I'm new and unsure of what to do

amonkey794

Hi! I am here hoping to figure all this out so I have heard good things about this group and I thought I would join and see if it can work for me too. I am already at my goal weight and I am hoping to maintain (I still have a tiny bit of extra body fat I would like to be rid of, but it's not all that bad). Lately I've been feeling fat (I know I'm not, really) and bloated. The bloat is actually visible at times. It also makes the scale creep up a bit and that's not fun lol I already have my calories set at 1660, but never have I eaten that much the thought actually slightly terrifies me because I'm just so scared to go back to the way I was before… that is why I am here, I am hoping maybe I can find some guidance I work out 5 day a week with 30 min cardio and 30 min strength with the 5 th day being 60min strength.
Stats:
H- 5'3.5
Age-18
SW-186
CW-108-110
Goal- Maintenance!

Help and advice is appreciated thank you.

mphlab

Hi - Have you read the stickies yet? - the messages that are pinned at the front of the group? That is a great place to start. I use the scooby calorie calculator (google it) to figure out my numbers. I took your numbers & it had you at 2064-2297 for your total daily energy expenditure depending on if I calculated your exercise as 3-5 hours moderate or 5-6 hours strenous. Which is a bit above what you have set now. Most people will tell you that you have to eat more!

Not all of us are at goal but almost all of us have had that feeling of fear in starting this. 13 weeks later - things are going well. Read the sticky about what to expect at first- you may gain a little weight back if you have been on a Very Low Calorie Diet for a while. I have never seen any advice for people who start EM2WL when they are trying to maintain. You may want to consider messaging some of the moderators for advice - they have been great!

I am 44 and believe me - you will save yourself years of struggle if you are able to get a handle on it now! Not yo-yo for years like me! Good luck - you will not regret it if you try it.Trying to stay on low calories for years is very hard- that is why they say 95% of people who diet gain it back. Not trying to be a buzz kill. Looks like you have a lot to be proud of! You can do it!

Greenrun99

Hey,
Someone looking at maintenance and losing body fat, well looking at your stats at moderate exercise you should probably be around 1800-2000 calories, since you mentioned your not even eating 1660 yet you may want to slowly start increasing your calories and see how you feel with those levels.. Trying to eat healthier and getting protein numbers up, but from your diary (ya i looked sorry) looks like its pretty decent.
As for the extra body fat, strength training is what will get you there.. don't be afraid to lift heavy or lift until failure.. as you have probably read in other threads woman aren't going to all of a sudden be lumps of muscle cause they lifted for a week.. Most of us have opened our diary if you want any ideas for food to eat

amonkey794

Thank you! Yeah I already try and lift "heavy" I guess, but I don't really know how effective I am at working out, but I try I'm not afraid of weights like some women, but I do know that I don't want to get much more defined than I already am (not pulling the "bulky" thing, I know definition comes from BF%) I don't eat a lot and I think I'll always be at the "lower" caloric range because I just naturally have a slower metabolism. I'm trying to build up calories slowly not all at once I know most are here to lose, but I just really want to maintain. I'm happy with my body for the most part, just clueless on how to keep it up.