Recomposition: Maintaining weight while losing fat
Replies
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Thank you very much
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Just gotten my second DEXA scan done today. I had my first one three months ago, before I started my fitness projects. The results are pretty amazing. In those three months, I dropped bodyfat from 28% to 18%, I lost 22 lbs of fat and gained 15 lbs of muscle.
All I can say is: the system works! 
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Sorry if this has been asked and answered, 62 pages... How is this vs bulk cut? Right now my goal is to get back to a weight I was before some injuries and life contributed to a 20lbs gain, once I am back, I do want to either try recomp or bulk and cut as I hear the latter is faster but cutting is pretty sucky?0
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Sorry if this has been asked and answered, 62 pages... How is this vs bulk cut? Right now my goal is to get back to a weight I was before some injuries and life contributed to a 20lbs gain, once I am back, I do want to either try recomp or bulk and cut as I hear the latter is faster but cutting is pretty sucky?
Bulk and cuts are cycles of prolonged periods in a surplus and deficit respectively. Recomps are eating around maintenance (which you will have days of surpluses and deficits) and training hard. Through those periods, your body will build muscle and cut fat.4 -
Sorry if this has been asked and answered, 62 pages... How is this vs bulk cut? Right now my goal is to get back to a weight I was before some injuries and life contributed to a 20lbs gain, once I am back, I do want to either try recomp or bulk and cut as I hear the latter is faster but cutting is pretty sucky?
Bulk and cuts are cycles of prolonged periods in a surplus and deficit respectively. Recomps are eating around maintenance (which you will have days of surpluses and deficits) and training hard. Through those periods, your body will build muscle and cut fat.
I read up on the concepts but from experience is one faster than the other? Better? Safer in terms of not getting fat, I ready bulk and cut you put on a lot fat potentially. I read recomp is slow, but want to hear some real world numbers not blog / online posts as every article contradicts the one I just read.0 -
Sorry if this has been asked and answered, 62 pages... How is this vs bulk cut? Right now my goal is to get back to a weight I was before some injuries and life contributed to a 20lbs gain, once I am back, I do want to either try recomp or bulk and cut as I hear the latter is faster but cutting is pretty sucky?
Bulk and cuts are cycles of prolonged periods in a surplus and deficit respectively. Recomps are eating around maintenance (which you will have days of surpluses and deficits) and training hard. Through those periods, your body will build muscle and cut fat.
I read up on the concepts but from experience is one faster than the other? Better? Safer in terms of not getting fat, I ready bulk and cut you put on a lot fat potentially. I read recomp is slow, but want to hear some real world numbers not blog / online posts as every article contradicts the one I just read.
Bulk/cut is faster but it has more psychological battles, too; there is also potential you screw up the bulk or the cut portion. Recomp is longer, but helps people stay lean the whole time.
The last two women (so you will respond better) that I worked with on their recomps.. one went from 26% to 14% body fat (hydrostatic confirmed in 2 years); the second went from 22% to 16% in 6 months (confirmed by DEXA).7 -
Thank you for the data, that is a bit of time, but as you say it keeps you where you want to be, I have a couple more months before making a decision.0
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Hi everyone, I'm fairly new to all of this and I'm wondering what peoples' recommendations be for a BF% to start a recomp (for a woman)? I'm about 22-23% bf according to my not-so-scientific scale.1
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Edited
Posted in the wrong thread lol!1 -
I think I'm ready to start recomp. I've been cutting for 6 months and I think I need a break. I've made it past my goal weight. I was continuing to cut to see how low I could get my weight but I think eating at a deficit is starting to wear on me. This past week I've been exhausted, had crazy cravings, felt super hungry, and have had brain fog. I don't think I can handle the weight gain with bulking without getting depressed.
If you are or have done recomp feel free to add me, I love community support!5 -
MrsBeccaM5 wrote: »I think I'm ready to start recomp. I've been cutting for 6 months and I think I need a break. I've made it past my goal weight. I was continuing to cut to see how low I could get my weight but I think eating at a deficit is starting to wear on me. This past week I've been exhausted, had crazy cravings, felt super hungry, and have had brain fog. I don't think I can handle the weight gain with bulking without getting depressed.
If you are or have done recomp feel free to add me, I love community support!
I'll add you just because I'm soo close! I've been following this thread for ages now. Just hit 7 months of cutting and my body is not liking it anymore. Because of the defecit I'm always cold, and lately have been so hungry and tired. I tried a maintenence week this week and it felt like I was absolutely feasting. I'm really so excited for recomp!3 -
I'm less than 10 pounds from my goal weight. I had been think I would just keep losing until I get to the bf% I want but the more I think about it recomp seems like a better idea to me. My scale says I'm at 20% bf but I'm sure it's wrong. I'm guessing it's much higher than that. I'd like to focus more on being fit and healthy and less on how I look.
When I hit my goal weight I will be right in the middle of my bmi (with a high bf percentage though) does that seem like a good place to start maintaining while recomping?2 -
I'm less than 10 pounds from my goal weight. I had been think I would just keep losing until I get to the bf% I want but the more I think about it recomp seems like a better idea to me. My scale says I'm at 20% bf but I'm sure it's wrong. I'm guessing it's much higher than that. I'd like to focus more on being fit and healthy and less on how I look.
When I hit my goal weight I will be right in the middle of my bmi (with a high bf percentage though) does that seem like a good place to start maintaining while recomping?
If getting 10 lbs gets you in the middle of you weight class, i'd probably do that and then transition. At this point, you can minimize your deficit and get on a good resistance/weight training routine if you haven't done so already.1 -
Thanks that sounds like a good idea.I'm less than 10 pounds from my goal weight. I had been think I would just keep losing until I get to the bf% I want but the more I think about it recomp seems like a better idea to me. My scale says I'm at 20% bf but I'm sure it's wrong. I'm guessing it's much higher than that. I'd like to focus more on being fit and healthy and less on how I look.
When I hit my goal weight I will be right in the middle of my bmi (with a high bf percentage though) does that seem like a good place to start maintaining while recomping?
If getting 10 lbs gets you in the middle of you weight class, i'd probably do that and then transition. At this point, you can minimize your deficit and get on a good resistance/weight training routine if you haven't done so already.
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Aww thanks.
And yes. I have two main limiting factors-- pain and fatigue. My illness tends to be a bit cyclical. I'll feel great for awhile and want to run and lift and do all the things, and then I'll feel myself starting to get worn down and tired, and then I'll have a flare up where I'm constantly exhausted and everything hurts. I'll rest more during those times and often lift less weight, and eventually it'll pass and I'll be back to feeling good again.
As a result of that process I'm behind a lot of women who have been lifting has long as I have. The biggest thing for me is to try my best not to compare myself to them too much. If I push harder I'll make more progress at first, but then I'll bring on a flare up faster and end up out of commission for longer.
This past year I've been dealing with a new illness (myasthenia gravis most likely) that causes muscle weakness. My muscles in my arms/legs felt weak but I also had a lot of trouble breathing and I had double vision a lot. So there were a few months there where I was lucky to get in my major lifts with light weight. I just keep on trucking and do the best I can as consistently as I can.
I'm just starting to make my way through this thread, but I wanted to stop here because my dad has myasthenia gravis. It's so rare, and I was surprised to see it mentioned here! He's pushing 80 and pretty severely overweight, and he has a really hard time getting around at all. I've tried suggesting light exercise to improve his strength and balance when he does feel okay, but he's been really resistant. Have you found exercise to help you? Any advice?0 -
There's a lot of talk about recomposition through the boards, so I wanted to have a place where we can compile research on it and experiences with it.
When is recomp appropriate? When you are at a decent weight for your height, but your body fat is still at a level that is undesirable to you recomposition is probably a good option. It's a way to maintain your weight, eat well and still lose fat. This is a slow process and can feel like spinning your wheels, but it can be less mentally stressful than bulk and cut cycles.
Feel free to share stories of recomposition and any research you have seen on it. Ask questions if you have any.
Here are my questions:
What does a healthy weight mean? I'm 5' 3 3/4" (heh heh) and 154#. I'm happy at this weight. I'm not super concerned with what my weight is. It is in the "overweight" BMI category. I don't know my body fat but it's over 25, for sure. Maybe over 30.
I'm honestly pretty tired of dieting, despite taking all of 2016 off. I ate probably above maintenance (Scooby is obviously not accurate for me) and lifted weights, heavy. I started back in a deficit Thanksgiving last year and I am down 20 pounds. I am much happier at this weight and I suppose I would be even happier at a lower weight.
My lifts are suffering. I'm usually pretty tired to begin with. I'm not overly concerned with what my exact weight, body fat, or appearance is, I just want to be less fat. I'm eating at a 1 pound weight loss a week now. Should I switch to .5 a week for a while before recomping? How do I know when to switch over?
Guess I need some advice, please.0 -
There's a lot of talk about recomposition through the boards, so I wanted to have a place where we can compile research on it and experiences with it.
When is recomp appropriate? When you are at a decent weight for your height, but your body fat is still at a level that is undesirable to you recomposition is probably a good option. It's a way to maintain your weight, eat well and still lose fat. This is a slow process and can feel like spinning your wheels, but it can be less mentally stressful than bulk and cut cycles.
Feel free to share stories of recomposition and any research you have seen on it. Ask questions if you have any.
Here are my questions:
What does a healthy weight mean? I'm 5' 3 3/4" (heh heh) and 154#. I'm happy at this weight. I'm not super concerned with what my weight is. It is in the "overweight" BMI category. I don't know my body fat but it's over 25, for sure. Maybe over 30.
I'm honestly pretty tired of dieting, despite taking all of 2016 off. I ate probably above maintenance (Scooby is obviously not accurate for me) and lifted weights, heavy. I started back in a deficit Thanksgiving last year and I am down 20 pounds. I am much happier at this weight and I suppose I would be even happier at a lower weight.
My lifts are suffering. I'm usually pretty tired to begin with. I'm not overly concerned with what my exact weight, body fat, or appearance is, I just want to be less fat. I'm eating at a 1 pound weight loss a week now. Should I switch to .5 a week for a while before recomping? How do I know when to switch over?
Guess I need some advice, please.
@Luna3386 Healthy weight typically means within the normal BMI standards. The only people this wouldn't apply to is people who have higher than normal amounts of lean mass.
You're going to have to decide what it is you can stick to. Recomp at your weight is going to show almost no visible progress. Losing some more fat before attempting recomp will help you see the changes a bit easier. It's also easier on your joints and your organs if you maintain a healthier level of body fat while doing recomp. Whether you stick to a pound a week or half a pound per week should be how fast you are actually losing, how accurate you are at that level, and whether you feel it is sustainable to reaching a normal BMI.7 -
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middlehaitch wrote: »
@middlehaitch Thank you! I planned on being shredded for vacation, but ended up taking this cut much slower due to some injuries. I'll be lean again soon enough and for now I have no complaints 4 -
@usmcmp
This may sound like an odd question, but what are some tricks for measuring the same place consistently? Waist, ok, I get that. Bust, too. But hips, arms and legs? I've never really done measurements because I've struggled with making sure I always measured the same place.
Thanks in advance,
Tempted to Write on Herself with a Sharpie
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Hips-Use the crest of the hip bone
Arms/legs, use distance from elbow/knee.
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stanmann571 wrote: »Hips-Use the crest of the hip bone
Arms/legs, use distance from elbow/knee.
I agree with the arms/legs, but the iliac crest is really high...mine are at the same level as my belly button. I track that separately from waist and hip.
@Psychgrrl - From my sewing days, I think I remember that the average hip depth (vertical distance from natural waist to full hip) is 8-9 inches for average height women...I measure my waist, then take the tape measure from that point and measure down to my full hip and go from there. I'm 5'4" and I drop down 9.25" to get my hip measurement.
A trick to get your natural waist is to stand up and bend to the side...that crease is your natural waist.
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Bumping for later but also questions... I'm probably going to reach the upper threshold of my maintenance weight in a month or so. I then plan to slowly increase my cals to maintenance. I previously lost weight on mfp but failed to log in maintenance - which led to putting it back on. So I'm determined to keep logging. About 3 months ago I started lifting heavy - at least three times a week. I plan to keep doing this always (I freaking love it). So when at my healthy weight, I'm eating maintenance and lifting will i technically be in "recomp"? Or is there something I'm missing.
Also if I am in this stage and I DONT want to be losing fat (not necessarily true at least to start with but I can see a hypothetical where I feel lean enough) how do you stop recomping (assuming it just involves the above)?2 -
Thanks for the measurement tips!
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Hi. I need some advise.
I've read through quite a lot of pages on here and I'm wondering if a recomp would be suitable for me.
My stats
Age 52
Height 5ft 2"
Weight 108lb
Body fat 24%
I've been as low as 104lbs before but I don't want to loose anymore weight. I still have (i feel) more body fat than I would like.
Not sure where to go - a recomp? Or a bulk?
Last year I was eating more calories (1750). I wasn't using mfp, I just randomly punched my stats into a tdee calculator then worked from that. It wasn't really accurate as the protein, fats and carb ratio added up to 147%, but I wasn't really worried about that and I was just making sure I ate 1750 and had a few protein bars and shakes and i still managed to loose the last few lbs, more by luck than judgement. This year it seems mfp has set my calories at 1470. But I dont seem to be getting anywhere.
I have been on these since May.
I work out between 3 to 5 days a week. 3 weight lifting sessions for an hour and 2 swimming sessions for 30 minutes. I'm not lifting heavy as I had an injury but I am back at what I was lifting a year ago when I started.
Am I being impatient. It seems my body is still flabby around the stomach but everywhere else is ok. If I try and loose anymore weight I'll look skinny which isn't what I want to achieve. ...
Any help would be appreciated. I feel like I'm spinning the wheels and getting no where atm.0 -
@coralred1965coralred1965 wrote: »Hi. I need some advise.
I've read through quite a lot of pages on here and I'm wondering if a recomp would be suitable for me.
My stats
Age 52
Height 5ft 2"
Weight 108lb
Body fat 24%
I've been as low as 104lbs before but I don't want to loose anymore weight. I still have (i feel) more body fat than I would like.
Not sure where to go - a recomp? Or a bulk?
Last year I was eating more calories (1750). I wasn't using mfp, I just randomly punched my stats into a tdee calculator then worked from that. It wasn't really accurate as the protein, fats and carb ratio added up to 147%, but I wasn't really worried about that and I was just making sure I ate 1750 and had a few protein bars and shakes and i still managed to loose the last few lbs, more by luck than judgement. This year it seems mfp has set my calories at 1470. But I dont seem to be getting anywhere.
I have been on these since May.
I work out between 3 to 5 days a week. 3 weight lifting sessions for an hour and 2 swimming sessions for 30 minutes. I'm not lifting heavy as I had an injury but I am back at what I was lifting a year ago when I started.
Am I being impatient. It seems my body is still flabby around the stomach but everywhere else is ok. If I try and loose anymore weight I'll look skinny which isn't what I want to achieve. ...
Any help would be appreciated. I feel like I'm spinning the wheels and getting no where atm.
If you bulk you will gain more fat - which you will have to lose again.
As your training is limited by your recovery from injury you probably couldn't gain any (theoretical..) advantage from eating at a surplus in terms of building muscle as compared to training at maintenance.
Probably! Everyone seems to have unrealistic timescales for transforming themselves - it takes time and consistent effort. Despite what promotional videos and blogs promote.Am I being impatient.
How are you tracking progress? Weights increasing? Measurements changing? Photos revealing a hint of change?I feel like I'm spinning the wheels and getting no where atm
If your weights aren't progressing then first thing I would look at is your programming.
This could be great, but it depends on what you are actually doing in that hour.3 weight lifting sessions for an hour0 -
Hi thanks for the reply.
I did take a few progress photos. It's mainly my stomach area I have problems with. I'm checking my food as I tend to bloat a lot.
My weights are low atm as I had/have sciatia some days as well as a trapped nerve in my leg. I'm a bit scared to add more weight on squats so I'm only squatting with 18.1kg and doing 3x8.
Like I said I've only just restarted a few months ago so maybe I am being impatient. My programme is Stronglifts 5x5 but sometimes I do 3x8 on some exercises. I'm doing mainly compound exercises and after these I throw in a few machines exercises (lateral pulldown, leg press, leg extensions and a few glutes).
My measurements bodywise haven't changed.
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@coralred1965coralred1965 wrote: »Hi thanks for the reply.
I did take a few progress photos. It's mainly my stomach area I have problems with. I'm checking my food as I tend to bloat a lot.
My weights are low atm as I had/have sciatia some days as well as a trapped nerve in my leg. I'm a bit scared to add more weight on squats so I'm only squatting with 18.1kg and doing 3x8.
Like I said I've only just restarted a few months ago so maybe I am being impatient. My programme is Stronglifts 5x5 but sometimes I do 3x8 on some exercises. I'm doing mainly compound exercises and after these I throw in a few machines exercises (lateral pulldown, leg press, leg extensions and a few glutes).
My measurements bodywise haven't changed.
Good stuff.
Sciatica is a right P.I.T.A. Been there and it's not fun. (A good Osteopath worked wonders for me.)
Being cautious about adding weight too fast on weights that cause spinal compression is very sensible.
Right now I would say avoidance of aggravating your injuries is more important than (fast) progress. It's frustrating but less frustrating than having to stop training.2 -
@coralred1965
What did you set you macro goals to? I feel like for me currently getting more protein and less fat/carbs intake does more than reducing calories (which just makes me lose more muscle and does not change my body fat % at all).1
h. 
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