Cardio Question

hollydohrman

I've avoided asking this question but I need some direction.

I have grown to really love cardio. I also lift three times a week, as heavy as I can. So in a none recovery week I work out between 9 - 10 hours. This month I've put away the scale and upped my calories. As I've read through the posts it's my understanding that I need to eat more because I'm doing so much cardio.

My question is how do I figure how much to up my calories. I went with a 10% calorie reduction number and I used the last weight I had taken before the scale went away. I don't have a lot of weight to lose and am really trying to focus on definition rather than weight loss. I would love to see my abs some day.

Here are my stats

Age: 43
Weight: 136 (last weigh in)
Height: 5' 6"

I'm afraid I'm going to hear that I need to cut back my cardio but I am open to all suggestions.

PLUMSGRL

OK, so according to the Scooby calcs:

BMR: 1292
TDEE: 2455

If you want to continue your cardio (and exercise 9-10 hours a week) and gain muscle/lose fat you would eat your TDEE

5% cut= 2332
10% cut=2209

http://scoobysworkshop.com/accurate-calorie-calculator/#results

Hope that helps

hollydohrman

So I'm not sure which calculator I used but I'm eating closer to a 5% cut based on your calculations.

If I eat my TDEE will I go through all the weight gain and bloating I've been reading about others going through when they are doing a reset? I just need to prepare myself mentally if this is the case.

Raynn1

So I'm not sure which calculator I used but I'm eating closer to a 5% cut based on your calculations.

If I eat my TDEE will I go through all the weight gain and bloating I've been reading about others going through when they are doing a reset? I just need to prepare myself mentally if this is the case.

It really depends on if and how long you were ever eating at a low cal deficit. If you were around this mark, or maybe a couple hundred below, chances are you wont see a drastic bloat gain or anything. But I do think *most* people have a gain at TDEE. I think Lucia just came off of a 6 week reset and she had gained 4 pounds, but lost a few inches..


You dont have to cut back on cardio, but keep in mind that you may end up burning more cals doing it, and it can take you below your BMR. So if you are finding this is the case, you will need to eat more on the cardio days to ensure you arent below BMR...

hollydohrman

Thanks for all the advice. I'll accept that there may be a gain. I keep trying to remind myself that the number on the scale isn't the only measure of progress but it's a struggle some days. I did put my scale away for the month of June and haven't missed it.

Thanks again.