Started strength training, starving?

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rachelfaith92
rachelfaith92 Posts: 202 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
These passed few days I've been slowly working strength training and circuit training into my lifestyle since recent weight gain. Every muscle in my body is sore to the point where I can't walk down a flight of steps without extreme soreness and pain. I'm fine with being sore, but I'm starving? I tried eating clean and incorporating veggies and lots of protein. I caved in after two hours of consistent hunger pangs and ate a protien bar. I'm now 23 cals over. Anyone who weight trains, lifts, or focuses more on building muscle and toning rather than scale numbers, (I am obsessed with the scale) could you please help me? I want to know what to expect from strength training and incorporating cardio. How long before results are seen? What should I do about food/being hungry? What should I eat?

Thank you!
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Replies

  • Lozze
    Lozze Posts: 1,917 Member
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    First off 23 calories is inconsequential. Ignore it.

    Secondly if you're starving EAT. If you're exercising that much you're probably not eating enough. Especially if you're starving.
  • Kenzieb07
    Kenzieb07 Posts: 207 Member
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    I'm doing ChaLEAN Extreme which is primarily focused on strength training, and she says during it that while strength training, you'll find yourself hungrier because the increase in muscle also causes your metabolism to increase. You may need to increase your calorie goal if you are strength training!
  • rachelfaith92
    rachelfaith92 Posts: 202 Member
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    To look really cut and tone for a female, do I need to lose weight first and then strength train and gain muscle, or is it possible to drop body fat while gaining muscle? I'm trying not to focus on scale numbers so much but rather seeing definition and progress. I guess I'm just looking for the right way to go about this.
  • Lozze
    Lozze Posts: 1,917 Member
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    You won't gain muscle on a deficit. You will lose mor body fat while lifting heavy which will make you look more defined but you won't gain muscle. (and will lose some eating at a deficit)
  • gogophers
    gogophers Posts: 190 Member
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    You won't gain muscle on a deficit. You will lose mor body fat while lifting heavy which will make you look more defined but you won't gain muscle. (and will lose some eating at a deficit)

    Nvm, misunderstood your statement.
  • TheRealParisLove
    TheRealParisLove Posts: 1,907 Member
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    You kind of have to push through the pain for the first couple of weeks. I know the advice in the past was to not train if you are sore, but there is new evidence that training while you are sore will speed your progress.

    I'm in this phase right now. I've increased my fiber intake to keep the hunger pains away. Everything hurts, but I'm going to keep going to break through the entropy of being a slug for the last few years.
  • mmapags
    mmapags Posts: 8,934 Member
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    You may not be eating enough based on how hard you are training. In your diary you are at 1400+ per day. How often are you working out and for how long. Also, what is your workout comprised of? How tall and how what is your current weight?

    You can't gain muscle and lose fat at the same time. You can maintian muscle and lose fat or you can gain muscle and some fat be eating at a surplus. As a newbie you'll get a new pound or 2 of muscle but that's it. That may be fine though as neuromuscular adaptation will develop your existing muscle structure. You will look better and more cut as you body fat drops and the development shows. It's sometimes a misnomer that we think we have to gain muscle when all we really have to do is improve the ones we have!
  • rachelfaith92
    rachelfaith92 Posts: 202 Member
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    I am 5'4, basically 20 years old (in a month), and work out anywhere from 20-30 minutes so far. I just started strength training this week since I can't seem to drop anymore weight dieting alone. My starting weight was 171, I went down to 154 and then back up to 160 at a platuea. I have lost 2 pounds over the course of 3 days. My current weight is 158

    Thank you so much for your responses. Right now I am doing some cardio (jumping jacks/walking/jump rope) until I feel ready to start jogging. I did a few exercises off of the 30day shred and am slowly working my way up to do the whole video. I went from an incredibly active job to a slightly active job, to not working for two weeks and start an active job (new career path) Monday. So I've been lifting weights, incorporating kick boxing (I used to kick box) with jabs and punching with 8 pounds of weights in my hands. I've been doing push ups, sit ups, crunches, leg lifts, leg crunches (bringing legs up and down in the air to do a crunch, much like an L shape.) I do one handed push ups agains a wall and rotate, shoulder shrugs, and squats. That's about it for now. I set my goal as 1300 a day. I don't want to gain fat. I have muscle and a lot of leg muscle from kickboxing a few years back. When I gained fat it made my legs look terribly bulky and huge. My ultimate goal was to lose body fat percentage and gain muscle.

    Right now I'm on 40 carbs 30 fat and protein. Should I cut fat to 15? What things should I be eating? What other things should I be doing? Basically, what would be the correct way physically and nutritionally to going about this? My ultimate goal is to have a quite noticeable muscle definition. I'm not worried about bulking up muscle wise, I just want to lose the body fat.
  • mmapags
    mmapags Posts: 8,934 Member
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    Ok, with some more info I think I can give you something to consider. I thinkl 1300 is low for you given your acitivy level and age. I would suggest you go up to about 1600 calories and really get focused on the strength training. There are a couple of beginer programs that are full body compound exercises to look at. Either Starting Strength or Stronglifts 5x5. If you do one of those along with some cardio, like 2x per week, you should start to see a nice steady weight loss and you will maintain and develop the muscle structure you have very nicely. When you do cardio, eat back the exercise calories but not on strength training days.

    I think if you do this, you won't be so hungry all the time and give yourself enough calories to fuel you workouts.

    PS: I'd also drop you carbs to 30% and up your protein. Don't cut fat. You need fat in your diet. Contrary to the myths, fat does not keep or make you fat!
  • ErinRibbens
    ErinRibbens Posts: 370 Member
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    1300 is too low. Listen to your body, if you're starving you need to eat. When I was lifting heavy (this was years ago, pre-kids) I ate 4 good size meals a day because I was so hungry, wasn't counting calories just trying to eat healthy for the most part, and got down to 125 and very toned at 5'2". You have to fuel your workouts, plus if you let yourself get so hungry you'll make poor choices for what to eat. I'd guess 1600 would be a good #, just a guess though based on my experience.
  • ErinRibbens
    ErinRibbens Posts: 370 Member
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    Also, don't freak out if the scale goes up before it comes back down! :flowerforyou:
  • makenziewhicker
    makenziewhicker Posts: 29 Member
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    You and I are very similar. EAT! don't be afraid to eat! Especially because you have started to weight lift. You will be sore everytime you lift especially your first few sessions. I've added a lot more fiber into my diet because I have the same problem! I just bought Chia seeds today which offers omega's 5 grams of fiber and 3 grams of protein! Highly suggest putting a tablespoon with a 1/2 cup of oatmeal in the morning to get you going! Best thing about fiber.. you can't count those towards your calorie intake and it keeps you full!
    Also, you should be eating about 5 to 6 times a day. With protein in each meal. Stick to lean proteins such as tilapia and chicken. Those are very good dieting proteins. I also drink about 2 to 3 cups of eggwhites a day.
    if you are stuck with your weight, try carb cycling. 3 days go really low carbs like 25 grams and then have two days of high carbs like 75-100. Lower your fat intake if you choose to have fat stick with almond butter, almonds, and olive oil. Carbs should be oatmeal and brown rice. Allow yourself 1 cheat meal a week. I choose sushi, i like the deep fried rolls!
    I recommend a good protein powder too, I choose the body evolution products you can find them on facebook or go to their website thebodyevolution.com That will help with the cravings!

    Call me crazy but I love getting a cup of egg whites and a scoop of the protein powder either, vanilla or chocolate.. it tastes like cake batter! It has a high absorbtion rate unlike some proteins you can get at gnc or walmart.


    Any questions, just ask me :)


    Oh! and p.s. with weight lifting your metabolism will increase especially if you stick with 5 to 6 meals a day therefore; increasing your metabolic rate. So, expect to lose about 20 or so pounds, don't forget cardio but don't be mad if the scale doesn't change! it may not change for a month but that's because you are building muscle and muscle is more dense than fat so keep at it and I promise you will see a change!
  • SPNLuver83
    SPNLuver83 Posts: 2,050 Member
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    you gotta eat more! plain and simple. eat more to weigh less! your body can't be a fire if you don't fuel it!! it will also help with recovery on them sore muscles.

    go to fat2fitradio.com to figure out how many calories you should be eating! the 1200 net MFP suggests is too low for most ppl, especially long term.
  • RedHeadDevotchka
    RedHeadDevotchka Posts: 1,394 Member
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    EAT WOMAN!! Your body is HANGRY!!!!!
  • MorbidNTT
    MorbidNTT Posts: 43 Member
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    Try drinking more water. The soreness and 'hunger' may be a symptom of dehydration. Also you probably need to up your Calorie intake and Protein, like others have suggested. Drink more water. Water. Not Tea, or anything else. Try to drink your 8 glasses a day at least, of water, only water can count towards your 8 glasses, anything else is a treat.
  • sarah44254
    sarah44254 Posts: 3,078 Member
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    I'm 5'4" and about 150-155. I eat at a small deficit and lift heavy 3 times a week. I only work out for 45-80 minutes each time and there is quite a bit of it that is recovery time and just standing around between lifts. I have stayed the same weight but my body fat % keeps going down. It is a slow process and I'd like to lose weight but I've been so hungry I don't really care about my calorie goal. If I ate at my calorie goal consistently I would see a weight loss, I'm sure. But I go over it, sometimes by a LOT (800-1000 over) and I haven't gained at all.

    My goal is 1640 which is a 20% deficit from my TDEE.

    If you go here: http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/654536-in-place-of-a-road-map-2-0-revised-7-2-12
    helloitsdan explains in detail how to get to the calorie goal like I did. That way, no matter if I workout that day or not, I just eat the same amount of calories. Makes it easier for days off but I do struggle with the goal on workout days.
  • sirisaac87
    sirisaac87 Posts: 33
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    Ok, with some more info I think I can give you something to consider. I thinkl 1300 is low for you given your acitivy level and age. I would suggest you go up to about 1600 calories and really get focused on the strength training. There are a couple of beginer programs that are full body compound exercises to look at. Either Starting Strength or Stronglifts 5x5. If you do one of those along with some cardio, like 2x per week, you should start to see a nice steady weight loss and you will maintain and develop the muscle structure you have very nicely. When you do cardio, eat back the exercise calories but not on strength training days.

    I think if you do this, you won't be so hungry all the time and give yourself enough calories to fuel you workouts.

    PS: I'd also drop you carbs to 30% and up your protein. Don't cut fat. You need fat in your diet. Contrary to the myths, fat does not keep or make you fat!


    Great Advice!! 5x5 would be a great place to start --- Also meal timing helps with the hunger ... I had the same problem, but once I got my meal timing down then it was alot easier -- Also keep a protein shake, or a protein bar just in case you get really hungry.
  • alexbusnello
    alexbusnello Posts: 1,010 Member
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    Please eat more! I made the mistake of eating little while doing Bodyrock which is intense cardio and strength training at the same time. I lost a lot of my muscle and got fat!!! :( I lost my curve in my waist and my saddle bags are bigger....I'm a bit bigger in general... Especially my belly and upper arms...so gross.

    Now I'm learning how to eat more without fear and trying to gain back that lost muscle. Please don't make the same mistake ad I did a few months ago.... I miss how my body was.... I should have eaten more.... Please.... Eat!
  • fit_librarian
    fit_librarian Posts: 242 Member
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    I believe that strength training raises your metabolism a lot. So that would explain why you're hungry. I know I'm hungrier on days when I do strength training. My solution has been to eat little snack throughout the day. I would have a hardboiled egg and a piece of fruit for a snack in the morning. And in the afternoon, I'd have cottage cheese, strawberries, and almonds. It helped.
  • mcrowe1016
    mcrowe1016 Posts: 647 Member
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    Lifting makes me a bit more hungry too.
    There are two ways I fight this: I try to leave a few extra calories for after the gym. However, if you do not eat enough before a workout, your workout will suck.

    Or just go over by 100 or 200 calories on the days you lift and make sure the next day you are 100 or 200 below your goal so it all averages out.

    Edit - I don't 1300 could ever be considered starving yourself, however I don't think that eating 1400 or 1500 a day would be a bad idea.

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