I've been very resitant about lifting...

TR0berts

The answers you're looking for are contained in "The Starting Line" and "The First Cut" chapters/sections of the book. Go back and re-read those. Don't skim!

Of course, your idea of going with 2000 Cals to start off with is probably fine. Just give it a month and adjust, if necessary.

BlueBombers

HEAVY COMPOUND LIFTS!!

MissGamerGirl

You don't have to be insanely controlled with your diet when you're starting out weight training. A beginner will make progress on just about any diet.

A lot of the 'rules' you read and hear about really only apply to intermediate or even advanced lifters, or elite athletes. For 99% of the population, it's often little more than a distraction.

I know, but I like having hard numbers to work with.

Whether I choose 1-3 hrs of light exercise or 3-5 hrs of moderate exercise makes a difference on my calorie calculations. With the 3-5 hr option, maintenance is at 2270 and my calorie goal at 2043.

I'm tempted to just round it off at an even 2000 for a typical day and be done with it. Lifting days will be a couple hundred calories more because of the protein shake.

Ah, understood. Didn't mean to seem dismissive-- I just had a friend who beat himself up trying to hit certain macros when he was starting out and probably didn't need to.

No worries, I understand where you're coming from.

Unknown

This content has been removed.

MissGamerGirl

Unless your aim is to become a bodybuilder, there is no need to run cut and bulk cycles per say. If you want to put on muscle, try with a calorie surplus of 1,750/week (1/2 lb gain/week) and go from there. Aim for 1g of protein per lb of lean body weight to 1g per lb of body weight. Since you're already measuring/weighing/tracking, it's really not any more work. You may simply need to increase your protein intake a bit.

I'm pleased to report that I'm finding this to be MUCH easier than I expected! I believe it was yesterday that I even went over 1g/lb of my bodyweight.