Recomp?

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erikayvonne09
erikayvonne09 Posts: 21 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
I started working out early this year and I'm currently at 57kg. My height is 162cm. I workout 4x/week and eat mostly, 1200cal/day. I've been eating more than that lately though because I've been spending time at the province. I think 57kg is the weight I can maintain for the long run. I just want to lose more fat around my belly and my arms and look more toned. Should I do a recomp? If so, how do I go about it? Thanks!

Replies

  • sardelsa
    sardelsa Posts: 9,812 Member
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    Sounds like you are in a great place to recomp! Eat at maintenance, follow a progressive lifting/resistance program, get adequate protein and have patience. Check out this thread for more information and success stories

    https://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10177803/recomposition-maintaining-weight-while-losing-fat/p1
  • CeeBeeSlim
    CeeBeeSlim Posts: 1,271 Member
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    I found this helpful.

    https://www.aworkoutroutine.com/which-goal/
  • erikayvonne09
    erikayvonne09 Posts: 21 Member
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    sardelsa wrote: »
    Sounds like you are in a great place to recomp! Eat at maintenance, follow a progressive lifting/resistance program, get adequate protein and have patience. Check out this thread for more information and success stories

    https://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10177803/recomposition-maintaining-weight-while-losing-fat/p1
    sardelsa wrote: »
    Sounds like you are in a great place to recomp! Eat at maintenance, follow a progressive lifting/resistance program, get adequate protein and have patience. Check out this thread for more information and success stories

    https://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10177803/recomposition-maintaining-weight-while-losing-fat/p1

    Thank you so much!
  • erikayvonne09
    erikayvonne09 Posts: 21 Member
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    CeeBeeSlim wrote: »
    I found this helpful.

    https://www.aworkoutroutine.com/which-goal/

    Thanks!
  • sardelsa
    sardelsa Posts: 9,812 Member
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    CeeBeeSlim wrote: »
    I found this helpful.

    https://www.aworkoutroutine.com/which-goal/

    Hmm this is interesting. It pretty much recommended to me exactly what I should be and am doing right now. It doesn't even give me the recomp option.
  • CeeBeeSlim
    CeeBeeSlim Posts: 1,271 Member
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    @sardelsa. That’s very interesting. I’m still a beginner with all of this, but I wondered what you thought of this article. It’s a lil longer read, an older article, and more male-focused.

    https://physiqonomics.com/bulk-diet-recomp/

    I’m interested to know what age has to do with it. Based on the first survey, I should be recomping. I’m 2 lbs below my ultimate goal weight of 125, and chasing 121 - my ideal goal weight based on a formula I found from one of the mfp “experts” - like you! Just too caught up on the scale number, I guess.

  • MidlifeCrisisFitness
    MidlifeCrisisFitness Posts: 1,106 Member
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    sardelsa wrote: »
    CeeBeeSlim wrote: »
    I found this helpful.

    https://www.aworkoutroutine.com/which-goal/

    Hmm this is interesting. It pretty much recommended to me exactly what I should be and am doing right now. It doesn't even give me the recomp option.

    ME too. Pretty much spot on. My workout routine is a bit custom but the calories above maintenance and the macro split was exact.
  • sardelsa
    sardelsa Posts: 9,812 Member
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    CeeBeeSlim wrote: »
    @sardelsa. That’s very interesting. I’m still a beginner with all of this, but I wondered what you thought of this article. It’s a lil longer read, an older article, and more male-focused.

    https://physiqonomics.com/bulk-diet-recomp/

    I’m interested to know what age has to do with it. Based on the first survey, I should be recomping. I’m 2 lbs below my ultimate goal weight of 125, and chasing 121 - my ideal goal weight based on a formula I found from one of the mfp “experts” - like you! Just too caught up on the scale number, I guess.

    I'm not sure it seems like it's based more on bodyfat % (which I took a guess since I don't really know what mine is) as well as lifting experience and muscle building potential. I tried entering a leaner % and it told me to build muscle. I went higher and it said lose. Even if I chose 50 years old.

    I definitely do not recommend chasing a goal weight .. take everything into account when determining your goals including level of definition/bodyfat, training history, muscle base.

    I find while that physionomics article has some helpful points, I could do without the condensing tone (I know that's how he writes his articles though). I also don't love the term skinny-fat. Would he consider me skinny fat just because I don't look like I'm ready to step on stage or have rockin abs? Uch.
  • erikayvonne09
    erikayvonne09 Posts: 21 Member
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    sardelsa wrote: »
    CeeBeeSlim wrote: »
    @sardelsa. That’s very interesting. I’m still a beginner with all of this, but I wondered what you thought of this article. It’s a lil longer read, an older article, and more male-focused.

    https://physiqonomics.com/bulk-diet-recomp/

    I’m interested to know what age has to do with it. Based on the first survey, I should be recomping. I’m 2 lbs below my ultimate goal weight of 125, and chasing 121 - my ideal goal weight based on a formula I found from one of the mfp “experts” - like you! Just too caught up on the scale number, I guess.

    I'm not sure it seems like it's based more on bodyfat % (which I took a guess since I don't really know what mine is) as well as lifting experience and muscle building potential. I tried entering a leaner % and it told me to build muscle. I went higher and it said lose. Even if I chose 50 years old.

    I definitely do not recommend chasing a goal weight .. take everything into account when determining your goals including level of definition/bodyfat, training history, muscle base.

    I find while that physionomics article has some helpful points, I could do without the condensing tone (I know that's how he writes his articles though). I also don't love the term skinny-fat. Would he consider me skinny fat just because I don't look like I'm ready to step on stage or have rockin abs? Uch.

    I was wondering, since you said that you don't recommend chasing a goal weight and I see people who have the same weight in their before and after pictures where they look much leaner in the latter, how is it really that they lose the body fat? Is it really just eating at maintenance and progressive strength training? I'm scared I'll eat at maintenance and gain fat/weight.
  • sardelsa
    sardelsa Posts: 9,812 Member
    Options
    erikayvonne09 wrote: »
    sardelsa wrote: »
    CeeBeeSlim wrote: »
    @sardelsa. That’s very interesting. I’m still a beginner with all of this, but I wondered what you thought of this article. It’s a lil longer read, an older article, and more male-focused.

    https://physiqonomics.com/bulk-diet-recomp/

    I’m interested to know what age has to do with it. Based on the first survey, I should be recomping. I’m 2 lbs below my ultimate goal weight of 125, and chasing 121 - my ideal goal weight based on a formula I found from one of the mfp “experts” - like you! Just too caught up on the scale number, I guess.

    I'm not sure it seems like it's based more on bodyfat % (which I took a guess since I don't really know what mine is) as well as lifting experience and muscle building potential. I tried entering a leaner % and it told me to build muscle. I went higher and it said lose. Even if I chose 50 years old.

    I definitely do not recommend chasing a goal weight .. take everything into account when determining your goals including level of definition/bodyfat, training history, muscle base.

    I find while that physionomics article has some helpful points, I could do without the condensing tone (I know that's how he writes his articles though). I also don't love the term skinny-fat. Would he consider me skinny fat just because I don't look like I'm ready to step on stage or have rockin abs? Uch.

    I was wondering, since you said that you don't recommend chasing a goal weight and I see people who have the same weight in their before and after pictures where they look much leaner in the latter, how is it really that they lose the body fat? Is it really just eating at maintenance and progressive strength training? I'm scared I'll eat at maintenance and gain fat/weight.

    Well I'm sure others can explain it better than I can but basically even in maintenance you are cycling between slight deficit and surplus so over time you are able to lose fat and gain muscle.

    And yea that's all there is to it. Also make sure you get adequate protein for muscle building. You won't gain fat/weight unless you are eating above maintenance for a consistent period of time.
  • sijomial
    sijomial Posts: 19,811 Member
    edited July 2020
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    "I was wondering, since you said that you don't recommend chasing a goal weight and I see people who have the same weight in their before and after pictures where they look much leaner in the latter, how is it really that they lose the body fat? "
    Because they gained muscle and lost fat over time. Muscle grew because they trained effectively and the fat got used for energy.

    "Is it really just eating at maintenance and progressive strength training? "
    Yes.
    It's a totally normal response to training properly - before the name recomp was invented people just called it getting in shape which appears to match your stated goal.

    "I'm scared I'll eat at maintenance and gain fat/weight."
    How could that actually happen?
    If you are eating at maintenance calories where is the surplus energy that would get stored as fat?
    (That would be like the fuel level in your car's tank rising without putting in extra fuel....)

    Let's say your estimate of your actual maintenance calories is slightly wrong and after a month or more you notice your weight is consistently trending upwards - you would simply reduce your calorie allowance slightly. Same as if you were losing weight that you didn't want to lose you would simply eat a bit more. Really not seeing what there is to be scared of - think how many calories ABOVE MAINTENANCE you need to gain a single pound of fat, it doesn't happen overnight.


  • erikayvonne09
    erikayvonne09 Posts: 21 Member
    Options
    sijomial wrote: »
    "I was wondering, since you said that you don't recommend chasing a goal weight and I see people who have the same weight in their before and after pictures where they look much leaner in the latter, how is it really that they lose the body fat? "
    Because they gained muscle and lost fat over time. Muscle grew because they trained effectively and the fat got used for energy.

    "Is it really just eating at maintenance and progressive strength training? "
    Yes.
    It's a totally normal response to training properly - before the name recomp was invented people just called it getting in shape which appears to match your stated goal.

    "I'm scared I'll eat at maintenance and gain fat/weight."
    How could that actually happen?
    If you are eating at maintenance calories where is the surplus energy that would get stored as fat?
    (That would be like the fuel level in your car's tank rising without putting in extra fuel....)

    Let's say your estimate of your actual maintenance calories is slightly wrong and after a month or more you notice your weight is consistently trending upwards - you would simply reduce your calorie allowance slightly. Same as if you were losing weight that you didn't want to lose you would simply eat a bit more. Really not seeing what there is to be scared of - think how many calories ABOVE MAINTENANCE you need to gain a single pound of fat, it doesn't happen overnight.


    I think I'm overthinking things. Haha! Will start eating at maintenance next week and see how things go. Thank you so much! What you said was very informative!

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