Recomp Cycles and Maintenance Calories

[GetRekt]

For those of you who have run recomp cycles successfully, how did your maintenance calories change after the cycle was over?

I have done hard bulks before (6 weeks of DMZ at 60mg) and gained ~16 pounds, and experienced an increase in my calories of around 800. assuming a gain of 15% fat, thats ~13.5 lean pounds. 800/13.5 = 60 calories increase for each pound of LBM.

In a recomp, you're typically eating at or very close to maintenance, but still experience a decent amount of LBM gain. did you notice similar increases in your maintenance calories?

basically just interested if LBM gain + caloric surplus results in more calorie increase vs LBM gain + calorie deficit

 

[georgetown]

Good question but i think its really hard to answer because as strong as these compounds are, everybody will respond differently not to mention everyone's metabolism is different. There are too many variables to draw a conclusion when the difference in calories you want to compare is so small.for example: some people have no trouble making lean gains with a reasonable surplus while others will gain mostly fat with the same surplus and training, diet etc are identical. They did everything the same but still got different results, how can you compare that? After throwing in a compound where results greatly vary, it changes more. Imo use your past experience with how your body composition looks best with certain amount of calories, i mean you should already have that dialed in before you use. Just my opinion
Edit: also im 90% sure that's what you were asking about

 

[GetRekt]

Good question but i think its really hard to answer because as strong as these compounds are, everybody will respond differently not to mention everyone's metabolism is different. There are too many variables to draw a conclusion when the difference in calories you want to compare is so small.for example: some people have no trouble making lean gains with a reasonable surplus while others will gain mostly fat with the same surplus and training, diet etc are identical. They did everything the same but still got different results, how can you compare that? After throwing in a compound where results greatly vary, it changes more. Imo use your past experience with how your body composition looks best with certain amount of calories, i mean you should already have that dialed in before you use. Just my opinion
Edit: also im 90% sure that's what you were asking about

Yeah that makes sense. Good response. I was just curious for anecdotal experiences since I haven't had the chance to do a recomp, all of my cycled have been major bulks with huge maintenance increases, making it extremely difficult to hold on to everything I've gained. Usually end up keeping about 8 lean pounds and put on fat, makes me think I could just do recomp/cutting cycles, and then natural lean gain phases and gain more in the long run.

 

[Mkgain1]

It's specific to you what your maintenance needs are to begin with, but with an increase in muscle (due to cycle or not) that new lean mass on your body is metabolically active tissue, in that sense your maintenance caloric intake should be elevated due to your basal metabolism being higher around the clock so you're burning more calories on a daily basis than you were prior to gaining more muscle tissue, even if training and everything remains the same

 

[georgetown]

Yeah that makes sense. Good response. I was just curious for anecdotal experiences since I haven't had the chance to do a recomp, all of my cycled have been major bulks with huge maintenance increases, making it extremely difficult to hold on to everything I've gained. Usually end up keeping about 8 lean pounds and put on fat, makes me think I could just do recomp/cutting cycles, and then natural lean gain phases and gain more in the long run.

Yeah thats a good idea with all thats said im gonna be doing a recomp/cut too haha ill be having cals closer to a defecit but around maintenance, goal is to finish up this cut and lean bulk after, im never dirty bulking again ahhh

 

[GetRekt]

Yeah thats a good idea with all thats said im gonna be doing a recomp/cut too haha ill be having cals closer to a defecit but around maintenance, goal is to finish up this cut and lean bulk after, im never dirty bulking again ahhh

haha i feel you. gaining 20 pounds with fat gain only to lose a fair amount of muscle and keep the fat is really not that great lol. much rather natty lean bulk -> cycle to take off any fat and keep the gains going