Another confused newbie.
lilkat_0087
Posts: 55 Member
I did an 8 week reset after eating approximately 1400 calories and no progress to try to lose the last 5 vanity pounds and start body recomp. I found this group and have upped my cals to 1850. (I'm 25 F, 5'6 130lbs and set to 3-5hrs excercise a week) I set my cut to 15% simply because that seemed like a popular cut number around here. After following the board the past couple of weeks I have seen people saying if you are looking for body recomp or very little to lose you should be eating at or close to maintenance. Am I setting myself up for failure eating at 1850 and still eating too low? It's only been two weeks and I wasn't going to take measurements for at least 8 weeks so I don't know if I should wait and see or go to 5 or 10% cut or maintenance? This is new and confusing!
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10% for sure.
Also, with less to lose, very narrow margin for error and still see good results.
So confirm honest with activity level. If work is not sedentary desk job, then that raises level already, exercise adds to it.
Success or fail depends on results.
Recomp, yes eating too low will make that more difficult.
Recomp, lifting is only way, nothing else demands needs for more muscle.
Might use the spreadsheet topic that is sticky in this group and have some good things to measure and track progress on, since indeed scale won't be it.
Once you get your info there, let me know your estimated TDEE and TDEG, and your current or hoped for workout routine, type and time.0 -
I wish I could answer your question, but I'm really just as curious as you. I'm in a similar boat. I have about 5-7 pounds to get to my goal, which isn't much but feels like an impossibility sometimes.
How did the reset go for you? Did you gain/loose anything during that time? I never did a reset. I just slowly started upping my calories, but I'm only up to a 25% deficit and know I need to get to about 15% (or maybe even lower). I'll be keeping an eye on this thread!0 -
Thank you. I will do the spreadsheet tonight when I have more time. I do have a desk job, but I lift 3 days a wk for 45-60 min and run at minimum 15km a week. This will be moving up as weather is nicer and race season starting. I will do more strength if I need to but I will not lower cardio as running keeps me sane
So i think 3-5 hours active is accurate?
After a week on the reset i was STARVING but it levelled out the last week or so? The scale did move up 3 lbs and mentally upset me but clothes fit the same and measurements didn't move.0 -
Thank you. I will do the spreadsheet tonight when I have more time. I do have a desk job, but I lift 3 days a wk for 45-60 min and run at minimum 15km a week. This will be moving up as weather is nicer and race season starting. I will do more strength if I need to but I will not lower cardio as running keeps me sane So i think 3-5 hours active is accurate?
After a week on the reset i was STARVING but it levelled out the last week or so? The scale did move up 3 lbs and mentally upset me but clothes fit the same and measurements didn't move.
So gained water weight, probably needed. And as you run more and warmer, more blood volume too.
I will suggest to keep the running after a lifting day in lower aerobic zone, Active Recovery would be best actually, as that adds no load to the muscle requiring it's own recovery, just recovery for the lifting.
And if you want full benefit from lifting, you need full recovery.
You also don't want to proceed a lifting day with running more than 60 min or higher that Aerobic HR zone, that will just tire the muscles out and you won't be able to lift as strong. Again, if maintenance is fine for legs, that's fine.
If you are hoping to start getting a long day in there for running, don't even pretend trying to lift 3 x weekly, you'll have to drop lower body on at least 1 day.
So think about schedule going forward, but use spreadsheet for your time now. Also suggest, if any runs are over 60 min now, only count 60 min in the activity calc. Anything over 60 min gets eaten back totally post run, when you need it.
While thinking about it, here's what would work if you run 3 x weekly and lift 3 x weekly. Still get full benefit from lifting, training the aerobic system for endurance if trying for races, get a long run in if desired for that training.
Rest.
Lift.
Run recovery 60 min.
Lift.
Run recovery 60 min.
Lift upper only. Run sprint intervals option.
Run aerobic long run.
HRM tab in spreadsheet has this common training advice, and HR training zones.0 -
I think I've done this right...
My BMR is 1381
My TDEE is 2180
My TDEG is 1836 at 15.6 deficit.
They appear to be roughly the same as my other calculations. Should I be eating at 1962?(10%)
Like i mentioned i currently run 3x and lift 3x a week. M W F lift, Tues/Thurs run Sat long run sometimes 30 min yoga if I'm feeling stiff. Sun rest0 -
I think I've done this right...
My BMR is 1381
My TDEE is 2180
My TDEG is 1836 at 15.6 deficit.
They appear to be roughly the same as my other calculations. Should I be eating at 1962?(10%)
Like i mentioned i currently run 3x and lift 3x a week. M W F lift, Tues/Thurs run Sat long run sometimes 30 min yoga if I'm feeling stiff. Sun rest
You can eat at 5% deficit if you want it to take even longer, and make better body improvements from the exercise.
Your choice.
If you still want lifting as more than maintenance, some suggestions.
You don't get stronger from a load unless you allow rest, recovery, repair.
On that schedule, your running should be in the Active Recovery HR zone only (aka fat-burning zone) so you aren't adding more load to muscles that already are trying to repair from the lifting the day before.
Now, if running purpose is races, that will train your aerobic fat-burning endurance system very well, no more than 60 min day after.
If you switch a run to Sun, day before lifting, 60 min in the Aerobic HR zone hopefully won't tire out the muscle so much as to impact Mon lifting routine.
But that schedule really means only 1 can be the strong focus, and above is based on cardio supporting the lifting.
If you want reverse, than Tue/Thu still Recovery runs to allow repair from lifting day before.
But then Fri is upper body lifting only, and short tempo run, how ever fast that won't impact your long run on Sat.
Eventually the long run will be negatively effected by that Thu fast run, so skip it. Spin would be better cross training anyway. Same problem though if too intense.
Sat long run then.
So that lets lifting support the cardio.
The HRM tab in spreadsheet has that common training advice, as well as getting your HR zones based on HRR, not just HRmax.0 -
Awesome thank you!0
