Jumping into the group!
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Marie294
Posts: 304
Hi Everyone! I decided to jump in head first, and join this group.
I'll tell you a little bit about me, and why I came here
I started losing weight and trying to get healthy this past January. I cut back calories and lost some weight, then I began walking and lost more. I lost almost 60 pounds and that brings us up to October of this year. I joined a Gym in the beginning of October, and started lifting weights with a personal trainer, and doing higher intensity cardio on the machines. I've had no real weight loss to speak of since I joined the gym, and I am starting to wonder if it's my food. (I'm still about 30 pounds overweight) . At first, I thought what most dieters might .. "I need to cut calories again", but I know that since I am lifting weights and working out harder I really do need the fuel. So instead of lowering calories, I am wondering if it's actually time to increase my calories. I really want to lose fat and build some muscle.
I go to the gym about 4 days a week, Cardio all 4 days for 30-45 minutes, Strength Training about 3 days of the week for 40 minutes -1hour. I am currently aiming to eat about 1580 calories a day (The number mfp gave me), and when I work out really hard I will eat back 200-300 exercise calories if I'm feeling extra hungry or like I need it. According to the Scooby Workshop Calorie Counter my BMR is 1619, and my TDEE is 2226 (Or 2510 for Moderately active).
I am 5'9, and about 183 lbs. I would love to hear from some of you that went through something similar? Would you recommend I eat more, or stay the same and just stick it out a bit longer? I seriously appreciate any help, insight or advice anyone has to offer
My diary is open, but it's not been that great the past week or so, I know I need to eat cleaner some days, and I'm working on this too. I feel like if I can nail down how many calories to eat, I can get back on track with healthier food. I guess that's another reason I am here, I am wondering a bit and need to get back on track, I just need to find the track!
Anyways, Hello Everyone! Thank you for taking the time to read this, and can't wait to get to know some of you better!
Thanks!
I'll tell you a little bit about me, and why I came here
I started losing weight and trying to get healthy this past January. I cut back calories and lost some weight, then I began walking and lost more. I lost almost 60 pounds and that brings us up to October of this year. I joined a Gym in the beginning of October, and started lifting weights with a personal trainer, and doing higher intensity cardio on the machines. I've had no real weight loss to speak of since I joined the gym, and I am starting to wonder if it's my food. (I'm still about 30 pounds overweight) . At first, I thought what most dieters might .. "I need to cut calories again", but I know that since I am lifting weights and working out harder I really do need the fuel. So instead of lowering calories, I am wondering if it's actually time to increase my calories. I really want to lose fat and build some muscle.I go to the gym about 4 days a week, Cardio all 4 days for 30-45 minutes, Strength Training about 3 days of the week for 40 minutes -1hour. I am currently aiming to eat about 1580 calories a day (The number mfp gave me), and when I work out really hard I will eat back 200-300 exercise calories if I'm feeling extra hungry or like I need it. According to the Scooby Workshop Calorie Counter my BMR is 1619, and my TDEE is 2226 (Or 2510 for Moderately active).
I am 5'9, and about 183 lbs. I would love to hear from some of you that went through something similar? Would you recommend I eat more, or stay the same and just stick it out a bit longer? I seriously appreciate any help, insight or advice anyone has to offer
My diary is open, but it's not been that great the past week or so, I know I need to eat cleaner some days, and I'm working on this too. I feel like if I can nail down how many calories to eat, I can get back on track with healthier food. I guess that's another reason I am here, I am wondering a bit and need to get back on track, I just need to find the track!
Anyways, Hello Everyone! Thank you for taking the time to read this, and can't wait to get to know some of you better!
Thanks!
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Replies
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Nice to meet you!0
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Looks like you are eating below your BMR which is not good -- did you read all the stickies? Eat more or your body will be stuck where it is because it is conserving energy and you will not be building lean muscle mass unless you give it the fuel to do so.
Welcome!0 -
At a 15% cut you should be eating 1,892 at the LA setting. So I would say you should up your calories. I've found for me, that my TDEE is closer to the MA setting. I lift three days a day a week for only 30 min, and run 2 if I'm lucky. I think a lot of people underestimate there activity level. And Amanda is right about the LBM. If you're lifting and not eating enough, you are working against yourself. :flowerforyou:0
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Hi Ladies!
Thanks for the welcome and the tips! I did read the stickies, I guess I was just needing some reassurance! I think I am going to raise my calories from 1580 to 1800/1900 and see what happens! I just need to stick to clean foods
I've known for a bit that I needed a change up, especially since adding weight lifting, I think I was just scared
Thank you again for the support!0 -
Hi Marie!
I joined MFP a few months ago because I was doing Jamie Eason's LiveFit, and I wanted to track calories. Only lasted about a month a half on LiveFit. Before that I completed the New Rules of Lifting for Women - lost almost 20 pounds between that and just "eating better." But I've been stuck around 140 since then. I decided a few weeks ago to see if MFP could help, since I thought I could just eat less and not work out and still lose weight.
Needless to say, one week of 1250 calories a day and drinking lots of water, I "lost" 3 pounds - down to 139 from 142. But then I found EM2WL - and it has kicked my butt back into gear. I'm currently doing the "Break In" program for the New Rules of Lifting (original) after taking about 2 months off from training. And I upped my calories to almost 1900 (a 15% cut of TDEE at moderate activity). I didn't do a reset, because I wasn't eating a very low calorie diet for more than a week. The 2 months before that when I wasn't working out, I was eating lots - definitely getting enough fuel. Crazy enough - I really didn't gain anything during that time. Metabolisms that work well are awesome!
Over the past 2 weeks, lifting 3 days a week and eating more (not always exactly 1900 - in the beginning it was tough, but now I'm hungry all the time and have been going over a little recently) I went up to 141 pounds and have stayed there so far. Everyday, literally, I'm 141.1.
I'm sort of waiting to see what happens during the "Break In" for a month. If I don't start to lose weight - or at least fat/inches (I don't really care much about the scale, just how a look) - I'm going to try upping my calories a bit more the next month of the program.
Just thought I'd offer my experience as a "newbie" so far. It feels great to be back in the gym again! And I'm finding my goals once again are shifting away from how much a weigh - to how much weight I can throw around.
Have you considered doing a reset? If you start eating 1900 and don't start losing after a few weeks, maybe you were eating low calorie for too long, and your metabolism needs a repair?0 -
Hi Marie!
I joined MFP a few months ago because I was doing Jamie Eason's LiveFit, and I wanted to track calories. Only lasted about a month a half on LiveFit. Before that I completed the New Rules of Lifting for Women - lost almost 20 pounds between that and just "eating better." But I've been stuck around 140 since then. I decided a few weeks ago to see if MFP could help, since I thought I could just eat less and not work out and still lose weight.
Needless to say, one week of 1250 calories a day and drinking lots of water, I "lost" 3 pounds - down to 139 from 142. But then I found EM2WL - and it has kicked my butt back into gear. I'm currently doing the "Break In" program for the New Rules of Lifting (original) after taking about 2 months off from training. And I upped my calories to almost 1900 (a 15% cut of TDEE at moderate activity). I didn't do a reset, because I wasn't eating a very low calorie diet for more than a week. The 2 months before that when I wasn't working out, I was eating lots - definitely getting enough fuel. Crazy enough - I really didn't gain anything during that time. Metabolisms that work well are awesome!
Over the past 2 weeks, lifting 3 days a week and eating more (not always exactly 1900 - in the beginning it was tough, but now I'm hungry all the time and have been going over a little recently) I went up to 141 pounds and have stayed there so far. Everyday, literally, I'm 141.1.
I'm sort of waiting to see what happens during the "Break In" for a month. If I don't start to lose weight - or at least fat/inches (I don't really care much about the scale, just how a look) - I'm going to try upping my calories a bit more the next month of the program.
Just thought I'd offer my experience as a "newbie" so far. It feels great to be back in the gym again! And I'm finding my goals once again are shifting away from how much a weigh - to how much weight I can throw around.
Have you considered doing a reset? If you start eating 1900 and don't start losing after a few weeks, maybe you were eating low calorie for too long, and your metabolism needs a repair?
Thank you so much for the reply! It's so a great to hear your story I would absolutely consider a reset if it's needed. I want to read a little more about that. I'm thinking of doing 1800-1900 for a few weeks and seeing what happens, and if it's not going well, then maybe try a reset. Do you think that would be an okay way to go about it?
I can really feel my goal changing from "Lose weight" to "Gain muscle and lose fat" and I am really excited about eating to fuel my body and my work outs. I say I'd like to lose another 30 pounds, but if I lose a couple of pants sizes instead, I'm good with that!! 0 -
Oh! And I am ordering a copy of New Rules of Lifting for Women tonight! I've heard so many great things 0
