NROLW - did you up your cals as suggested

AthenaErr

It has arrived! I am very excited - I have seen a lot of totally inspiring before and afters on here from women lifters and I want to join them.

Had a browse and the suggested cal intake is a little higher than what I am on. I eat 1500 plus exercise cals. I dont exercise much - 20 mins a day most days (there isnt scope to increase my workout time hugely either - whatever I do will need to be short 30 mins max). The calculations in the book put my cals to 1776 on no activity, 2030 on a workout day and 2283 on a strenous workout day. I like to eat and I have been feeling a little hungry recently despite having been fine on 1500 for 2 months so....I am willing to give it a go...Im just needing a push (?) It just seems like a lot of cals and Im nervous of undoing my hard work...

So I would like to gather some opinions please. Did you up your cals? Did you up it to the maximum or the medium level? Did you use the diet plan meals in the book? Or did you just focus on hitting a daily protein target? (I already eat in the pattern suggested so thats not an issue). I actually think I would be happier on 1700 as I feel a little burnt out right now...but then who wouldnt be happier eating more?

Help? Let me know what you did and how that went please.

kcoftx

I did, but I'm just starting so I can't tell you the results yet.

What I can tell you is that I've worked hard to get off what I have thus far but if I gain some back and it isn't producing the results I want, I can always go back to what I was doing and work it off from there. It isn't the end of the world. But then, I take a long term view. Another thing I can tell you is I have already been eating back the exercise calories so that part isn't new for me (using an HRM and fitbit for previous workouts). The only thing new is going from 1/2lb deficit a week to maintenance. When I thought of it that way, I really didn't hesitate. I'm gonna trust the process. Worst case scenario, I back off and go back to what I was doing (after trying their up to -300 calorie deficit method first, which incidentally is what I was eating before upping it).

Personally I expect to see some inches lost over time so I am not gonna sweat it. Actually, I am. I'm gonna sweat buckets while I work out. I'm sticking to their recommendation and upping it for at least the first month to see what your body does on that amount.