New and totally confuse!

elianexox
elianexox Posts: 177 Member
Hi all !

I'm new at this EM2WL and I've no idea i much i need to eat. For the past year i've lost 40 pounds eating 1200 calories (without eating back my exercise cals...ugh!) At one point, i think my body was just starving so i developed a problem with binging on big amount of foods. I lost all willpower and control. I gained back 10 lbs so far and i want this vicious cycle to stop.

I know i can do this, but i want to be able to do it for the rest of my life and not just for a month or two.

Can someone please do the maths for me since i'm terrible with those BMR TDEE etc etc. and tell me exactly how much i should be eating to lose as much fat as possible without losing muscles! ( I WOULD BE SOOO THANKFUL!)

My stats :

Starting weight 170 lbs
Current weight 140
Goal weight 125 (toned, not fat!)
Height : 5f3 1/2 !
Age : 23
Body fat % : 30% (terrible!!! , even with all the weight i've lost I'm still holding on to a lot of fat :(
I usually go to the gym 3-4 time a week, i was doing only intense cardio for 30 minutes, but i'm starting to lift weights instead or doing circuit classes using light weights and do less cardio. (so i guess my activity level is probably light)


THANK YOU SOOOO MUCH IN ADVANCE :) Can't wait to start a new healthy life.

Replies

  • Greenrun99
    Greenrun99 Posts: 2,065 Member
    Hey, welcome to the group..
    So these are going to be an estimate of where I would probably start, I have you at around moderate with a 10% cut, but I am subtracting some calories from the number scooby gave me.

    So numbers, without eating back exercise calories I would say to eat around 1600-1750 calories(your BMR is about 1440 or so give or take all the variables), why the estimate range? Cause depending what you do during the day besides your gym time, is where this would come in.. so do you sit at a desk, retail, etc, the more active the higher the number range. If you pick a number stick with it for atleast a month before deciding to change numbers, you may gain weight, you may lose, you may not see any change but you need to get a base.

    Now you could do a reset for 6-8 weeks eating at what is assumed your TDEE to kinda reset your body, if you did that you would eat around 1900 calories. You can read the stickies on here to decide if thats what you want to do.

    As far as your goal weight, 125 would give you 21-23% BF if you didn't lose anymore muscle, so if you look at some of the pictures in the weight loss forum I think people posted comparison pictures of woman and their BF%. Your macro's should also change from what MFP assigned, your protein/carb/fat numbers should be 40/40/20 to start because you probably have it at default or haven't really been following this.. but the protein number probably needs to increase.

    So onto the Toned but not fat part, basically when your in the gym and you look over at all those dudes lifting weights, slapping their arms, pacing back and forth, yelling at themselves in the mirror.. ya that needs to be you (without all that stupid look at me lift weights attitude).. You will want to start lifting weights with correct form (in the circuit classes you do hopefully they show you a form if its not just machine or a trainer might give you a introduction session or something) and heavy weights.. No more 15-20 reps, 5-10 reps, and the last 3 your body part your using should be shaking. You won't bulk, you won't get big but if you want that toned look, this is the way.

    If you know any of the people at the gym lifting weights, or they talk to you even small talk, feel free to go up to someone while they are lifting free weights and ask if your form is right, or what does this work on.. Just don't do it while they are actually doing the lifting.. wait until they are doing their set break.. nothing is more annoying then someone talking to you while your physically unable to listen or talk back.

    (I used Scooby's calculator, feel free to look at see if you want to do something different http://scoobysworkshop.com/calorie-calculator/)
  • elianexox
    elianexox Posts: 177 Member
    WOW thank you SO MUCH...I really really appreciate it !:flowerforyou:
  • frankhuerta
    frankhuerta Posts: 18 Member
    First of all...congratulations on your success! Back in January, a friend of mine suggested that I try Pilates and Yoga for fitness. I've been doing it ever since and got excellent results: I've lost 55 lbs and my BF% dropped from 35% to 18% while still increasing my lean body mass a bit from 38% to 42%.

    I personally do better in a structured class and try to do 2 Pilates session per week and 1 yoga per week...each for about 60 minutes. My preference is the hot yoga.

    There are different styles of Pilates and the one that works best for me is a high intensity cardio and strength training style. It's alto great for developing flexibility; especially in conjunction with hot yoga.

    Here's the link to my Pilates studio in LA: http://www.eq-fitness.com

    Perhaps there's a similar studio in your area.

    Regarding food intake: I don't ever feel deprived and have found that I do better with a higher protein ratio and drink lots of water. My food diary is available to view if you're interested.

    I especially love the Dr. Carbrite and Simply Protein Bars.

    Good luck and I wish you continued success!!
  • About how much protein would you recommend increasing to?

    I've decided to go ahead and give the Eat More to weigh Less a try.

    I spent about a month and a half on ideal protein and lost 16 pounds. However, while the rapid weight loss was wonderful, it really messed with my hormones and menstrual cycle.

    I used the calculator on fat2fitradio.com and, if use the method where I eat at my goal weight TDEE, then I should be consuming 1638 calories for a sedentary lifestyle. I plan to eat that, and then eat ack my exercise calories since I exercise inconsistently. Another board recommended that I eat back about 75% of my exercise calories. Does this sound appropriate? And over or underestimating shouldn't be a problem, since I have a HRM that is set to track my calories burned.
    Hey, welcome to the group..
    So these are going to be an estimate of where I would probably start, I have you at around moderate with a 10% cut, but I am subtracting some calories from the number scooby gave me.

    So numbers, without eating back exercise calories I would say to eat around 1600-1750 calories(your BMR is about 1440 or so give or take all the variables), why the estimate range? Cause depending what you do during the day besides your gym time, is where this would come in.. so do you sit at a desk, retail, etc, the more active the higher the number range. If you pick a number stick with it for atleast a month before deciding to change numbers, you may gain weight, you may lose, you may not see any change but you need to get a base.

    Now you could do a reset for 6-8 weeks eating at what is assumed your TDEE to kinda reset your body, if you did that you would eat around 1900 calories. You can read the stickies on here to decide if thats what you want to do.

    As far as your goal weight, 125 would give you 21-23% BF if you didn't lose anymore muscle, so if you look at some of the pictures in the weight loss forum I think people posted comparison pictures of woman and their BF%. Your macro's should also change from what MFP assigned, your protein/carb/fat numbers should be 40/40/20 to start because you probably have it at default or haven't really been following this.. but the protein number probably needs to increase.

    So onto the Toned but not fat part, basically when your in the gym and you look over at all those dudes lifting weights, slapping their arms, pacing back and forth, yelling at themselves in the mirror.. ya that needs to be you (without all that stupid look at me lift weights attitude).. You will want to start lifting weights with correct form (in the circuit classes you do hopefully they show you a form if its not just machine or a trainer might give you a introduction session or something) and heavy weights.. No more 15-20 reps, 5-10 reps, and the last 3 your body part your using should be shaking. You won't bulk, you won't get big but if you want that toned look, this is the way.

    If you know any of the people at the gym lifting weights, or they talk to you even small talk, feel free to go up to someone while they are lifting free weights and ask if your form is right, or what does this work on.. Just don't do it while they are actually doing the lifting.. wait until they are doing their set break.. nothing is more annoying then someone talking to you while your physically unable to listen or talk back.

    (I used Scooby's calculator, feel free to look at see if you want to do something different http://scoobysworkshop.com/calorie-calculator/)