Long term Recomp for Drastic body composition goals

Nutrition Q&A [Moderated]
1

For someone of a heavier nature during the novice phase essentially following recoup nutrition guidelines is the given status quo till you gain a solid strength base, but can you take this same advice and follow a long term recomp to make drastic changes in body composition over years? Example would be a post notice trainee 30% body fat under 40" waist aiming for lower weight @ goal of 10-15% body fat.

My reasoning is it prevents bounce back of weight gain or weight loss because you spend more time at each calorie level giving the person more time to adapt to it as a life style instead of a quick 16 week cut then back to previous calorie levels change. Also would you make more strength progress over a moderate calorie deficient state?

  • Body fat here just used as a way to measure a goal you could have a waist measurement or a certain look in the mirror that would be the end goal.
  • Recomp being used as a way to drop body fat while maintaining calories high as possible slowly reducing waist or weight over years. You could use it as way to gain to but essential i believe thats a “lean bulk”
2

I’m not sure what you’re asking me.

People regain weight reliably (and readily) from nearly any type of diet, fast, slow, etc. so I wouldn’t use that as my rationale to diet a certain way.

3

Well i was thinking of a recomp in this sense as a very long term cut so once you reach your physique goal you would just stay in your current calories or slight above instead of being in a larger deficiency typically you would experience when training to cut the same amount of weight in short time (12-16) weeks. Large decency i find create a want for higher calories once you reached your goal you usually can’t wait to be back up to higher maintenance (+1000calories) which comes with weight gain if you don’t properly reverse diet?

Main question: Is there any benefit to long term recomp versus a 12-16 week cut to achieve better composition with strength training?

4

Those are two different things really.

A 12-16 week cut will produce more fat loss than a recomp diet, but that may or may not be appropriate based on your stats and goals.

I’m not sure of any benefit to stretching the process out infinitely.

5

okay so that rules out my theory on recomp having an advantage in this situation. Which leads me to a new question:

Is there a level of strength where it more optimal to add a cutting phase over another if the trainee trying to be as strong as possible ?

For this specific individual:
End goal : strong as possible & not exceeding 12-16% Body fat usually

Currently:
male
27
5"10"
Waist 38"
weight : 217lb
Body fat 25-30%
Early intermediate training
squat 300x1
deadlift 355x1
bench 235x1
OHP 135x1

6

Given that strength performance is based on a host of different things, some of which are not modifiable, I wouldn’t use a strength metric as a point to indicate it’s “better” to cut. Conversely, there are anthropometrics that indicate one should cut, e.g. 40" waist for example.

I think that you can still get stronger whilst losing weight.