Recomposition: Maintaining weight while losing fat
Replies
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@LC4509
I am the same as you. I am 5'3", 110pound. When I do plank, my belly hang down there! Not nice at all.0 -
I’m a bit concerned my average weight has risen 3 kg since January, despite logging everything I eat and keeping to my calorie limit.
Not sure whether that’s muscle or not. I exercise every day, averaging 17,000 steps a day including lots of running, and swimming and yoga.
I don't feel or look like I have more fat.
Can you gain that much weight due to muscle in 11 months at maintenance?
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Only if what you were doing was overworking the current level of muscle such that the body had to expend extra energy to make muscle that would then require a little extra energy to maintain.
Body doesn't make muscle for no reason.
Did the swimming or running increase to a decently higher speed/pace level when you do short intense workouts?
And you were already pretty fit aerobically?
It could also be a factor of doing more endurance in those cardio sports - that asks the body to store more carbs which has attached water.
And if you are finishing up a season of doing longer endurance and hot - could also be increased blood volume.
Or, you might happen to gain fat in many areas at once and not be noticeable with it.
Shoot, one study on swimming showed more subcutaneous fat added to deal with the cooling effect.
Or several of the above combined.
Oh - to your final question - it wasn't maintenance if you gained anything but water weight - muscle or fat gained means more than maintenance was being eaten.
Do you show a steady increase through the year in weight?2 -
I’m a bit concerned my average weight has risen 3 kg since January, despite logging everything I eat and keeping to my calorie limit.
Not sure whether that’s muscle or not. I exercise every day, averaging 17,000 steps a day including lots of running, and swimming and yoga.
I don't feel or look like I have more fat.
Can you gain that much weight due to muscle in 11 months at maintenance?
Yes, you could gain 3 kg in 11 months, particularly if you were new to exercising.
The 3 kg is not all muscle of course. It's impossible to gain all muscle.
You definitely have some good quality muscle on you.
Congrats!
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@Orphia, when you break it down that is about .15lbs a week, or an extra biscuit- an easy subtle creep that is easily accounted for by mfg calorie rounding.
I would guess it is a good mix of both muscle and fat (not sure where the fat is though), so wouldn't worry about it, unless you find the number perturbing.
You look wonderful.
Cheers, h.5 -
Thanks, @Lean59man and @middlehaitchOnly if what you were doing was overworking the current level of muscle such that the body had to expend extra energy to make muscle that would then require a little extra energy to maintain.
Body doesn't make muscle for no reason.
Did the swimming or running increase to a decently higher speed/pace level when you do short intense workouts?
And you were already pretty fit aerobically?
It could also be a factor of doing more endurance in those cardio sports - that asks the body to store more carbs which has attached water.
And if you are finishing up a season of doing longer endurance and hot - could also be increased blood volume.
Or, you might happen to gain fat in many areas at once and not be noticeable with it.
Shoot, one study on swimming showed more subcutaneous fat added to deal with the cooling effect.
Or several of the above combined.
Oh - to your final question - it wasn't maintenance if you gained anything but water weight - muscle or fat gained means more than maintenance was being eaten.
Do you show a steady increase through the year in weight?
@heybales My swimming has increased in pace. Did a whole bunch of PBs on Friday.
My running has increased in endurance/distance. I've been increasing distance and running 3-6 times a week since September 2015, and able to run over 21 km distances since June 2016. I ran my first marathon in August.
Name: Orphia
Age: 50
Height: 176 cm
Total Weight lost: 35.5 kg
Time it took to lose: 12 months
Been logging since April 2015
Date began maintaining: April 2016
How long in maintenance: 19 months
Maintenance weight range: 63-65 kg
Average weight recorded from January: 62.8 kg
Average weight recorded from February: 63.5 kg
Average weight recorded from March: 63.2 kg
Average weight recorded from April: 63.9 kg
Average weight recorded from May: 63.5 kg
Average weight recorded from June: 63.6 kg
Average weight recorded from July: 64 kg
Average weight recorded from August: 64.1 kg
Average weight recorded from September: 64.4 kg
Average weight recorded from October: 65.5 kg
(I hurt my back 30 September and my weight jumped 2 kg for a couple of weeks, and that threw October out of whack.)
Week of...
7th November: 66 kg
14th November: 65.4 kg
Current average weight: 65.2 kg0 -
I'll bet that's it then.
Increased pace needs stronger muscle, and if already tapped out - more of it.
Increased endurance is more carb stores - more water weight, in more muscle.
So at least it's been a year of improvements - rather than eating over maintenance during one of those annoying years where workouts just don't come together well and tons of personal stuff getting taken care of preventing workouts, ugh.
Good job. Got some races coming up?7 -
I'll bet that's it then.
Increased pace needs stronger muscle, and if already tapped out - more of it.
Increased endurance is more carb stores - more water weight, in more muscle.
So at least it's been a year of improvements - rather than eating over maintenance during one of those annoying years where workouts just don't come together well and tons of personal stuff getting taken care of preventing workouts, ugh.
Good job. Got some races coming up?
Thank you so much. Relieved. I really respect your knowledge. In the Fitbit Group, across the boards, you're an amazing contributor.
I've got my eye on a 50 km run in April.
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Here is my stattistical progress over the last 8 months. I took a before pic but I haven't taken an after pic yes. I cant really see the difference in myself but hey at least that stats look good.
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BF% needs to be on it's own scaled 0-20 vertical so it's as impressive as possible!
Still impressive, good job keeping at it.2 -
Here is my stattistical progress over the last 8 months. I took a before pic but I haven't taken an after pic yes. I cant really see the difference in myself but hey at least that stats look good.
I shared my pics on my feed and others were able to point out some changes that I myself couldn't see. Maybe that's an option, especially if seeing the photos might put you down in the dumps.
As for me, even though the last 5 months was an unplanned recomp, it proved what everyone said... I won't see enough change/it's too slow. Granted I was still trying to lose fat so better than nothing.3 -
It's possible if you've been lifting, but you don't mention that. You look great!I’m a bit concerned my average weight has risen 3 kg since January, despite logging everything I eat and keeping to my calorie limit.
Not sure whether that’s muscle or not. I exercise every day, averaging 17,000 steps a day including lots of running, and swimming and yoga.
I don't feel or look like I have more fat.
Can you gain that much weight due to muscle in 11 months at maintenance?
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I've been reading around about recomp and just want to make sure I'm understanding it correctly, and I have a couple of questions if anyone could help I'd appreciate it.
So recomp to my understanding is you eat over your TDEE on day's that you workout and under on days that you don't right? So does working out include cardio or just weight lifting? And If I eat under my TDEE which is about 1500 then that is about 1200 and over would be about 1700 correct? Also does Bodyfat percentage matter I don't have an accurate measurement but my BF is around 26% which is kinda high.
Also, I'm 5'6, 129-1320 -
I've been reading around about recomp and just want to make sure I'm understanding it correctly, and I have a couple of questions if anyone could help I'd appreciate it.
So recomp to my understanding is you eat over your TDEE on day's that you workout and under on days that you don't right? So does working out include cardio or just weight lifting? And If I eat under my TDEE which is about 1500 then that is about 1200 and over would be about 1700 correct? Also does Bodyfat percentage matter I don't have an accurate measurement but my BF is around 26% which is kinda high.
Also, I'm 5'6, 129-132
@Aw0627
No you don't have to calorie cycle at all. I suspect that myth comes from people who mistakenly believe you need a surplus to add muscle.
There was a MFP blog that suggested it was some sort of requirement, typical ill-educated twaddle trying to make something simple and normal seem complex and special.
Cycle calories if it suits you, eat the same every day if it suits you, follow the MFP "eat back exercise calories" method if it suits you. Highly unlikely to make a scrap of difference apart from adherence, which is personal.
BF% has an effect (positive - you have more readily available energy, negative - changes won't be as visible under a covering of fat....). If you are at a happy weight then that's fine.
Biggest thing to optimise and focus on is your training, diet just supports your training and recovery.6 -
I've been reading around about recomp and just want to make sure I'm understanding it correctly, and I have a couple of questions if anyone could help I'd appreciate it.
So recomp to my understanding is you eat over your TDEE on day's that you workout and under on days that you don't right? So does working out include cardio or just weight lifting? And If I eat under my TDEE which is about 1500 then that is about 1200 and over would be about 1700 correct? Also does Bodyfat percentage matter I don't have an accurate measurement but my BF is around 26% which is kinda high.
Also, I'm 5'6, 129-132
@Aw0627
No you don't have to calorie cycle at all. I suspect that myth comes from people who mistakenly believe you need a surplus to add muscle.
There was a MFP blog that suggested it was some sort of requirement, typical ill-educated twaddle trying to make something simple and normal seem complex and special.
Cycle calories if it suits you, eat the same every day if it suits you, follow the MFP "eat back exercise calories" method if it suits you. Highly unlikely to make a scrap of difference apart from adherence, which is personal.
BF% has an effect (positive - you have more readily available energy, negative - changes won't be as visible under a covering of fat....). If you are at a happy weight then that's fine.
Biggest thing to optimise and focus on is your training, diet just supports your training and recovery.
Seriously Thanks for the quick response, but I just want to make sure I understood you correctly
So you're basically saying with body fat percentage is that if I have a lower body fat percentage then I will simply see results faster or are you saying I wont see much results at all? Because I thought recomp was losing fat while building muscle? Also I know it up to me but do you think it would be better to lower my body fat percentage?
Also is P90X consider a weight lifting program?0 -
I've been reading around about recomp and just want to make sure I'm understanding it correctly, and I have a couple of questions if anyone could help I'd appreciate it.
So recomp to my understanding is you eat over your TDEE on day's that you workout and under on days that you don't right? So does working out include cardio or just weight lifting? And If I eat under my TDEE which is about 1500 then that is about 1200 and over would be about 1700 correct? Also does Bodyfat percentage matter I don't have an accurate measurement but my BF is around 26% which is kinda high.
Also, I'm 5'6, 129-132
@Aw0627
No you don't have to calorie cycle at all. I suspect that myth comes from people who mistakenly believe you need a surplus to add muscle.
There was a MFP blog that suggested it was some sort of requirement, typical ill-educated twaddle trying to make something simple and normal seem complex and special.
Cycle calories if it suits you, eat the same every day if it suits you, follow the MFP "eat back exercise calories" method if it suits you. Highly unlikely to make a scrap of difference apart from adherence, which is personal.
BF% has an effect (positive - you have more readily available energy, negative - changes won't be as visible under a covering of fat....). If you are at a happy weight then that's fine.
Biggest thing to optimise and focus on is your training, diet just supports your training and recovery.
Seriously Thanks for the quick response, but I just want to make sure I understood you correctly
So you're basically saying with body fat percentage is that if I have a lower body fat percentage then I will simply see results faster or are you saying I wont see much results at all? Because I thought recomp was losing fat while building muscle? Also I know it up to me but do you think it would be better to lower my body fat percentage?
Also is P90X consider a weight lifting program?
Fat is very effective at hiding increasing muscle as it masks definition (it's part of why taking measurements is a good idea). The "last few pounds" often make far more visible difference than the "first many pounds". Seeing results isn't the same as getting results.
"Because I thought recomp was losing fat while building muscle? " - It is. Remember muscle building is slow, as a female it's really slow even under optimal conditions with perfect training.
"Also I know it up to me but do you think it would be better to lower my body fat percentage?" - The quickest way to drop BF% is with a calorie deficit / losing weight but then your chances of building muscle become slight and limited. Everything is a compromise. Only you know where you are now and what your goal body is, how important not dieting is, how important leanness is compared to strength etc etc.
"Also is P90X consider a weight lifting program?" - From what I understand of it, no.6 -
Subscribing to this thread since I'm in more of a recomposition than anything else. While I've got plenty of fat stores to lose, fitness and rebuilding muscle is a primary concern, but I'd like to lose some of the nasty jiggly stuff too.
Still playing around with where enough calories are enough to support my goals and workouts, but not so much that I stop losing fat. It would be nice to see the scale go down, which I believe it eventually should, but right now seeing a lot more progress in the tape measure than on the scale, which I can accept (even if it doesn't always thrill me).
Brief history:
Until my early 30's (2010) I was very fit, and always within a few pounds of my maintenance weight of 128. Stronger than I am now, too.
Desk job+not making my body a priority meant a gain of ~35 pounds by 7/2015.
Started watching diet, still not working out, lost ~20 of those pounds.
Early 2016, started adding fitness back in, gained some weight back, but eventually started to steadily lose again.
12/2016 I was back to ~15 pounds from "goal", slow but steady losses, great fitness gains.
12/3/2016 tib/fib pilon fracture threw my life into shambles for the year. Weight was a disaster over that time period - dropped a ton the first 2 months while on crutches (down to 131), then appetite returned, and I was so stressed just trying to keep my leg attached to my body I didn't care. Went back up to 158+ by winter).
11/20/2017 was finally able to return to the gym again (had started light home workouts over the fall once walking wasn't a complete challenge).
Currently on my 3rd workout plan, which is back to being fairly intense. Still have a LONG ways to go on atrophied muscles - still have a 1" circumference difference between my two calves
Left leg in general is smaller, ankle still (and probably always will) has a slightly limited ROM from my previous normal (still seeing progress though, so...).
Dedicated to getting "my" body back, mostly okay with the long, slow process of a recomp (some weeks I get frustrated, but am accepting this is the best route for me).
Race season starts in just under 2 months, track season in one month, so trying to get what I can back before then! Well aware I will have another year of rehab on my injury though, too before it settles into its "new normal."
Will be working through the pages in this thread as time permits.
8 -
I've been reading around about recomp and just want to make sure I'm understanding it correctly, and I have a couple of questions if anyone could help I'd appreciate it.
So recomp to my understanding is you eat over your TDEE on day's that you workout and under on days that you don't right? So does working out include cardio or just weight lifting? And If I eat under my TDEE which is about 1500 then that is about 1200 and over would be about 1700 correct? Also does Bodyfat percentage matter I don't have an accurate measurement but my BF is around 26% which is kinda high.
Also, I'm 5'6, 129-132
@Aw0627
No you don't have to calorie cycle at all. I suspect that myth comes from people who mistakenly believe you need a surplus to add muscle.
There was a MFP blog that suggested it was some sort of requirement, typical ill-educated twaddle trying to make something simple and normal seem complex and special.
Cycle calories if it suits you, eat the same every day if it suits you, follow the MFP "eat back exercise calories" method if it suits you. Highly unlikely to make a scrap of difference apart from adherence, which is personal.
BF% has an effect (positive - you have more readily available energy, negative - changes won't be as visible under a covering of fat....). If you are at a happy weight then that's fine.
Biggest thing to optimise and focus on is your training, diet just supports your training and recovery.
Seriously Thanks for the quick response, but I just want to make sure I understood you correctly
So you're basically saying with body fat percentage is that if I have a lower body fat percentage then I will simply see results faster or are you saying I wont see much results at all? Because I thought recomp was losing fat while building muscle? Also I know it up to me but do you think it would be better to lower my body fat percentage?
Also is P90X consider a weight lifting program?
Fat is very effective at hiding increasing muscle as it masks definition (it's part of why taking measurements is a good idea). The "last few pounds" often make far more visible difference than the "first many pounds". Seeing results isn't the same as getting results.
"Because I thought recomp was losing fat while building muscle? " - It is. Remember muscle building is slow, as a female it's really slow even under optimal conditions with perfect training.
"Also I know it up to me but do you think it would be better to lower my body fat percentage?" - The quickest way to drop BF% is with a calorie deficit / losing weight but then your chances of building muscle become slight and limited. Everything is a compromise. Only you know where you are now and what your goal body is, how important not dieting is, how important leanness is compared to strength etc etc.
"Also is P90X consider a weight lifting program?" - From what I understand of it, no.
While P90X is a resistance program, it's not going to be optimal for recomposition. It's more general fitness. Now, don't get me wrong, you can add a progressive overload, you are only hitting the major body parts once a week. If any program beachbody program was used, I'd recommend Body Beast. It's at a bro-split.1 -
For you recompers... how do you measure your success? Weight remains the same, so what metrics do you use for goal setting? Purely increasing load and getting stronger?1
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For you recompers... how do you measure your success? Weight remains the same, so what metrics do you use for goal setting? Purely increasing load and getting stronger?
Increasing load
Measurements
Progress pictures
It's all really slow. Pictures really help.
Things I look for physically--a little bit of vascularity in arms/pelvis area, poppin delts, back like a bag of ropes6 -
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For you recompers... how do you measure your success? Weight remains the same, so what metrics do you use for goal setting? Purely increasing load and getting stronger?
The belly is a little smaller - love handles are shrinking- jeans are looser- shirts are tighter - arms & shoulders & traps are bigger - the weights are going up - more reps & sets. - I have no idea what my body weight is doing. I really don't care. It's been a while since I've weighed myself, and I probably weight about the same - Eastcoast Jim4 -
For you recompers... how do you measure your success? Weight remains the same, so what metrics do you use for goal setting? Purely increasing load and getting stronger?
I really didn't answer your question, but if you are increasing the load , then you are getting stronger & making progress. If you want to maintain your should be staying at or near the same weight, & loosing inches. You may have to adjust your food intake or timing for this to happen Eastcoast Jim2 -
Hey guys, first time posting here.
I'm 5'11 and 159 pounds. Initially I wanted to get down to 150 but I'm just tired of being in a deficit. I've lost 45 pounds since last March. Been lifting since August. I still carry a fair amount of fat on my thighs bit have leaned out in my midsection especially and weight loss has slowed to a crawl now. I can also see that I don't have a lot of muscle definition, so at this point I feel like recomp is the way to go and maybe go back into a deficit down the road.
Does that sound reasonable? I've read everywhere that recomp is slow, takes patience etc but what are we talking about? Months? Years? What about the gym, how fast could you see improvement in weights? When I started I went up nearly every week, the last month or so I haven't made much progress, but I'm not sure if that's the end of the newbie gains or simply because I'm in a deficit?
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Hey guys, first time posting here.
I'm 5'11 and 159 pounds. Initially I wanted to get down to 150 but I'm just tired of being in a deficit. I've lost 45 pounds since last March. Been lifting since August. I still carry a fair amount of fat on my thighs bit have leaned out in my midsection especially and weight loss has slowed to a crawl now. I can also see that I don't have a lot of muscle definition, so at this point I feel like recomp is the way to go and maybe go back into a deficit down the road.
Does that sound reasonable? I've read everywhere that recomp is slow, takes patience etc but what are we talking about? Months? Years? What about the gym, how fast could you see improvement in weights? When I started I went up nearly every week, the last month or so I haven't made much progress, but I'm not sure if that's the end of the newbie gains or simply because I'm in a deficit?
I think with decent training and nutrition you'll see some changes every few months or so. I found that it is helpful to focus on performance, and the body composition follows.
Stalls in the gym could either be from the deficit, or if you've been following a linear program for a long amount of time, it might be time to change to a more daily undulating type of periodization.2 -
I think with decent training and nutrition you'll see some changes every few months or so. I found that it is helpful to focus on performance, and the body composition follows.
Stalls in the gym could either be from the deficit, or if you've been following a linear program for a long amount of time, it might be time to change to a more daily undulating type of periodization.
Thanks for your reply! Ok, every few months sounds doable. I'm sure I'll be wishing for faster results but the weight didn't come off overnight so I think I can be patient. I'm looking to hire a trainer to make a program so hopefully that'll be on point. I spent a lot of time learning about nutrition and weight loss, now it's time to focus on training.
What do I need to expect in terms of scale weight? I've seen people maintain in a range of about 5 pounds or so, would that be the same in recomp?
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I think with decent training and nutrition you'll see some changes every few months or so. I found that it is helpful to focus on performance, and the body composition follows.
Stalls in the gym could either be from the deficit, or if you've been following a linear program for a long amount of time, it might be time to change to a more daily undulating type of periodization.
Thanks for your reply! Ok, every few months sounds doable. I'm sure I'll be wishing for faster results but the weight didn't come off overnight so I think I can be patient. I'm looking to hire a trainer to make a program so hopefully that'll be on point. I spent a lot of time learning about nutrition and weight loss, now it's time to focus on training.
What do I need to expect in terms of scale weight? I've seen people maintain in a range of about 5 pounds or so, would that be the same in recomp?
It's easier to be patient when you see your gym performance get better and better. And when you're not in a deficit, it will.
Female? Yeah, I'd say it's natural to fluctuate within 5 pounds.0
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