Advice on maintenance or deficit

MrsLg
MrsLg Posts: 103 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
Hi all, looking for some advice.
I am lifting weights at the gym 3 times a week following ICF.
I can't decide if I am best off at Maintenance or deficit.
41 year old female
5ft 7.5
148lbs
Definitely want to look better round the middle. I am on my feet all day with my job. Not sedentary. Still feel confused over which option to choose for activity level on tdee calculators.
I understand that even in a deficit it should be a small one. Should I eat at deficit or Maintenance to effectively change my shape? Which way is more effective?

Replies

  • tomcustombuilder
    tomcustombuilder Posts: 2,229 Member
    edited January 2023
    Better around the middle will require a deficit.

    Rather than trying to figure what to select for activity level, eat your normal diet and track those calories for a week and if your weight has been steady, those are your maintenance calories or at least closer than what the calculators will tell you and go off of that number to figure a deficit. Try 300 calories below that for a month and then adjust if necessary.
  • MrsLg
    MrsLg Posts: 103 Member
    Thank you! I've been going round in circles for 2 weeks. I think I just needed someone to tell me what to do. Last week I was around 1400 cals and lost about half a pound. Does that sound about right?
  • tomcustombuilder
    tomcustombuilder Posts: 2,229 Member
    MrsLg wrote: »
    Thank you! I've been going round in circles for 2 weeks. I think I just needed someone to tell me what to do. Last week I was around 1400 cals and lost about half a pound. Does that sound about right?
    a week won’t tell you much but yes that would be decent based on your stats. Stay there for a few weeks as the first week can be water loss

  • MrsLg
    MrsLg Posts: 103 Member
    OK I will do that. Thank you so much.
  • Retroguy2000
    Retroguy2000 Posts: 1,848 Member
    What is ICF?

    Your BMI is 22.9 which sounds healthy for your height. You're the best judge as to how much fat you need to lose. It sounds like you want to run a slight deficit to lose a few pounds while keeping what muscle you have as best as possible, and then recomp at maintenance.

    With the lifting, would you say you're mostly going through the motions, or are you pushing hard to near fatigue, and progressively increasing weight and/or intensity and/or volume? Hopefully the latter, and you'll need sufficient protein too, say 120g-140g.
  • MrsLg
    MrsLg Posts: 103 Member
    Ice cream fitness. It's a. 5x5 program. Although I am doing the 3x5 cutting version.
    How you have described my aims is perfect.
    With the lifting, yes I am being progressive and increasing weight. Only managing about 100g of protein at the moment though.
  • yirara
    yirara Posts: 9,944 Member
    Oh, I thought ICF stands for intracranial fracture and I was wondering why the heck you're lifting with that!

    So yeah, in order to lose fat you need to be in a deficit. One way would be with your normal weight to run a very small deficit, maybe 250 calories per day (eat back exercise calories), and continue building muscles. It's called a recomp, and some people here are more knowledgeable than me. I hope they show up.

    Two other things to consider:
    - how is your posture? if it's poor your belly might stick out more. Improving posture by strength training your core and back, and stretching the muscles shortened from sitting too much can help, see anterior pelvic tilt: your lower back becomes hollow and your belly sticks out.
    - is it possible you're wearing pants that are too tight at the top? Even very slim people can get a muffin top and a belly flowing out of the top by wearing the wrong trousers.
  • Retroguy2000
    Retroguy2000 Posts: 1,848 Member
    edited January 2023
    yirara wrote: »
    So yeah, in order to lose fat you need to be in a deficit. One way would be with your normal weight to run a very small deficit, maybe 250 calories per day (eat back exercise calories), and continue building muscles. It's called a recomp
    As you said, recomp. It can be done at maintenance or a slight deficit as you noted, so you can lose fat without being in a deficit. It's more effective for new lifters and those with higher body fat.
  • MrsLg
    MrsLg Posts: 103 Member
    This is exactly what I wasn't sure of! Small Deficit or maintenance. Which is most effective?
  • tomcustombuilder
    tomcustombuilder Posts: 2,229 Member
    edited January 2023
    MrsLg wrote: »
    This is exactly what I wasn't sure of! Small Deficit or maintenance. Which is most effective?
    to lose fat you need a deficit. People that lose fat at “maintenance” are actually in a slight deficit without realizing it.

    Some are confused when they gain some muscle and fat stays the same however their dexa scan shows a lower fat percentage. Adding lean mass (which includes water) automatically lowers the fat percent when in reality fat AMOUNT hasn’t changed


    You’re never be right exactly at maintenance on a daily basis you’ll always be in a deficit or surplus. Maintaining weight is a balance of deficits and surpluses
  • MrsLg
    MrsLg Posts: 103 Member
    That makes sense, thanks!
    I will go for a small Deficit.
  • neanderthin
    neanderthin Posts: 10,223 Member
    MrsLg wrote: »
    Ice cream fitness. It's a. 5x5 program. Although I am doing the 3x5 cutting version.
    How you have described my aims is perfect.
    With the lifting, yes I am being progressive and increasing weight. Only managing about 100g of protein at the moment though.

    Generally speaking and if your lifting just short of failure a 5X5 and 3X5 are good for increasing strength, which is fine but to build muscle I would suggest you mix it up every 3 or 4 weeks and add a 3X8 and later a 3X12 which I find works best when all 3 ranges are combined over the course, just a thought.
  • tomcustombuilder
    tomcustombuilder Posts: 2,229 Member
    neanderthin wrote: »
    MrsLg wrote: »
    Ice cream fitness. It's a. 5x5 program. Although I am doing the 3x5 cutting version.
    How you have described my aims is perfect.
    With the lifting, yes I am being progressive and increasing weight. Only managing about 100g of protein at the moment though.

    Generally speaking and if your lifting just short of failure a 5X5 and 3X5 are good for increasing strength, which is fine but to build muscle I would suggest you mix it up every 3 or 4 weeks and add a 3X8 and later a 3X12 which I find works best when all 3 ranges are combined over the course, just a thought.
    ^^^^^^ this

  • MrsLg
    MrsLg Posts: 103 Member
    Oh OK, never heard of doing that! I will try it, thank you for that.

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