Newbie Nutrition Questions

TKRV

I'm working my way through this book slowly and re-reading some sections to ensure I completely understand what I am reading. To that end, I have some questions about the nutrition section I am hoping some here can clear up for me.

First of all, I am nervous about upping my maintenance calorie intake from 1500 to 1800 but am willing to try it out for four weeks. I don't dare weigh myself in that time. When you first started this, did you increase your calorie intake and how did it work out?

Secondly, the book list many recipes, including some for pre and post work out. My plan is to work out in the morning before work. On those days, can I use the pre and post work out snacks for my breakfast? If you work out before work, how to you balance your meals? The reason this concerns me is that I tend to wake up hungry for breakfast. If I work out without eating something, I will not have any energy at all. I don't need a meal, but some of the suggested pre-work out snacks would work perfectly.

Thanks in advance for the advice.

ezavora

Up your calories. You will need it for the workouts. I was one of those fools trying to loose weight with 1200 cal a day. I lost at first, then nothing. I got hooked up with the "eat more to weigh less" and upped my cal to 1750 and started loosing again. That being said, I am still loosing but at a slower rate. What I have noticed more is how my clothes are fitting. My pants are loose in all the right places and Im ready to drop a pant size. I have definition starting to show in my arms and legs. I took measurements too and have lost inches off my waist, hips, and thighs. All that with only a few pounds off the scale. I have read in other posts of people who have not lost any pounds, but also have the same results with looser clothes. The take home here is not to be tied to the scale.

Definitely eat before you work out. The snack is a good idea. Im not usually that hungry in the morning but will eat something small, like cottage cheese and blueberries. After your workout either eat your normal breakfast or another snack. I eat 5 small meals through out the day and I never feel hungry, most of the time. When I do feel hungry, I eat more. My advice would be to not get so hung up on what and when you should eat as much as getting in a routine that works for you. Use the meals as a guideline. Even if Im not hungry before a workout, if I have not eaten in awhile I will drink a shake or have a snack for the energy. Trust me, you will want it. Try a few things out and see what works for you.

FYI, I find that I am not that hungry on the days I workout, but the next day I am. So, I still try to get my protein in on workout days, but tend to eat more on the recovery day. Listen to your body and do what it tells you it wants.

Good luck to you, its a great program.

TKRV

Thanks for the advice. A lot of the book keeps referencing the protein shake that I am supposed to eat after I work out as one of my meals, which is why I was a little concerned about the meal plans they laid out. I'm just about to get into the workout section of the book and am very excited to get started.

zombilishious

Definitely up your intake. I'm wearing a Bodymedia band and the calories I burn are unbelievable (started wearing it in November). On a rest day, when I'm sitting at a desk all day, I'm burning 2,000 cals. Lifting days are 2500. Weekends when I'm cleaning and running I burn 2500 staying home and 2700-2900 on days I add lifting to it!!!

I stay at a 500 cal deficit and I'm seeing weight loss of 2-3lbs a month now.