Recomposition: Maintaining weight while losing fat
Replies
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Do you have a picture? I am 5'4" ad 145. I can't imagine you being 30% bodyfat at 5'10" and 145.
Being comfortable where you are is a start. Remember that the results are not fast so if one does have a decent amount of fat to lose, it may be best to get to 22-25% at the highest before you give recomp a try.
Here's a picture from earlier. From online images I've seen I'm guessimating around 27%? And that's what i was thinking too, I just wasn't sure if it would do much to continue to the deficit until then, or just start maintinence now.0 -
Squats and push-ups, are they good for recomping and can be done in place of lifting weights? Bodyweight instead of weights.4
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rainingribbons wrote: »Do you have a picture? I am 5'4" ad 145. I can't imagine you being 30% bodyfat at 5'10" and 145.
Being comfortable where you are is a start. Remember that the results are not fast so if one does have a decent amount of fat to lose, it may be best to get to 22-25% at the highest before you give recomp a try.
Here's a picture from earlier. From online images I've seen I'm guessimating around 27%? And that's what i was thinking too, I just wasn't sure if it would do much to continue to the deficit until then, or just start maintinence now.
You're slim with little muscle. How do you feel? It's really fun to train in maintenance because you have more energy and can get strong faster. I think I would choose to recomp if I were you. Or at least take a little break from dieting
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Fatvaporizer wrote: »Squats and push-ups, are they good for recomping and can be done in place of lifting weights? Bodyweight instead of weights.
Not likely for very long, you'd start having to do so many reps it would be endurance not muscle training.
For the body to feel the need to build more muscle, and use your extra fat as energy source while you eat at maintenance - you need to overextend your existing muscle for load placed on it that will cause damage to it.
That damage is what requires repair, and body to make more muscle if possible.
But after too many reps (I've seen study with 20 still in range to cause damage), there is no longer overload by weight.
To see what I mean, do as many pushups as you can in a row. Note how many.
Now in 2 days (so a rest day), hold your breath for 15 seconds, and then while holding do as many as you can.
Now you see why not to do with squats.
Same number?
Doubtful.
Did you just increase the weight load on the muscles that would cause damage? No.
Was it harder? Oh yeah.
Besides, squats with a bar puts a load on almost the whole body, body-weight squats not nearly as much.
And push-ups just one side.
At least add in pull-ups, and horizontal pull-ups.
There are several body-weight only programs to at least get you along to lifting-like resistance, like 1-legged squats.0 -
Fatvaporizer wrote: »Squats and push-ups, are they good for recomping and can be done in place of lifting weights? Bodyweight instead of weights.
You'll need progressive overload; make them harder and harder to do. Programs like Convict Conditioning do this.
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Hey guys, so i have lost around 20 kgs in the last few months. So far so good, i'm happy with my weight (69/70 kgs at 178 cm). But ofcourse, i still look skinny fat. I have been eating 1500 calories a week and have calculated my maintenance based on my weight loss and caloric intake. Monday the new semester starts and i'll be back hitting the gym 3 times a week. How would i transition to a recomp? TDEE should be around 2100. Would like to add a bit of muscle while losing some fat1
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Starting eating 100 extra daily for a week at a time.
Then add another 100 for another week.
Get up to that 2100 - which frankly sounds rather low if you are having any kind of decent workout.
Confirm you understand correctly how to use the TDEE sites - or use the spreadsheet in my profile for TDEE, and track your measurements too.2 -
Fatvaporizer wrote: »Squats and push-ups, are they good for recomping and can be done in place of lifting weights? Bodyweight instead of weights.
they can be ... If you progressivly make them harder and harder .. like lifting its best to follow a plan otherwise you can find you just do the same 20 pushups a day and your body will not adapt.
you need to aim for something, ie Pistol squats and one arm pushups ... foollow the progression to get there will increase the difficulty and build strength and in turn muscle.
Have a look at Convict conditioning or and of Danny/Al Kavadlos work2 -
What are some recommended weightlifting programs to start with?0
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This thread provides a pretty solid list of programs along with a bit of discussion on each:
http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10332083/which-lifting-program-is-the-best-for-you
Ultimately, it will come down to a program that you will do... So, think of what equipment you have access to (and where that equipment is), along with the time involved and complexity and stuff.
I try to point people at Strong Lifts 5x5 (Starting Strength is probably better) and would eventually require access to barbells, plates, and related safety equipment, which not everybody would be able to comply with...
The best program is a program that you can and will do!2 -
I'm confused on whether I should try recomp or just try losing another few lbs. I'm 5'4,115 lbs, don't know bf% but visually it's kind of high. I've been trying to lift but incosistently due to childcare issues and constant winter illnesses, and eat around 1200-1500 cal a day though not tracking closely right now. I've felt my best at 108-110 lbs which I had maintained easily for ten years, but after having my second child I got stuck at 115 and simply cannot lose a single pound
I'm a classic pear shape and mostly just feel wide through the midsection and hips, and just want to be smaller all over 
I also suck at getting enough protein, I'm a carboholic and dislike most protein foods aside from dairy and eggs, so this is my biggest challenge. [i
mg]https://us.v-cdn.net/5021879/uploads/editor/ad/4n3yzegv5tsd.png[/img]
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nettiklive wrote: »I'm confused on whether I should try recomp or just try losing another few lbs. I'm 5'4,115 lbs, don't know bf% but visually it's kind of high. I've been trying to lift but incosistently due to childcare issues and constant winter illnesses, and eat around 1200-1500 cal a day though not tracking closely right now. I've felt my best at 108-110 lbs which I had maintained easily for ten years, but after having my second child I got stuck at 115 and simply cannot lose a single pound I'm a classic pear shape and mostly just feel wide through the midsection and hips, and just want to be smaller all over I also suck at getting enough protein, I'm a carboholic and dislike most protein foods aside from dairy and eggs, so this is my biggest challenge. [i
mg]https://us.v-cdn.net/5021879/uploads/editor/ad/4n3yzegv5tsd.png[/img]
Based on what I see you are at a good place for recomp, I don't think losing upwards of another 7 pounds is going to help you reach desired results that recomp can do. What you perceive as wide is not wide at all and your body fat is not that high either, maybe a little under muscled, but recomp will fix that.
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nettiklive wrote: »I'm confused on whether I should try recomp or just try losing another few lbs. I'm 5'4,115 lbs, don't know bf% but visually it's kind of high. I've been trying to lift but incosistently due to childcare issues and constant winter illnesses, and eat around 1200-1500 cal a day though not tracking closely right now. I've felt my best at 108-110 lbs which I had maintained easily for ten years, but after having my second child I got stuck at 115 and simply cannot lose a single pound I'm a classic pear shape and mostly just feel wide through the midsection and hips, and just want to be smaller all over I also suck at getting enough protein, I'm a carboholic and dislike most protein foods aside from dairy and eggs, so this is my biggest challenge. [i
mg]https://us.v-cdn.net/5021879/uploads/editor/ad/4n3yzegv5tsd.png[/img]
Based on what I see you are at a good place for recomp, I don't think losing upwards of another 7 pounds is going to help you reach desired results that recomp can do. What you perceive as wide is not wide at all and your body fat is not that high either, maybe a little under muscled, but recomp will fix that.nettiklive wrote: »I'm confused on whether I should try recomp or just try losing another few lbs. I'm 5'4,115 lbs, don't know bf% but visually it's kind of high. I've been trying to lift but incosistently due to childcare issues and constant winter illnesses, and eat around 1200-1500 cal a day though not tracking closely right now. I've felt my best at 108-110 lbs which I had maintained easily for ten years, but after having my second child I got stuck at 115 and simply cannot lose a single pound I'm a classic pear shape and mostly just feel wide through the midsection and hips, and just want to be smaller all over I also suck at getting enough protein, I'm a carboholic and dislike most protein foods aside from dairy and eggs, so this is my biggest challenge. [i
mg]https://us.v-cdn.net/5021879/uploads/editor/ad/4n3yzegv5tsd.png[/img]
Based on what I see you are at a good place for recomp, I don't think losing upwards of another 7 pounds is going to help you reach desired results that recomp can do. What you perceive as wide is not wide at all and your body fat is not that high either, maybe a little under muscled, but recomp will fix that.
I agree here. I am just going to be flat out honest and say I don't think you'll look better with more weight loss. Might as well keep the base muscle you have now and work on body composition. Great work btw. I'm 5'4" and have never ever been able to get down to 115 or anywhere close.7 -
Question to the group. Based on your experiences/experiments do you think its better to do high volume lifting with recomp or do you feel you get better results with mass gain lifting programs? Obviously it depends on how you balance your calories to make sure you aren't gaining or losing. But I just wonder f you guys/gals have experience with high volume lifting programs, where you tend to burn a lot more calories and are pretty great for cutting. On the other hand it seems the power lifting strength programs, like strong lifts, canditos, etc. are more to suited to bulking given the low calorie burn/ coupled with high intensity you can gain weight easier. Do you feel if there is any advantage to either style for fat burning when in recomp maintenance calorie mode? Or what is your philosophy here?
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mutantspicy wrote: »Question to the group. Based on your experiences/experiments do you think its better to do high volume lifting with recomp or do you feel you get better results with mass gain lifting programs? Obviously it depends on how you balance your calories to make sure you aren't gaining or losing. But I just wonder f you guys/gals have experience with high volume lifting programs, where you tend to burn a lot more calories and are pretty great for cutting. On the other hand it seems the power lifting strength programs, like strong lifts, canditos, etc. are more to suited to bulking given the low calorie burn/ coupled with high intensity you can gain weight easier. Do you feel if there is any advantage to either style for fat burning when in recomp maintenance calorie mode? Or what is your philosophy here?
"High volume" training doesn't necessarily mean your calorie burn is going to sky rocket. It's not like cardio circuit training or something. You may find your expenditure increases a little but nothing that's outrageous to adjust calorie wise.
High volume programs are not really great for cutting. You can burn out. You would have better luck keeping the intensity on the bar for as long as you can and cutting volume first. Heavy compound lifts are going to help maintain muscle mass and help you get a bang for your buck.
When I'm in maintenance or bulking I do not like running strictly strength based programs. It makes more sense to isolate muscle groups when you have a better chance at muscle growth. I like a hybrid.
I consider my training to be high volume. 3 squat days, 3 barbell bench day and one dumbbell, 2 deadlift days, then two upper body hypertrophy days and 2 lower body hypertrophy days. I would prefer something like this for a recomp.5 -
mutantspicy wrote: »Question to the group. Based on your experiences/experiments do you think its better to do high volume lifting with recomp or do you feel you get better results with mass gain lifting programs? Obviously it depends on how you balance your calories to make sure you aren't gaining or losing. But I just wonder f you guys/gals have experience with high volume lifting programs, where you tend to burn a lot more calories and are pretty great for cutting. On the other hand it seems the power lifting strength programs, like strong lifts, canditos, etc. are more to suited to bulking given the low calorie burn/ coupled with high intensity you can gain weight easier. Do you feel if there is any advantage to either style for fat burning when in recomp maintenance calorie mode? Or what is your philosophy here?
High volume programs are not really great for cutting. You can burn out. You would have better luck keeping the intensity on the bar for as long as you can and cutting volume first. Heavy compound lifts are going to help maintain muscle mass and help you get a bang for your buck.
When I'm in maintenance or bulking I do not like running strictly strength based programs. It makes more sense to isolate muscle groups when you have a better chance at muscle growth. I like a hybrid.
I do a kinda hybrid myself, I just happen to be on calorie deficit at the moment. I don't find that I lose my willpower and intensity. Also heavy compounds are a feature part of my routine, but I just add a lot volume lifts and isolation moves with little rest to burn out. FTR according to my tracker I burn more cals lifting than I do cardio. so. Not that I trust those all that much.. And like you mentioned I do 5 day splits focusing on specific muscle groups.
I was just wondering if doing 3 days of straight power lifting strength with more energy and rest, then going balls to the wall, and then allowing my muscles to grow and recover would add any benefit during a maintenance phase or is that best reserved for bulking? But it seems you like a 5 day split for bulking as well? Perhaps a 5 day upper/Lower split would make a good compromise. Just wondering what people's philosophies are for recomping. I've alway's either been on deficit or a surplus, I've never tried the maintenance recomp, before so I'm not sure what kind of strategies make sense.
BTW Your routine is a whole lotta! Are you doing two a days? or something.
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mutantspicy wrote: »mutantspicy wrote: »Question to the group. Based on your experiences/experiments do you think its better to do high volume lifting with recomp or do you feel you get better results with mass gain lifting programs? Obviously it depends on how you balance your calories to make sure you aren't gaining or losing. But I just wonder f you guys/gals have experience with high volume lifting programs, where you tend to burn a lot more calories and are pretty great for cutting. On the other hand it seems the power lifting strength programs, like strong lifts, canditos, etc. are more to suited to bulking given the low calorie burn/ coupled with high intensity you can gain weight easier. Do you feel if there is any advantage to either style for fat burning when in recomp maintenance calorie mode? Or what is your philosophy here?
High volume programs are not really great for cutting. You can burn out. You would have better luck keeping the intensity on the bar for as long as you can and cutting volume first. Heavy compound lifts are going to help maintain muscle mass and help you get a bang for your buck.
When I'm in maintenance or bulking I do not like running strictly strength based programs. It makes more sense to isolate muscle groups when you have a better chance at muscle growth. I like a hybrid.
I do a kinda hybrid myself, I just happen to be on calorie deficit at the moment. I don't find that I lose my willpower and intensity. Also heavy compounds are a feature part of my routine, but I just add a lot volume lifts and isolation moves with little rest to burn out. FTR according to my tracker I burn more cals lifting than I do cardio. so. Not that I trust those all that much.. And like you mentioned I do 5 day splits focusing on specific muscle groups.
I was just wondering if doing 3 days of straight power lifting strength with with energy and rest going balls to the wall, and then allowing my muscles to grow and recover would add any benefit during a maintenance phase or is that best reserved for bulking? But it seems you like a 5 day split for bulking as well? Perhaps a 5 day upper/Lower split would make a good compromise. Just wondering what people's philosophies are for recomping. I've alway's either been on deficit or a surplus, I've never tried the maintenance recomp, before so I'm not sure what kind of strategies make sense.
BTW Your routine is a whole lotta! Are you doing two a days? or something.
You're hurting my brain.
BTW, HRMs are NOT accurate for weightlifting. Google it for the proper answer as to why.
I don't know what "energy and rest going balls to the wall" means.
The best program for recomp his one you will do, that has a progressive overload, that hits each muscle group twice per week. How you get your progressive overload is up to you.
No, I don't do two-a days.5 -
mutantspicy wrote: »mutantspicy wrote: »Question to the group. Based on your experiences/experiments do you think its better to do high volume lifting with recomp or do you feel you get better results with mass gain lifting programs? Obviously it depends on how you balance your calories to make sure you aren't gaining or losing. But I just wonder f you guys/gals have experience with high volume lifting programs, where you tend to burn a lot more calories and are pretty great for cutting. On the other hand it seems the power lifting strength programs, like strong lifts, canditos, etc. are more to suited to bulking given the low calorie burn/ coupled with high intensity you can gain weight easier. Do you feel if there is any advantage to either style for fat burning when in recomp maintenance calorie mode? Or what is your philosophy here?
High volume programs are not really great for cutting. You can burn out. You would have better luck keeping the intensity on the bar for as long as you can and cutting volume first. Heavy compound lifts are going to help maintain muscle mass and help you get a bang for your buck.
When I'm in maintenance or bulking I do not like running strictly strength based programs. It makes more sense to isolate muscle groups when you have a better chance at muscle growth. I like a hybrid.
I do a kinda hybrid myself, I just happen to be on calorie deficit at the moment. I don't find that I lose my willpower and intensity. Also heavy compounds are a feature part of my routine, but I just add a lot volume lifts and isolation moves with little rest to burn out. FTR according to my tracker I burn more cals lifting than I do cardio. so. Not that I trust those all that much.. And like you mentioned I do 5 day splits focusing on specific muscle groups.
I was just wondering if doing 3 days of straight power lifting strength with with energy and rest going balls to the wall, and then allowing my muscles to grow and recover would add any benefit during a maintenance phase or is that best reserved for bulking? But it seems you like a 5 day split for bulking as well? Perhaps a 5 day upper/Lower split would make a good compromise. Just wondering what people's philosophies are for recomping. I've alway's either been on deficit or a surplus, I've never tried the maintenance recomp, before so I'm not sure what kind of strategies make sense.
BTW Your routine is a whole lotta! Are you doing two a days? or something.
You're hurting my brain.
BTW, HRMs are NOT accurate for weightlifting. Google it for the proper answer as to why.
I don't know what "energy and rest going balls to the wall" means.
The best program for recomp his one you will do, that has a progressive overload, that hits each muscle group twice per week. How you get your progressive overload is up to you.
No, I don't do two-a days.
Lol. Sorry for making your brain hurt. I missed a couple words when I typed that line, hopefully it makes more sense now. I'm just wondering what people's thoughts are on low volume near max type strength training vs high volume dynamic sets when maintaining body weight, and you seem to be in favor of high volume with few rest days.0 -
Well, the idea is to do the most damage to cause body to try to do hypertrophy the best it can - that process will use up the food you eat the most, requiring more fat to be used for daily life.
So best method to grow, is best method to use the fat up. At maintenance.
https://bodyrecomposition.com/research-review/effects-of-low-versus-high-load-resistance-training-research-review.html/
Long but useful perhaps.3 -
mutantspicy wrote: »mutantspicy wrote: »Question to the group. Based on your experiences/experiments do you think its better to do high volume lifting with recomp or do you feel you get better results with mass gain lifting programs? Obviously it depends on how you balance your calories to make sure you aren't gaining or losing. But I just wonder f you guys/gals have experience with high volume lifting programs, where you tend to burn a lot more calories and are pretty great for cutting. On the other hand it seems the power lifting strength programs, like strong lifts, canditos, etc. are more to suited to bulking given the low calorie burn/ coupled with high intensity you can gain weight easier. Do you feel if there is any advantage to either style for fat burning when in recomp maintenance calorie mode? Or what is your philosophy here?
High volume programs are not really great for cutting. You can burn out. You would have better luck keeping the intensity on the bar for as long as you can and cutting volume first. Heavy compound lifts are going to help maintain muscle mass and help you get a bang for your buck.
When I'm in maintenance or bulking I do not like running strictly strength based programs. It makes more sense to isolate muscle groups when you have a better chance at muscle growth. I like a hybrid.
I do a kinda hybrid myself, I just happen to be on calorie deficit at the moment. I don't find that I lose my willpower and intensity. Also heavy compounds are a feature part of my routine, but I just add a lot volume lifts and isolation moves with little rest to burn out. FTR according to my tracker I burn more cals lifting than I do cardio. so. Not that I trust those all that much.. And like you mentioned I do 5 day splits focusing on specific muscle groups.
I was just wondering if doing 3 days of straight power lifting strength with with energy and rest going balls to the wall, and then allowing my muscles to grow and recover would add any benefit during a maintenance phase or is that best reserved for bulking? But it seems you like a 5 day split for bulking as well? Perhaps a 5 day upper/Lower split would make a good compromise. Just wondering what people's philosophies are for recomping. I've alway's either been on deficit or a surplus, I've never tried the maintenance recomp, before so I'm not sure what kind of strategies make sense.
BTW Your routine is a whole lotta! Are you doing two a days? or something.
BTW, HRMs are NOT accurate for weightlifting. Google it for the proper answer as to why.
Ditto - if you want to give your tracker a chance at overall accuracy, and if syncing to MFP might as well use it well - you'll want to manually log your lifting workouts.
Small calorie burn compared to cardio, or the HR-based estimates - but that's true. But still meaningful too.
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