this done!
A thought that occurred to me last night though, how long would you expect to wait to see visible improvement in a leaner woman (20-sub 20, I'm really garbage at pinning it down)? I know there isn't going to be a hard and fast answer but I was just thinking on it. 6 months? A year+?
It depends on how well you respond. You might see some good improvement in the short term (I tend to show a lot in my arms, back and chest) when I was eating at maintenance. But most of the people I know, saw some good results at 6 months and amazing results 1-2 years.2 -
JessicaMcB wrote: »So in the spirit of lent I am giving up my recomp excuses haha. I already have Strong Lifts at the ready and own all my own equipment (shame on me I know) and will be running it concurrently with my marathon training for the coming race season. I'm even cutting one of my ultra distances and instead running a HM distance on the more technical side to get this done!
A thought that occurred to me last night though, how long would you expect to wait to see visible improvement in a leaner woman (20-sub 20, I'm really garbage at pinning it down)? I know there isn't going to be a hard and fast answer but I was just thinking on it. 6 months? A year+?
Ditto's on upper body, as I'll bet you'll have 2 competing workouts for the lower body.
You could have issue of eating enough - likely within the 24 hrs of doing a hard workout running.
I'd suggest that instead of attempting a daily average TDEE eating goal - you'll need to be closer to MFP method - you eat more on the day you do more - but put it after the workout for recovery.
The weekly average TDEE method - same amount eaten daily - is just going to leave some run workout days with a big deficit which will be negative impact to the lifting, and the running recovery.
Shoot, you may even decide to leave the lower body for the endurance cardio, upper body for the lifting.
That way no interference between the workouts, except for potential general tiredness effecting both.1 -
JessicaMcB wrote: »So in the spirit of lent I am giving up my recomp excuses haha. I already have Strong Lifts at the ready and own all my own equipment (shame on me I know) and will be running it concurrently with my marathon training for the coming race season. I'm even cutting one of my ultra distances and instead running a HM distance on the more technical side to get this done!
A thought that occurred to me last night though, how long would you expect to wait to see visible improvement in a leaner woman (20-sub 20, I'm really garbage at pinning it down)? I know there isn't going to be a hard and fast answer but I was just thinking on it. 6 months? A year+?
Focussing on lifting and marathon training seems contradictory to me. Focus on your race season and then move towards lifting and recomping.3 -
trigden1991 wrote: »JessicaMcB wrote: »So in the spirit of lent I am giving up my recomp excuses haha. I already have Strong Lifts at the ready and own all my own equipment (shame on me I know) and will be running it concurrently with my marathon training for the coming race season. I'm even cutting one of my ultra distances and instead running a HM distance on the more technical side to get this done!
A thought that occurred to me last night though, how long would you expect to wait to see visible improvement in a leaner woman (20-sub 20, I'm really garbage at pinning it down)? I know there isn't going to be a hard and fast answer but I was just thinking on it. 6 months? A year+?
Focussing on lifting and marathon training seems contradictory to me. Focus on your race season and then move towards lifting and recomping.
This has basically been my excuse to this point but honestly even my sizeable vanity isn't greater than my desire to run so I feel like if I don't push I will never do it. I can't see myself not running 80+ kilometers a week to lift (which I do not enjoy) so I feel like I have to shove it in somewhere or have stomach that does not go with my legs issues forever
.
Thanks for the input @psuLemon , @heybales and @trigden19910 -
JessicaMcB wrote: »trigden1991 wrote: »JessicaMcB wrote: »So in the spirit of lent I am giving up my recomp excuses haha. I already have Strong Lifts at the ready and own all my own equipment (shame on me I know) and will be running it concurrently with my marathon training for the coming race season. I'm even cutting one of my ultra distances and instead running a HM distance on the more technical side to get this done!
A thought that occurred to me last night though, how long would you expect to wait to see visible improvement in a leaner woman (20-sub 20, I'm really garbage at pinning it down)? I know there isn't going to be a hard and fast answer but I was just thinking on it. 6 months? A year+?
Focussing on lifting and marathon training seems contradictory to me. Focus on your race season and then move towards lifting and recomping.
This has basically been my excuse to this point but honestly even my sizeable vanity isn't greater than my desire to run so I feel like if I don't push I will never do it. I can't see myself not running 80+ kilometers a week to lift (which I do not enjoy) so I feel like I have to shove it in somewhere or have stomach that does not go with my legs issues forever .
Thanks for the input @psuLemon , @heybales and @trigden1991
In the end, we all have our priorities. You just have to determine, which is the number one.4 -
JessicaMcB wrote: »trigden1991 wrote: »JessicaMcB wrote: »So in the spirit of lent I am giving up my recomp excuses haha. I already have Strong Lifts at the ready and own all my own equipment (shame on me I know) and will be running it concurrently with my marathon training for the coming race season. I'm even cutting one of my ultra distances and instead running a HM distance on the more technical side to get this done!
A thought that occurred to me last night though, how long would you expect to wait to see visible improvement in a leaner woman (20-sub 20, I'm really garbage at pinning it down)? I know there isn't going to be a hard and fast answer but I was just thinking on it. 6 months? A year+?
Focussing on lifting and marathon training seems contradictory to me. Focus on your race season and then move towards lifting and recomping.
This has basically been my excuse to this point but honestly even my sizeable vanity isn't greater than my desire to run so I feel like if I don't push I will never do it. I can't see myself not running 80+ kilometers a week to lift (which I do not enjoy) so I feel like I have to shove it in somewhere or have stomach that does not go with my legs issues forever .
Thanks for the input @psuLemon , @heybales and @trigden1991
In the end, we all have our priorities. You just have to determine, which is the number one.
Perfectly summed up.1 -
Bump for later. I am at my ideal weight and do have muscle. I want to lose some of the layers of fat over the muscle, so am focusing on my macros as I think that this is where I am off. Does anyone know of a good macro calculator? Dumb question, but how do you know if your macros are good for you? Is it through visible results? I get that it can take a while to figure this stuff out too.0
Categories
- All Categories
- 1.4M Health, Wellness and Goals
- 391.4K Introduce Yourself
- 43.5K Getting Started
- 259.7K Health and Weight Loss
- 175.6K Food and Nutrition
- 47.3K Recipes
- 232.3K Fitness and Exercise
- 390 Sleep, Mindfulness and Overall Wellness
- 6.4K Goal: Maintaining Weight
- 8.5K Goal: Gaining Weight and Body Building
- 152.7K Motivation and Support
- 7.8K Challenges
- 1.3K Debate Club
- 96.3K Chit-Chat
- 2.5K Fun and Games
- 3.2K MyFitnessPal Information
- 22 News and Announcements
- 922 Feature Suggestions and Ideas
- 2.3K MyFitnessPal Tech Support Questions