I lift 4 days a week and do cardio 5 days a week.

KKSBlessed

And, I am starving with very little energy. How do I know what to tweak in my diet so that I am no longer starving and I have more energy!

Here's what I lift:
Chest, Tri's and Shoulders (once a week):
Circuit 1 (Repeat 3 times):

(Wt x Reps)

Chest Press: 20 x 15

Rope Pressdown: 50 x 15

Overhead Shoulder Press: 15 x 15

Treadmill: 3 minutes - 3.0 MPH @ 12% Incline

Circuit 2 (Repeat 3 times):

Push-Ups: 15

Tricep Kickbacks: 20 X 15

Lateral Raises: 15 x 10

High Knees: 45 Seconds

Legs (twice a week):
Warmup:

25 unweighted squats

25 unweighted lunges (alternating)

Workout: (Reps x Weight)

Lunges (Barbell & Alternating) - 15 x 30 ; 12 x 40 ; 10 x 50

Deadlifts (Dumbbell in each hand) - 15 x 30 ; 12 x 35 ; 10 x 40

Calf Press (on hack squat machine) - 15 x 110 ; 12 x 130 ; 10 x 150

Squats (on squat rack) - 15 x 115 ; 12 x 135 ; 10 x 155

Sumo/Plie Squats (Single Dumbbell) - 15 x 40 ; 12 x 45 ; 10 x 50

Seated Leg Press (Feet High & Together) - 15 x 90 ; 12 x 110 ; 10 x 130

Back, Bi's, and Abs (once a week):
Circuit 1 (Repeat 3 times):

Lat Pulldown - 15 reps @ 80 lbs

Bicep Curl w/ Cable - 15 reps @ 60 lbs

Ball Crunches - 25 reps

Step Ups - 30 each side

Circuit 2 (Repeat 3 times):

Low Row - 15 reps @ 80 lbs

Hammer Curls - 10 on each side @ 20 lbs

Plank - Hold for 30 seconds

Step Ups - 30 each side

HMVOL7409

Well having info on your caloric intake would be helpful. What's your goal set at?

carrie_eggo

And, I am starving with very little energy.

Eat more.

yarwell

I am starving with very little energy.

Exercise less.

Your protein goal is very high - perhaps excessive. You'll feel like crap if you eat too much protein.

What are your goals ?

qballjr13

Your protein goal is very high - perhaps excessive. You'll feel like crap if you eat too much protein.

Can you explain that comment? I try to eat as much protein as I can, especially on workout nights, for energy. Why does protein make you tired?

doubglass

More carbs in the morning or before you workout. Have a good snack with some protein right after your workout. Look at my diet--I follow a similar regimen. I walk, eat breakfast, workout have most of my snack after my workout. If I didn't load up on carbs before the workout and snack after I would be beat. Do carbs before workout protein after.

KKSBlessed

Okay I'm a 22 year old female and weigh 210 pounds, I'm only 5'2. My BF% is 38%.My highest weight was 288. My trainer has me at 1600 calories and 1800 on leg days. My macros are 120g carbs, 36g fat, 200g protein. I have the hardest time getting in more protein without going over on fat.

My goal is 170!

I love lifting. I understand I should eat more but of what (in regards to macros).

I run in the morning and lift at night. I try and eat carbs & protein after lifting.

Squeezalsize10

try a protein supplement like a shake or bar.

brandiuntz

I'd up your carbs. You might want to cut back some on the cardio. Perhaps 3-4 days a week, at most. You're getting a good amount of protein in, but your carbs seem low for the amount of cardio you do.

carrie_eggo

@ 38% BF and 210lbs your lean body mass is ~130 pounds. Ideally, you should be getting at least 1g protein per pound of LEAN BODY MASS and 0.35-0.45g fat per pound total body weight.

So for macros, your protein should be at least 130g and fat at least 74g. Fill in the rest however you want (carbs or whatever). Don't worry about going over on fat. Your body needs it! Maybe, as someone else mentioned, with 200g protein you aren't getting enough carbs to give you the energy you need for all you do.

Coco_Puff

If you were to read the New Rules 4 Women Lifting Weights, you would find that you do need to eat more, and that cutting back on you cardio is suggested. That fuel you eat is needed to feed your muscles, don't scrimp, give it what it needs.

earnestfarley

I agree with Carrie. You can try to manage the fat by using a supplement but the 74g is about right. Also, according to recent research, at 38% body fat, you only need 651 calories (31 calories per lb of fat) to sustain your current lean body mass. Of course, you should never go below 1200 calories otherwise you will never get your nutrients. You could be overtraining with your 2 per day workouts. You should know that chronic dieting and overtraining will make your body produce more Cortisol (stress hormone) and your body will cling to your fat and counter your efforts. I now have to keep my workouts to around 1 hour trying to minmize cortisol production.

Maybe try 3 - 4 days of weights with a 10 minute HIIT cardio warm-up to mobilize fat, then do cardio on your non-weight days. Again, 10 minutes of 'bust your butt' HIIT then 40-50 minutes around 140bpm on your heart rate monitor. There are other supplements you can use to help with Fat mobilization.

KKSBlessed

So, I should keep my calories where they are but with more carbs? And only 3 - 4 days of cardio? Or up my cals, carbs and fat?

carrie_eggo

So, I should keep my calories where they are but with more carbs? And only 3 - 4 days of cardio? Or up my cals, carbs and fat?

I think 1600-1800 calories should be what you eat WITHOUT exercise. Your BMR is about 1650. If you workout, add the workout calories to your daily calorie goal.

KKSBlessed

All of them? Lol. On leg days that's alot of food. I've never added every exercise on here because it's seems tedious. I just go in and add every lift I do and eat the extra allotted calories?

carrie_eggo

All of them? Lol. On leg days that's alot of food. I've never added every exercise on here because it's seems tedious. I just go in and add every lift I do and eat the extra allotted calories?

You could try just upping the carbs and keeping the calories the same and see how you feel.

OR--You don't need to add your workouts to the exercise log if you don't want to----But you can get away with more calories and still lose weight. Figure out your TDEE and go from there. Your BMR is around 1650. To figure out how much your TDEE (or maintenance) is, you multiply your BMR by an activity factor:

1.2 = Sedentary (Little or no exercise and desk job)
1.3-1.4 = Lightly Active (Light exercise or sports 1-3 days a week)
1.5-1.6 = Moderately Active (Moderate exercise or sports 3-5 days a week)
1.7-1.8 = Very Active (Hard exercise or sports 6-7 days a week) <

---

I'd say you are here.
1.9-2.0 = Extremely Active (Hard daily exercise or sports and physical job)

For weight loss, subtract a certain amount off of your maintenance ( usually ~20% is recommended, but if you have a lot to lose you can go higher).

So if you take 1650 x 1.7 you get 2805. That's how many calories you would need to maintain your current weight while still doing as much physical activity as you are doing now. Say you eat 2000 calories a day... That's a 800 calorie daily deficit, which is a 1.6 pound loss per week. For a 2 pound loss per week you would eat 1800 calories daily--which is sort of what you are doing now. I guess it all depends on what you feel your activity level is on where you want to set your calories.

Does that all make sense?

Edit to say: If it seems like too much food, just cut down on your cardio. Lift 3-4 days a week and use a 1.5-1.6 activity factor and subtract 20% to get your deficit. It can take a while to find what works the best.

Justin031811

With as much lifting as you do, I'd highly suggest a paleo type diet.. eating more carbs might fill you up for an hour or so, but that's about it. You need lots of natural proteins and greens.

KKSBlessed

Okay, I'll try 1800 with more fat intake and see if my energy levels and hunger get better. And, I will look into Paleo! Thanks for all the help!