Going to start lifting heavy. Diet & expectation tips needed

NotJustADieter

I'm 5'2. Starting weight was 176 in April, current weight is 148. Still overweight but not as overweight. Lots of clean eating, moderate exercise (walking is my big one as I have asthma from hell and most cardio is out) and calorie counting. Sort of being aware of what I eat, my attitudes towards food, etc.

So, I'm returning to college in a week. And I have a buddy who trains at the gym, who has agreed to train me in exchange for me cleaning his room (which is a win-win). He's a very good trainer, helped a close friend of ours go from skinny gangly 18 year old kid to lean muscle machine, and is very well educated in what he does. I'll be squatting, which I've never done with a bar (only free weights) and also attempting deadlifts (which scares me).

I know that continuing to eat clean and sticking to my macros (currently 45% protein, 35% fat and 20% carb) and eating at or slightly above my BMR will help me gain muscle and lose fat. Hopefully intending to recomp and stay around the same weight once I hit about 130. If I wasn't building muscle, my goal would be 120. What should I expect when doing this? Physically, mentally, etc. Should I up my calories once I enter recomp? Tips from anyone who has been there? I don't want to hurt my body nutritionally- it's taken me a long time to get here and I want to be HEALTHY most of all.

Julieboolieaz

I'm pretty new to mfp, but not to weight loss.

You've done great already and your plan sounds good. I'm not sure where your daily calories are, and there are a lot of opinions out there on that. Take some time and peruse the threads. There are some excellent ones-see the sticky about the woman in the weight room . Your daily calorie goal and macros are very personal and we are all different. But lifting heavy weights is a wonderful plan! I've recently gotten into it and love it, and how I look and feel.

I'm still looking to lose some fat while building strength/muscle, and have been following a 25% calorie deficit every day. I am actually toying with lowering it just a bit as I'm not losing anything right now. But, the biggest thing I'm learning is patience! I want to shed fat and be ripped in a few weeks please :happy: . But that's not gonna happen. Slow and steady wins the race. I'm building strength, maintaining my muscle mass, and shedding fat. That's what recomp is. Getting the scale to go down quickly isn't part of the equation for me right now. But, it will go, just slower and all good stuff being lost .

Just my $0.02. Other more seasoned MFP pros will share I'm sure.

NotJustADieter

Right now, I'm eating at or above my 178lb-self's BMR, which is about 1530. The issue is that if you take my current TDEE and subtract 20%, because I'm such a small person, you'll end up below my BMR.

rogerOb1

Lifting heavy can be taxing physically and mentally. Id recommend you consider a multivitamin and fish oil supplement. If your nutrition is currently working for you, then fine. Just make sure you have energy before you train (depending on you, that may mean eating a little more on lifting days or it might just mean a pre-workout cup of coffee) and get good rest in afterwards.

levitateme

I'm 5'2. Starting weight was 176 in April, current weight is 148. Still overweight but not as overweight. Lots of clean eating, moderate exercise (walking is my big one as I have asthma from hell and most cardio is out) and calorie counting. Sort of being aware of what I eat, my attitudes towards food, etc.

So, I'm returning to college in a week. And I have a buddy who trains at the gym, who has agreed to train me in exchange for me cleaning his room (which is a win-win). He's a very good trainer, helped a close friend of ours go from skinny gangly 18 year old kid to lean muscle machine, and is very well educated in what he does. I'll be squatting, which I've never done with a bar (only free weights) and also attempting deadlifts (which scares me).

I know that continuing to eat clean and sticking to my macros (currently 45% protein, 35% fat and 20% carb) and eating at or slightly above my BMR will help me gain muscle and lose fat. Hopefully intending to recomp and stay around the same weight once I hit about 130. If I wasn't building muscle, my goal would be 120. What should I expect when doing this? Physically, mentally, etc. Should I up my calories once I enter recomp? Tips from anyone who has been there? I don't want to hurt my body nutritionally- it's taken me a long time to get here and I want to be HEALTHY most of all.

You're correct that meeting your macros is very important while weight training, but eating "clean" is not required to do that. You are incorrect in thinking that eating slightly above your BMR will allow you to gain muscle. My BMR is ~1500 calories. Scooby's has me at 2600 daily to gain muscle and lose fat, I have been eating slightly above this for some months now and have increased my lean body mass by 5 lbs since March.

Please learn proper form for all the exercises you plan to do. Watch youtube videos, have your friend show you/critique you. I know you're working with someone, but I recommend starting with a beginner program like Stronglifts or something similar to build your base strength.

What to expect: You will probably be a lot hungrier. You should probably eat way more carbs (i eat 50% carb, 30% fat, 20% protein for reference). You will probably be very sore at first, like "can't walk down the stairs" sore, but if you train consistently that will fade and it will become more mild/manageable. Start with bare bar (olympic bar weighs 45 lbs), though if you can't over head press 45 lbs to start out, don't feel bad.

Good luck.

willrun4bagels

Adequate protein, plenty of rest, "respect the weights" - i.e., don't jeopardize form or risk injury just to lift heavier weights than you should be. Patience is key. Some progress is better than no progress (I still have to keep telling myself this). Be prepared to be super hungry all the time. Don't step on the scale for the first couple of weeks. Take progress photos instead. Enjoy it!

NotJustADieter

Lifting heavy can be taxing physically and mentally. Id recommend you consider a multivitamin and fish oil supplement. If your nutrition is currently working for you, then fine. Just make sure you have energy before you train (depending on you, that may mean eating a little more on lifting days or it might just mean a pre-workout cup of coffee) and get good rest in afterwards.

Already on the multivitamin and fish oil, plus a B12 because I run a deficit even with the multi. Considering eating back my lifting calories and calling it a day. Would that work?

I also have my (super low impact) yoga class right after I intend to lift- stretching after lifting is supposed to help with gains and to minimize injury. So hopefully it will do so for me. But after yoga class, I have the whole day off- it's my only class on Wednesday and Friday!

NotJustADieter

I'm 5'2. Starting weight was 176 in April, current weight is 148. Still overweight but not as overweight. Lots of clean eating, moderate exercise (walking is my big one as I have asthma from hell and most cardio is out) and calorie counting. Sort of being aware of what I eat, my attitudes towards food, etc.

So, I'm returning to college in a week. And I have a buddy who trains at the gym, who has agreed to train me in exchange for me cleaning his room (which is a win-win). He's a very good trainer, helped a close friend of ours go from skinny gangly 18 year old kid to lean muscle machine, and is very well educated in what he does. I'll be squatting, which I've never done with a bar (only free weights) and also attempting deadlifts (which scares me).

I know that continuing to eat clean and sticking to my macros (currently 45% protein, 35% fat and 20% carb) and eating at or slightly above my BMR will help me gain muscle and lose fat. Hopefully intending to recomp and stay around the same weight once I hit about 130. If I wasn't building muscle, my goal would be 120. What should I expect when doing this? Physically, mentally, etc. Should I up my calories once I enter recomp? Tips from anyone who has been there? I don't want to hurt my body nutritionally- it's taken me a long time to get here and I want to be HEALTHY most of all.

You're correct that meeting your macros is very important while weight training, but eating "clean" is not required to do that. You are incorrect in thinking that eating slightly above your BMR will allow you to gain muscle. My BMR is ~1500 calories. Scooby's has me at 2600 daily to gain muscle and lose fat, I have been eating slightly above this for some months now and have increased my lean body mass by 5 lbs since March.

Please learn proper form for all the exercises you plan to do. Watch youtube videos, have your friend show you/critique you. I know you're working with someone, but I recommend starting with a beginner program like Stronglifts or something similar to build your base strength.

What to expect: You will probably be a lot hungrier. You should probably eat way more carbs (i eat 50% carb, 30% fat, 20% protein for reference). You will probably be very sore at first, like "can't walk down the stairs" sore, but if you train consistently that will fade and it will become more mild/manageable. Start with bare bar (olympic bar weighs 45 lbs), though if you can't over head press 45 lbs to start out, don't feel bad.

Good luck.

Eating clean also helps out my IBS, though, so I think I'll stick to it. Processed stuff makes me break out and kills my colon. Should I just eat back the calories burned lifting, then?

I absolutely intend to stick to proper form- the last thing I want is to injure myself. It's part of why I'm working with a certified trainer. I have some basic strength, and can overhead press the bar, but I'm really excited to gain more strength.

Will post-workout stretching help with the soreness? I have my (super low intensity) yoga class right after my lifting time and I was hoping it would help with soreness, help me avoid injury and also maximize my gains.

levitateme

I'm 5'2. Starting weight was 176 in April, current weight is 148. Still overweight but not as overweight. Lots of clean eating, moderate exercise (walking is my big one as I have asthma from hell and most cardio is out) and calorie counting. Sort of being aware of what I eat, my attitudes towards food, etc.

So, I'm returning to college in a week. And I have a buddy who trains at the gym, who has agreed to train me in exchange for me cleaning his room (which is a win-win). He's a very good trainer, helped a close friend of ours go from skinny gangly 18 year old kid to lean muscle machine, and is very well educated in what he does. I'll be squatting, which I've never done with a bar (only free weights) and also attempting deadlifts (which scares me).

I know that continuing to eat clean and sticking to my macros (currently 45% protein, 35% fat and 20% carb) and eating at or slightly above my BMR will help me gain muscle and lose fat. Hopefully intending to recomp and stay around the same weight once I hit about 130. If I wasn't building muscle, my goal would be 120. What should I expect when doing this? Physically, mentally, etc. Should I up my calories once I enter recomp? Tips from anyone who has been there? I don't want to hurt my body nutritionally- it's taken me a long time to get here and I want to be HEALTHY most of all.

You're correct that meeting your macros is very important while weight training, but eating "clean" is not required to do that. You are incorrect in thinking that eating slightly above your BMR will allow you to gain muscle. My BMR is ~1500 calories. Scooby's has me at 2600 daily to gain muscle and lose fat, I have been eating slightly above this for some months now and have increased my lean body mass by 5 lbs since March.

Please learn proper form for all the exercises you plan to do. Watch youtube videos, have your friend show you/critique you. I know you're working with someone, but I recommend starting with a beginner program like Stronglifts or something similar to build your base strength.

What to expect: You will probably be a lot hungrier. You should probably eat way more carbs (i eat 50% carb, 30% fat, 20% protein for reference). You will probably be very sore at first, like "can't walk down the stairs" sore, but if you train consistently that will fade and it will become more mild/manageable. Start with bare bar (olympic bar weighs 45 lbs), though if you can't over head press 45 lbs to start out, don't feel bad.

Good luck.

Eating clean also helps out my IBS, though, so I think I'll stick to it. Processed stuff makes me break out and kills my colon. Should I just eat back the calories burned lifting, then?

I absolutely intend to stick to proper form- the last thing I want is to injure myself. It's part of why I'm working with a certified trainer. I have some basic strength, and can overhead press the bar, but I'm really excited to gain more strength.

Will post-workout stretching help with the soreness? I have my (super low intensity) yoga class right after my lifting time and I was hoping it would help with soreness, help me avoid injury and also maximize my gains.

I would recommend tdee - 15-20% instead of eating back calories. There is no real way to estimate the calories burned while lifting. Most of the time you are sitting around resting between sets. But if you do plan to do it that way you'd be looking at 1500ish on non-lifting days and maybe 1700-1800 on lifting days (I'm guessing) which is pretty good.

Post workout stretching is great. I highly recommend foam rolling as well.

NotJustADieter

My TDEE - 20% is lower than my BMR BMR is currently 1391, TDEE is 1669 according to the Mifflin-St Jeor

And what do you do with foam rollers? I've wondered this for ages...

la_te_ra_lus

heres a decent video on foam rolling.. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uyBcYI-BBN8

SuperVixen2B

I don't have any tips for you. Just wanted to welcome you to the world of lifting. It's AWESOME! So excited for another female lifter to join the ranks. If you're on Facebook, check out the group "Belle of the Bar". Fantastic ladies, great advice, form checks, etc.

Good luck! :flowerforyou:

meshashesha2012

Adequate protein, plenty of rest, "respect the weights" - i.e., don't jeopardize form or risk injury just to lift heavier weights than you should be. Patience is key. Some progress is better than no progress (I still have to keep telling myself this). Be prepared to be super hungry all the time. Don't step on the scale for the first couple of weeks. Take progress photos instead. Enjoy it!

this.

expect to have have fun watching your weights lifted increase and your form improve. i get excited about the teeniest things now

dont forget the value of restorative work like yoga, foam rolling, stretching. all of these can be really helpful

dont freak out if you have days where you want to eat nothing but protein. that's pretty normal (at least for me ) when lifting. i have days when i dont want anything else to eat except an entire chicken and some steamed veggies

definitely take pictures!

think thin bars are saving my life right now. they are around 200 calories and 20 g of protein! so easy to keep some in the desk drawer to resist the urger to get something else at the cafe

NotJustADieter

Adequate protein, plenty of rest, "respect the weights" - i.e., don't jeopardize form or risk injury just to lift heavier weights than you should be. Patience is key. Some progress is better than no progress (I still have to keep telling myself this). Be prepared to be super hungry all the time. Don't step on the scale for the first couple of weeks. Take progress photos instead. Enjoy it!

this.

expect to have have fun watching your weights lifted increase and your form improve. i get excited about the teeniest things now

dont forget the value of restorative work like yoga, foam rolling, stretching. all of these can be really helpful

dont freak out if you have days where you want to eat nothing but protein. that's pretty normal (at least for me ) when lifting. i have days when i dont want anything else to eat except an entire chicken and some steamed veggies

definitely take pictures!

think thin bars are saving my life right now. they are around 200 calories and 20 g of protein! so easy to keep some in the desk drawer to resist the urger to get something else at the cafe

The great thing is that my yoga class is directly after my lifting time, so I'll get the restorative benefit and the post-lifting stretch in one!

levitateme

My TDEE - 20% is lower than my BMR BMR is currently 1391, TDEE is 1669 according to the Mifflin-St Jeor

And what do you do with foam rollers? I've wondered this for ages...

You lay on the foam roller and rock your body back and forth and target the specific sore/tight spots. If hurts but you feel better afterwards. It's like giving yourself a deep tissue massage.

How is 1669 your TDEE? Are you calculating this while choosing "sedentary" or adding in the workouts you plan to do?

I just entered your stats in scooby's with 1-3 hours a week of light exercise and got 2056 as your TDEE and your TDEE - 20% as 1645. If you plan to start lifting heavy I would choose "moderate" exercise which puts your TDEE - 20% at 1854. But honestly eating 1700-1800 daily while weight training is a pretty good amount with a nice macro split while lifting.

If you really want to do recomp, don't be afraid of eating, so long as you are calculating your food accurately (weighing it) and actually putting in the time working out. This is just based on my own experience, I'm sure lots of people are going to tell you to eat a lot less than you need to.