Does body recomposition actually work?
- Thread starter _marc97
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- female fitness
@courtneym I do reformer Pilates 5 days a week and hike about 30-40 miles a month. (Most of those are shorter trails to walk my dog) and then like regular riding bikes with my kids in our hilly neighborhood. my progress!
@ernesto96 I think that happens to people when they bulk sometimes, that they get bigger not where they were planning to grow muscles and then have regrets 
@courtneym I actually do the lagree method which gets annoyed if you call it reformer Pilates (the lagree dude seems kinda douchey) but it adds a lot more resistance with spring load. So it’s heavy slow controlled movements.
@_marc97 Honestly, until I got a fitbit and started seeing what I was actually burning in calories, my caloric estimates were way off. I was under-estimating all the time, like 1500 calories in when I was burning 2200 calories a day, and wondering why I wasn't progressing but just feeling tired all the time.
blackstar11
New member
@jl090812 just in case you didn’t know, fitness watch/band calories burned estimates are usually wayyy off. i don’t doubt that you were underestimating how many calories you were burning/ needing to eat but the fitbit is probably way over counting how much you’re actually burning. https://www.verywellfit.com/fitness-band-calorie-counter-accuracy-tests-3435749
blessedmama13
New member
@blackstar11 This isn’t really true anymore btw. I can find the study if you want. But there was a study from I believe a Colorado university in 2021 that used a series 6 watch and latest Fitbit. The fitbit underestimated both males and females by 10-20% while the Apple Watch underestimates calories burned by males by 15% and overestimated females by about the same.
A lot of it does come down to what you do though, like walking and running are more accurate on both but cycling can be off on the Apple Watch.
A lot of it does come down to what you do though, like walking and running are more accurate on both but cycling can be off on the Apple Watch.
sunflowers24
New member
@_marc97 Don't be! I know it's a mindfuck, but you probably do need to eat more to see results at this point.
I did the same thing earlier this year—I was sticking to 1450 calories, which was my sedentary deficit, without taking into account that I had started doing 75Hard and working out twice a day. And I wondered why I was exhausted all the time
Turns out, my maintenance at that level of activity and my weight at the time was more like 2500 calories. Life got SO MUCH BETTER once I started eating more, and I started being able to do way more in my workouts.
Play around on tdeecalculator.net. If you're walking 5 miles a day on top of lifting 3x a week, I would put that at at LEAST moderate exercise, meaning your maintenance is probably more like 1800. And 300 calories is huge, like another small meal or big snack per day!
I did the same thing earlier this year—I was sticking to 1450 calories, which was my sedentary deficit, without taking into account that I had started doing 75Hard and working out twice a day. And I wondered why I was exhausted all the time
Turns out, my maintenance at that level of activity and my weight at the time was more like 2500 calories. Life got SO MUCH BETTER once I started eating more, and I started being able to do way more in my workouts.Play around on tdeecalculator.net. If you're walking 5 miles a day on top of lifting 3x a week, I would put that at at LEAST moderate exercise, meaning your maintenance is probably more like 1800. And 300 calories is huge, like another small meal or big snack per day!
@_marc97 Well you can't expect to recomp if there's not anything to build. In fact, since you're eating under maintenance that can actually lower your metabolism semi-permanently (the research isn't clear on how long that effect lasts).
Here's a funny video that might resonate:
Also, if you're lifting heavier every week then that is itself a sign that you're on the right track -- in spite of the diet issues. For me, big help was flexing because after a few months I was able to notice that I was much more hard-body than before, if that makes sense.
Here's a funny video that might resonate:
Also, if you're lifting heavier every week then that is itself a sign that you're on the right track -- in spite of the diet issues. For me, big help was flexing because after a few months I was able to notice that I was much more hard-body than before, if that makes sense.
frightmaster
New member
@_marc97 Sounds to me like you're on the right track. Particularly if you weren't lifting before, 2-3 months at 2-3x/wk isn't a lot of time. This is the point I'd expect you to just begin feeling comfortable with lifting basics and starting to push up your weight. You're doing a great job, don't give up now
@_marc97 Recomp definitely works, I'm living, walking proof of it.
However, the recomp I did three years ago was over the course of a year, and I was eating 1gm protein per pound of bodyweight, and lifting heavy five to six times a week.
it's a long and slow process. If you're looking for faster results, I suggest a bulk and then a cut.
However, the recomp I did three years ago was over the course of a year, and I was eating 1gm protein per pound of bodyweight, and lifting heavy five to six times a week.
it's a long and slow process. If you're looking for faster results, I suggest a bulk and then a cut.
catholic500
New member
@_marc97 I've been recomping for 11 months now, starting 1/1/2021. I didn't notice significant changes until June, but it definitely does work!! When I was losing weight prior to doing the recomp, I was taking progress pictures weekly and that definitely did not serve me when recomping. I only check progress every month/2 months now.