New Rules of Lifting For Women (NROL4W)

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Eat at Maintenance during stage 1?

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xMonroeMisfit
xMonroeMisfit Posts: 411 Member
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If i read the book correctly, it wants me to eat at Maintenance calories throughout stage 1 before -300 cut ?

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  • Emtabo01
    Emtabo01 Posts: 672
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    I believe that's what he wants you to do, though I don't think many people do. Start eating at maintenance and see how you look and feel with measurements at the end of the stage1, reevaluate and decrease calories if needed then. Personally, I started with the cut and eneded up slowly increasing pretty much to maintence, I'm at stage 5 now.
  • mcbellnz
    mcbellnz Posts: 145 Member
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    Yep that is his recommendation.

    I started with a 300 cut, but that was because I was coming from a low calorie diet....so would have been doubling my daily cals to hit maintenance (I know, I am a fool).

    Am wondering if I need to increase my calorie intake now as I think I am beginning to struggle (just finishing stage one). Might take a weeks break from lifting in a fortnight or so, and then see how I do before thinking about raising my intake.
  • Emtabo01
    Emtabo01 Posts: 672
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    I was also just about finished with stage 1 when I noticed a major decrease in energy, struggling through the workouts, etc. that was the first time I upped calories. (weird how the author predicts that will happen, huh)
  • mcbellnz
    mcbellnz Posts: 145 Member
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    I was also just about finished with stage 1 when I noticed a major decrease in energy, struggling through the workouts, etc. that was the first time I upped calories. (weird how the author predicts that will happen, huh)

    Wow, thanks for sharing. Might have to think seriously about it - I have been "over-eating" a couple of times this week....so maybe I have hit my limit....I have seen the scales go up recently though, so that is trying to scare me into reducing my intake again, but I think I just need to make sure I keep my diet really clean/unprocessed.
  • Emtabo01
    Emtabo01 Posts: 672
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    I also really haven't lost much scale weight in this program, which was scary in the beginning to see, but I look so much better, measurements are better, clothes fit better. I'm really starting the realize the whole scale weight thing is not the best indicator of what's going on, though it's hard to get over that. I still weigh every day, but don't get as upset about it as I used to.
  • mcbellnz
    mcbellnz Posts: 145 Member
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    I also really haven't lost much scale weight in this program, which was scary in the beginning to see, but I look so much better, measurements are better, clothes fit better. I'm really starting the realize the whole scale weight thing is not the best indicator of what's going on, though it's hard to get over that. I still weigh every day, but don't get as upset about it as I used to.

    Yeah, I did measurements after a month, and although I had gained scale weight (only like 600gm) I had managed to lose a teeny tiny few cms and not quite 1% body fat - my diet had been a bit all over the place though, in the beginning I was barely hitting 1200 cal a day. I have measurement goals rather than a scale goal. Want to lose two clothing sizes.

    I commented in the daily chat or stage 1 thread that I was happy with my strength gains at the end of stage one (just doing the AMRAPs now), and now I just want to see that body fat reduce!
  • xMonroeMisfit
    xMonroeMisfit Posts: 411 Member
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    Alright, i ate at low calories for a while but then i went through a re-feed/binge/starve stage because my body was so hungry and then i'd get scared and cut calories drastically again. I'm eating at maintenance to give my body a break plus if it's more than i need, i will use it as a bulk anyway. Thanks :)
  • mcbellnz
    mcbellnz Posts: 145 Member
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    Good on you, sounds like a plan.

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