Calorie advice?
Replies
-
Great
This will really allow me to give stronglifts a real good go i think 0 -
Ok so i weighed in today...wasnt good
So i gained 1.4 kilos/3.08 pounds) so over the last 4 weeks going backwards:
week 1 : gained 1.4 kilos (3.08 pounds)
week 2 : lost 300 grams (0.66 pounds)
week 3 : lost 1.1 kilos (2.42 pounds)
week 4 : gained 500 grams (1.1 pounds) - this week was week of TOM
I thought id give you both some additional info that may or may not be of relevance. About 3 weeks ago, I found out a friend was going to pass away....i then started to have some digestion issues and also headaches. She passed away a week ago. Since then no digestion issues and no headaches. (But i know stress can lead to raised cortisol but wouldnt think that would impact after the event?)
My exercise has really slackened off. I quit my old gym...joined a new one. I am planning to try and do stronglifts 3 times a week. How much cardio should I do? Or what is the limit oncardio? I kinda cant help but wonder if my lack of cardio has something to do with whats going on?
Do you think I should lower my calories or even calorie cycle (i know calorie cycling isnt generally seen favourably but has worked for me in the past)
Also the last 2 fridays I have had high sodium meals, while I realise I may have some water weight...1.4 kilos seems a huge amount 4 days after the meal. I do hit my macros everyday and stay under calorie and have only missed my macros one day over the last 7 weeks.
I cant help but think I am doing something wrong.0 -
Hi! I am really sorry about the loss of your friend.
I want to chat with SideSteel about this. One of us will get back to you soon - so please hold tight.0 -
no worries - will do 0
-
Hi!
So we would like you to sit tight for another week to get two 4 weekly time periods to follow the trends for. However, if you could start back with your regular exercise, or increase your neat, so you keep your activity levels up, that would be great.
The reason that we want to to sit tight is for a couple of reasons, including 1) we really do not want to cut calories prematurely (or at all if we can help it) 2) the stress that you have been under can build to cause chronic elevations in cortisol (it is not immediate, but a build up) which can cause water retention. Any metabolic impact however would have none or a negligible impact on the scale to date and cutting calories further would cause more stress on your body which would not help your cortisol levels. 3) as noted above, we want another 4 week period to add to what we have so we can assess trends 4) you have still lost 5lb over 7 weeks. I know that it is not super quick, but it is a really reasonable rate considering you have PCOS and the amount of weight you have lost so far.
So, stick with it, increase your NEAT where possible and continue strength training, and get back to us after your next weigh in. We will take it from there at that point.0 -
Thanks for the update Okies I will do ...just to clarify...neat is just getting up off my *kitten* more? So just try to do more walking etc? Can I pretty much do as much cardio as I want? Or should there be a limit to that? 0
-
Thanks for the update Okies I will do ...just to clarify...neat is just getting up off my *kitten* more? So just try to do more walking etc? Can I pretty much do as much cardio as I want? Or should there be a limit to that?
lol - yes. Walking is good as it is less stress on your body. What you were doing is fine also - a couple of different cardio sessions thrown in like you had - but only a few and none longer than about an hour (unless you are training for an event at any time, and then let us know).0 -
Okies I will do that 0
-
I had just two questions in relation to stronglifts which as you know I started yesterday
Should I be doing any cardio before or after the session (like walking on the treadmill?) or simply do the program and thats it? The other thing is....due to the weight I previously was (380 pounds) my joints are great and i have very tight quads and have never been able to do a full squat...so the fact I dont go completely parallel am I still going to be getting the full benefits of the squats?0 -
Do a short warm up session before - 10 minutes should do it. You should try to do a full squat - it will be easier on your knees. I will link some mobility exercises that you should also do to improve your flexibility.I had just two questions in relation to stronglifts which as you know I started yesterday
Should I be doing any cardio before or after the session (like walking on the treadmill?) or simply do the program and thats it? The other thing is....due to the weight I previously was (380 pounds) my joints are great and i have very tight quads and have never been able to do a full squat...so the fact I dont go completely parallel am I still going to be getting the full benefits of the squats?0 -
ok I guess I will need to work on that I just tried a few with no weight...and i had no chance of even getting close to parallel....but then i tried it will holding on to something in front of me and managed to do it...maybe its that I dont feel secure when doing them without holding on to anything - and that sounds good about the links you mentioned 0
-
Hi Sorry a bit of question cos I am still struggling to wrap my head around doing the heavy weight work. Due to my excess skin...I will never be able to see "muscle". My excess skin I feel is extreme...its not just a lil excess skin (i do have photos of my thighs and excess skin on my stomach I can send if you want to see to what degree i am talking about) but as aesthetically muscle wont be seen especially in my key areas (thighs, stomach etc) what advantage will there be to the heavy weight lifting that i wont get with cardio or doing body weight strength work or things like pump? I realise the more muscle the more i can theoretically eat but is that the only difference?0
-
There are a bunch of benefits other than being able to see definition, including.
1) strength
2) Bone density
3) metabolic benefit of the lifting itself
4) metabolic benefit of having a higher LBM
5) loose skin will look better with muscle under it. For example, the more muscle the more the skin (and fat) is 'stretched' out so it looks better
6) feeling like a badass (ok...that one is individual)
However, if you are really uncomfortable with doing squats, we can adapt your routine so you can still benefit from the above. Squats are the most 'efficient; method of working muscles' but not the only method.0 -
While i have practiced over the last few days...i cant go parrallell with the squats even when holding on to something to make me feel more secure. Which i think is partly the excess skin around my knees getting in the way but i dont feel I can bend that far without a weight....i am going lower then i was a few days ago but i am prolly 10-15% still of going parallell but thats even with no weight...doing deadlifts...OHP...all the upper body type exercises i am fine to do (i guess lol) I guess im concerned 3 months down the track...i will have had minimum losses because of the weight training...but due to the extent of the skin not looking any different if that makes sense.0
-
Strength training only 'stalls' weight loss due to glycogen/water weight temporarily. When you level off, then the 'real' weigh loss will continue.
To put it into some context, I lost all my weight while doing heavy lifting and no cardio.0 -
So i watched mehdis youtube clip on squat form...he said if you dont go parallel you arent working your hamstring and butt muscles only your quads...so if i was to do it within 10-15% is that going to be the worst thing in the world? Or could i do that and then do some other exercise for my hamstrings and my big ole butt? lol0
-
Ok so i weighed in....i lost 1.1 kilos....but i cant help feeling i am stuck i still kinda think in the back of the mind i should cut my calories to get past this point (i remember when i lost my weight previously i stalled at this weight and so did drop it down to 1620 cals to get it moving again)...cos while i realise 1.3 kilos is a good loss...as i gained 1.4 kilos last week...im still up...and really not gain....but the losses/gains over the 8 weeks are:
week 1 : 800 grams (1.76 pounds)
week 2 : 900 grams (1.98 pounds)
week 3 : 1.1 kilos (2.42 pounds)
week 4 : gained 500 grams (Tom)
week 5 : lost 1.1 kilos (2.42 pounds)
week 6 : lost 300 grams (0.66 pounds)
week 7 : gained 1.4 kilos (3.08 pounds)
week 8 : lost 1.1 kilos (2.42 pounds)
So i have actually lost to date 3.3 kilos (7.26 pounds) which i realise is still a decent average...but looking at the last 3 weeks i dont really feel like i am making any progress, also i did increase the neat daily.0 -
Response re squats: I want to discuss a recommendation with SideSteel re the squats - will get back to you as I have an idea in mind.0
-
Re intake.
You really need to look at longer term trends - at least 4 weeks in a block. Your weigh loss for the 1st 4 week block is 5lb and the second about 2.5lb. That is a good rate of loss considering.
I think we need to keep as is for now. Lowing calories is really something that should be 'held in reserve' if possible so you have as minimal impact to your metabolism as possible. I realize that the 2nd 4 week block is slower than the first, but it is still a decent rate, especially with the loss you saw in the last week (some of which is admittedly release of water weight from the week before). I know you are concerned about stalling, but so far you have not based on your losses. If your weight continues to fluctuate up and down with no net decrease, then we will probably suggest decreasing calories.
Keep up with the increased NEAT. It is a very under-rated tool.0 -
Okie dokie i will do and thanks 0
-
Just bumping this in relation to the squat question (no rush I know ur both busy) 0
-
Hi!
So with regard to squats, I would work on mobility as well as un-weighted squats to get comfortable with the movement. You can include a lift that includes weight to provide muscle stimulation. A good alternative is the leg press machine. Do you think you would be comfortable using this?0 -
Ive used leg press before and I am pretty sure my new gym has one so yes I could do that. Ive been currently doing the squats with just the olympic bar so do you suggest I keep it as that or still work the weight up a lil bit?0
-
Ive used leg press before and I am pretty sure my new gym has one so yes I could do that. Ive been currently doing the squats with just the olympic bar so do you suggest I keep it as that or still work the weight up a lil bit?
I would do some without the weight and then maybe a set or two with the bar. It's really to get you comfortable going low.0 -
Okies will do...and thats all the extra I need to do? If so I will start to do it all like that 0
-
Okies will do...and thats all the extra I need to do? If so I will start to do it all like that
Yep - the leg press will be giving you the quad/glute workout. While it is not nearly as good as squats as it is not a compound lift and does not work your core - you do have other lifts that do that so it is a good compromise. I would rather you have a 80% effective exercise than try to do a 100% effective one and hurt yourself or not feel comfortable doing it.0 -
One thing I forgot to ask Sara with the leg press should i still do 5 rounds of 5 reps?0
-
One thing I forgot to ask Sara with the leg press should i still do 5 rounds of 5 reps?
I would do 5 x 8 with the leg press as it is more isolation.0 -
I have started to notice a issue with my hunger. This is the second day our of about 5-6 days where I have been hungry (specifically craving carbs). Ive often had a issue like this but because I always ate relatively low calories I was okay because that high day combined with low calorie days...id still end up in deficit over the whole week...so....i cant help but wonder if I should lower my calories...so when a day like this happens (altho at this stage I have resisted eating anything extra) as long as it stays moderate I should still have a loss for the week. That said also ... it is TOM so not sure if thats related (it isnt normally for me...maybe the day before but not over a succession of days)0
-
I don't think it necessarily a bad idea - but I would like you to even the calories out whether or not you had a 'cravings' day or not so you do not end up too low for the week. Roughly how many days a week would you feel to be 'right' for you to have a higher intake day?0
This discussion has been closed.