How long until i see body recomp results?

I’ve been eating at maintenance for a few weeks now and Im starting to get frustrated as I feel as though i’m not getting any results... if anything I feel fatter even though i havent gained any weight.. any ideas?

Replies

  • harper16
    harper16 Posts: 2,564 Member
    Can you share about your exercise program, or how you are calculating calories? I'm not sure anyone can tell you for sure when you'll see results.
  • jesshanley12
    jesshanley12 Posts: 29 Member
    I weight train 4- 5 times a week and eat 2050 calories which ive worked out as roughly my maintenance based on my fitbit stats. My strength is improving and im able to lift heavier etc but its still frustrating to see my body fat there after my bulk
  • jesshanley12
    jesshanley12 Posts: 29 Member
    Ok thanks for the reply... I was 6 stone 13 last summer and my aim was to gain weight after losing a stone... i started properly bulking at the beginning of the year and am now 7 stone 13, if i was to cut and lose the fat will this ruin my progress and essentially will I go back to square one?
  • sardelsa
    sardelsa Posts: 9,812 Member
    No not necessarily. Many people cut down after bulks, it all depends on how you feel and your stats. Based on your weight you are quite light, not sure of your height. You definitely do not want to cut to get underweight or anything so recomp might be the best option for you.
  • jesshanley12
    jesshanley12 Posts: 29 Member
    jm_1234 wrote: »
    From my experience, recomp changes are largely unnoticeable for myself. It's one of those things where one day I take off my shirt and surprise myself with a six pack. I think it is because the process is long and you take your mind off of seeing results and focus more on being in the moment and training, so you don't notice or realize the changes that are happening.

    People that don't see you often will usually notice the results before you do.

    Ok thanks for your help😊
  • jesshanley12
    jesshanley12 Posts: 29 Member
    sardelsa wrote: »
    No not necessarily. Many people cut down after bulks, it all depends on how you feel and your stats. Based on your weight you are quite light, not sure of your height. You definitely do not want to cut to get underweight or anything so recomp might be the best option for you.

    Im only 5 ft 1... ill stick to maintenance for now then ... thankyou for your help
  • ghudson92
    ghudson92 Posts: 2,061 Member
    Hiya, we are very similar stat-wise. I'm 5ft1 and weigh 7st11lbs. I've been recomping since October last year and can only now start to notice the changes. Its a slow process but a worthwhile one. Take progress pictures as the changes are subtle.
  • cupcakesandproteinshakes
    cupcakesandproteinshakes Posts: 1,156 Member
    About 2 to 3 years of consistent resistance training on a proven programme based on progressive overload ( not one made up by you) is what it took me to see decent changes. I’m not ripped by any stretch of the imagination. I’ll try and find some photos
  • cupcakesandproteinshakes
    cupcakesandproteinshakes Posts: 1,156 Member
    Sorry about the random step stuff. I’m the one on the left in the first pic.

    140 and 5 foot 8.5 in the pics. The ones in the pink bikini were in March. I’m abit leaner and 5 pound lighter now.
  • ghudson92
    ghudson92 Posts: 2,061 Member
    @cupcakesandproteinshakes You look incredible!
  • cupcakesandproteinshakes
    cupcakesandproteinshakes Posts: 1,156 Member
    ghudson92 wrote: »
    @cupcakesandproteinshakes You look incredible!

    Thank you so much. I wasn’t seeking complements (but I’ll take them!!!) just to show that some recomp is possible if one gets into a routine and is patient.
  • SnifterPug
    SnifterPug Posts: 746 Member
    ghudson92 wrote: »
    @cupcakesandproteinshakes You look incredible!

    Thank you so much. I wasn’t seeking complements (but I’ll take them!!!) just to show that some recomp is possible if one gets into a routine and is patient.

    Wow. There's a heck of a lot of work gone into that physique. Well done, you.

  • sijomial
    sijomial Posts: 19,809 Member
    I weight train 4- 5 times a week and eat 2050 calories which ive worked out as roughly my maintenance based on my fitbit stats. My strength is improving and im able to lift heavier etc but its still frustrating to see my body fat there after my bulk

    The problem with body fat is that it doesn't take much to cover up what is going on underneath - using the metric of gaining strenght / lifting heavier does confirm you are getting results.

    Seeing results may not be at all linear - nothing, nothing, nothing, hey ho something (hint of muscle shape), whoopee more progress (oh look, muscle definition!!)
    The last bits of fat loss / muscle gain can make a huge difference but it's subtle day on day, week on week. That's the big advantage about regular progress pictures. Tape measurements can also tell a tale that you can't see.

    Men have advantages of typically lower body fat percentages and larger muscle bulk but I couldn't really see any clear difference for a couple of months (my wife could though - it was her that took my profile picture of my back when I was moaning I was working hard but stomach looked just the same despite measurement going down) but all of a sudden visual changes were quite rapid in terms of shape, definition, vascularity.

    The reality in terms of muscle gained I probably made quicker progress at first and tapered off as I got more highly trained but visually the rate of progress was the complete opposite. You really do have to use multiple success metrics and trust the process.

  • jesshanley12
    jesshanley12 Posts: 29 Member
    sijomial wrote: »
    I weight train 4- 5 times a week and eat 2050 calories which ive worked out as roughly my maintenance based on my fitbit stats. My strength is improving and im able to lift heavier etc but its still frustrating to see my body fat there after my bulk

    The problem with body fat is that it doesn't take much to cover up what is going on underneath - using the metric of gaining strenght / lifting heavier does confirm you are getting results.

    Seeing results may not be at all linear - nothing, nothing, nothing, hey ho something (hint of muscle shape), whoopee more progress (oh look, muscle definition!!)
    The last bits of fat loss / muscle gain can make a huge difference but it's subtle day on day, week on week. That's the big advantage about regular progress pictures. Tape measurements can also tell a tale that you can't see.

    Men have advantages of typically lower body fat percentages and larger muscle bulk but I couldn't really see any clear difference for a couple of months (my wife could though - it was her that took my profile picture of my back when I was moaning I was working hard but stomach looked just the same despite measurement going down) but all of a sudden visual changes were quite rapid in terms of shape, definition, vascularity.

    The reality in terms of muscle gained I probably made quicker progress at first and tapered off as I got more highly trained but visually the rate of progress was the complete opposite. You really do have to use multiple success metrics and trust the process.

    Okay thankyou for your help🙌🏻

  • jesshanley12
    jesshanley12 Posts: 29 Member
    Sorry about the random step stuff. I’m the one on the left in the first pic.

    140 and 5 foot 8.5 in the pics. The ones in the pink bikini were in March. I’m abit leaner and 5 pound lighter now.

    Thankyou for your advice... you look great!
  • ahoy_m8
    ahoy_m8 Posts: 3,053 Member
    jm_1234 wrote: »
    From my experience, recomp changes are largely unnoticeable for myself. It's one of those things where one day I take off my shirt and surprise myself with a six pack. I think it is because the process is long and you take your mind off of seeing results and focus more on being in the moment and training, so you don't notice or realize the changes that are happening.

    People that don't see you often will usually notice the results before you do.

    This. Exactly.