Knowing when it's time to eat more!
nay0m3
Posts: 178 Member
I am a 43 year old female, been lifting for ~2 years 4-5 days per week and 1-2 days of cardio plus evening more casual walks 2-3 miles with dog...Been eating about 1700 calories and even 1600 calories. I think I need to eat more but I am SCARED! I have lost about 30 pounds over the past 2 years and am mostly happy but need to lose some more fat to reveal the muscles I have worked SO hard to build. My upper body is pretty close to shredded but my lower body needs some love. Do I need to eat more? Do more cardio and back off weights a bit? Some of both? Was measured by InBody as have 15% body fat but there is NO way that is possible. Unless it just measured my upper body! 
I am guessing around 18-20 but haven't done a Dexascan.
I am guessing around 18-20 but haven't done a Dexascan. 0
Replies
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You can see my arms in this photo.
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Lower half tho?
Also can you post your most recent programming?0 -
That's a few months ago so I have DEF improved! I will try to take a photo again soon.
I am doing
Bench Press
Incline Bench Press
Lat Pulls
Rows
Sumo DL
Close Stance Squat Smith machine
Hack squat
leg press
Bulgarian Split Squats
Military Press
Hex Deads
Face pulls
Variety of core
Variety of Bis and Tris
Do you need more info?0 -
This is the only pic i have--sorry it's a bit racy...my man is in the military and I sent this to him when he sent me the outfit
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That's a few months ago so I have DEF improved! I will try to take a photo again soon.
I am doing
Bench Press
Incline Bench Press
Lat Pulls
Rows
Sumo DL
Close Stance Squat Smith machine
Hack squat
leg press
Bulgarian Split Squats
Military Press
Hex Deads
Face pulls
Variety of core
Variety of Bis and Tris
Do you need more info?
Ty. Yes can you post your template in something like this format or use %? It would be very useful info
Example
Day 1
Hack squat - 4 sets of 6 reps @ RPE7
Military press- 5 sets of 8 reps RPE 8
Core work 5 min
Day 2
SUMO DL- 2 sets of 5 reps @ RPE 7
Lat pulls- 4 sets of 10 @ RPE 8
Leg press - 3 sets of 12 RPE 6, 7, 8
Day 3
Assault bike cardio 30 min @ RPE 70 -
I don't have my book with me but I can later! Thank you so much!0
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👌 No rush. If you would a side pic unflexed in shorts and tighter T shirt or sport bra. Something that will help me determine your body composition a little better.0
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That’s the racy pic but accurate of my body currently0
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First off, you look fantastic and you look to be at a very healthy Bf % whatever it measures.
“Been eating about 1700 calories and even 1600 calories. I think I need to eat more but I am SCARED! I have lost about 30 pounds over the past 2 years and am mostly happy but need to lose some more fat to reveal the muscles I have worked SO hard to build.” - ok so 15 pounds a year weight loss is a great rate of loss because you will not lose muscle mass while you are slow and steady.
“My upper body is pretty close to shredded but my lower body needs some love. Do I need to eat more? Do more cardio and back off weights a bit? Some of both?” - Unfortunately genetics and fat cell distribution will determine where your body will favour to store fat and where it will burn from first and more lower body exercises won’t burn more lower body fat from the lower body (although calories burned is calories burned), only a calorie deficit will burn fat.
Should you eat more? Hell no, you are losing weight and gaining muscle ( which raises your basal metabolic rate) and have the energy to do it all, if anything you could lower your total calories ( but keep your protein at 1gram per pound of body weight)… either drop some cals or do more steady state cardio (which would be my preferred option).
“Was measured by InBody as have 15% body fat but there is NO way that is possible. Unless it just measured my upper body! I am guessing around 18-20 but haven't done a Dexascan” - I have only heard that dexascan are pretty inaccurate.
I don’t know your training routine or your diet so this is just a guess but going by the above I would keep lifting, don't raise your calories (maybe adjust your macros if protein is low), lift harder and heavier ( without your knowing your training routine this just a guess) and increase Cardio.
If you are looking to get totally shredded, I really don’t think you are that far out…. Do you want to do a competition? Or is it just for your own reward?1 -
@batman4121 Thank you so much for your help as well!
No I am not competing-this is strictly for me.
Helpful to know you don’t think I need to eat more.
I think extra cardio is going to help and maybe lifting heavier but I feel like I have good lifting and go hard-will post those a little later this am when I’m able.
Maybe not totally shredded-just want to see more improvement in my legs,hips, booty. I know it’s genetic but it’s gotta shift at some point right? No?1 -
@Chieflrg Here is my workout:
Day 1:
Flat Bench (alternate DB and BB) x4 RPE 5, 7, 8, 8
Lat Pull x4 RPE 5, 7, 8, 8
Hack Squat x4 RPE 5, 7, 8, 8
Shoulder Press x4 RPE 5, 7, 8, 8
Bis/Tris
Day 2:
Hex DL x4 RPE 5, 7, 8, 8
Front Raises x4 8,8,8,8
Lateral Raises x4 8,8,8,8
Close grip Lats x4 RPE 5, 7, 8, 8
Lunges (usually stepback) x4 8,8,8,8
Day 3:
Incline Bench (alternate DB and BB) x4 RPE 5, 7, 8, 8
Incline Row (alternate DB and BB) x4 RPE 5, 7, 8, 8
Double Sled Press x4 RPE 5, 7, 8, 8
Sumo DL Smith Machine x4 8,8,8,8
Dips (Assisted) AMRAP
Day 4:
Close Grip Bench (alternate DB and BB) x4 RPE 5, 7, 8, 8
Bent Over Row (DB strictly) x4 RPE 8,8,8,8
Straight Bar Press cable x4 RPE 8,8,8,8
Leg Curls x4 8,8,8,8
Abductor x4 8,8,8,8
Maybe bis and tris if time
1 day of cardio inserted depending on schedule 45 minutes of various cardio
1 day of hiking on weekend
Daily 2-3 mile walks low key
Thoughts?? We just switched to total body a few weeks ago. I am happy doing it!1 -
Awesome. The only thing missing is the rep ranges . I'm trying to dissect the load of stress you are dosing your body.
From the pics I can see your critique of upper vs.lower a bit more clearly which is not out of line for you as a individual.
1. Do I eat more?
If you feel you need to eat more, that can be a reasonable thing to consider for recovery purposes. Keep in mind that won't elicit the desired "shredded look" at this time. It might be a short term thing of consuming maintenance calories or slightly higher & see how this developmental training block goes since its a more novel train style. Then revisit lower calories after a block or so is finished and analyze a good short term plan leading to your long term goal.
2. Do more cardio/ back of weights?
I default on staying pat for physically demanding cardio. I don't see a huge issue with more LISS type cardio such as dog walks. I would keep the load increases less than 10% weekly to keep load managrment in check. Keep in mind this is just my default, you have more clear data to pull your decision from.
Back of weights? Hard to say without knowing how sensitive you respond to the current stimulus dosed. If I was coaching/training you, I would need more details especially on your training history as a whole to confidently answer the best course plan. Generally speaking in a goal to lower body fat, I like to keep the volume up in relation to adequate recovery. This might mean dropping the average intensity in many lifters.
3. Some of both?
I think the best course of action is to make small changes and see how you respond. This may help pinpoint more reasonable decisions. Patience 😊.
GL & feel free to keep us posted!1 -
@Chieflrg OMG right--reps would help!
Anything with RPE of 5, 7, 8, 8 is 12-15, 10-12, 4-6
Anything with RPE of all 8 is 12-15
Patience...TOTALLY I have come SO far and I know I am still improving...I think I might just have to accept that my lower body is just going to trail my upper and may never look the way I hope for or if it does, it may take years. I am ok with that. This is my lifestyle now--not a destination! My daily journey which I am SO grateful for!
I just wasn't sure if I should be trying a bulk to increase muscles and then a cut to reveal them. I am not sure that is the path for me so I am ok with eating around maintenance (and even a slight deficit) to continue to lose fat and build muscle. Just wasn't sure if I had exhausted that method and need to switch to the bulk/cut route.
I will keep you posted for sure!! Thank you for the help to you and everyone else!0 -
Any estimates on my body fat percentage? Not that it really matters...more curious. You can see how right until after my waist, I’m fairly trim but then you get to my hips and boom-I’m all there 😊 @Chieflrg @batman41210
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Don’t fall into the trap of bulking and cutting, it’s false economy…. Zero point getting “fat” to eek out a small muscle gain that you will no doubt lose when cutting hard.
MainGain is the way to go. You do not need to be in a caloric surplus to build muscle.
Keep your protein at the rate for your weight maybe supplement with creatine and work hard.
There are so many ways to train and it looks like you are doing full body every training day which feels great but maybe consider a different split.
Try doing upper body (push and pull) one day then legs on another day , then deadlifts on there own, train arms on leg days, see how you go with shoulders, I used to train them when training my back but found I got better gains doing them on a separate day - go hard on all your working sets. Cycle between BB and DB workouts every 6 weeks (just so that you can track gains).. by cutting down on the volume of exercises per workout you could increase the time in the treadmill (or machine of choice).
As for a guess at you bf % I really couldn’t say but you have great shape that’s really popular just now (slim with hips)… keep getting at, try a different split, don’t raise your calories and you will get where you want to be 😃2 -
Just noticed that you have recently switched to full body… give it sometime and see how it works for you.1
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For those that disagree-what advice or thoughts do you have? I can’t see who disagreed0
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Yeah, it can be annoying when people silently disagree.
I suspect it is the promotion of the Maingain concept, which is a rebranding of body recomposition by Greg Doucette, who gained his physique with steroids and bulk and cut cycles. This makes his advice a little disingenuous.
Still, there’s a decent case for recomp over bulk and cut cycles, especially for women. Here’s Bret Contreras (author of strong curves) on the subject with a pretty balanced view. I don’t think Contreras is unanimously popular on these boards, but the strong curves program seems very popular.
https://bretcontreras.com/to-bulk-and-cut-or-not/4 -
For those that disagree-what advice or thoughts do you have? I can’t see who disagreed
"One true way: My way" posts tend to get a poor reception, so it may be that.
Some people have found bulk and cut beneficial, others prefer to pursue recomposition (whether rebranded by some YT influencer or not, it's still eating around maintenance +/-, getting good nutrition, running a good strength program . . . used to be known in the olden days as "getting in shape" 😆).7 -
@AnnPT77 and @davew0000 i really appreciate you both weighing in!
I’m not sure I have it in me to bulk and cut! Unless someone tells me I need to try just to see then I think I’m going to try slow and steady! 🙂
I’d love to hear other thoughts/opinions!1 -
The argument against GD can be applied to a lot of established influencers.. look at the vegan gainers for example.. years of animal protein and chemical enhancement then they promote plant based gains.!
Personally, I feel fitness is a journey of discovery of what works for you personally but regardless of your own bias the laws of nature apply.
We all know now that you need X amount of protein.
We all know you need X amount of reps for a certain outcome.
We all know calories above maintenance equal body fat.
Doesn’t matter how you reach your conclusions as long as you get there and see the bigger picture.1 -
For those that disagree-what advice or thoughts do you have? I can’t see who disagreed
"One true way: My way" posts tend to get a poor reception, so it may be that.
Some people have found bulk and cut beneficial, others prefer to pursue recomposition (whether rebranded by some YT influencer or not, it's still eating around maintenance +/-, getting good nutrition, running a good strength program . . . used to be known in the olden days as "getting in shape" 😆).
QFT. Bret Contreras advocates "main-gaining" (or "gain-taining"?); Mike Israetel advocates bulk/cut cycles. I personally lean more toward the Renaissance Periodization approach since I've had what I consider to be pretty decent success with it. But I know that different people like (and dislike) different things & respond differently, so while I most assuredly have my own preferences and opinions, I'm certainly not going to tell someone else that MY way is THE way.2 -
Imo the advice given is good. If you want a shredded look, cutting a few calories is the answer. Maintain protein at 1 gram per pound and cut some carbs and fat. Your workout program looks excellent you just need more time. GL!0
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@coryhart4389 @JBanx256 @AnnPT77 @batman4121 thank you all so much for your most recent info! I have to say...I have made progress on the total body workouts so far! I increased my bench FINALLY and reached 95 pounds which I know isn't super monumental but for me, it was a target of mine for months.3
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So crazy someone flagged my picture when I am essentially wearing what is a bikini! OY!3
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Thank you all so much for your most recent info! I have to say...I have made progress on the total body workouts so far! I increased my bench FINALLY and reached 95 pounds which I know isn't super monumental but for me, it was a target of mine for months.
There is an incredible bench presser called Jennifer Thompson - really worth watching her Bench Press 101 tutorial on YouTube.
After 30+ years of doing the lift I added a significant weight to the bar just from changing my technique after watching it.2 -
@sijomial FANTASTIC !!! I can't wait to watch later! Thank you for sharing! Curious if you have any other thoughts on how to progress in general? Thanks~~
OK random rambling from someone who has been lifting on and off a bit longer than you have been alive.....
You have made fantastic progress in just ~2 years but that rate will slow, be prepared and not disappointed. On the flip side as you are already pretty lean just small changes in BF% will really make a big visual difference in terms of muscle definition.
Be ambitious but don't fall into the trap of being over critical of what "faults" you perceive. The person who flagged your picture is probably jealous!
Give your program a good and consistent go but be aware that people respond differently to different training stimulus and you may need to experiment in the future to find your best routine. That might be a different split or different rep ranges or volume.....
Enjoy the results of your hard work but also enjoy the process, that's what's kept me keep coming back to lifting decade after decade.
Cardio is for cardiovascular fitness and health, not for fat burning. Do more if you want to get fitter not because you think it will drive body composition changes. As someone currently averaging 10 hours/week of cardio I can tell you it doesn't to any great degree!4 -
We are roughly the same age. I’m 42 and have been a chronic dieter since I was 12-13. You may benefit from a reverse diet. Add calories slowly and look at weekly averages for your weight. My calories were always super low, and I was able to reverse up from low 1200’s at the end of my cut.
I use InBody at my gym on a regular basis. Last fall I got down to 15% (according to InBody) but it was not maintainable for me. I had major insomnia & no cycle. Posting Pic for reference.
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