FOR THOSE WHO DO STRENGTH TRAINING?????

MrsPeavley

I started strength training last week and I have had cravings out the wazzoo!!! A few people mentioned that I may not be fueling my body enough for the strength training... On those days I didnt eat back the calories that I burned could this be what has made my week CRAZY. I usually dont eat my exercise cals back unless I am really hungry... Should I trust what MFP says and eat back so my net is the 1790? I only allow 1790 to begin with and that is set to loose 1.5lbs a week... What do you all think??? I have been logging for 60 days. Thanks! I LOVE FEED BACK!

SW:333
CW:316.8
GW:185

curlyclo

Trust MFP - eat back those calories. I do strength training 2-3 times a week, always eat back what I burned, and I am losing weight steadily.

_Sally_

In addition to eating back your exercise calories, you should make sure you are eating enough protein. Protein makes you feel full longer, and is also needed for muscle repair/building. You may want to consider targeting 20% - 30% of your calories for protein.

Keep up the good work!

kimcat73

When I started with MFP, I was faithful in eating back my calories, at least most of them. I have now lost 100 pounds and it has been about a year. I lost pretty steadily give or take a couple of mishaps here and there. What I'm told, though, is that eating back your calories is less important when you have more to lose than it is when you have less. Meaning when I was 291 pounds, it wasn't imperative that I eat them back .... but boy did I enjoy that! Enjoy it now while it's easier because where I'm at now, it's harder with less calories:) I find myself working out harder just because I still want to EAT! Good luck!

Samerah12

Trust MFP - eat back those calories. I do strength training 2-3 times a week, always eat back what I burned, and I am losing weight steadily.

^ditto! You won't keep muscle (let alone build any) if you have too big a deficit.

Health_Gal

The more intensely you exercise, the more calories you will need to avoid going into starvation mode.

kmjenkins

I am not consistent about eating back my exercise calories, and when I do, it's only a few hundred of them and have had no issues losing to date. I recently added strength training and focus on high protein intake specifically on those days. Honestly I think that it all depends upon the individual I see posts of people that eat back all of their calories and loose no weight, or people that don't but still lose, etc etc. My suggestion is to listen to your body, try different things and do whatever works best for you. Good luck!

dad106

Def. eat them back... Your muscles(and the rest of your body) need those calories. I eat about 1798 before exercise and over 2000 calories after.

When ever I strength train I always eat mine back because if I don't, I know I'll be starving the next day and wanting to eat everything in sight.

jecka31

In addition to eating back your exercise calories, you should make sure you are eating enough protein. Protein makes you feel full longer, and is also needed for muscle repair/building. You may want to consider targeting 20% - 30% of your calories for protein.

Keep up the good work!

This!! I always eat my calories back so that my body gets the fuel it needs. If you are new to weight training, you want to make sure you are getting the protein your body needs to repair muscles. What we do when strength training is, in a nutshell, "tearing" our muscle and then rebuilding it. This causes our body to build more muscle since it "wasn't enough". To build muscle, you need protein.

LeanMeanFitnessMachine

It is CRUCIAL you eat back those calories, especially when you are strength training. When you strength train, you are actually tearing down your muscle. Afterwards, your body goes into what is called the "recovery stage" - your cells build the muscle tissue back up and layer extra tissue on top, and that is how you build muscle. But it takes energy (ie. calories) to fully recover from strength training, especially since you just started and your muscles aren't used to the new workouts.

Eat those calories & stay fit! xx

dntworribhappi

Yeah, I too believe in the whole protein bit. Make sure you are getting enough. If you don't get enough of what your body needs, you will be hungry. If you are like me, that means it will be even harder to stay on track. Nice job so far!

trelm249

Yes, eat them back.

As for the cravings, drinking a whey protein (30g) shake very shortly after your workout may help manage them better. It doesn't have to be some high dollar super engineered isolate.

aregensb

I just recently started a strength training regime. In the last week, I completely revamped what I eat and how I exercise using The New Rules of Lifting for Women as a basis. Before I would do only cardio and limited myself to 1200cals per day... now, strength training is what I do the most and I am loving it! But you do have to fuel your body correctly. I am eating about 1900-2200 cals per day (I'm 165, TW ~140, 5'9") spread out over three meals, two snacks, and on workout days, a post-workout protein drink with a banana. My diet is now higher in protein (about 150-180g per day) and lower in carbs (100-120g/day). And the best part of all? I hardly ever feel tempted to cheat on this diet. I feel like I'm eating so much, I don't need that Snickers bar or that slice of birthday cake at work (and believe me, I have a TREMENDOUS sweet tooth).

You need calories and protein for your body to build muscle in an efficient manner. I would recommend checking it out from the library just to read up on strength training. There's a lot of good exercise and nutritional information in there and explanations on how to lift weights correctly. It's definitely worth a look for those fairly new to strength training (like me!).

Good luck to you!

applebobbrush

So I have another question, I am new to strength training as well. I have been trying to up my protein and eat back my calories but I usually don't. By the time dinner is done, I'm stuffed. As long as I'm getting all my protein is it okay to leave a couple hundred calories not eaten on the days you strength train? I still have seen some weight coming off as well as inches during this time.

vger11

your muscles really need replenishment after intense workouts, esp significant weight-lifting. get some good protein in w/in 30 minutes...I do a whey protein mix/shake that give me 20g of protein per scoop.

if you're very hungry, up your calories 'til you feel satisfied and are still dropping.

aregensb

So I have another question, I am new to strength training as well. I have been trying to up my protein and eat back my calories but I usually don't. By the time dinner is done, I'm stuffed. As long as I'm getting all my protein is it okay to leave a couple hundred calories not eaten on the days you strength train? I still have seen some weight coming off as well as inches during this time.

Well, I would just go ahead and add a tablespoon or two of olive oil to your cooking... or eat a snack (like an apple with 2tbsp of peanut butter) sometime throughout the day. I'm no expert, but from what I've read, cutting your calories can cause you to lose muscle mass (which is the opposite of what you want to do) or slow down your metabolism (also something you don't want to do). How many calories are you eating each day?

kikkipoo

Also on the new rules of lifting for women bandwagon and I have learned so much in the last few days reading this book. When I started mfp 7 weeks ago I had my goals modified to 1,000 calories a day, of which if I ate 800 I was lucky. I did eat at min 65 g of protein even then though trying to maintain minimal muscle loss. I never ate exercise calories and was doing cardio like a madwoman. If I got my net calories in the negative it was a great day for me. Now I'm just saying this is what I was doing in my ignorance...by any means, DO NOT DO THIS. The more I began to educate myself I began incrementally adding calories back in. I didn't want to shock my body in the complete opposite regards and gain a ton of wait. I eased up on the endurance training and started incorporating strength machines at the gym, and discovered the value of a solid macronutrients balance. I set my goals to 40% carbs/40% protein/20% fat but allow fluctuation up to a 40/30/30 spread. I am just starting weight lifting now...not just strength training with what nrolfw call pastel Barbie weights, but serious take it to the max lifting. For that fuel is critical. The book guidelines would have someone of your stats on a 2,400 calorie minimum and eating around 180 grams of protein every day. I'm afraid at your calorie intake you may be on the verge of starvation mode as your body needs around 1800 calories a day just to function with no exercise.

So here's my trick. I don't like all this eat my calories back tit for tat crap. It's rewarding myself, but with food. One of the reasons I became heavy in the first place. I customized my goals so I no longer log cardio or live by a hr monitor to capture every calorie lost to make sure each is accounted for. instead I told the mfp that I am relatively active instead of sedentary...which if u add my exercise on top of my 8 hr a day desk job...I am. That tells it I burn more calories and automatically increases my recommended intake to what it approximately would be we're I eating exercise calories back...but I don't have to micromanage every calorie or get greedy and eat back 1200 calories because I had a great workout day either. I'm in a state of balance, it's manageable and best yet it's a lifestyle I can live with forever. And for the record, with this setup, and strength training I am 157 pounds eating 1900 calories a day and still losIng pounds and inches. If I have stressed anything on the forums, I hope that it's been how counterproductive it is to cut calories to an extreme. All you're successfully doing is withering away your lean body mass and destroying your metabolism.

d2footballJRC

Protein and if you aren't meeting the protein then bcaas. I'm on week 2.5 of using them and I feel they are making a difference. They say you see the optimal effect around week 3.

kimberly0416

I am down to a size 6 and I ate my exercise calories back.

applebobbrush

I am eating 1490 cal. a day. I do strength training (free weights and machines guided by a personal trainer 2 days a week) at least 4 days a week and cardio one day a week. I am 5'7 and weigh 189. So I should eat back my work out calories so my body doesn't think I'm starving it and I continue to gain muscle, correct? An easier way to do this is to use healthier fats (olive oil) and more protein, right?

d2footballJRC

I am eating 1490 cal. a day. I do strength training (free weights and machines guided by a personal trainer 2 days a week) at least 4 days a week and cardio one day a week. I am 5'7 and weigh 189. So I should eat back my work out calories so my body doesn't think I'm starving it and I continue to gain muscle, correct? An easier way to do this is to use healthier fats (olive oil) and more protein, right?

Www.shouldieatmyexercisecalories.com

A Mfp user created that site.