Ready to listen..please critique & help

allanakern

I used to be a member of MFP and deleted my account a few months ago. I felt being a member and reading forums made me obsess over the scale and my day would be ruined if the scale went up even a pound. Here's my story...

I started exercising May of 2013 after I went to the doctor and I weighed in at 139 which was the most I have ever weighed. I am 5'5", female. I decided to get myself into shape, first by just trying to make healthier eating decisions and by doing the elliptical for a half hour a day. I lost about 12 lbs (give or take). I started to get obsessive with the scale and how many calories I was taking in and would try to restrict to 800-900 a day (often times I didn't succeed but still ate low calories). Stupid, I know.

Then I decided to start weight lifting, as heavy as I can. Been lifting now for 8 months. My weight went up a few pounds, I'm now sitting about 128.5 and noticeably a lot more muscle definition.

I still want to lose remaining fat, but I am so incredibly confused at what my calorie intake/carb intake should be. I am losing my motivation to eat right due to confusion. Trying to eat lots of protein and veggies, but I'm so sick of constantly thinking about what I'm eating and feeling guilty if I bomb a meal. I know lifting heavy 5-6x per week (plus I do cardio right after weights to try to maximize fat loss) I can eat more calories but I'm scared of eating too many, and scared of not eating enough.

My goal is to get very lean, strong and healthy. Please help me determine how many calories I should be eating, etc.

Thank you

Squamation

I still want to lose remaining fat

I'm so sick of constantly thinking about what I'm eating and feeling guilty if I bomb a meal.

Need more info to offer any advice:

How are you currently keeping track of your fat? Measurements? BF% read out on the scale? Bod Pod? Calipers? Pictures?

What are your specific goals for body fat?

What are your current calories and MACRO's set at?

How are you "bomb"ing meals? Eating too much fat? Processed foods?? What are you considering a failure?

MityMax96

Quick run of your numbers you have provided, and assuming 6 days of exercise...
Your TDEE is ~2000 calories

I would prolly do about 1600 calories per day.
Since you are weight lifting and in deficit, I would do protein at 1.0 g / pound of body weight
Fat at 0.4 g / pound of body weight

So fat == 51 g / day
Protein == 128 g / day
Carbs == ~154 g / day (you can move these up or down depending on calorie needs)

Good luck

allanakern

Keeping track of body fat by read out at scale. It reads 22%.

Calories is what I am extremely confused on, I try to shoot for 1500 but then I read that if I'm lifting as heavy and often as I am that I can go higher so I am not doing good tracking my calories because I don't know where to start.

I consider bombing a meal like having high calories, especially when they include sugar/carbs. Like this morning for the first time in a while I had 3 bowls of Blueberry Cinnamon Toast Crunch... usually I have eggs and veggies with salsa but some days I get so tired of not knowing what to do that I bomb it early on in the day..

MityMax96

and regarding weight training...
Make sure you have the basic compound exercises built into your routine....
And since you are trying to lose BF, I encourage Full Body routines....studies tend to point to those being very effective when the goal is to burn BF.


But the basic compounds are:
bench press
squats
dead lifts
Over head shoulder press
dips
chins/pull ups

allanakern

my routine includes (in no particular order)

-squats (keep increasing my weight!)
-dead lifts
-kettle ball swings
-bench
-leg curls
-tri extensions
- a few shoulder lifts (don't know technical name)
- leg extension

MityMax96

Keeping track of body fat by read out at scale. It reads 22%.

Calories is what I am extremely confused on, I try to shoot for 1500 but then I read that if I'm lifting as heavy and often as I am that I can go higher so I am not doing good tracking my calories because I don't know where to start.

I consider bombing a meal like having high calories, especially when they include sugar/carbs. Like this morning for the first time in a while I had 3 bowls of Blueberry Cinnamon Toast Crunch... usually I have eggs and veggies with salsa but some days I get so tired of not knowing what to do that I bomb it early on in the day..

But since you are trying to lose weight, you want to be in a caloric deficit....

So for now, do about 4 weeks at ~1600 cal.
Track everything you eat....hit those macros as I stated and over all calories.

At the end of 4 weeks.
Look over your measurements, how you feel, your weight, etc....
See if you need to tweak a bit....
You may need to up some calories...maybe bump to 1700 calories by adding in more carbs.

MityMax96

my routine includes (in no particular order)

-squats (keep increasing my weight!)
-dead lifts
-kettle ball swings
-bench
-leg curls
-tri extensions
- a few shoulder lifts (don't know technical name)
- leg extension

Looks good....
Is that all in one day?
How many sets/reps each exercise?

allanakern

Also I have a desk job so most of my day is sedentary but I go lift/cardio on lunch and many days after work, I rarely go a day without some form of exercise.

allanakern

my routine includes (in no particular order)

-squats (keep increasing my weight!)
-dead lifts
-kettle ball swings
-bench
-leg curls
-tri extensions
- a few shoulder lifts (don't know technical name)
- leg extension

Looks good....
Is that all in one day?
How many sets/reps each exercise?

nope, not all in one day. I break it up legs, shoulders, arms

3 sets of 10-12 reps typically for all of those exercise, sometimes 4 sets when I have the extra time

MityMax96

Also I have a desk job so most of my day is sedentary but I go lift/cardio on lunch and many days after work, I rarely go a day without some form of exercise.

So do I.

and your point is? :laugh: :laugh: :laugh:

You calling me a fat lazy @$$ :laugh: :laugh: :laugh:

allanakern

haha! I don't know if it affects the 1600 calories you suggested for me?!

MityMax96

my routine includes (in no particular order)

-squats (keep increasing my weight!)
-dead lifts
-kettle ball swings
-bench
-leg curls
-tri extensions
- a few shoulder lifts (don't know technical name)
- leg extension

Looks good....
Is that all in one day?
How many sets/reps each exercise?

nope, not all in one day. I break it up legs, shoulders, arms

3 sets of 10-12 reps typically for all of those exercise, sometimes 4 sets when I have the extra time

Ok, my suggestion is this....and feel free to ignore.

Every other day, you do full body routine
So Mon/Wed/Fri/Sun
Do squats every workout (since you seem to be excelling here)
then move to chest, then back
next workout,
squats
back
shoulders

I am pulling off of the StrongLifts 5x5 with this, but since you have your own exercises you are doing, build your routine around them.
Drop the reps to ~5 reps.....go up in weight if you can....and try increasing weight every time you workout....progressive overload.
Sets ~5 as well....per muscle group. Dead Lifts I might would keep at 3 sets though....your call here.

And remember, this takes time.....patience my dear

MityMax96

haha! I don't know if it affects the 1600 calories you suggested for me?!

That is why we track things and take an objective look at the end of 4 weeks.

See where I am going??

nxd10

Scales can't accurately measure body fat.

When I started sitting on a Pilates ball at work (interspersed with standing desk), I lost 4" off my waist and improved my posture immeasurably. Stronger legs, thinner hips and bottom too. I have no idea what my body fat is, but that is what I was looking for.

Perhaps add that to your serious lifting.

TavistockToad

haha! I don't know if it affects the 1600 calories you suggested for me?!

just as a comparison, i am 5ft5 and 133lbs and i eat NET 1700 cals to lose bodyfat, and i probably do less exercise than you... and i do a desk job...

allanakern

haha! I don't know if it affects the 1600 calories you suggested for me?!

just as a comparison, i am 5ft5 and 133lbs and i eat NET 1700 cals to lose bodyfat, and i probably do less exercise than you... and i do a desk job...

And you look really lean, ha I love eating, I'd love to eat more without having to worry about gaining any fat!

allanakern

Scales can't accurately measure body fat.

When I started sitting on a Pilates ball at work (interspersed with standing desk), I lost 4" off my waist and improved my posture immeasurably. Stronger legs, thinner hips and bottom too. I have no idea what my body fat is, but that is what I was looking for.

Perhaps add that to your serious lifting.

suggested method? calipers?

TavistockToad

haha! I don't know if it affects the 1600 calories you suggested for me?!

just as a comparison, i am 5ft5 and 133lbs and i eat NET 1700 cals to lose bodyfat, and i probably do less exercise than you... and i do a desk job...

And you look really lean, ha I love eating, I'd love to eat more without having to worry about gaining any fat!

thank you. i like my food too. the thing is when you're doing mainly strength training is that you'll get a lot of fluctuations if you just rely on the scales... i go for progress pictrues myself, or measuring.

whatever you're eating now, add 100 cals a week till you get to 1600-1800, and then re-assess. losing the last bit of bodyfat is sloooooooooooooow though so you have to be patient.

MityMax96

I personally wouldn't worry about BF % and measuring it.

I would go by how you look and feel....

But hey to each their own

allanakern

haha! I don't know if it affects the 1600 calories you suggested for me?!

just as a comparison, i am 5ft5 and 133lbs and i eat NET 1700 cals to lose bodyfat, and i probably do less exercise than you... and i do a desk job...

And you look really lean, ha I love eating, I'd love to eat more without having to worry about gaining any fat!

thank you. i like my food too. the thing is when you're doing mainly strength training is that you'll get a lot of fluctuations if you just rely on the scales... i go for progress pictrues myself, or measuring.

whatever you're eating now, add 100 cals a week till you get to 1600-1800, and then re-assess. losing the last bit of bodyfat is sloooooooooooooow though so you have to be patient.

yeah, right now I'm kind of jumping around calories. Yesterday I ate 1600.. earlier this week I ate 1300 a couple days.. this morning I didn't even track because I was getting so frustrated but I know I had a lot =/. I just have to pick a number and stick with it and based on all your suggestions 1600 to start sounds like a good starting point