Lifting to Lose and Caloric Restriction

focusedfrances

It is really hard to figure out caloric restriction while trying to build muscle. I am working hard to build muscle all over and specifically strengthen lower back, pelvis, and legs. Due to a back injury two years ago I suffered muscle atrophy. I have a huge pendulous belly. (apple body type) and cardio is painful. I have successfully lost 25 or so pounds but I am stuck at 180 lbs. 1200 calories is what I have been aiming for but is that really enough?

Fflpnari

1200 is really low. Try upping it. the macros inc page has a good calculator for figuring out calorie and macros goal. How active are you outside of the gym? You could probably eat close to 2k and still lose.

focusedfrances

I am walking just about a mile a day with my dog and I practice yoga 20 - 30 mins daily.

heybales

After losing 25 lbs the deficit amount that got you there may no longer be reasonable for your body.

Deficit should become smaller when there is less fat to lose, or body will become more stressed and may adapt to prevent it from being what it may consider extreme.

And your ability to actually build muscle while losing fat is so small if even possible that it's best to just consider this an attempt to get stronger and keep the muscle you got during fat loss.

Duck_Puddle

Where did you get 1200? How long have you been stuck at 180?

Have you put your stats into mfp with a reasonable weight loss goal (like 1 pound per week)?

Do you add in your workouts and eat at least a portion of those calories back?

You don’t want to be running a giant deficit, but a number of variables contribute to figuring out what number you should be aiming for.

1200 without adding in exercise calories is very likely too low. But if you’re not losing (and it’s been a while) then it’s time to look at some other things as well.

I need to run roughly 40-50 miles a week to lose at 2k calories a day (I weigh a little (but not a lot) less than you).

Plus what @heybales said.