Maintaining advice...help!

karmaheart

I'm 5'4" and I finally got down to 118 pounds, but I still have a few problem areas. I'm now trying to build muscle. My routine is 30 mins of weights on a rotation and a hour of cardio 5 days a week (I plan to cut back on cardio). I'm not sure where to go from here, because I don't want to shed anymore weight. My calorie intake is 1,000 as of now. Not sure what to do now

janejellyroll

Where did you get the goal of 1,000? Is that what you eat to maintain or is that your goal for weight loss?

karmaheart

janejellyroll wrote: »

Where did you get the goal of 1,000? Is that what you eat to maintain or is that your goal for weight loss?

It was only to reach my goal

sijomial

Well if you don't want to lose weight you know you have to eat more. You must be sure about that!
30 minutes of weights means what precisely?

bioklutz

I would add in 400 calories/day immediately. You may gain a tiny bit of weight right away but that is just water weight. After that I would add in an extra 100 calories every week and monitor your weight. Keep adding calories and monitor your weight. If you truly start to gain back off by 100 calories.

True fat gains are slow. Any weight that is gained or lost quickly is just part of normal fluctuations. 1000 calories a day is going to be too low.

WinoGelato

Op what is your question or what are you unsure of?

WinoGelato

Also you definitely need to eat more! How fast did you lose? That may be contributing to why you aren't happy with how your body looks.

karmaheart

WinoGelato wrote: »

Also you definitely need to eat more! How fast did you lose? That may be contributing to why you aren't happy with how your body looks.

I lost 7 pounds in two weeks, but I have been working out for 7 months. I didn't shed a pound until I started watching my calories. I'm unsure of whether I should lower the cardio and do more weights. I'm still new to this

thunder1982

You wont build muscle eating 1000 calories a day. Def need to up your calories. With your age, height and level of activity maintenance is probably around 1700-1900 calories. If I were you I would up my calories to 1700 if you are planning to cut back on cardio and see if you maintain on that. Give it a few weeks to let your body adjust to the new calories and activity and then reevaluate what your goals are.

Talan79

1000 is way too low. And def not enough to gain muscle. I would reverse diet, add calories gradually to reach your TDEE. Once there, consider a recomp. Follow a lifting program if you already aren't.

ARGriffy

thunder1982 wrote: »

You wont build muscle eating 1000 calories a day. Def need to up your calories. With your age, height and level of activity maintenance is probably around 1700-1900 calories. If I were you I would up my calories to 1700 if you are planning to cut back on cardio and see if you maintain on that. Give it a few weeks to let your body adjust to the new calories and activity and then reevaluate what your goals are.

I'm the same height and I'm 130 my maintenance is 1800. Eat more sweetie!!

1961dublin

Same here. I am 5 ft 4 but I weigh 132 lbs , at middle range of BMI and size 10 UK clothing. You must be like skin and bone!! I eat round 1600 per day as I am sedentary. You are over doing things. Its not healthy!!

RoxieDawn

OP, its time for you to reassess your goals. First of all you say you do not need to loose more weight? Reverse diet to get you back up to Maintenance (slowly increase cals each week).

Define what 30 minutes of weights is for you? Do you want to build muscle now? Well that is entirely a different set of things you need to do that, and getting out of the 1000 cals is first.

So do you need to start a lifting program?

You have to first define what your goal is from here and create a plan to get you to that goal..

From your post I can't tell what your question is, other than you don't want to loose anymore.. that means getting back to maintenance to maintain your current weight.

LivingtheLeanDream

as the others have said, 1000 is no way near enough.
30 mins of weights every day??
Time to work out your maintenance calories - you'd really need to up your cals to at least 1400 right away with the aim of reverse dieting so you are eating around 2000+ cals.
I'm 5ft 2 and if I can maintain on 2100-2300 cals at 46yrs then it makes sense that you will be able to maintain on that and more.
118lb sounds very light for your height, but you must know yourself that you daren't lose any more...

karmaheart

gia07 wrote: »

OP, its time for you to reassess your goals. First of all you say you do not need to loose more weight? Reverse diet to get you back up to Maintenance (slowly increase cals each week).

Define what 30 minutes of weights is for you? Do you want to build muscle now? Well that is entirely a different set of things you need to do that, and getting out of the 1000 cals is first.

So do you need to start a lifting program?

You have to first define what your goal is from here and create a plan to get you to that goal..

From your post I can't tell what your question is, other than you don't want to loose anymore.. that means getting back to maintenance to maintain your current weight.

I'm trying to tone up now. I go to planet fitness and I do 5 sets of 10 on seated arm and leg machines 2 days a week. I do 7 sets of 10 on ab machines 3 days a week. I'm not skin and bone. I'm actually in really good shape, but I've only been watching my calorie intake for 2 weeks. I know that if I continue with the low calories it will not be healrhy.

I'm just trying to figure out what works for my body. I'm 38 and it's getting harder to stay a size 2.. I don't want to start adding calorie and be skinny fat again.

becky10rp

Don't let a size define you - why must you be a size 2? If you can't maintain a certain weight - than you shouldn't be that weight. Add some calories to your diet - see how it goes.

karmaheart

becky10rp wrote: »

Don't let a size define you - why must you be a size 2? If you can't maintain a certain weight - than you shouldn't be that weight. Add some calories to your diet - see how it goes.

I worked out for 7 months and didn't see a difference until I started watching my calorie intake. It's the only thing that has worked. I know that the numbers on the scale don't mean a lot, but my measurements have remained the same up until 2 weeks ago.

WinoGelato

karmaheart wrote: »

gia07 wrote: »

OP, its time for you to reassess your goals. First of all you say you do not need to loose more weight? Reverse diet to get you back up to Maintenance (slowly increase cals each week).

Define what 30 minutes of weights is for you? Do you want to build muscle now? Well that is entirely a different set of things you need to do that, and getting out of the 1000 cals is first.

So do you need to start a lifting program?

You have to first define what your goal is from here and create a plan to get you to that goal..

From your post I can't tell what your question is, other than you don't want to loose anymore.. that means getting back to maintenance to maintain your current weight.

I'm trying to tone up now. I go to planet fitness and I do 5 sets of 10 on seated arm and leg machines 2 days a week. I do 7 sets of 10 on ab machines 3 days a week. I'm not skin and bone. I'm actually in really good shape, but I've only been watching my calorie intake for 2 weeks. I know that if I continue with the low calories it will not be healrhy.

I'm just trying to figure out what works for my body. I'm 38 and it's getting harder to stay a size 2.. I don't want to start adding calorie and be skinny fat again.

OP I think we need to take a step back. What are your goals? Is it to be a certain weight? Fit into a certain size clothing? Because I think it sounds like what you are describing actually may come from being a higher weight, but with a progressive lifting routine. You aren't going to "tone up" eating 1000 cals/day.

Read this:
http://www.nerdfitness.com/blog/2011/07/21/meet-staci-your-new-powerlifting-super-hero/

The scale going up doesn't mean you will be skinny fat. Actually the scale going down too fast is what often makes you skinny fat...

Chromiriam

Hey there karmaheart. I am also 5' 4" and I started at 112 lbs. Currently, however, I maintain a steady weight between 124 and 126. Over the past few years I have incorporated more lifting into my exercise regiment and the very first thing I realized was how much more I had to eat after I changed the way I worked out. Lifting is different from cardio in that your calorie burn continues long after you've left the gym. Because of that, on days that I lift, I allow myself a little extra for my calorie consumption that day. I have found that this not only helps to maintain my current weight, it also makes me feel better/stronger.

You may have noticed the same thing for yourself, or it might be different for you. My advice is just listen to your body. If you're hungry, there is probably a good reason for it. No shame in having a little extra to eat on days when you've worked hard. Balance is a very important component in any healthy lifestyle. Good luck, my friend!

WinoGelato

MiriamEvangelista wrote: »

Hey there karmaheart. I am also 5' 4" and I started at 112 lbs. Currently, however, I maintain a steady weight between 124 and 126. Over the past few years I have incorporated more lifting into my exercise regiment and the very first thing I realized was how much more I had to eat after I changed the way I worked out. Lifting is different from cardio in that your calorie burn continues long after you've left the gym. Because of that, on days that I lift, I allow myself a little extra for my calorie consumption that day. I have found that this not only helps to maintain my current weight, it also makes me feel better/stronger.

You may have noticed the same thing for yourself, or it might be different for you. My advice is just listen to your body. If you're hungry, there is probably a good reason for it. No shame in having a little extra to eat on days when you've worked hard. Balance is a very important component in any healthy lifestyle. Good luck, my friend!

Strong first post - for real!

karmaheart

Thanks for all the great advice!