Help - I don't know how much to eat!

lightmouse

I know this is a subject that crops up again and again - I've done so much research that now I'm just confusing myself :mad: I don't know how much to eat!

I am a 5'8 29 year old female that currently weighs 125 pounds. Over the last year I have really wised up when it comes to nutrition and what to eat (I have spent years trying to out train a bad diet and wondering why I had a belly) My stomach is definitely flatter but it is still not what I want it to be. I don't want any jiggle AT ALL. The problem is, I don't want to lose any more weight.

I'm currently doing P90X and I'm in the fourth week. Prior to this I finished T25 and Insanity, and before THAT I was running marathons (and stuffing my face with pasta which was counter productive :noway: ) In addition to P90x I run a couple of times a week, no more than 5k - my distance running days are over - and I cycle 6 miles a day for commuting to work. I am in the emergency services and spend time on my feet when I'm at work. I work shifts which include nights. I also have a one year old labrador to walk, he has at least 40 mins of ball throwing/ walking a day

The nutrition plan for p90x says I should be eating 1,800 calories. I could only manage their 50p/30c/20f fat shredder plan for a week before the exhaustion took over. I moved to the 40p/40c/20f of phase two and feel a lot better. Before starting this I was eating 40p/30c/30f. As I side note - I don't find the cardio portion of the program particularly challenging - I break a sweat and my heart rate is elevated but I don't feel as I would after an Insanity workout or a 5k race :indifferent: When I do the strength DVDs I really do push myself and do less reps with the highest weight I can manage. I can do 50 push ups in a row now, I'm very proud of that :laugh:

My problem is that I don't know how many calories to eat. I am eating about 1800 at the moment. I have had issues with food in the past and I still have that fear of increasing my calories. Every calculator I try is different. I just want to get that last bit of fat of my stomach - I have noticed some really nice changes in my shoulders and arms since starting P90x but only a small amount on my stomach and this is the area I hate the most, and always have.

I suspect my irrational fear of calories is holding me back, as I suspect I should be eating more. There are so many people on here who really know what they are talking about and it's you guys I'm appealing to for advice with this (stupidly long) post. This site has helped me so much - thanks in advance :flowerforyou:

P.S I do not have access to a gym, there are no gyms within a respectable distance of where I live and I do not want to have to drive for 40 mins minimum just to workout

tracydr

Have you tried yoga or Pilates? There are some really good core workout videos for Yoga on You-Tube. I think it's one of the best exercises. Rowing is another good core workout, as is swimming and horse back riding.

lightmouse

There is yoga in P90x. I hate it because I am so inflexible that I can barely manage but I make myself do it because apparently it's important. It is not my exercise regime that I need help with - more my nutrition and the amount I should be eating to get the body I want

lightmouse

anyone?

vismal

It will take trial and error to figure out what you need to eat. No calculator or estimator in the world can account for all the variables. I'd start on the high side, say 1800. Eat that consistently for 2 or 3 weeks. If you don't see any change on the scale, drop by 100 or so. Repeat this process until you see a change. Looking at your pictures, you do not have much fat left to lose. Losing the stubborn fat is among the hardest things to do. It takes a lot of time and consistency. Just keep at it and don't feel rushed.

lightmouse

thank you :-) I'll give that a go. wish I could just suck it out and put it elsewhere!! :sad: