NROLW calorie question

Options
FatStephanie15
FatStephanie15 Posts: 54 Member
edited July 2015 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
    Options
    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
    Options
    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
    Options
    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
    Options
    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
    Options
    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
    Options
    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
    Options
    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
    Options
    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: 1,013 Member
    Options
    I completed the first stage of NROLFW but ate what MFP gave me and ignored the nutrition part of the book.
  • KiltFuPanda
    KiltFuPanda Posts: 576 Member
    Options
    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/

Categories