Recomposition: Maintaining weight while losing fat
Replies
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richiechowns wrote: »richiechowns wrote: »richiechowns wrote: »richiechowns wrote: »Week 1 on maintenance cals and todays weight was the same as last Thursday, so a good start. I'm wondering if body recomp is right for me being lean and as said above 'under muscle'
If recomp was the right choice for you a week ago it's right for you for at least a period of months!
You really do need to seriously think about and set your desired goal physique and fitness capabilities before choosing the tools and methods to get there as well as making the time commitment.
If you commit to having a similar physique to Andy Speers or Chris Hearia that you mention you have to train well, long and hard. Being lean already you have the advantage that interim progress will show far more quickly that if you were carrying a layer of fat. You would also probably have to accept that it would compromise your long distance running ability somewhat. That balance and compromise is yours alone to decide and also where to decide when to stop building muscle. No-one gets that physique accidentally.
(e.g. I would love to have a far better power to weight ratio for my cycling performance but I'm not willing to aspire to an elite cyclist's physique or to diet so hard to get there. Compromise.)
Thanks @sijomial training hard and long is not an issue, I trained for a sub 3 marathon and that was 70+ miles a week up to 3 hours running in one day, so this should be less time.
I may have not been clear above, I see lots of people talking about recomp as they are heavier and want to stay the same weight but change the muscle/BF ratio. Whereas I'm fairly lean so it's not such a ratio change.
I'm trying to set small goals, it worked well with running and I think is the same for this, however, overall goal is low BF and stronger. Think calisthenics, being able to do multiple pull ups, dips, handstands maybe - not lumping big weights around the gym to get size as such. Does that make sense?
As for long distance running, I've achieve my goal there, so time to challenge myself elsewhere and maybe just run the odd 5km.
OK, so now I'm confused (about the bolded).
On your other thread**, from which we suggested you come here, you said:Sorry that wasn't clear, I'm don't have loads to lose, so by upping my training which is well within my capabilities and sitting at maintenance I'm hoping to see body changes that are reduced bf% and a few gains.
If you want "reduced bf% and a few gains", how is that different from "stay the same weight but change the muscle/BF ratio"? That you're already pretty lean may put you at a little different point on the sliding scale of BF/muscle ratio than some other folks, but if you want lower body fat, and you don't want to lose much more weight . . . what is the option you're looking for, other than to add some muscle mass, while reducing your (admittedly already fairly small) fat stores?
Maybe I misunderstood, but I thought you were saying that you were valuing your running performance, so don't really want to add body fat to add muscle faster (via a bulk & cut strategy).
If that's so . . . how would you reduce body fat and make gains - assuming you mean muscle gains - simultaneously, without changing the muscle/BF ratio? What strategy would achieve that if not eating at maintenance (or maybe a very small increment above current maintenance) while increasing strength training more than your previous baseline?
Like I said, now I'm confused about your goals and your view of tradeoffs.
** https://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10795313/changed-goal-from-1kg-a-week-to-0-75kg-with-zero-weight-loss
Hey @AnnPT77 maybe I am completely getting recomp wrong, but I'll try to explain what I'm thinking, firstly though, I'm going to give what I'm doing some time, stay at maintenance and train, so I'm not suggesting I'll abandon it after a week.
I just had the impression that recomp is, for example, a person who wants to lose weight and but not in the traditional dieting or cutting method, so wants to slowly add muscle while reducing fat.
I guess in that sense I do fall under that bracket but without any weight to lose as such, just a change in BF and muscle ratio. Overthinking maybe, I wondered if I'd need to bulk a bit but not cut after in the way some do.
Recomp just means improving your body composition without much if any change to your weight. So attempting to slowly, over months (and years), increase your muscle while decreasing your body fat while staying about the same weight.
If you get a chance to really read through a lot of this thread from the beginning, there is a ton of good info and examples.
If you are already quite lean but under muscled, you might get closer to what you want by gaining weight very slowly while committing to a weight training program. There really isn't a "right" answer as different people prefer different aesthetic s and see themselves differently. You've just got to pick something, stick with it for several months, and see how you look and feel.
What is under muscled? That doesn't make sense to me, I had enough to run a 2:59 marathon! That is not a level loads of people achieve.
I'm talking about aesthetics, not strength.1 -
richiechowns wrote: »jseams1234 wrote: »richiechowns wrote: »jseams1234 wrote: »richiechowns wrote: »jseams1234 wrote: »richiechowns wrote: »
I may have not been clear above, I see lots of people talking about recomp as they are heavier and want to stay the same weight but change the muscle/BF ratio. Whereas I'm fairly lean so it's not such a ratio change.
You can most probably get much stronger without changing your body composition much at all. Most novice lifters don't initially gain much if any muscle until they have adapted their central nervous system to more effectively use/activate what they already have. This gain in strength is sometimes quite linear and dramatic at first. Once you've maximized those CNS adaptations and are still unable to meet your goals for these calisthentic type movements then you would have to increase your overall muscle mass to keep improving.
You do make a point about who generally benefits most from body recomposition. You need to decide what type of aesthetic you are aiming for. Maybe you don't want to be massive like a bodybuilder but you might want to have a more athletic and pleasing look. How much will you have to weigh to acheive that look and aesthetic? If you are pretty much already at that weight and just need to change composition - recomp will work, keeping in mind it is the slowest way to achieve most gains. However, if that body you want is going to require a significant increase in body mass, then recomp, by it's very nature, is not going to get you there. Also, being relatively lean means your body has less stored energy resources to use and an already slow process is going to be even slower.
I've decided I want to be lean but stronger, more muscular, there are loads of examples, the two I mentioned above and Frank Medrano for example. These guys are lean, muscular but not massive.
Ok, I looked up Frank... He's pretty big for a natural, especially considering his leaness. He's 5'6 and about 154# and probably around 10% bodyfat. Frankly (lol) he's bigger and more cut than most naturals I've seen in my time in the gym. He also has 16" arms at that height and being that cut. Achieving that body is entirely possible but certainly wouldn't be easy for most men. I'm not sure where you stand compared to that physique - but I'd hazard a guess that if that is your ultimate goal then recomp is probably not the way to go.
Fair enough, Andy Speers then! Frank is a big calisthenics athlete, probably a bad example but BF% is about right.
Like I said earlier, small goals at first, but when asked about goals it seems most people are asking longer term.
Ok, I had a much longer reply but I think it went way off tangent. Your example of Andy Speers - another pretty jacked guy. This is a quote from Andy:
"I basically just lifted weights and ate everything the cafeteria had to offer," says Spear.
He entered college as a scrawny 140-pound pole vaulter at the University of Miami and put on 45 pounds of rock-hard muscle his first 2 years in college.
What do you think he would look like if he just tried to recomp at 140? Stayed that same weight but just got leaner?
You have to consider your goals. If that goal requires you to gain mass to achieve the aesthetic you want then you can't do it with a recomp.
https://www.menshealth.com/fitness/a19546221/podcast-skinny-kid-got-jacked/
He's 175lbs, that is not massive in my view, yes he was skinny at first but on the surface without knowing his back story you'd say he is lean and strong, not bulky.
Anyway, maybe I'll drop the messaging in this thread as people seem a little frustrated by the questions.
Maybe I'm getting this all wrong... but aren't you "skinny"? Not trying to be mean, btw. I had to go back a few pages and look. Yeah, you aren't heavily muscled at all. You aren't going to look like any of your examples without adding significant muscle mass. I'd also not really consider 17% lean... I'm about that right now and I consider that super fluffy - it's where I'm at after a bulk.0 -
jseams1234 wrote: »I Recomp 'd from 25 percent bodyfat. Now I no longer have any gains. I've increased calories and protein to compensate.
Went from 204 lbs to 168lbs.Im not. posting public pics anymore. My results can be seen in Midlife Crisis Fitness Group.
At a certain point during my deficit eating I found I was losing size. I have had to adjust in order to recover that size and begin to build. No cut and bulk was used.
If you went from 204 to 168 that is NOT a recomp. You dieted down/cut. If you had STAYED at 204 and reduced your bodyfat percentage from 25% to a lower percentage - that is a recomp.
Context was missing. My bad... It took 4 years.0 -
jseams1234 wrote: »richiechowns wrote: »jseams1234 wrote: »richiechowns wrote: »jseams1234 wrote: »richiechowns wrote: »jseams1234 wrote: »richiechowns wrote: »
I may have not been clear above, I see lots of people talking about recomp as they are heavier and want to stay the same weight but change the muscle/BF ratio. Whereas I'm fairly lean so it's not such a ratio change.
You can most probably get much stronger without changing your body composition much at all. Most novice lifters don't initially gain much if any muscle until they have adapted their central nervous system to more effectively use/activate what they already have. This gain in strength is sometimes quite linear and dramatic at first. Once you've maximized those CNS adaptations and are still unable to meet your goals for these calisthentic type movements then you would have to increase your overall muscle mass to keep improving.
You do make a point about who generally benefits most from body recomposition. You need to decide what type of aesthetic you are aiming for. Maybe you don't want to be massive like a bodybuilder but you might want to have a more athletic and pleasing look. How much will you have to weigh to acheive that look and aesthetic? If you are pretty much already at that weight and just need to change composition - recomp will work, keeping in mind it is the slowest way to achieve most gains. However, if that body you want is going to require a significant increase in body mass, then recomp, by it's very nature, is not going to get you there. Also, being relatively lean means your body has less stored energy resources to use and an already slow process is going to be even slower.
I've decided I want to be lean but stronger, more muscular, there are loads of examples, the two I mentioned above and Frank Medrano for example. These guys are lean, muscular but not massive.
Ok, I looked up Frank... He's pretty big for a natural, especially considering his leaness. He's 5'6 and about 154# and probably around 10% bodyfat. Frankly (lol) he's bigger and more cut than most naturals I've seen in my time in the gym. He also has 16" arms at that height and being that cut. Achieving that body is entirely possible but certainly wouldn't be easy for most men. I'm not sure where you stand compared to that physique - but I'd hazard a guess that if that is your ultimate goal then recomp is probably not the way to go.
Fair enough, Andy Speers then! Frank is a big calisthenics athlete, probably a bad example but BF% is about right.
Like I said earlier, small goals at first, but when asked about goals it seems most people are asking longer term.
Ok, I had a much longer reply but I think it went way off tangent. Your example of Andy Speers - another pretty jacked guy. This is a quote from Andy:
"I basically just lifted weights and ate everything the cafeteria had to offer," says Spear.
He entered college as a scrawny 140-pound pole vaulter at the University of Miami and put on 45 pounds of rock-hard muscle his first 2 years in college.
What do you think he would look like if he just tried to recomp at 140? Stayed that same weight but just got leaner?
You have to consider your goals. If that goal requires you to gain mass to achieve the aesthetic you want then you can't do it with a recomp.
https://www.menshealth.com/fitness/a19546221/podcast-skinny-kid-got-jacked/
He's 175lbs, that is not massive in my view, yes he was skinny at first but on the surface without knowing his back story you'd say he is lean and strong, not bulky.
Anyway, maybe I'll drop the messaging in this thread as people seem a little frustrated by the questions.
Maybe I'm getting this all wrong... but aren't you "skinny"? Not trying to be mean, btw. I had to go back a few pages and look. Yeah, you aren't heavily muscled at all. You aren't going to look like any of your examples without adding significant muscle mass. I'd also not really consider 17% lean... I'm about that right now and I consider that super fluffy - it's where I'm at after a bulk.
Yes, which is why I said recomp is potentially not the right path, because I've only a fluffy amount of BF to go and not a big weight recomp of fat to muscle.
It is more like train hard at a small surplus as Ann suggested.
BTW I'm not a complete novice, when I was younger I was around 14 stone and training in the gym most days but with the goal of getting bigger, which considering in now under 11 stone, was significantly bigger than now. Running took over and now I've achieved my running goal I decided I'd like to get stronger in calisthenics. The reason I picked those I did is not necessarily because of their size but they are strong within that sport.
It would take years to get to that skill level potential, so my goals are smaller. I'm more interested in progressing the moves that aesthetics etc.1 -
I was looking into starting this. I tend to not eat enough protein so that is the first thing I need to work on2
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So good news is my weight has been stable over the last 3 weeks, with minimal movement up/down.
I have some basic calipers now and measured twice on each area, with my average looking to be 15% BF, so a fair amount of room to recomp. Next stage will be working out my lifting plans or body weight exercise routine.4 -
richiechowns wrote: »jseams1234 wrote: »richiechowns wrote: »jseams1234 wrote: »richiechowns wrote: »jseams1234 wrote: »richiechowns wrote: »
I may have not been clear above, I see lots of people talking about recomp as they are heavier and want to stay the same weight but change the muscle/BF ratio. Whereas I'm fairly lean so it's not such a ratio change.
You can most probably get much stronger without changing your body composition much at all. Most novice lifters don't initially gain much if any muscle until they have adapted their central nervous system to more effectively use/activate what they already have. This gain in strength is sometimes quite linear and dramatic at first. Once you've maximized those CNS adaptations and are still unable to meet your goals for these calisthentic type movements then you would have to increase your overall muscle mass to keep improving.
You do make a point about who generally benefits most from body recomposition. You need to decide what type of aesthetic you are aiming for. Maybe you don't want to be massive like a bodybuilder but you might want to have a more athletic and pleasing look. How much will you have to weigh to acheive that look and aesthetic? If you are pretty much already at that weight and just need to change composition - recomp will work, keeping in mind it is the slowest way to achieve most gains. However, if that body you want is going to require a significant increase in body mass, then recomp, by it's very nature, is not going to get you there. Also, being relatively lean means your body has less stored energy resources to use and an already slow process is going to be even slower.
I've decided I want to be lean but stronger, more muscular, there are loads of examples, the two I mentioned above and Frank Medrano for example. These guys are lean, muscular but not massive.
Ok, I looked up Frank... He's pretty big for a natural, especially considering his leaness. He's 5'6 and about 154# and probably around 10% bodyfat. Frankly (lol) he's bigger and more cut than most naturals I've seen in my time in the gym. He also has 16" arms at that height and being that cut. Achieving that body is entirely possible but certainly wouldn't be easy for most men. I'm not sure where you stand compared to that physique - but I'd hazard a guess that if that is your ultimate goal then recomp is probably not the way to go.
Fair enough, Andy Speers then! Frank is a big calisthenics athlete, probably a bad example but BF% is about right.
Like I said earlier, small goals at first, but when asked about goals it seems most people are asking longer term.
Ok, I had a much longer reply but I think it went way off tangent. Your example of Andy Speers - another pretty jacked guy. This is a quote from Andy:
"I basically just lifted weights and ate everything the cafeteria had to offer," says Spear.
He entered college as a scrawny 140-pound pole vaulter at the University of Miami and put on 45 pounds of rock-hard muscle his first 2 years in college.
What do you think he would look like if he just tried to recomp at 140? Stayed that same weight but just got leaner?
You have to consider your goals. If that goal requires you to gain mass to achieve the aesthetic you want then you can't do it with a recomp.
https://www.menshealth.com/fitness/a19546221/podcast-skinny-kid-got-jacked/
He's 175lbs, that is not massive in my view, yes he was skinny at first but on the surface without knowing his back story you'd say he is lean and strong, not bulky.
Anyway, maybe I'll drop the messaging in this thread as people seem a little frustrated by the questions.
I mean, that would depend on someones height. You described the Jeff Cavaliere as being heavily muscled and he is about that weight. Idk if you'd consider me as heavily muscled but I am only 175 as well at the moment and maybe 180 in my profile pic.
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I figure I'd share my progress in this thread. I link it so often so it would be nice to be part of it
It wasn't a long recomp and doesn't look like much but it's something. I was maintaining around 132-135lbs. I am 5'7". Kept protein around 0.8-1g per lb bodyweight. Trained about 3x per week full body.
There are about 5.5 months between photos. I lost about 1" off my waist, it's tighter and more defined, also my loose skin from pregnancy tightened up. My glutes are a bit larger, rounder and definitely built up my legs (hello quads!)
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I figure I'd share my progress in this thread. I link it so often so it would be nice to be part of it
It wasn't a long recomp and doesn't look like much but it's something. I was maintaining around 132-135lbs. I am 5'7". Kept protein around 0.8-1g per lb bodyweight. Trained about 3x per week full body.
There are about 5.5 months between photos. I lost about 1" off my waist, it's tighter and more defined, also my loose skin from pregnancy tightened up. My glutes are a bit larger, rounder and definitely built up my legs (hello quads!)
nice arms 2 -
I figure I'd share my progress in this thread. I link it so often so it would be nice to be part of it
It wasn't a long recomp and doesn't look like much but it's something. I was maintaining around 132-135lbs. I am 5'7". Kept protein around 0.8-1g per lb bodyweight. Trained about 3x per week full body.
There are about 5.5 months between photos. I lost about 1" off my waist, it's tighter and more defined, also my loose skin from pregnancy tightened up. My glutes are a bit larger, rounder and definitely built up my legs (hello quads!)
nice arms
Aww thanks. I'm not sure they changed too much but there is a hint more definition and size in the shoulders I think? Let's just say ya 1 -
jseams1234 wrote: »I Recomp 'd from 25 percent bodyfat. Now I no longer have any gains. I've increased calories and protein to compensate.
Went from 204 lbs to 168lbs.Im not. posting public pics anymore. My results can be seen in Midlife Crisis Fitness Group.
At a certain point during my deficit eating I found I was losing size. I have had to adjust in order to recover that size and begin to build. No cut and bulk was used.
If you went from 204 to 168 that is NOT a recomp. You dieted down/cut. If you had STAYED at 204 and reduced your bodyfat percentage from 25% to a lower percentage - that is a recomp.
Context was missing. My bad... It took 4 years.
That's still not a recomp. You lost 36lbs in 4 years.... that's a slow cut.4 -
I had done a dexa scan 4 weeks back prior to joining MFP and had my body fat at 26%. I am 5.2' 30F, 107-110 lbs with a RMR of 1100 calories but I am maintaining around 2300 calories. I have logged everything I ate for the last four weeks and went to see a professional today. I was suggested recomp. My goal body fat range is 16-18%
Saving this thread to come back a year later.7 -
lucidchroma wrote: »I had done a dexa scan 4 weeks back prior to joining MFP and had my body fat at 26%. I am 5.2' 30F, 107-110 lbs with a RMR of 1100 calories but I am maintaining around 2300 calories. I have logged everything I ate for the last four weeks and went to see a professional today. I was suggested recomp. My goal body fat range is 16-18%
Saving this thread to come back a year later.
Keep going. I am the same exact as you in 2018. I year of just lifting and maintaining diet, I dropped 2% Bf. 2 years later, dropped another .5%. Keep grinding.4 -
Just jumping in to say hello. Made this new account but was previously here under FitGirl0123. My goals are just to maintain weight and recomp slowly. I do a lot of hiking and some running. I'm getting ready to start mountain biking. And hope to get back in the gym this fall. Anyways, I'm not a rookie to this whole concept. This account is new though and I wouldn't mind a few like minded friends.3
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Hi! I haven't done sports or worked out seriously in my life. I haven't stepped into a gym since about 13 years ago. I've been extremely sedentary to the point of getting overweight and having health problems. So for my 34th anniversary I've decided to change my life style. I've started working out at home consistently, cleaned my diet, ate with a deficit (25% I suppose, if I really have a TDEE of 2000 kcal... this is another issue 'cause the online calculators give me a range of 1700 to 2300 kcal), ate a higher intake of protein (2g/kg) and did 90% strength training. I've lost about 10 kg and I am at ideal weight (57 kg at 168cm) since the beginning of July.
The next step is to find my real TDEE. As in the last week of weight lose I had an intake of 1500 kcal, I've started to gradually increase my intake. I am currently at 1700 kcal but I need a longer period or time to evaluate my body's reaction. At 1600 kcal I got down to 56.4kg. After four days of eating 1700 kcal, I am at 57.2 kg.
I recall that during weight loss, when I've upped my intake to 1500 kcal that I was full ALL the time and now, eating more and nothing else changed but I am hungry very often. I wonder if it can be due to increased muscle mass and even though I've gained a bit, 1700 kcal is not my actual TDEE? I hope it's closer to 2000 cause I'm sooo hungry. I should mention that I have a desk job, so my life style is still sedentary if I take the workouts out of the discussion.
Ok... to get to the point. I want to remain around this weight and do a body recomp. I know it's years of work but as I am a first timer, I know I'll have results faster than others. I already achieved things that I've never thought I could like 33 push-ups/set (couldn't do one correct knee push-up in January), muscle definition on my arms and back, areas where I've always had lots of flabby fat.
I have no idea my BF% because I can't find a DEXA scan in this city but according to measurements I have 23.26% and according to the calipers 21%.
I don't know if I should increase my calories to 1800 next week or not but given how I generally feel, I think my body needs fuel. I already drink 2-3L of water per day, so it's not thirst, I eat 3 main meals and two snacks, exercise an average of 1hx5days a week and my macros are 40% carbs, 28% proteins, 32% fat (used to be 40/30/30 until two days ago).
I don't want to bulk (and eat with a lot of surplus) but I do want to gain some muscle mass and I don't care if that means the scale going up. I've measured today and even though the scale is the same as 10 days ago, I've lost 1cm off the belly and booty, so I suppose that I've put on a bit of muscle.
Honestly, I'm a bit lost, so any constructive advice will be appreciated. Thanks!
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Hi! I haven't done sports or worked out seriously in my life. I haven't stepped into a gym since about 13 years ago. I've been extremely sedentary to the point of getting overweight and having health problems. So for my 34th anniversary I've decided to change my life style. I've started working out at home consistently, cleaned my diet, ate with a deficit (25% I suppose, if I really have a TDEE of 2000 kcal... this is another issue 'cause the online calculators give me a range of 1700 to 2300 kcal), ate a higher intake of protein (2g/kg) and did 90% strength training. I've lost about 10 kg and I am at ideal weight (57 kg at 168cm) since the beginning of July.
The next step is to find my real TDEE. As in the last week of weight lose I had an intake of 1500 kcal, I've started to gradually increase my intake. I am currently at 1700 kcal but I need a longer period or time to evaluate my body's reaction. At 1600 kcal I got down to 56.4kg. After four days of eating 1700 kcal, I am at 57.2 kg.
I recall that during weight loss, when I've upped my intake to 1500 kcal that I was full ALL the time and now, eating more and nothing else changed but I am hungry very often. I wonder if it can be due to increased muscle mass and even though I've gained a bit, 1700 kcal is not my actual TDEE? I hope it's closer to 2000 cause I'm sooo hungry. I should mention that I have a desk job, so my life style is still sedentary if I take the workouts out of the discussion.
Ok... to get to the point. I want to remain around this weight and do a body recomp. I know it's years of work but as I am a first timer, I know I'll have results faster than others. I already achieved things that I've never thought I could like 33 push-ups/set (couldn't do one correct knee push-up in January), muscle definition on my arms and back, areas where I've always had lots of flabby fat.
I have no idea my BF% because I can't find a DEXA scan in this city but according to measurements I have 23.26% and according to the calipers 21%.
I don't know if I should increase my calories to 1800 next week or not but given how I generally feel, I think my body needs fuel. I already drink 2-3L of water per day, so it's not thirst, I eat 3 main meals and two snacks, exercise an average of 1hx5days a week and my macros are 40% carbs, 28% proteins, 32% fat (used to be 40/30/30 until two days ago).
I don't want to bulk (and eat with a lot of surplus) but I do want to gain some muscle mass and I don't care if that means the scale going up. I've measured today and even though the scale is the same as 10 days ago, I've lost 1cm off the belly and booty, so I suppose that I've put on a bit of muscle.
Honestly, I'm a bit lost, so any constructive advice will be appreciated. Thanks!
Are you following any particular lifting program? It sounds like you are just doing your own thing at home, so I would suggest finding a good, established, progressive lifting program to start with. And I think you are on the right track with your calories, you appear to be at a great starting point for a recomp. Up your calories a bit, and see how you go - adjust as needed. If you find you are losing weight and not gaining much in terms of strength, up your calories a bit. If you are starting to gain weight, lower them a bit. Determining calories burned isn't an exact science unfortunately, and your exact burn will in fact change from day to day, so pick a number (1800-2000 sounds reasonable for your current weight), give it 4-6 weeks to judge how you are actually tracking on that amount, and adjust as needed.
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lemongirlbc wrote: »
Are you following any particular lifting program? It sounds like you are just doing your own thing at home, so I would suggest finding a good, established, progressive lifting program to start with. And I think you are on the right track with your calories, you appear to be at a great starting point for a recomp. Up your calories a bit, and see how you go - adjust as needed. If you find you are losing weight and not gaining much in terms of strength, up your calories a bit. If you are starting to gain weight, lower them a bit. Determining calories burned isn't an exact science unfortunately, and your exact burn will in fact change from day to day, so pick a number (1800-2000 sounds reasonable for your current weight), give it 4-6 weeks to judge how you are actually tracking on that amount, and adjust as needed.
Hi!
At the moment I am doing Heather Robertson's 12 weeks program and I want to finish it.
The 12 weeks program has this structure (I'm just starting the 2nd phase):
✔️PHASE 1: WEEKS 1-4
We will kick things off with full body workouts and HIIT Cardio + Ab days designed to increase mobility, flexibility and endurance.
✔️PHASE 2: WEEKS 5 - 8
In this phase we will focus on increasing lean muscle, isolating muscle groups, and counting reps. We will alternate these strength days with some intense HIIT and Tabata sessions.
✔️PHASE 3: WEEKS 9 - 12
This final phase combines all the best parts of the previous phases - full body workouts, HIIT + Abs, Tabata + Booty for improved athletic performance and killer results.
Beside this I'm training for chin-ups and for push-ups too (currently doing 33/set). I'm also doing various YouTube workouts depending on the targeted area and what I want to do. I mainly focus on strength and resistance. I want to get into calisthenics too.
I've paid attention for the very beginning to progressively overload and to change the intensity by upping the weight/doing more reps or my changing the exercise style (I change it monthly).
I would love to find a good progressive lifting program. Any recommendations (if possible, free)?
Thank you in advance!
Best regards,
Cristina
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lemongirlbc wrote: »
Are you following any particular lifting program? It sounds like you are just doing your own thing at home, so I would suggest finding a good, established, progressive lifting program to start with. And I think you are on the right track with your calories, you appear to be at a great starting point for a recomp. Up your calories a bit, and see how you go - adjust as needed. If you find you are losing weight and not gaining much in terms of strength, up your calories a bit. If you are starting to gain weight, lower them a bit. Determining calories burned isn't an exact science unfortunately, and your exact burn will in fact change from day to day, so pick a number (1800-2000 sounds reasonable for your current weight), give it 4-6 weeks to judge how you are actually tracking on that amount, and adjust as needed.
Hi!
At the moment I am doing Heather Robertson's 12 weeks program and I want to finish it.
The 12 weeks program has this structure (I'm just starting the 2nd phase):
✔️PHASE 1: WEEKS 1-4
We will kick things off with full body workouts and HIIT Cardio + Ab days designed to increase mobility, flexibility and endurance.
✔️PHASE 2: WEEKS 5 - 8
In this phase we will focus on increasing lean muscle, isolating muscle groups, and counting reps. We will alternate these strength days with some intense HIIT and Tabata sessions.
✔️PHASE 3: WEEKS 9 - 12
This final phase combines all the best parts of the previous phases - full body workouts, HIIT + Abs, Tabata + Booty for improved athletic performance and killer results.
Beside this I'm training for chin-ups and for push-ups too (currently doing 33/set). I'm also doing various YouTube workouts depending on the targeted area and what I want to do. I mainly focus on strength and resistance. I want to get into calisthenics too.
I've paid attention for the very beginning to progressively overload and to change the intensity by upping the weight/doing more reps or my changing the exercise style (I change it monthly).
I would love to find a good progressive lifting program. Any recommendations (if possible, free)?
Thank you in advance!
Best regards,
Cristina
https://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10332083/which-lifting-program-is-the-best-for-you
7 -
Recomp progress - 9 months in with 1.5 months off at the start of the year due to illness and injury
22 -
I was doing some digging at my recent data and thought it was a good fit to share here.
*body fat percentage from Skulpt scanner, average weight taken from HappyScale on date of full body scan
So in 145 days I've been able to gain over 3 lbs of muscle and lose 6 lbs of fat while averaging intake of +26.8 calories over calculated TDEE. I've been lifting for over 5 years and didn't really change a ton to my lifestyle or eating strategy; this was not a case of beginner gains or someone coming off a long layoff. I have a home gym that I use exclusively, pandemic notwithstanding, so workouts were pretty unaffected (if anything I had more time to lift). From mid-March through June 1 I was working from home so I sat a slight amount less and once the weather warmed up I spent a little more-than-usual time outside taking walks in our neighborhood but it wasn't like my TDEE spiked.12 -
I just started doing my recomposition plan today and just started week 4 of Liift4. I spent last week with a slight increase in calories from my deficit and went from 117.4 to 119.4 lbs, and I took measuremeants.
I wonder if I should have chosen a program that has longer lifts, but I think I'll still build a good base. I think I'll do 6 Weeks of Work after.
I worked really hard for the past 3 years to get back into the 110s, but I am looking forward to seeing an increase in strength with this new plan [and hopefully a deacrease in hip/midsection measurements].3 -
COVID pandemic has been interesting as regards recomp - I'm an incidental recomper in line with exercise rather than exercising to change my body comp.
Start of lockdown and my gym closed, quickly realised home training with bodyweight and dumbbells simply bored me to death so decided to become a more serious cyclist and neglect my strength training.
Extra volume and intensity of cycling resulted in noticable growth in quad circumference (I've always responded well to high volume) but I also lost some upper body muscle and quite a bit of strength.
With gym reopening in July I managed to keep up the cycling but resumed weight training. Initially bench press was down from 100kg on my 60th birthday in February to just 60kg but that rapidly increased as my CNS woke up plus simply getting used to the feeling of heavy lifting again.
Two months on I'm back to 95kg bench press with noticable growth in arms and shoulders plus more definition - I've got my "shoulder dimples" back!
Upper body now almost back to where I was, legs bigger and less stomach fat so although it's been a bumpy road I'm in an OK place.
9 -
lemongirlbc wrote: »Hi! I haven't done sports or worked out seriously in my life. I haven't stepped into a gym since about 13 years ago. I've been extremely sedentary to the point of getting overweight and having health problems. So for my 34th anniversary I've decided to change my life style. I've started working out at home consistently, cleaned my diet, ate with a deficit (25% I suppose, if I really have a TDEE of 2000 kcal... this is another issue 'cause the online calculators give me a range of 1700 to 2300 kcal), ate a higher intake of protein (2g/kg) and did 90% strength training. I've lost about 10 kg and I am at ideal weight (57 kg at 168cm) since the beginning of July.
The next step is to find my real TDEE. As in the last week of weight lose I had an intake of 1500 kcal, I've started to gradually increase my intake. I am currently at 1700 kcal but I need a longer period or time to evaluate my body's reaction. At 1600 kcal I got down to 56.4kg. After four days of eating 1700 kcal, I am at 57.2 kg.
I recall that during weight loss, when I've upped my intake to 1500 kcal that I was full ALL the time and now, eating more and nothing else changed but I am hungry very often. I wonder if it can be due to increased muscle mass and even though I've gained a bit, 1700 kcal is not my actual TDEE? I hope it's closer to 2000 cause I'm sooo hungry. I should mention that I have a desk job, so my life style is still sedentary if I take the workouts out of the discussion.
Ok... to get to the point. I want to remain around this weight and do a body recomp. I know it's years of work but as I am a first timer, I know I'll have results faster than others. I already achieved things that I've never thought I could like 33 push-ups/set (couldn't do one correct knee push-up in January), muscle definition on my arms and back, areas where I've always had lots of flabby fat.
I have no idea my BF% because I can't find a DEXA scan in this city but according to measurements I have 23.26% and according to the calipers 21%.
I don't know if I should increase my calories to 1800 next week or not but given how I generally feel, I think my body needs fuel. I already drink 2-3L of water per day, so it's not thirst, I eat 3 main meals and two snacks, exercise an average of 1hx5days a week and my macros are 40% carbs, 28% proteins, 32% fat (used to be 40/30/30 until two days ago).
I don't want to bulk (and eat with a lot of surplus) but I do want to gain some muscle mass and I don't care if that means the scale going up. I've measured today and even though the scale is the same as 10 days ago, I've lost 1cm off the belly and booty, so I suppose that I've put on a bit of muscle.
Honestly, I'm a bit lost, so any constructive advice will be appreciated. Thanks!
Are you following any particular lifting program? It sounds like you are just doing your own thing at home, so I would suggest finding a good, established, progressive lifting program to start with. And I think you are on the right track with your calories, you appear to be at a great starting point for a recomp. Up your calories a bit, and see how you go - adjust as needed. If you find you are losing weight and not gaining much in terms of strength, up your calories a bit. If you are starting to gain weight, lower them a bit. Determining calories burned isn't an exact science unfortunately, and your exact burn will in fact change from day to day, so pick a number (1800-2000 sounds reasonable for your current weight), give it 4-6 weeks to judge how you are actually tracking on that amount, and adjust as needed.
You made some great progress in these photos! Way to go!
0 -
COVID pandemic has been interesting as regards recomp - I'm an incidental recomper in line with exercise rather than exercising to change my body comp.
Start of lockdown and my gym closed, quickly realised home training with bodyweight and dumbbells simply bored me to death so decided to become a more serious cyclist and neglect my strength training.
Extra volume and intensity of cycling resulted in noticable growth in quad circumference (I've always responded well to high volume) but I also lost some upper body muscle and quite a bit of strength.
With gym reopening in July I managed to keep up the cycling but resumed weight training. Initially bench press was down from 100kg on my 60th birthday in February to just 60kg but that rapidly increased as my CNS woke up plus simply getting used to the feeling of heavy lifting again.
Two months on I'm back to 95kg bench press with noticable growth in arms and shoulders plus more definition - I've got my "shoulder dimples" back!
Upper body now almost back to where I was, legs bigger and less stomach fat so although it's been a bumpy road I'm in an OK place.
Same here. After COVID, my lifts dropped dramatically but in a few months I’ve recovered most of my strength back!
6 -
I don’t have up to date progress pics but according to the boditrax machine, I managed to gain 3.5 kg muscle and drop 5 per cent body fat in a year. And I know these machines are not the greatest. But still, some progress. Same weight.
7 -
@cupcakesandproteinshakes
Great results - well done.
My gym has a Boditrax unit too and I find it pretty reasonable for a trend over time if used same time of day / same fed or fasted state.1 -
FitForL1fe wrote: »Hadabetter wrote: »And when your body needs protein it looks first for amino acids circulating in the blood stream. Failing that, it will get the protein it needs to maintain/repair your vital organs from your existing muscle mass. This will kill any efforts at body recomp. So your protein intake should be spread throughout the day in 3-4 roughly equal doses to ensure that you always have those amino acids available to your body.
For this reason body recomposition is not compatible with intermittent fasting.
sigh now I need to stop being a *kitten* and buy some casein
Sucks for those of us who are allergic to casein
0 -
What is casein? Isn't that the stuff in like jalapenos that make them spicy? Hey do they sell that in pill form because I hear that hot stuff speeds up your metabolism and I can't really have much of that because of my ulcers.
Casein is the naturally occurring protein that is in dairy. Its not manufactured and only available in protein powder form. It already exists. The powder just isolates it. Casein is one reason someone might be allergic to milk, if it isnt lactose intolerance.1 -
FitForL1fe wrote: »Hadabetter wrote: »And when your body needs protein it looks first for amino acids circulating in the blood stream. Failing that, it will get the protein it needs to maintain/repair your vital organs from your existing muscle mass. This will kill any efforts at body recomp. So your protein intake should be spread throughout the day in 3-4 roughly equal doses to ensure that you always have those amino acids available to your body.
For this reason body recomposition is not compatible with intermittent fasting.
sigh now I need to stop being a *kitten* and buy some casein
Sucks for those of us who are allergic to casein
I think I may be. How. did you find out?0
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