Not sure I did this right

braves1girl

As I think back to when I started my reset, I realize I wasn't eating my TDEE, I was eating my cut! :embarassed: I did that for 8 weeks and for the last 4 weeks, I didn't do any exercising...nothing. (I think I read somewhere, either the NROL4W or on here to give your body a total break) But after re-reading some of the threads and I am in the process of re-reading the book, I don't think I did it right. :frown:

What is making me think that is because I'm starting to get hungry again. Like really hungry. I'm snacking again when I get home (between 4-5). I am ravenous and I try to snack on things with protein (peanut butter is my savior), but I gotta admit, sometimes I grab whatever is right in front of me!

I have been consistently lifting heavy for a minimum of 2 day/wk and trying to just get a walk in on my rest days. Sometimes that walk happens and sometimes it doesn't. :indifferent:

As I look at my numbers, I'm still confused, a little...should I look eat back the calories I burn when eating at my cut (1952) or stick to the straight 1952? My TDEE is 2296 (moderate exercise).

Should I reset for another 3-5 weeks and if so, can I keep the exercise as usual? I'm so confused and I don't know what to do :sad: :sad: Any help is greatly appreciated!!! :flowerforyou:

heybales

As I think back to when I started my reset, I realize I wasn't eating my TDEE, I was eating my cut! :embarassed: I did that for 8 weeks and for the last 4 weeks, I didn't do any exercising...nothing. (I think I read somewhere, either the NROL4W or on here to give your body a total break) But after re-reading some of the threads and I am in the process of re-reading the book, I don't think I did it right. :frown:

What is making me think that is because I'm starting to get hungry again. Like really hungry. I'm snacking again when I get home (between 4-5). I am ravenous and I try to snack on things with protein (peanut butter is my savior), but I gotta admit, sometimes I grab whatever is right in front of me!

I have been consistently lifting heavy for a minimum of 2 day/wk and trying to just get a walk in on my rest days. Sometimes that walk happens and sometimes it doesn't. :indifferent:

As I look at my numbers, I'm still confused, a little...should I look eat back the calories I burn when eating at my cut (1952) or stick to the straight 1952? My TDEE is 2296 (moderate exercise).

Should I reset for another 3-5 weeks and if so, can I keep the exercise as usual? I'm so confused and I don't know what to do :sad: :sad: Any help is greatly appreciated!!! :flowerforyou:

Did you keep eating that TDEE-deficit during time you were not exercising?

Then you were eating at TDEE or more. Current non-exercising TDEE.

You did a double-combo that should help body see it's safe to burn the fat, to keep the deficit.

Is BMR you using based on bodyfat% for better accuracy?
Are you NOT using fat2fit site but Scooby or spreadsheet? (fat2fit doesn't actually use the better BMR, but worst, in their tables)

Are you hungry now that you have started up exercise again, right?

Your body is finally getting a chance to build lean body mass, perhaps some muscle too, and needs raw materials.
If it can get that from the diet during repair from lifting, then it should be burning fat to compensate.

So as Lightly Active normally, I'd say confirm the majority of those calories on lifting days is post-workout, or rest days breakfast and lunch while still repairing from previous day lifting.

I say lightly active because walking isn't near the level of burn as lifting or other cardio, and even if you did 6 hrs of walking a week on 6 days, it would hardly qualify as Very Active. Now, 6 hrs a day for 6 days sure!
So you have 2 or 3 hrs of lifting, and some calm walking. Perhaps round up from Lightly Active.

But you do not eat back exercise calories unless you do a 3rd lifting workout, then eat about 250 more that day.

Otherwise, your TDEE, especially as inflated as it is right now, already contains exercise in it, so you don't eat back any done, unless it's over what was planned.

braves1girl

Please don't think I'm totally stupid...but I'm trying to understand what you are telling me. I get some, but confused on some.

Yes, I used Scooby and I set it at moderate because I am getting in 3-5 hrs/week of exercise. I'm proud to say that this past week I got in 3 days of lifting!!! :bigsmile: That is going to be my norm! But I walk at least 45 min 2-3 day/week also. I'm pooped and I love it! Are you saying that maybe I should lower my exercise on scooby to lightly active just to be safe? That part had me confused :huh:

I value your opinion, as you have been so repsonsive to all in this group. So I want to make sure I'm understanding everything you are advising. I like that you think that my body is finally adding some muscle mass and maybe getting rid of some fat :happy: . I've only been lifting heavy for 3 weeks, but I feel stronger already! I don't know if that's just mental or what, but I'm gonna enjoy this feeling!

Again, sorry if I sound like a num-nut, but I just want to do this right. Do you think I need to reset again? I do understand that I don't need to eat back my calories unless I go under my BMR.

Thanks again for you input/advice! :flowerforyou:

heybales

Please don't think I'm totally stupid...but I'm trying to understand what you are telling me. I get some, but confused on some.

Yes, I used Scooby and I set it at moderate because I am getting in 3-5 hrs/week of exercise. I'm proud to say that this past week I got in 3 days of lifting!!! :bigsmile: That is going to be my norm! But I walk at least 45 min 2-3 day/week also. I'm pooped and I love it! Are you saying that maybe I should lower my exercise on scooby to lightly active just to be safe? That part had me confused :huh:

I value your opinion, as you have been so repsonsive to all in this group. So I want to make sure I'm understanding everything you are advising. I like that you think that my body is finally adding some muscle mass and maybe getting rid of some fat :happy: . I've only been lifting heavy for 3 weeks, but I feel stronger already! I don't know if that's just mental or what, but I'm gonna enjoy this feeling!

Again, sorry if I sound like a num-nut, but I just want to do this right. Do you think I need to reset again? I do understand that I don't need to eat back my calories unless I go under my BMR.

Thanks again for you input/advice! :flowerforyou:

No prob - I threw a lot in there - rushing is bad idea. Like during lifting!

Is that 3 hrs of lifting a week? Forget days.

See, would you think 3 days of 30 min each is the same as 3 days 60 min each? The number of days indicator is really silly, and that's from the Harris study from 1919. Yes, 1919.
And is that 3 days of walking 45 min the same level of exercise as lifting 3 days a week? No, of course not.
Basically replace days with hrs, and count walking 3.5 mph or slower level as half time.

Depending on the answers to above lifting hrs, I could see Moderate rounded down to nearest 100, or Lightly Active rounded up the same.

Even easier, use the spreadsheet linked in this topic, which divides up the exercise types and times using newer formulas from '80's and more recent.

http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/750920-spreadsheet-for-bmr-tdee-deficit-macro-calcs-hrm-zones

Even if it's not muscle that's being added, and that's actually about impossible in this case, they are getting stronger and storing glucose and retaining water.
Well, water in the muscle is LBM, Lean Body Mass. And more LBM increase metabolism, which actually the vast majority of BMR energy is spent dealing with .... water in the cells. So good water.

Regarding reset - how long were you at a plateau with no weight or measurement loss?

When you did the 4 wks with no exercise, where you eating at a Sedentary TDEE? Or the Lightly Active which still counted on exercise being done?
When you did the 4 wks with exercise, was that Moderately Active TDEE estimate? And same routine you are now doing?

braves1girl

Ok. I think I have all the answers to the questions...I do actually lift 2.5 - 2 hrs 45 min. /week. Roughly I spend 45 min/lifting. As for the walking, I have a Polar HRM to tell me my burn. As for my reset...before I reset, I was stalled for 7 mos. I did my reset at moderate with TDEE - 15%...even on the days I didn't work out at all. Yeah, I realize I kinda screwed up on that one! :embarassed:

Do you think I should do a week of reset? Thanks again!!!:flowerforyou:

heybales

Ok. I think I have all the answers to the questions...I do actually lift 2.5 - 2 hrs 45 min. /week. Roughly I spend 45 min/lifting. As for the walking, I have a Polar HRM to tell me my burn. As for my reset...before I reset, I was stalled for 7 mos. I did my reset at moderate with TDEE - 15%...even on the days I didn't work out at all. Yeah, I realize I kinda screwed up on that one! :embarassed:

Do you think I should do a week of reset? Thanks again!!!:flowerforyou:

So you had 4 weeks eating more, still a deficit from estimated TDEE though, but much more.
Then you had 4 weeks no exercise, and still eating same amount, so really a lot more than needed.

So have you recalc'd your Katch BMR based on bodyfat% estimate, your LBM could have gone up, so you get to eat even more.

If so, and nothing is really changing, hunger is good, means body is using all that fuel for something, and probably low blood sugar. Fat should be supplying rest of the energy needs though.

Might confirm your meals start with protein and fat first and then carbs. No need spiking insulin if not needed more than gentle rise.

Are you following the 40/30/30 suggestion to confirm enough protein obtained?

Also try to get big chunk of calories in after the lifting, 30 min before bed a protein shake to aid recovery.

braves1girl

You rock!!! :bigsmile: Thanks so much!! I'll keep you posted! :flowerforyou: