Recomp, Fatloss & diet question

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glasshalffull713
glasshalffull713 Posts: 323 Member
in Goal: Maintaining Weight
Hey everyone - So I've been basically doing what I am guessing is a recomp. For the last ~6 months I have been lifting twice a week, doing HIIT/boot camp style classes twice a week, with one more day of something outdoorsy like snowboarding, long hike, etc. I have counted zero calories during this time. My weight has stayed steady but body fat has gone down from 25% to 22%.

The question is... should I just keep doing what I am doing or would it be advisable to eat at a slight deficit (maybe on non-workout days) ? The goal here would be to accelerate the fat loss process. Although my body fat % went down, my measurements were pretty similar, which I am assuming means there was muscle gain but not too much fat loss? or maybe I am interpreting wrong.

Any insight appreciated... especially if you have personal experience in this arena. Thanks!

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  • lorrpb
    lorrpb Posts: 11,464 Member
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    How did you measure your body fat? If you used scales or a handheld electronic device, those numbers are unreliable. The only reliable methods to measure body fat are bod pod, hydro tank, or dexa scan. Calipers are ok if the person doing measurements is well trained with them.
    Eating at a 250/day deficit will help fat loss.
  • sijomial
    sijomial Posts: 19,811 Member
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    Obviously dieting is the quickest way to shed body fat but do you want to be lighter and smaller is the key question. If you do then go for a calorie deficit.
  • glasshalffull713
    glasshalffull713 Posts: 323 Member
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    Hi thanks for responding guys!

    I was measured by an experienced trained professional with measuring tape and calipers.

    I do not care about being lighter, smaller would be nice. Mostly I would love to shed some fat - I would love to see my stomach flatter and more definition in thighs and glutes mostly. My arms and back look pretty good and there is definitely a lot of muscle hidden under my layer of fluff. I want my hard work to show more!

    My trainer was concerned about calorie deficit because she thought it could affect my workouts, having less energy and loss of power. I just want to make it go quicker but don't want to be counterproductive by losing muscle mass too...
  • loulamb7
    loulamb7 Posts: 801 Member
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    First off looks like your progress has been solid. 22% BF for a female is fit.

    However your profiles indicates you would still like to lose 16 lbs. This makes me question your BF%. How lean are you actually? It seems most people visually lean out the most in the last 5-10 lbs.

    It doesn't help that you are not tracking calories. Without tracking how will you really know if you're in a deficit?

    If I were you I would:
    1. Keep your workout routine
    2. Start tracking calories, use a scale for solids, cups and spoons for liquids only.
    3. Once you get a handle on your intake, consider a slight deficit of 250 calories. Keep carbs up for energy and protein up for muscle maintenance.
  • glasshalffull713
    glasshalffull713 Posts: 323 Member
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    @sijomial Thanks for confirming what I was thinking! I was considering making a very slight deficit on my non training days. Maybe this is where I will start and see what happens. I also just decided Friday to add in a little bit of running so I think step one will be to give that a few weeks and see how my body responds to that. I guess the only real way to know is create a small deficit and see how I feel and how it affects my workout.

    @loulamb7 My profile is not accurate! Probably should have mentioned that. I have not logged or tracked anything in about 2 years. At that time, my BF was 32%!!! So I have actually made tons of progress since then, but I still weigh the exact same, maybe a few lbs more. If I decide to go into a deficit, I would have to start tracking, which for me is definitely one of the things that is an argument to just be patient and stay on the track that I am on. I can get a little obsessive with calorie counting. But yes, if I go this route I will definitely need to establish a baseline first! Thanks fo ryour insight.
  • SideSteel
    SideSteel Posts: 11,068 Member
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    Are you happy with how things are going?
  • glasshalffull713
    glasshalffull713 Posts: 323 Member
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    SideSteel wrote: »
    Are you happy with how things are going?

    In general - yes. My body is way firmer, there is more definition, and my shape has changed. I feel really strong too which is awesome. I also LOVE that I am not worrying about what I am eating all the time with no feelings of deprivation. However, there is still fat over my belly especially, that I would like to see go faster. (I know I cannot spot reduce). I can definitely hang in there since I am moving in the right direction, just having a moment of impatience/wondering if the fat will eventually go without more purposeful attention in the food dept?
  • rybo
    rybo Posts: 5,424 Member
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    glasshalffull713 wrote: »
    SideSteel wrote: »
    Are you happy with how things are going?

    In general - yes. My body is way firmer, there is more definition, and my shape has changed. I feel really strong too which is awesome. I also LOVE that I am not worrying about what I am eating all the time with no feelings of deprivation. However, there is still fat over my belly especially, that I would like to see go faster. (I know I cannot spot reduce). I can definitely hang in there since I am moving in the right direction, just having a moment of impatience/wondering if the fat will eventually go without more purposeful attention in the food dept?

    It may eventually go, but it will take a while if it does, I would still hang in there, but also make a little extra effort towards a calorie deficit. Doesn't have to be anything major. You are already good maintaining without logging, all you have to do is find a couple areas to tweak, like swapping out more veggies and less of a more calorie dense food. Or just eating a smaller portion of a calorie dense food.

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