Opinions on my current calories & routine

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_namaste_
_namaste_ Posts: 246
in Food and Nutrition
Hi there fellow MFP'ers!

I am wondering if you all would be willing to share your opinions with me on my current set up. I have been tweaking here and there but every time I read something new I worry I am eating too little, or too much, or doing something else wrong.

My goal is to eat at a healthy deficit, whatever is a truly healthy and sustainable way to eat the right amount of food, lose a little bit of excess weight (and fat!), but also fuel my work out routine.

I am currently 140lbs, 5'6". I don't know my body fat percentage (am meeting with a trainer on Tues and I presume I'll find out then ;)). My goal weight is about 135. Maybe 130 depending on how I feel once I get to 135. I have used the various calculators and it seems like my BMR is about 1465 and my TDEE with the exercising (6 or 7 days a week) is between 2100 - 2300. I have my calories set to 1600 per day.

I do hot vinyasa (flow) yoga 5-6 times per week and run about 5km (3miles) every other day. I am starting strength training as of this week and plan to strength train about every other day or every third day. I eat back close to all, or all or my exercise calories. Does this sound OK? Some days I don't feel like I need to eat more at the end of the day but still have 200 - 500 calories left. I have been worried recently that if I don't eat those (netting only around 1200 - 1300) I might put myself at risk of lower energy, muscle loss, etc. so I have been making sure to eat in the evening even if I don't feel like it to meet my calories (or very close)

I eat as clean as possible. I don't eat fast food, packaged food, or junk food (save for the odd square of chocolate lol) and get tons of lean protein, veg, fruit, quinoa. Very little bread and minimal dairy. I am eating about 100g or so of protein daily and keep my fats and carbs under, try with the sugar but with fruits and what not I usually get a bit more sugar than I am "supposed" to. I also usually don't eat too much in the morning. I have black tea with milk and eat my first real food around 11:30am. I find if I start eating first thing in the AM (like breakfast with my kids) I end up far hungrier and have a tough time staying within calories. So far the above has worked really well for me at keeping my stomach empty for yoga (very important), staving off extra early hunger, and keeping me within my calories every day.

So... opinions. Is 1600 the right amount? Too little? Anything else you think could change for the better? Thanks in advance!

Replies

  • Firefox7275
    Firefox7275 Posts: 2,040 Member
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    Eating first thing boosts the metabolic rate which slows overnight - have you tried something simple, light and low glycaemic index (will not spike blood sugar) like live yoghurt and a few berries? Secondly you don't mention healthy fats at all, oily fish particularly? Thirdly are you assuring you get the minerals you miss not having much dairy and being reduced carb? Bear in mind you needs are greatly increased with exercising, especially if your activities make you sweat (lose minerals not just salt).
  • fraser112
    fraser112 Posts: 405
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    What routine are you planning? only thing i would say is lighten up a bit on a deficit as a new lifter you will build muscle on any routine that hits most of your body. Other than that eat your cals as much as possible and relax.
  • _namaste_
    _namaste_ Posts: 246
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    Eating first thing boosts the metabolic rate which slows overnight - have you tried something simple, light and low glycaemic index (will not spike blood sugar) like live yoghurt and a few berries? Secondly you don't mention healthy fats at all, oily fish particularly? Thirdly are you assuring you get the minerals you miss not having much dairy and being reduced carb? Bear in mind you needs are greatly increased with exercising, especially if your activities make you sweat (lose minerals not just salt).

    I have tried something small but it seems to get me starving almost instantly. I don't know why.... the tea with milk thing has seemed to work really well for me so far.

    I do eat healthy fats - nuts (pecans, walnuts, almonds, sunflower seeds, flax in my cereal when I have it), fish (salmon, tuna, haddock, etc.). I also eat eggs for protein often.

    I take vitamin D and calcium supplements as well as a multi-vitamin daily.

    I do also use an electrolyte replenisher (mixed with my water) during and after each hot yoga class. And speaking of water, I usually drink about 10 cups a day, or more.
  • _namaste_
    _namaste_ Posts: 246
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    What routine are you planning? only thing i would say is lighten up a bit on a deficit as a new lifter you will build muscle on any routine that hits most of your body. Other than that eat your cals as much as possible and relax.

    By routine do you mean for the lifting? I am planning 2 muscle groups per session. Today I worked shoulders and back for instance. About 25 minutes. I can't lift much weight right now but I know in a short time that will change. I always ensure to have a post-workout something with protein and carbs too depending on the difficulty/intensity of the workout.
  • LorinaLynn
    LorinaLynn Posts: 13,247 Member
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    I'd go with about 1500-1600 plus exercise calories, or about 1800-1900 without adding extra for exercise, which would probably work out to about t he same.

    Be sure to track your progress through measurements, how clothes fit and photos instead of just the scale. Also a good idea aim for a minimum of 100g of protein a day.
  • _namaste_
    _namaste_ Posts: 246
    Options
    I'd go with about 1500-1600 plus exercise calories, or about 1800-1900 without adding extra for exercise, which would probably work out to about t he same.

    Be sure to track your progress through measurements, how clothes fit and photos instead of just the scale. Also a good idea aim for a minimum of 100g of protein a day.

    This is exactly what I am doing (1600 + exercise + 100g protein or more per day), so it's good to hear that sounds about right from someone else. I sometimes feel a little lost with all the info out there.
  • fraser112
    fraser112 Posts: 405
    Options
    What routine are you planning? only thing i would say is lighten up a bit on a deficit as a new lifter you will build muscle on any routine that hits most of your body. Other than that eat your cals as much as possible and relax.

    By routine do you mean for the lifting? I am planning 2 muscle groups per session. Today I worked shoulders and back for instance. About 25 minutes. I can't lift much weight right now but I know in a short time that will change. I always ensure to have a post-workout something with protein and carbs too depending on the difficulty/intensity of the workout.

    Don't worry about the weights just get the form down and put the effort in to progress i started my squat at just the bar now i can do 60kg for reps after a month but im cutting so it's a slow process.

    If you have trouble feeling hungry i would say look into the various fasting protocol. Some people fair much better skipping breakfast and doing some form of IF. Unless you eat nothing all day feeding time really has no effect on your body. Infact early studies show fasting could have some small plus sides but its an emerging field.
  • _namaste_
    _namaste_ Posts: 246
    Options
    Don't worry about the weights just get the form down and put the effort in to progress i started my squat at just the bar now i can do 60kg for reps after a month but im cutting so it's a slow process.

    If you have trouble feeling hungry i would say look into the various fasting protocol. Some people fair much better skipping breakfast and doing some form of IF. Unless you eat nothing all day feeding time really has no effect on your body. Infact early studies show fasting could have some small plus sides but its an emerging field.

    My husband is helping me with my form as he has been strength training for a long time so I feel good about that.

    The thing about just tea for breakfast is that it's really what I need for yoga anyways. If I practice on a full stomach (or even a light meal 1-2 hours ahead of time) I am sluggish, uncomfortable and it really is not good for me. When I drink my tea and head to yoga I practice well, feel great and then have a large well balanced meal right after. I think I don't feel terribly hungry in the evenings because I spread my meals very well from my late breakfast/early lunch. I eat a larger meal around 11:30am, then a snack around 1pm, larger meal around 3pm or 4pm, then a snack around 6pm. So by then I usually still have some calories left. I have been working to eat a little more at my large meals or make my snacks a bit larger to try and spread a bit more out throughout the day and keep myself well fuelled.
  • fraser112
    fraser112 Posts: 405
    Options
    Don't worry about the weights just get the form down and put the effort in to progress i started my squat at just the bar now i can do 60kg for reps after a month but im cutting so it's a slow process.

    If you have trouble feeling hungry i would say look into the various fasting protocol. Some people fair much better skipping breakfast and doing some form of IF. Unless you eat nothing all day feeding time really has no effect on your body. Infact early studies show fasting could have some small plus sides but its an emerging field.

    My husband is helping me with my form as he has been strength training for a long time so I feel good about that.

    The thing about just tea for breakfast is that it's really what I need for yoga anyways. If I practice on a full stomach (or even a light meal 1-2 hours ahead of time) I am sluggish, uncomfortable and it really is not good for me. When I drink my tea and head to yoga I practice well, feel great and then have a large well balanced meal right after. I think I don't feel terribly hungry in the evenings because I spread my meals very well from my late breakfast/early lunch. I eat a larger meal around 11:30am, then a snack around 1pm, larger meal around 3pm or 4pm, then a snack around 6pm. So by then I usually still have some calories left. I have been working to eat a little more at my large meals or make my snacks a bit larger to try and spread a bit more out throughout the day and keep myself well fuelled.

    That all sounds good and really what ever works is what's important in the end. If you like your current eating pattern i would say you could add full fat milk to your tea or just grab a handfull of nuts or even hot coco at the end of the day a calorie is a calorie. I find peanut butter i my protein shakes is a great way if your struggling with calories.

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