New gym goer and not sure how to eat for my muscles!

VictoriaFL84
VictoriaFL84 Posts: 37
in Health and Weight Loss
A little background. I'm currently 5'3, 129.6 pounds with a goal weight of 110-115 pounds (I'm very small framed and this is what I have always weighed prior to having kids).

I used to always eat 1200 calories a day to lose weight and get to my goal weight, however that was without any exercise at all. For the last few months I have joined a gym and I do about an hour of weightlifting 4-5 times a week. I do work out different muscle groups each day so I'm not overworking myself. I only do 10 minutes of cardio each gym day just to warm up and only lose about 100 calories that way.

I'm having a hard time figuring out how many calories I should eat now that I'm weightlifting. Any ideas? Thank you!

Replies

  • newcs
    newcs Posts: 717 Member
    I'd try Scooby's Workshop's calorie calculator and go from there. It's worked really well for me. But it'll be trial and error. If you weight goes up, adjust. If you feel weak/hungry, adjust.
  • ironanimal
    ironanimal Posts: 5,922 Member
    According to the stats you provided, about 1900 cals a day, with about 100g of protein, 40g of fat and the rest made up however you like.
  • lasmit4477
    lasmit4477 Posts: 308 Member
    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/654536-in-place-of-a-road-map-2-0-revised-7-2-12
  • marianne_s
    marianne_s Posts: 983 Member
    You should eat for your metabolism, not your muscles....


    Calculate your metabolism here - http://scoobysworkshop.com/calorie-calculator/

    Once you know your TDEE, you will then know how many calories you should eat a
  • shrinkinginQualicum
    shrinkinginQualicum Posts: 131 Member
    I'd like to see some educated answers to that too! As a woman the information out there is pretty minimal. Since we aren't building muscle the same as men I'm sure we wouldn't need to eat as much more (respectively). But at the same time, since dieting will destroy muscle, and we don't want that, we have to eat enough. But when we still have a little fat to get rid of, we don't want to add more fat. Here's a long(ish) article, specifically aimed at a man, but has some good info in it. Still didn't answer that question for us ladies, but... http://body-improvements.com/2012/08/22/qa-how-can-i-go-about-building-some-muscle/
    His site has lots of other info on it that's pretty decent. There may be some answers there, but I haven't gone through it all yet.
  • MelStren
    MelStren Posts: 457 Member
    bump......
  • AnvilHead
    AnvilHead Posts: 18,343 Member
    Read Sarauk2sf's first post in this thread:

    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/819055-setting-your-calorie-and-macro-targets

    Then read her first post in this thread:

    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/819925-the-basics-don-t-complicate-it

    That tells you everything you need to know about setting your calorie and macro levels.
  • lisavenice5
    lisavenice5 Posts: 2
    I would recommend that instead of lifting weights 4-5 times a week, that you just do it every other day. Your muscles need a day off to rest and repair the tears you have made in them (the process that is burning calories in a way that makes weight lifting far more effective than cardio). Also, make sure you are not doing an hour of weight lifting simply because you're trying to hit that number. Weightlifting is about doing the exercise properly and making sure that you are failing on the last rep of the last set - no matter how many reps or sets that is. Also, its more important that you are choosing the proper exercises that target important muscles. You should absolutely be incorporating deadlifts and squats into your routine. I lift weights every other day, and use a routine that was compiled by my boyfriend. He has been working out for about 10 years, since before he joined the Marine Corps. He is very fit, has some nice muscle on him, but still only weighs 175 lbs and is 5' 10". He has read a lot of books, so I consider him to be an expert. My workouts usually entail 4-5 exercises at whatever reps/sets are currently appropriate. In total my workout takes me no more than 30 minutes each time I do it. Throughout the week, the exercises I do are squats, deadlifts, biceps, triceps, reverse flys, bench press, rows, upright rows, arnold press, and some core/ab work (for the last one, seek an expert on core/ab work as it is selective which types of exercises are or are not helpful). This workout has been successful for me, and I like that I am getting the results I want, clearly getting stronger, and it only takes 30 minutes out of my day.

    As for your main question - eating for your weight lifting routine. My boyfriend recommended to me a protein shake after each workout. I currently use Muscle Milk powder (the s'mores flavor is delicious), and mix it with 8 ounces of skim milk (totals about 230 calories). You should drink it within 20 minutes following your workout. On the off days, your body still needs the protein even though you are not working out. So I have the protein shake for breakfast. As a meal replacement, it helps me stay within my daily calorie goals and it is pretty effective at staving off hunger as well. I work out in the afternoons and when I enjoy my protein shake after my workout it is usually about 5 pm. Very often I find I'm not hungry for dinner, so I think it definitely works for me! You dont have to go with the muscle milk brand, and there are cheaper brands you can find. That is just the only one I have tried and can vouche for.

    Good Luck!!!
  • fittocycle
    fittocycle Posts: 827 Member
    Great thread!
  • VictoriaFL84
    VictoriaFL84 Posts: 37
    thanks everyone there is some great info here I'm off to read! I'll post my weight routine in a second
  • VictoriaFL84
    VictoriaFL84 Posts: 37
    On Day 1 I do:
    (all of these are 3 sets of 8 reps unless otherwise noted)

    Bench Press
    Pec Dec Ropes
    Standing Flies
    Shoulder Press
    Overhead Ropes
    Triceps Push Down

    Day 2:

    Bicep Bar Curls
    Bicep Rope Curls
    Seated Curls
    Reverse Pec Dec
    Seated Row
    Roman Chair 16 reps 3 times(for back)
    Pullups

    Day 3:

    Deep Squats
    Leg Extension
    Leg Curl
    Calf Raises
    Sit ups (however many I can do in 3 different sets using machine with weights)
    Torso Rotation
  • CoderGal
    CoderGal Posts: 6,800 Member
    Read Sarauk2sf's first post in this thread:

    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/819055-setting-your-calorie-and-macro-targets

    Then read her first post in this thread:

    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/819925-the-basics-don-t-complicate-it

    That tells you everything you need to know about setting your calorie and macro levels.
    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/654536-in-place-of-a-road-map-2-0-revised-7-2-12
  • Capt_Apollo
    Capt_Apollo Posts: 9,026 Member
    According to the stats you provided, about 1900 cals a day, with about 100g of protein, 40g of fat and the rest made up however you like.
  • geekyjock76
    geekyjock76 Posts: 2,720 Member
    Use the prediction formulas as estimates to establish how much you may need to eat to maintain your weight based on lifting 5 days a week (moderately active). Then deduct about 15% from that. The average for your height, weight, and activity level would be around 1900 to maintain for you; so eating around 285 calories under would be an estimate (1615 to 1650 calories) to lose 0.5 lbs per week.

    If you are upping from 1200 to 1600+, you will likely gain a few lbs since your muscles and liver will be storing more glycogen and water. Glycogen is a solute which attracts water at a ratio of 1 g -to-2.7 g. Example: 225 g of stored glycogen is 0.5 lb which will pull in 1.35 lbs of water.
  • Barbellerella
    Barbellerella Posts: 1,838 Member
    According to the stats you provided, about 1900 cals a day, with about 100g of protein, 40g of fat and the rest made up however you like.
  • CoderGal
    CoderGal Posts: 6,800 Member
    According to the stats you provided, about 1900 cals a day, with about 100g of protein, 40g of fat and the rest made up however you like.
  • lisavenice5
    lisavenice5 Posts: 2
    This looks like a good workout routine! One thing I recommend is that if you are going to do core/ab work such as sit-ups, that you invest in a Bender Ball. Its just this tiny little ball you can buy at a Sports Authority or online. You place it at the small of your back while sitting down, lean back with your arms crossing your chest, and knees bent in front of you. Lean back pretty far and then come back up to do your full crunch. I was doing situps before and I was doing them in correct form, but I still found that my neck and back hurt - so I ended up stopping them all together. Then I started using the bender ball and Im actually excited to do core work because I can feel the exercise, without feeling the pain.

    Keep up the good work!
  • kdiamond
    kdiamond Posts: 3,329 Member
    According to the stats you provided, about 1900 cals a day, with about 100g of protein, 40g of fat and the rest made up however you like.

    This sounds about right to me

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