Calling all Weightlifters!

neandermagnon

I also just started lifting heavy with a trainer last week. I don't really get nutrition advice from him, but on days I workout, I am around 1900 and rest days, I stay around 1600. It really depends on the day. If I am hungrier, then I eat.

How did you figure out to choose 1900 calories? TDEE? It just worked for you? MFP? Thank you ahead of time for your input!

You can put your data into a calculator, preferably one based on Katch McArdle or Harris Benedict formula, and select the right activity factor, and it gives an estimate for your TDEE. Subtract 10% from this and eat that many calories and look at your results. Be prepared for the fact that lifting + eating more calories often results in water weight gains, so the scale may go up. You need to give your body time to adjust to this, and if your TDEE estimate is good, you should start to slowly lose weight after that. If not, you can adjust the numbers, i.e. eat a bit more or a bit less depending on your results.

Jessica_D_Shadow

I also just started lifting heavy with a trainer last week. I don't really get nutrition advice from him, but on days I workout, I am around 1900 and rest days, I stay around 1600. It really depends on the day. If I am hungrier, then I eat.

How did you figure out to choose 1900 calories? TDEE? It just worked for you? MFP? Thank you ahead of time for your input!

My TDEE is around 2100. I keep to 1600 because that's my TDEE - 20%. It's actually 1680, but I leave those extra 80 calories to make up for mints that I may grab from the lobby during the day. On the days I lift, I usually eat more of my calories back if I am hungry. I don't want to hurt anything because my body isn't getting what it needs. I am only 5'2 and have about 10 pounds left to lose so I eat more when I need to keep my muscle and just lose the body fat.

With TDEE, you're not supposed to eat calories back, but this is what is working for me and it's sustainable.

Thank you for replying! Is this what you have been using your entire journey? :flowerforyou:

I am new to heavy lifting, which since I'm a beginner it's not all that heavy yet... This is my 3rd week of lifting heavy on a 12 week program that I found on Bodybuilders.com.... In the article below they give you what your macros should be when doing this program.. That is what I am using.. I have no results yet as I committed to myself not to weight, measure, or comparison pics until after the 12 weeks is up... However... this program up'd my calories considerably and when I do workout I do not add back calories that I burned. I have noticed recently that my appetitie is increasing alot... (MFP had me on 1530 a day to lose 0.5lbs a week and this program has me on 2388 at a minimum).. I have to admit eating this much is scary but I vowed to give it a fair try.. and I knwo I may actually gain weight but that's why I measured.. I'd still like to lose 30 - 40lbs but toning up and trimming fat is my ultimate goal!

I'm also going my body building programs. Not sure which one, my husband is in charge of that! Hehe. BodyBuilding has be "reaching my goal" WAY before I planned. Man would that be awesome. Haha. What's your BodyShape Username?!

I'll just throw in my two cents:)

I like the idea of losing weight slowly and getting stronger. You may notice that on days where you eat more calories you are more successful lifting heavier. If this is the case, and if it makes you happy, consider losing at a slower pace, maybe TDEE minus 10%. Or, you could continue doing what you are doing and you will lose.

I agree with this. Plus having refeeds every now and then (that's when you eat all your TDEE calories)

the leaner you are, the harder it is to lose just fat without also getting a loss of lean body mass and strength along with it. If you're serious about lifting, keep your deficit small, and lose the fat slowly. You'll see more progress that way, both in terms of how much you can lift and also in how your body looks. There's no benefit in losing fat quickly. The goal is to maintain a healthy body fat percentage for life, it's not about how quickly you get there. It's about staying there for life.

Personally, I reached my goal in terms of fat loss about a year ago. I now have a goal which is to gain strength and lean mass. I was 130lb, I'm currently aiming for 140lb, while keeping my body fat percentage roughly the same.

I am in it for the long haul. I have given myself a year to "lose" 60lbs & get under 28% BF. My ultimate goal is 21% body fat or less.


Jessica
Thank you all for your responses! I am heading to work and will get back to everyone else as soon as I can! Thank you all!!! :drinker: :flowerforyou:

NovemberJune

Hi! When I was obese, I aimed for TDEE minus 750 calories, when I was overweight, I aimed for TDEE minus 500 calories, and when I got close to goal, I started aiming for just about half a lb per week (250 calories under TDEE).

This is very insightful. How long were you on your weight loss/get fit journey? How well has your skin kept with you as you lifted & lost weight/inches? :flowerforyou:

Jessica

It took me about a year and a half to lose 85 lbs (about 60 lbs in the first year). I was doing some strength training starting a couple of months in (body weight and dumbbells) and started lifting barbells about a year in (so after I'd lost most of the weight). Loose skin isn't a big problem for me. I have some loose skin on my stomach and some on my thighs, but no big deal to me. Good luck!

This is what my stomach looks like now. The loose skin is more noticeable if I bend over. Sometimes I think I can see the abs poking out so hopefully I'll eventually have some abs I want to lose a little more fat and I'm hoping the skin tightens up a bit more, but we'll see.

JodieP13

I'm planning on lifting 5-6 days a week. Right now MFP has be at 1370 cals.

I use TDEE - 500 calories and do not eat back my exercise calories. Don't forget to incorporate REST days, rest is when you're building muscle during repair.

JNick77

I would suggest starting off conservatively and do TDEE * 90% (10% deficit) on lifting days and possibly TDEE * 85% (15% deficit) on non-lifting days. Now non-lifting days could include some cardio as well, not necessarily a day off. See how your body reacts and adjust from there. The worst thing you could do is go too aggressive at 20% - 30% and wear yourself out.

Also, ChrisDavey posted something about LBM * 12, which is also another way of doing it. You can do LBM * 12 and then progress to LBM * 10 (aggressive) if necessary.

Jessica_D_Shadow

I would suggest starting off conservatively and do TDEE * 90% (10% deficit) on lifting days and possibly TDEE * 85% (15% deficit) on non-lifting days. Now non-lifting days could include some cardio as well, not necessarily a day off. See how your body reacts and adjust from there. The worst thing you could do is go too aggressive at 20% - 30% and wear yourself out.

Also, ChrisDavey posted something about LBM * 12, which is also another way of doing it. You can do LBM * 12 and then progress to LBM * 10 (aggressive) if necessary.

Thank you JNick. I was thinking of doing 30DS as often as possible too. I was really losing inches doing that. But, I'd hate to wear myself out doing lifting & 30DS.

Anyone have any experience with doing a circuit/body thing like that & weight lifting?

I'm planning on lifting 5-6 days a week. Right now MFP has be at 1370 cals.

I use TDEE - 500 calories and do not eat back my exercise calories. Don't forget to incorporate REST days, rest is when you're building muscle during repair.

How often do you rest Jodie? We are doing lifting by muscle groups. Day 1: Chest & Triceps Day 2: Back & Biceps Day 3: Legs. & My husband has yet to tell me what's next. =D

latinbarbie1

Well I consume between 1400-1500 calories a day on work out days and 1300 on non work out days. I don't put in my calories burned or work outs on MFP as it alters your calories. I just put it as an exercise note. As I'm trying to still lose weight ( tone up) I need to be in a caloric defisit. All my info btw I have gotten from my personal trainer/nutricionist.
Hope it helps

That seems like it'd be pretty low for me. My workout days usually run me 400-1000 calories burned. If I won't ate 1400 a day on workout days I'd be at a net of 1000-400 calories Net.


I usualy burn around the same amount of calories from 400-1200 and work out 6X a week. So I make sure I eat all my calories. I also don't have starchy carbs and sugar after 4pm

Showcase_Brodown

In a deficit, don't expect to gain (much, if any) muscle. The reason you are lifting while losing weight is to keep the muscle you have. You'll be losing weight, and you'll want as much of that coming from fat as you can.

So I'd go with something conservative for the deficit. You could try cycling calories so you are eating a bit more on the days you are lifting.

5-6 days lifting might be a lot. I guess it depends how much you are doing each time and how you have it split up, but you could end up over-training. Make sure you get some rest days in there so you're not burning yourself or your muscles out.

Keep with it. You won't be disappointed in the results weights will give you.

Yeller_Sensation

I use the formula in this post and don't log exercise calories at all:

http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/819055-setting-your-calorie-and-macro-targets

alpine1994

Hi!
I go with MFP's calculations for 1/2lb loss per week. I am essentially at my goal weight.I am 5'8" and I think 141lbs at the moment. I would like to maintain between 135 and 140.

I lift 3X per week though, doing total body each time. On the in-between days I either run, go to a ballet class, do a Yoga or Pilates DVD, or rest. MPF has me net 1550 and I always eat back exercise cals. Sometimes I will go over on the day after particularly tough workout days because I'm always so hungry on those days. I would rather eat what I feel like my body needs and not lose any weight than deprive myself and be miserable to see a 1lb loss, ya know?

Good luck with everything girl!

JNick77

I would suggest starting off conservatively and do TDEE * 90% (10% deficit) on lifting days and possibly TDEE * 85% (15% deficit) on non-lifting days. Now non-lifting days could include some cardio as well, not necessarily a day off. See how your body reacts and adjust from there. The worst thing you could do is go too aggressive at 20% - 30% and wear yourself out.

Also, ChrisDavey posted something about LBM * 12, which is also another way of doing it. You can do LBM * 12 and then progress to LBM * 10 (aggressive) if necessary.

Thank you JNick. I was thinking of doing 30DS as often as possible too. I was really losing inches doing that. But, I'd hate to wear myself out doing lifting & 30DS.

Anyone have any experience with doing a circuit/body thing like that & weight lifting?

I'm planning on lifting 5-6 days a week. Right now MFP has be at 1370 cals.

I use TDEE - 500 calories and do not eat back my exercise calories. Don't forget to incorporate REST days, rest is when you're building muscle during repair.

How often do you rest Jodie? We are doing lifting by muscle groups. Day 1: Chest & Triceps Day 2: Back & Biceps Day 3: Legs. & My husband has yet to tell me what's next. =D

I did Boot Camp for a while which is basically cardio using bodyweight exercises for the most part. I did it two to three times a week and I would say that it negatively affected my lifting, it was too much for me and I was eating just under maintenance. Not everybody is the same though.