Balancing Nutrition and Fitness

jval93jv

I am trying to slim down for my sister's wedding next year. I' am currently exercising 1 hour, 6 days a week. I'm running 5 days/wk and walking 1 day/wk. I am slowly incorporating strength exercises 1-2 times a week. I have cut back on my calorie intake but i'm getting concerned that I maybe be losing muscle mass rather than fat. Any suggestions on avoiding muscle mass loss but promoting fat loss? Macro ratios? Workout routines? Of note I am vegan (please no judgment/criticism regarding my dietary choice). Thanks, J.

andreaen

If you want to keep your muscle you should do more strength training and less cardio. If you enjoy the running you can keep it, but eat more instead, still doing more strength training

janejellyroll

Are you getting enough protein? It's important for anyone who is seeking to retain muscle mass, but can be especially important for us vegans because sometimes we tend to eat lower protein than other people.

sijomial

The big three things to avoid/minimise muscle loss while losing weight are:

• Moderate calorie deficit / slow rate of loss (hope you are eating back your exercise calories?).
• Strength/resistance training.
• Protein on the high side. (Think grams not ratios would be my advice.)

sijomial

A good read...
http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/819055/setting-your-calorie-and-macro-targets/p1

There's also a load of useful information in the sticky threads pinned to the top of the various forums.

AnnPT77

What makes you think you're losing muscle mass?

The usual recommendations to preserve muscle are a moderate (not crazy high) weight loss rate, strength exercise, and adequate protein.

Around here, many people - including me - think that adequate protein during weight loss is higher than the RDA. I shot for a minimum of 0.6-0.8g of protein daily per pound of healthy goal weight, which is an approximation for 0.8-1g per pound of lean body mass. It's also around twice the RDA.

Nutritional needs for vegans are no different than nutritional needs for omnivores. What differs is the foods you choose in order to get the nutrients.

(BTW, I'm vegetarian and have been for 43+ years. I wouldn't criticize veganism. But I do disagree with some poorly-scientifically-supported vegan advocacy sites that insist humans only need sub-RDA levels of protein.)

jflongo

Personally I would drop cardio down and up weight lifting. Unless you are training for a 10K or higher, you don't need to do that much cardio.

I get on the treadmill for about 10 - 20 minutes, then hop off and do weight lifting for 45 - 90 minutes.

There is a lady in our gym that does cardio for probably 2 hours / day. I feel telling her she is crazy, but if she wants to do it so be it

rybo

jval93jv wrote: »

I am trying to slim down for my sister's wedding next year. I' am currently exercising 1 hour, 6 days a week. I'm running 5 days/wk and walking 1 day/wk. I am slowly incorporating strength exercises 1-2 times a week. I have cut back on my calorie intake but i'm getting concerned that I maybe be losing muscle mass rather than fat. Any suggestions on avoiding muscle mass loss but promoting fat loss? Macro ratios? Workout routines? Of note I am vegan (please no judgment/criticism regarding my dietary choice). Thanks, J.

Strength training, adequate protein & a small to moderate deficit are your 3 keys. Run all you want if you enjoy it and can do those other 3 things. If time, energy and recovery is an issue, prioritize the strength training, using mostly compound lifts full body program 2-3 days a week.