In need of some help

dprb13
dprb13 Posts: 4 Member
edited January 24 in Health and Weight Loss
Hi everyone, just started this site and i'm sick of getting conflicting answers from people. Firstly I don't want to be judged, as everybody is different, what works for some does not work for others. Basically i've been on the cambridge diet plan for 3 months, have managed to lose a good amount of weight on it, I understand its low calorie, and believe me I have tried HARD to exercise and eat more in the past and all it did was make me gain, I haven't been exercising much on the cambridge diet and my body has not gone into "starvation mode", also I have retained much of my muscle mass as it is nutritionally complete, plus I have been doing weight lifting to help combat this. However I realize I can't stay on this diet forever, I do want to lose more but now i'm in a predicament about what to do.

I. How should I raise my calories and exercise without gaining weight? I want to be able to transition onto a higher intake while still loosing.

2. I don't understand net calories at all, and everyone does not give me straight answers, can someone explain as easy as possible?

3. If I exercise on a morning before eating anything at all, does this mean I eat back my exercise calories or does eating back calories only apply IF you eat before you exercise and you work them off.

4. To keep loosing, would it be better to exercise off 500 calories a day to create that deficit for a safe 2lb loss a week? Or would exercising on an empty stomach give me better results?

5. How can I avoid building more muscle? As daft as this sounds part of the reason I went onto the cambridge diet was to maintain the muscle I had without having exercise in case it built up more, because believe me, I already have enough of it! It's the fat over the top I need to get rid of!

6. If anyone knows someone who knows a lot about everything i've asked can you point me in the right direction, or inbox me cause I think I need an expert to talk to, i've struggled for 3 years, my social life has been out the window, I haven't been able to stop gaining weight other than being on a low cal diet and its getting me very depressed.

Replies

  • shaleyn
    shaleyn Posts: 125 Member
    1. Work out how many cals you really need to be eating and adjust to them slowly. You'll likely 'gain' a bit at first, but mainly water retention.

    2. Calories eaten - calories exercised = net calories.

    3. Eat them.

    4. Maybe shoot for a smaller loss weekly.

    5. Don't be afraid of muscles. You need to eat a surplus to really worry about gaining muscles... plus if you are female, you won't need to worry about it at all.
  • AmyRhubarb
    AmyRhubarb Posts: 6,890 Member
    Hard to say for sure without knowing how much you've been eating, but -
    I. How should I raise my calories and exercise without gaining weight? I want to be able to transition onto a higher intake while still loosing.
    If you've been eating really low, although it's only temporary, you will likely gain no matter what.
    2. I don't understand net calories at all, and everyone does not give me straight answers, can someone explain as easy as possible?
    Calories eaten - exercise calories = net calories.
    3. If I exercise on a morning before eating anything at all, does this mean I eat back my exercise calories or does eating back calories only apply IF you eat before you exercise and you work them off.
    When you exercise has no bearing on whether or not you eat back exercise cals. Eat them - food is fuel!
    4. To keep loosing, would it be better to exercise off 500 calories a day to create that deficit for a safe 2lb loss a week? Or would exercising on an empty stomach give me better results?
    Two pounds a week is too aggressive a goal unless you have a lot to lose. Empty stomach exercising makes no difference in results - do what feels best for you as far as eating before or after a workout.
    5. How can I avoid building more muscle? As daft as this sounds part of the reason I went onto the cambridge diet was to maintain the muscle I had without having exercise in case it built up more, because believe me, I already have enough of it! It's the fat over the top I need to get rid of!
    You will not build muscle eating at a deficit.
    6. If anyone knows someone who knows a lot about everything i've asked can you point me in the right direction, or inbox me cause I think I need an expert to talk to, i've struggled for 3 years, my social life has been out the window, I haven't been able to stop gaining weight other than being on a low cal diet and its getting me very depressed.
    Best success I've had with losing fat and keeping muscle, in a sustainable manner that fits my lifestyle, has been since eating according to the info here: http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/974889-in-place-of-a-road-map-short-n-sweet

    I found my BMR and my TDEE and have been eating in between those two numbers for over a year, and like I said, have had my best success during this time. Exercise is all at home, running three days a week (3-5 miles avg) and dumbbells in my living room with the Nike Training Club app. I am well fueled for workouts and daily life, holidays, birthdays, dinners out, parties - all fits into my goals - it's been a great lifestyle change.
  • LoraF83
    LoraF83 Posts: 15,694 Member
    ^Amy said it all.
  • dprb13
    dprb13 Posts: 4 Member
    well i've been eating 800 - 1000 a day, i'm 125lb at the moment and would like to be 113lb, this is doable since i'm only 5 foot 3 inches, it would put me at a bmi of 20.0, how long would the water gain last? I have a holiday coming up the beginning of august so i would like to have been at my goal before then, does anyone think this is doable? i'm willing to put in every bit of effort to get there

    also, sorry for asking more questions, but when someone eats back exercise calories...isn't this just undoing all the work they did working out?
  • BeachIron
    BeachIron Posts: 6,490 Member
    There's so much wrong here, that all I can say is excellent first troll post, OP
  • dprb13
    dprb13 Posts: 4 Member
    There's so much wrong here, that all I can say is excellent first troll post, OP

    cheers, no need to be a **** imo, i'm wanting some good advice to change my lifestyle, at least i've recognized what i've been doing wrong
  • iAMsmiling
    iAMsmiling Posts: 2,394 Member
    If you don't want to be judged, dig a very deep hole, climb in and cover yourself up.

    Any contact with other humans will involve judgement. Get over it.
  • dprb13
    dprb13 Posts: 4 Member
    If you don't want to be judged, dig a very deep hole, climb in and cover yourself up.

    Any contact with other humans will involve judgement. Get over it.

    Or people can be civilized and offer constructive criticism? And help each other out. Just a thought.
  • BeachIron
    BeachIron Posts: 6,490 Member
    The best advice you're going to get has already been provided. Now it's up to you to read, think about, and incorporate it. Or you're simply a troll. Hard to tell really.
  • jofjltncb6
    jofjltncb6 Posts: 34,415 Member
    If you don't want to be judged, dig a very deep hole, climb in and cover yourself up.

    Any contact with other humans will involve judgement. Get over it.

    I totally just judged you for that comment.

    Just wanted to let you know.

    :flowerforyou:
This discussion has been closed.

Categories