Would be grateful for some help
artd9312
Posts: 41 Member
Hello -
I was hoping to get some advice, and truly appreciate any that I receive in advance. I am not "stalled" per se, but am seeking advice as the spreadsheet I maintain of my daily weight loss based on the day of my cycle indicates that I am averaging 2 pounds of loss per month since October 2012. My weight fluctuates dramatically over the course of a month and I retain water incredibly easily, so after reading a website that SideSteel recommended in a post I started documenting my daily weight based on cycle day to save my sanity. It worked
I am not complaining about this rate of weight loss, but I feel that I am at the point where I have established a much healthier lifestyle then I previously lived, and so now I am ready (mentally and physically) to really bring it.
My original weight loss goal is 60 pounds to bring me to 177 - right at the very highest point for a "normal" BMI for my height. My true scale goal is 167, but honestly I am much more concerned now with getting in significantly better shape. I have always loved lifting weights, but have read so much and tried so much that I am beyond confused at what to do now. Further, I am thinking I need to up the protein, but again have read so much information that I don't know what to try next.
I really just would like to make a decision on what to do and stick with it for four weeks. I am really enjoying C25k right now, and elliptical, and would like to keep doing that as it greatly reduces my stress (which helps the IBS). However, 30 minutes of cardio 5 times a week is fine if that is all I 'should" do so that I can lift. I do have access to a gym if need be. I also have limited equipment at home. I tried NROWFW and stopped. I am lost.
Basics - I am 34 yo, 5'11 female - current weight is 185.4.
1) What's your current intake of calories, on average? This is TOTAL CALORIES EATEN so this would include anything you eat for exercise calories. In other words, how much are you eating? Currently (as in last 2-3 weeks) I am averaging 1850 per day. Prior to that, it was more like 1950 per day.
2) What's your current average intake of protein, carbs, and fats, in grams? P - 90; C - 200; F - 70
3) Do you use a food scale and measure everything? I use a food scale and measuring spoons, but I do not measure everything. I measure everything I eat at dinner and later, and everything on the weekends. However, breakfast and lunch is mainly eaten at my work and so I am guessing. I try to be conservative on those estimates, but they are truly estimates.
4) Do you track all of your intake, daily? (Everything?) I do not track water and coffee, which I only drink black. I track everything else, except for when I take a tracking breaks (for example, 1.5 weeks ago I went on vacation and did not track for 4 days). Otherwise, I track it all - I don't like any condiments so that's pretty easy. I use oil on salad which I track. I use the recipe builder if I cook. Otherwise it's stuff that is easy to weigh and track, or I am having to estimate (like today we had Mexican at lunch so I did my best to guess). You can see from my diary I enjoy wine - I measure it every single time. That I am 100% consistent of because 5 oz is miserably small
5) Do you take cheat days or days off? The recent vacation I had was the first real cheat time I allowed myself in these past 18 months. Interestingly I finally moved past the 187 number I had been stuck at for almost 7 weeks by doing so.
6) How much weight have you lost so far? 52 pounds in 18 months (Started July 4, 2011 at 237.9 - I am now 185.4).
7) What is your activity like, both exercise and non-exercise? (big difference between a construction worker and a desk job) and did you change that activity withing the last couple of months. If so, what changed. I have a desk job where I sit the majority of the day. During these 18 months my exercise has been all over the place. When I started it was consistent at 4-5 days per week, cardio and lifting. Then as weight loss stalled I would stop and start. Recently (past two months) I have re-started consistent exercise. This is actually what my main question is concerning - what I "should" be doing. I have been doing 3-4 days a week of really only cardio - 32-42 minutes at a time.
8) How long have you eaten at your previous amount and what happened in that time frame? 1850 is really only in the past 3 weeks or so. Before it was more like 1950. These past 18 months I have mixed things up so much and so drastically that it is hard to know what is really "working" or not working. Throughout this entire time, no matter what, I have been a slow loser. That is ok - I'm just at the point where I want to make a plan to try to achieve my absolute best.
9) What's your height, current weight and if you know it, bodyfat%? 5'11, 185.4, I do not know my current bodyfat.
10) If you're stalled, for how long and is it a complete stall (zero change in weight)? I can't say I am stalled as I just finally moved past the 50 pounds lost mark.
Again, I really appreciate any advice on what I "should" be doing - a bunch of calculators has indicated 1850 calories a day is appropriate for working out 3 days a week. If that is the "right" number, what should my breakdown of P/C/F be? What would be a workout program that I could implement for a beginner?
Lastly, I am hungry almost all the time. Unfortunately this is not an exaggeration. I believe this is why my weight loss has been so slow, because I kept thinking it wasn't normal to be so hungry, so I was not eating enough. I would then up my calories and the scale would fluctuate, I would freak out, and lower them again. But honestly, because of my whacky body, the scale fluctuates a lot anyway. Also, I'm not sure I have really done a good job of promoting satiety with my food choices, and I want to make the best possible choices. 18 months ago I did have complete lab workups and my thyroid was slightly high, so I was on synthroid for approximately 8 months. As I lost weight however I started feeling crazy and stopped that drug. I also have diverticulosis and IBS. Otherwise, all is good in the hood.
My goal now is to be strong and to look fabulous - and to me fabulous is muscles and as little jiggle as possible - and I have a whole lotta jiggle going on!
Thank you again -
I was hoping to get some advice, and truly appreciate any that I receive in advance. I am not "stalled" per se, but am seeking advice as the spreadsheet I maintain of my daily weight loss based on the day of my cycle indicates that I am averaging 2 pounds of loss per month since October 2012. My weight fluctuates dramatically over the course of a month and I retain water incredibly easily, so after reading a website that SideSteel recommended in a post I started documenting my daily weight based on cycle day to save my sanity. It worked
I am not complaining about this rate of weight loss, but I feel that I am at the point where I have established a much healthier lifestyle then I previously lived, and so now I am ready (mentally and physically) to really bring it.
My original weight loss goal is 60 pounds to bring me to 177 - right at the very highest point for a "normal" BMI for my height. My true scale goal is 167, but honestly I am much more concerned now with getting in significantly better shape. I have always loved lifting weights, but have read so much and tried so much that I am beyond confused at what to do now. Further, I am thinking I need to up the protein, but again have read so much information that I don't know what to try next.
I really just would like to make a decision on what to do and stick with it for four weeks. I am really enjoying C25k right now, and elliptical, and would like to keep doing that as it greatly reduces my stress (which helps the IBS). However, 30 minutes of cardio 5 times a week is fine if that is all I 'should" do so that I can lift. I do have access to a gym if need be. I also have limited equipment at home. I tried NROWFW and stopped. I am lost.
Basics - I am 34 yo, 5'11 female - current weight is 185.4.
1) What's your current intake of calories, on average? This is TOTAL CALORIES EATEN so this would include anything you eat for exercise calories. In other words, how much are you eating? Currently (as in last 2-3 weeks) I am averaging 1850 per day. Prior to that, it was more like 1950 per day.
2) What's your current average intake of protein, carbs, and fats, in grams? P - 90; C - 200; F - 70
3) Do you use a food scale and measure everything? I use a food scale and measuring spoons, but I do not measure everything. I measure everything I eat at dinner and later, and everything on the weekends. However, breakfast and lunch is mainly eaten at my work and so I am guessing. I try to be conservative on those estimates, but they are truly estimates.
4) Do you track all of your intake, daily? (Everything?) I do not track water and coffee, which I only drink black. I track everything else, except for when I take a tracking breaks (for example, 1.5 weeks ago I went on vacation and did not track for 4 days). Otherwise, I track it all - I don't like any condiments so that's pretty easy. I use oil on salad which I track. I use the recipe builder if I cook. Otherwise it's stuff that is easy to weigh and track, or I am having to estimate (like today we had Mexican at lunch so I did my best to guess). You can see from my diary I enjoy wine - I measure it every single time. That I am 100% consistent of because 5 oz is miserably small
5) Do you take cheat days or days off? The recent vacation I had was the first real cheat time I allowed myself in these past 18 months. Interestingly I finally moved past the 187 number I had been stuck at for almost 7 weeks by doing so.
6) How much weight have you lost so far? 52 pounds in 18 months (Started July 4, 2011 at 237.9 - I am now 185.4).
7) What is your activity like, both exercise and non-exercise? (big difference between a construction worker and a desk job) and did you change that activity withing the last couple of months. If so, what changed. I have a desk job where I sit the majority of the day. During these 18 months my exercise has been all over the place. When I started it was consistent at 4-5 days per week, cardio and lifting. Then as weight loss stalled I would stop and start. Recently (past two months) I have re-started consistent exercise. This is actually what my main question is concerning - what I "should" be doing. I have been doing 3-4 days a week of really only cardio - 32-42 minutes at a time.
8) How long have you eaten at your previous amount and what happened in that time frame? 1850 is really only in the past 3 weeks or so. Before it was more like 1950. These past 18 months I have mixed things up so much and so drastically that it is hard to know what is really "working" or not working. Throughout this entire time, no matter what, I have been a slow loser. That is ok - I'm just at the point where I want to make a plan to try to achieve my absolute best.
9) What's your height, current weight and if you know it, bodyfat%? 5'11, 185.4, I do not know my current bodyfat.
10) If you're stalled, for how long and is it a complete stall (zero change in weight)? I can't say I am stalled as I just finally moved past the 50 pounds lost mark.
Again, I really appreciate any advice on what I "should" be doing - a bunch of calculators has indicated 1850 calories a day is appropriate for working out 3 days a week. If that is the "right" number, what should my breakdown of P/C/F be? What would be a workout program that I could implement for a beginner?
Lastly, I am hungry almost all the time. Unfortunately this is not an exaggeration. I believe this is why my weight loss has been so slow, because I kept thinking it wasn't normal to be so hungry, so I was not eating enough. I would then up my calories and the scale would fluctuate, I would freak out, and lower them again. But honestly, because of my whacky body, the scale fluctuates a lot anyway. Also, I'm not sure I have really done a good job of promoting satiety with my food choices, and I want to make the best possible choices. 18 months ago I did have complete lab workups and my thyroid was slightly high, so I was on synthroid for approximately 8 months. As I lost weight however I started feeling crazy and stopped that drug. I also have diverticulosis and IBS. Otherwise, all is good in the hood.
My goal now is to be strong and to look fabulous - and to me fabulous is muscles and as little jiggle as possible - and I have a whole lotta jiggle going on!
Thank you again -
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Replies
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Why did you quit nrolfw?0
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Well, I'm going to answer honestly though is embarrassing. 1, my scale weight jumped up 6 pounds. And it didn't go back down in the two weeks I completed. 2, even though I had been at least sporadically working out I was in a lot of pain after the first few times and just stopped.
I'm past worrying about the scale though, so if that is a good option I can do it.0 -
If you are concerned about body composition, you should be lifting with some sort of beginning program. NROLFW is one such program. There are of course others. We will address the rest of your post of course, but I'm just throwing that out there for now and I wanted to see why you stopped it.0
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Thank you - I am down with doing NROLFW again - if that's jut the best course I just need to do it. Any other nuggets of wisdom on calorie consumption and the protein, fat carbs question would be great. Honestly, I'm probably just overthinking it. It seems like a bunch of stuff I have read just agrees on 1 gram of protein per pound and I probably should just shoot for that. Hard to know when your body is kind of crazy.0
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Just tagging to look at a bit later.0
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Many thanks!0
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As you are losing 1/2 lb a week on 1,850, this looks like a good intake level.
You should start back with NROL4W and do up to 30 mins of cardio after and maybe 1 - 2 extra sessions throughout the week if you like. This will up your TDEE a bit so you should have a slightly higher loss but you need to ignore scale weight for a bit due to the water weight increases you get when lifting.
As you may have a slight thyroid issue, I would put your fats a bit higher than the 0.35g so am using 0.4g g/lb. So:
Protein: 130g - 30% (rounded to nearest 5%)
Fats: 74g - 35% (rounded to nearest 5%)
Balance - anywhere you like but I would lean towards getting your fats a little higher if that works for you.
See how you do after about 4 weeks.0 -
Many, many thanks Sara - I am going to implement this right away. I really appreciate the help!0
