Wt loss achieved but new to fine-tuning exercise....

Blokeypoo

Hi, I'm sorry to start a thread which may seem old news or obvious. I'll try not to waffle but give sufficient info too!

Dieter of 30 years, lost 28lbs, maintaining since Feb.
46, female, 5'2.5 and maintain at 9st7 (133lbs) although up a few pounds post Christmas. I still have a tummy (apple shaped) but am otherwise looking thinner than I'd like overall so am happy to remain at high end of BMI to avoid the shelled tortoise look....

I have been mountain nordic walking twice a year for 16yrs clocking up 35-75 miles/hol depending on severity of ascent/descent and am quite strong despite knee and disc/nerve issues. These issues mean quads are over-used and glutes under-used, my knees limit weight bearing heavy stuff leg-wise. Exercise management as opposed to activity is new to me........although I do know I hate cardio and stuff which doesn't give me feedback like a machine can. I know my old Pilates stuff from back injury works but hate mat work or swiss balls etc so it's walking,mini tramp and weights for now.....

I have a Fitbit. I do at least 8k steps per weekday - at least 2000/day of those on my mini tramp so reasonable intensity and the rest walking, again at a reasonable pace. At weekends I clock more and total about 70-95k steps/wk. I like weights machines and 2-3 x/wk use the gym for 30-40mins just on those. I am a nurse but mainly a desk/clinic job so fairly sedentary but I get up and walk a lot to make up for it.

I'm a research nurse so used to reading research articles etc but am finding the sheer volume of info a little overwhelming when trying to fine-tune! Google is my friend for sure but the brain farts are killing me be it over TDEE BMR, wt training plans or whatever!

So:

1. I have been putting light for activity level. I am unsure what activity level to put as I don't think I do as much "proper exercise" as other people. I've been maintaining on 1500 cals/day with "more" at w/e but not sure if that's okay as don't want to lose muscle now (I am aware of eating sufficient protein). I of course still lose if I eat 1500 all week not just M-F. Is "light" the right activity level when calculating calorie allowance do you think?

2. I'd like to lose my few Christmas pounds without losing muscle but am confused on the advice about lifting too heavy if in wt loss mode etc. Do I continue my current regime (set by chap at gym) or do less/more? Do I lift as heavy as possible or not lift to my limit if I don't want to gain size?

I'd be really grateful for any tips. I know it gets repetitive as I was a "senior" on Biggest Loser site until recently and often found myself repeating tips/advice so I know it's a chore sometimes! I also accept my approach to exercise may not be perfectly balanced so expect criticism but I had to choose something sustainable for me after yrs of failure.

B*gger this is longer than I hoped! Sorry!

Thanks,

Helen.

editorgrrl

Ooh, I'm in for the advice. I'm 45, 5'1 or 2", and approaching my original goal. I got smaller in 2013; I want to get stronger in 2014. (I have a Fitbit, too. And I'm thinking about getting a rebounder aka trampoline.)

Blokeypoo

Ooh we have a lot in common! My mini tramp is invaluable for clocking up some exercise when time is tight or weather is poop!

Fingers crossed someone can make sense of my waffle. It's so easy to lose wt vs maintianing and fine-tuning, this is new territory!

editorgrrl

Losing weight took a whole lot of trial & error. I assume maintenance'll be the same.

Blokeypoo

Yes its a very different mindset after years of feast or famine but worth it - good luck )

Blokeypoo

Hoping perhaps someone can help with the activity level question if poss please. I have tried reading lots of the stickies in MFP and also using Google but not really getting anywhere and it's quite hard to make an assessment of myself as I tend to assume the worst.

Thanks everso.

editorgrrl

Well, I have a desk job, I average 8,000 steps per day according to Fitbit, and I have my activity level set at lightly active. So I'd say you're probably active. Again, it'll take some trial & error. Give it a couple of weeks & see how it goes.

After that, the next variable to fine tune is what percentage of your exercise calories you eat back.

Blokeypoo

Thanks for that, I'm SUCH a Virgo about trying to do the right thing lol - probably how I ended up in research! At risk of waffling further I will add some more info below in case it helps others approaching maintenance.......

I lost my wt with Biggest Loser and only exercised 3x wk at gym then with walks at w/e. I was tired of feast/famine and fads so went for slow loss on 1400 cals/day and weighed everything apart from a rare latte or veg provided servings small - I got away with that!

I started maintaining early 2013 and got Fitbit around then too and swear that is the only reason I have managed to do maintenance for first time in my lfie! I began to aim for 10k steps/day but found it hard with gym too and desk-ish job so dropped to 8k/day plus gym plus more at w/e. Pre-Christmas I was on 1500/day plus more at w/e to give me more freedom when with Hub. In December I decided to do more weights as I was not sticking to gym plan anyway (always going but skipping bits I hated lol) so no idea how this change will affect shape/wt yet.

Now I do wts plus mini tramp/walking/being active generally. I plan to start following MFP plan (it pretty much matches my Fitbit eating plan too so I feel safe to try it) and will (maybe) eat half exercise cals as recommended on here in general. It'll take me a while to get my head around also keeping a bit of a deficit for w/e's but I think I have to eat some extra cals as1500 M-F might be too low in the long term and I am keen to not lose muscle. I still weigh everything and only skip logging on very rare days such as when I have no idea how to quantify something eaten out at a w/e.

I've always liked protein as I have a tendency to sugar slumps (and grumps!) so am now focussing on getting that to 1g/lb of body wt which I have learned here. Other than that I eat what I like but try not to have more than 2 items a day which are norty such as biccies but I do like a mid pm and evening biccie or 2 so if that's what keeps me maintaining then so be it!

I guess I'll have to try as you say and not have a wibble at any wt variations - my nursing specialty is renal dialysis and transplant so I know very well how fluid/electrolyte shifts happen but am only human when it comes to feeling the "fat fear" lol.

Thanks again )

editorgrrl

Rather than cookies, my treat's a square of good dark chocolate. If I need extra cheering up, it's a small hot chocolate w/ extra whip. (Hey, the whip's mostly air, and it's the only time I drink milk, so it's practically healthy!) Moderation, not deprivation.

I hear no warning bells reading any of the above. But it'd sure be nice to hear some outside opinions.