Time to Tone

JoYoMamaYo

What should I set my macros at?

Currently: 5’5”, 138#, 51, female- mushy, lethargic, depressed

Felt and looked best at 129# in July 2021

I want to be able to eat good food 11:30 a.m.-7:30 p.m. that doesn’t sabatoge my exercise efforts in the quest to look and feel better.

Got advice on macro goals and/or caloric intake?

Plan to walk 30 minutes, do free weights, yoga, and pilates combo for another 30 minutes 6x week. Is that a good plan? I need to build muscle/tone up and energize. I don’t even recognize this body I am in.

AnnPT77

As context, truth in advertising: I'm 5'5", 132 pounds this morning, age 67, somewhere in mid-20s (25-ish) percent body fat (so more muscular than most women my age).

I'd prefer to be at more like 125 pounds, and will be again. (I've been up and down leading up to current year 7+ of maintenance, all in the same jeans size.) But 8.5 years ago I was class 1 obese (and had been near that for around 30 previous years) so I'm not complaining.

I eat at any hour, don't care. If scheduling your eating more narrowly helps you, that's great, do it.

This describes in more detail how I remodeled my eating to lose weight and improve nutrition, and it's still pretty much how I maintain (there are some suggested rules of thumb about macros in there):

https://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10636388/free-customized-personal-weight-loss-eating-plan-not-spam-or-mlm/p1

That's my best suggestion, though it won't be universally perfect, because we're all individuals with different preferences, strengths, challenges, lifestyles, etc.

On the exercise front, I recommend finding a routine that's just a manageable bit of challenge to current capabilities. Ideally, it will include some strength challenge, and some cardiovascular challenge. No need to start both at once, though - keeping it manageable is more important IMO. If you possibly can, find things that are fun, or at least tolerable and practical.

"Manageable challenge" means an overall schedule that generally leaves you feeling energized for the rest of your day (after maybe a few minutes of "whew" right after the workout). Something that is cumulatively so intense that you drag through the rest of the day is counterproductive for fitness, toning, or weight loss (and unpleasant; who needs unpleasant?).

As you get fitter, increase duration, intensity, frequency, or change/add type(s) of exercise to keep the manageable challenge always in the picture. The challenge is what keeps fitness improving.

"Toning" is just reaching a certain level of muscularity that you like, at a body fat level that shows off that muscularity in the way you find most pleasing. If you work on increasing strength/muscle, and managing your body weight alongside, you'll eventually find your happy point.

I wouldn't urge my exercise routine on anyone else, because preferences are individual, but for context/honesty:

In summer, I usually row 4 days a week, bike a couple of other days on the paved trails (hybrid bike) or walk at a reasonably brisk pace. The bike/walk stuff varies; the rowing doesn't, much. (I row those skinny boats like in the Olympics, only mine is much slower. )

In Winter, after a period of weather-related denial/doldrums, I switch to something like 6 days alternating 30-40 minutes of machine rowing and stationary biking. Around New Years, I usually add some type of strength training, ideally until on-water rowing starts up again (sometime around April-May, depending on weather here). If I strength train during rowing season, I don't recover properly: That might be an age thing, dunno.

I've been quite active for over 20 years, starting when obese. When I first started working out regularly, right after cancer treatment and near to the "mushy, lethargic" range you mention, it was less exercise overall, and I increased gradually. IMO, that was a good way to go.

Best wishes, you can get there: Patience and persistence are your best allies. The results will be worth it.

P.S. I'm not a personal trainer, or any kind of expert. This is just ideas based on my personal experience.