Trying again at this fitness thing

KrysiaCA

Hi All,

I wanted to know if anyone would be kind enough to assist me?

I am currently around 12 stone (168lbs), and I want to get back down to 8.5 (120lbs). If I have a 1000 a day calorie deficit (500 achieved by food, and 500 achieved by working out). I would be able to burn 2lbs a week - allowing me to reach my goal by the end of July. My BMR is around 1500 according to the scooby calculator.

The thing is I am going to be starting at a new gym this week, and they specialise in HIIT - so I will be doing HIIT 5x a week. I told the lady I am eating 1400 calories, she said that is too little for me and that I would damage my metabolism. What do you guys think would be the right calorie in take for a woman like me - short, and in her late 20's tring to lose 48lbs?

I am honestly very annoyed with myself that I allowed myself to get this way, and I want to go back to my old weight as quickly as possible, however I also want to go back to it as healthy as possible, I don't want to do my body more harm than good.

Many Thanks,

KrysiaCA

bendis2007

That is a pretty aggressive schedule you've worked out. If you haven't been working out and you are starting at 5x/week of HIIT then I'm going to side with the trainer that 1400 calories per day may be too little, not to mention the fact that you'll burn out and/or possibly injure yourself fairly quickly.
I would not recommend eating under your BMR if you're starting a workout program. Your body needs fuel to recover. You don't have to eat back all the exercise calories ( I certainly don't and I'm training for a half marathon so at least once a week I'm running 8 miles but I sure as heck don't eat an extra 6-700 calories afterwards).

I eat about 1700 calories a day, and I've been steadily losing 1-1 1/2 pounds per week for the last month. (I'm 144 pounds). I workout pretty hard 4 days a week, and I have a heart rate monitor so I can determine my intensities as well and better track a calorie burn.
I think you may be better served if you started at a calorie intake slightly above your BMR, especially for the workouts. 1500 calories is what you burn doing nothing all day - and it sounds like you certainly plan on being pretty active. Eating less than that AND working out 5 days a week may end being very difficult and unmanageable. It's important to eat accordingly afterwards so you aren't ravenous - my go to after a workout, measured serving of cottage cheese and some cut up fruit, or half a protein shake. Plus a LOT of water. It comes out to a 200 calorie post-workout snack that's heavy on protein and some carbs so I don't feel drained and ravenous afterwards. And I didn't eat back everything I just worked hard for.

With a new workout program, you may not see weight loss results the first few weeks from water retention and soreness. Don't get discouraged. Listen to your body - if you're feeling very fatigued on workouts, drained, long term delayed muscles soreness - you'll have to make some tweaks to the diet/exercise routine. I workout 4 days a week and eat heavier on those days. But the 3 days I'm not working out I have a fairly hefty caloric deficit to make up for lack of activity.