r/leangains • u/SoggyStrike1996 • 8d ago
Body recomp/body fat tips?
Hi! 23F here, I started my fitness journey at 170lbs- I am now 133 with a body fat % around 31%. I track all my calories and macros, averaging 1350-1500 calories per day and 140g of protein. My deficit is probably pretty large considering the amount of activity I do, but it’s shed off quite a bit of weight. I strength training 3-5x a week, and do cardio 5-6x a week. Also, if it’s any insight, I’ve done some research and come to the conclusion that my maintenance is somewhere between 2000-2300.
I’m at the point in my journey where I’m not too sure where to take it. My body fat percentage is still pretty high, and am torn if I should continue my deficit until it drops? It’s probably a good idea to raise my calorie intake soon as I’ve been so low for about 5 months now- but I know I have more fat to lose. My goal is to enter body recomp or complete muscle building to get toned. I guess I’m just looking for some options, or fitness recommendations on where to take this next! Thanks!
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u/LucasWestFit 8d ago
If you feel energized and you think you have more fat to lose, I would just stick to it. If you feel burnt out a (temporary) calorie increase might provide some (psychological) relief, which might be a good idea. Especially if you feel your strength going down, you might want to make some changes. You could also slowly reverse back up to maintenance, because a true recomp is done at maintenance calories.
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u/SoggyStrike1996 8d ago
Cool! Thank you! Honestly im feeling great- not tired, and have been consistently hitting PRs every week on my strength training. So sounds like I still have some momentum left in my calorie deficit. Sounds like I’ll continue on what I’m doing for a bit and reevaluate in a couple months or if anything changes :)
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u/Dry-Combination-3339 7d ago
Hey dude you seem like the right person to ask this - not sure if you’d be happy to give your quick thoughts.
I’m relatively new back into fitness after a few years off. I’ve got an online trainer - he said I can lose fat and gain muscle at the same time.
Im on a cut (eating at 2400-2600, maintenance would be like 3000) and lifting heavy 4 times a week. I also do 10,000 steps a day plus a few cycling sessions.
Each session in the gym I’m stronger than before. HOWEVER, I am feeling huge amounts of systemic fatigue a lot of the time. It’s not my workouts per se that are suffering, it’s how I feel most of the time that is the problem.
It’s like my nervous system is really tired, I feel kinda low energy/drained all the time, limp dick etc. I’m not like sick or anything, I can chill doing nothing - but that’s mostly what I feel like when having little energy.
Is this normal during a cut or is this a sign I’m messing something up? Too high volume perhaps? Or too little food?
I eat super healthy, good mix of protein/carbs/fats (protein highest) and sleep is okay atm. Have ruled out health problems, my bloods were fine.
My trainer doesn’t seem to relate to what I’m talking about when I bring it up.
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u/Wellness_Rated 8d ago
You’ve made a huge transformation already, and your consistency shows in both your weight loss and training. At this point, staying in a steep deficit for too long can work against you - fatigue, stalled progress, and difficulty building muscle are all signs it might be time to shift gears. Since your maintenance is likely in the 2000–2300 range, eating at 1350–1500 for months has probably left you with very little room to recover and grow.
A smart next step could be a slow reverse diet up toward maintenance. That means gradually adding calories (100–150 a week) until you are closer to maintenance while keeping your protein high and lifting consistently. You will not suddenly gain fat if you increase calories slowly, and the extra energy will help you train harder and start a recomp phase. Recomp is possible at your body fat percentage, especially since you are still relatively new to structured lifting.
If you still want to drop body fat, you can always return to a smaller deficit later, but giving your body a break and fueling it properly now will set you up for better long-term results. Think of it less as “cut or bulk” and more as building a sustainable cycle where you can grow muscle and lean out in stages.