We are pleased to announce that as of March 4, 2025, an updated Rich Text Editor has been introduced in the MyFitnessPal Community. To learn more about the changes, please click here. We look forward to sharing this new feature with you!

NROLW calorie question

FatStephanie15
FatStephanie15 Posts: 54 Member
edited November 2024 in Fitness and Exercise
Ok. I bought NROLW last night and am pouring over it this weekend in prep to start phase 1 Monday. I am in Chapter 7, and just finished calculating my calories according to the formulas in the book. Now, I'm scared. to. death. to eat as many as it's telling me to eat. I am Obese. My BMI is 37.4. By their formula, on nonwork out days I should be getting 2,161cal on non workout days and 2,449 on workout days. Can that be right?! It seems like an absurd amount. Especially since over vacation this past week, I set my calories to maintain current weight, and it gave me a limit of roughly 1900. Since I am obese, should I stick with MFP's goals or adjust to these numbers? I need some guidance, pretty please!!

Xposted in the women strength training group.

Replies

  • bioklutz
    bioklutz Posts: 1,365 Member
    How many pounds are you trying to lose? How big is your calorie deficit? What is your weight/height?

    I have been following new rules of lifting for life for the past 6 months. I choose to ignore all of the nutritional advice in the book (except for getting adequate protein!).

    You may need more calories if you are having a hard time progressing with weights. You do need to fuel your workouts. Remember that MFP's calories do not include exercise.
  • FatStephanie15
    FatStephanie15 Posts: 54 Member
    bioklutz wrote: »
    How many pounds are you trying to lose? How big is your calorie deficit? What is your weight/height?

    I have been following new rules of lifting for life for the past 6 months. I choose to ignore all of the nutritional advice in the book (except for getting adequate protein!).

    You may need more calories if you are having a hard time progressing with weights. You do need to fuel your workouts. Remember that MFP's calories do not include exercise.

    I currently weigh 198.
    Goal weight is 115.
    That puts me at 83lbs left to loose.
    MFP has me at 1400 calories.
    I am 5'1.

    I really want to follow the plan as closely as possible, at least for the first few months.



  • redperphexion
    redperphexion Posts: 193 Member
    I have done a half of the first phase and couldn't physically eat everything I was supposed to in a day. Maybe once I got my LBM up and stronger I would be able to. I may try this program again, but I found the nutritional advice a bit nuts, personally. I'd say do what feels right without compromising the overall program.
  • AsISmile
    AsISmile Posts: 1,004 Member
    Perhaps look at a TDEE calculator like scooby workshop.

    I am no expert, but the numbers you are naming are my maintenance calories.
    How much are you supposed to exercise? Because those numbers almost suggest you have to burn 600+ calories per workout.
    Perhaps those calculations are for maintenance or bulking?
  • bioklutz
    bioklutz Posts: 1,365 Member
    I am pretty sure you will be miserable eating 1400/day and lifting weights. I don't know if I would go as high as Lou is suggesting though. Here is another calculator you can try: http://scoobysworkshop.com/calorie-calculator/ Most likely you will be spending close to 3 hours a week lifting.

    Either way you are probably going to have to make some calorie adjustments depending on how things are going - how quickly you recover, how well you are progressing.
  • TR0berts
    TR0berts Posts: 7,739 Member
    NROL4W: it's nice to get women into lifting, as it helps take the "fear" out of lifting, but a bit of info is either outdated or lacking. bioklutz basically is doing (or did) what I would recommend. I really think the dietary portion of the book is good for someone that wants to recomp, but not so great for overweight women.
  • sjp_511
    sjp_511 Posts: 476 Member
    There is a great NROL4W group on Facebook - check it out! In it there is a FAQ section that has some quotes from the authors of the book and they basically state that if the book were written today a large amount of the nutrition recommendations would be thrown out.

    I personally use the MFP calorie recommendations (which for me aren't too different from the Scooby calculator). I am just restarting (both NROL4W and logging calories on MFP), but it has worked for me in the past. I was losing 5-6 pounds/month before I got pregnant.
  • FatStephanie15
    FatStephanie15 Posts: 54 Member
    sjp_511 wrote: »
    There is a great NROL4W group on Facebook - check it out! In it there is a FAQ section that has some quotes from the authors of the book and they basically state that if the book were written today a large amount of the nutrition recommendations would be thrown out.

    Thank you!!


  • sistrsprkl
    sistrsprkl Posts: 1,010 Member
    I completed the first stage of NROLFW but ate what MFP gave me and ignored the nutrition part of the book.
  • KiltFuPanda
    KiltFuPanda Posts: 574 Member
    If you're lifting (and NROLFW is a great system, btw), then you should really check your current fat percentage if you can. It makes a MAJOR difference in your TDEE - a 5% difference in bodyfat on a 180 lb person can equate to 100 calories difference in TDEE.

    The following calculator is pretty accurate - I tested it by comparing its results to what I got on my BodPod results, and it is pretty on target.

    http://iifym.com/tdee-calculator/
This discussion has been closed.