Starving!
Madhouseof5
Posts: 34 Member
I started lifting last week and today was my 3rd workout. I did yoga as a warmup, 50 minutes, then had to stop to make my little one some lunch, then another 20 minutes (after a 30 min rest) before I ran through set A. Now I am so hungry in a way that it seems my body is desperately trying to tell me something and I feel a little faint. I just read through the FAQ and noticed that I should be eating more protein than I currently do or get allocated in my 1200. Is that likely to be the issue or are the munchies a common side effect to start with and is there a way to change my diary to allow for higher protein?
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Replies
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Why are you on 1200 cals, would be my first question! What are your goals with lifting? If you are on a very severe deficit you will struggle to build strength. I'm on 2000 cals/day (TDEE minus a couple of hundred) and over the last 6 months, with some very over days and weeks, I look far slimmer and have a waist for the first time ever. Who cares what the scales say!
I aim for 100g of protein + a day although that can be a struggle, and 'ought' to be having about 150..
And most of us get the munchies, especially after deadlifts! You need to fuel your muscle recovery
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Three things:
1. Eat more. You can maintain a standard cardio bunny routine on 1200 calories--plenty of people seem to. Lifting requires food for recovery. You are rebuilding muscles and tendons and ligaments and making your bones denser after a major stress on the body--don't trifle with low calorie diets while you are on this program.
2. Don't stretch your muscles in preparation for lifting. It weakens them--this is well established in the sports medicine literature. A muscle's contractile strength decreases if you stretch it first. If you want to do mobility work, save it for after your workout.
3. Protein: I can't see your diary, so I don't know what--if any--restrictions you have on what you'll eat. But whey protein is a pretty cheap and effective way to increase your protein intake. It's also readily absorbed by your body, unlike vegetable proteins, which are harder for your muscles to make use of.0 -
One of the ways I have been getting more protien into my diet is the powder. I add it to my breakfast smoothie (when I go into the office)
This week I bought some shakes to add in as well to ensure I am hitting my 136g ( I can do that without it if I eat lots of meat)
As for the 1200 wow...I would be starved too. I am at 1549 (TDEE-15%) and I am still going over that somedays due to hunger.0 -
I'm still trying to lose weight while toning up or not losing muscle mass and 1200 is what MFP put me on. I admit I rarely stick to it, eat back most of my exercise calories and then there is stuff I don't track (my bad...not having a negative effect on my weight loss yet)
I have averaged 1526 in the last week. My TDEE is 1774 -15% is 1508, so I am spot on pretty much. I can see I might need to change my macros around a little as MFP is not close to the 120g protein that I got on the IIFYM calculator.
I think hormones may be playing a small part as I'm craving crap as well *sigh*
Bublebums, thanks for the advice re not stretching muscles before hand. What should I do to warm up or prepare myself, don't want an injury.0 -
I warm up on the arc trainer or elliptical for 10 minutes before lifting. I know others do dynamic stretching as a warm up.I'm still trying to lose weight while toning up or not losing muscle mass and 1200 is what MFP put me on. I admit I rarely stick to it, eat back most of my exercise calories and then there is stuff I don't track (my bad...not having a negative effect on my weight loss yet)
I have averaged 1526 in the last week. My TDEE is 1774 -15% is 1508, so I am spot on pretty much. I can see I might need to change my macros around a little as MFP is not close to the 120g protein that I got on the IIFYM calculator.
I think hormones may be playing a small part as I'm craving crap as well *sigh*
Bublebums, thanks for the advice re not stretching muscles before hand. What should I do to warm up or prepare myself, don't want an injury.0 -
I warm up on the arc trainer or elliptical for 10 minutes before lifting. I know others do dynamic stretching as a warm up.I'm still trying to lose weight while toning up or not losing muscle mass and 1200 is what MFP put me on. I admit I rarely stick to it, eat back most of my exercise calories and then there is stuff I don't track (my bad...not having a negative effect on my weight loss yet)
I have averaged 1526 in the last week. My TDEE is 1774 -15% is 1508, so I am spot on pretty much. I can see I might need to change my macros around a little as MFP is not close to the 120g protein that I got on the IIFYM calculator.
I think hormones may be playing a small part as I'm craving crap as well *sigh*
Bublebums, thanks for the advice re not stretching muscles before hand. What should I do to warm up or prepare myself, don't want an injury.
This is what I do too.
How much weight are you trying to lose, madhouse? You might be better suited to a smaller deficit; like TDEE - 5%.0 -
I warm up on the arc trainer or elliptical for 10 minutes before lifting. I know others do dynamic stretching as a warm up.I'm still trying to lose weight while toning up or not losing muscle mass and 1200 is what MFP put me on. I admit I rarely stick to it, eat back most of my exercise calories and then there is stuff I don't track (my bad...not having a negative effect on my weight loss yet)
I have averaged 1526 in the last week. My TDEE is 1774 -15% is 1508, so I am spot on pretty much. I can see I might need to change my macros around a little as MFP is not close to the 120g protein that I got on the IIFYM calculator.
I think hormones may be playing a small part as I'm craving crap as well *sigh*
Bublebums, thanks for the advice re not stretching muscles before hand. What should I do to warm up or prepare myself, don't want an injury.
This is what I do too.
How much weight are you trying to lose, madhouse? You might be better suited to a smaller deficit; like TDEE - 5%.
I'm a smidge under 5ft 1, I doubt I want to go below 8st (112) so another 9lbs will take me there.
Thanks, I will work out -10 & -5% and see which suits me better. I am pretty good most days but do have the odd really hungry day! I don't really agree with the term "cheat days" but if I am going to have a day where I eat to satisfy the hunger, I will just have to make sure to work a bit harder the next few days!0 -
Something like an exercise bike or a rowing machine would be best for warm-ups, as it approximates the range of motion you will use in squatting. Squats are usually done with just the bar first, which serves as a warm up for heavier squats. Squats are a good full-body warm-up for the rest of the workout so do them first.
I agree with the others about using a smaller deficit; I would even try eating at what you think is maintenance for you, because that might change (go up) as you lift weights.
Also, we have discussed the "eating your calories" issue in this group several times--I prefer to keep my intake about the same from day to day, since you are actually getting stronger between workouts, not during workouts. So just because you are not working out on rest days does not mean you need less food; some feel it's the opposite.0 -
Also, we have discussed the "eating your calories" issue in this group several times--I prefer to keep my intake about the same from day to day, since you are actually getting stronger between workouts, not during workouts. So just because you are not working out on rest days does not mean you need less food; some feel it's the opposite.
Thanks!! I will try and keep my intake pretty uniform throughout the week then.0 -
I in theory eat 1200, I have odds that I don't log, a few nuts, the scrape of butter I put on my bread, drinks (red wine mainly). If I am hungry I eat and I don't stress if I go over some days or under other days. A lot of the time with my exercise calories I probably end up around 1500. It's still a deficit as far as I am concerned and if that means some days i am over and some under well that is just fine. I don't stretch to warm up, I use the ARC trainer and do HIIT for 20 mins. I tried not doing and doing extra squats with the bar before I load it but I find I end up tiring myself to quickly (probably because I eat at a deficit). It's possible to do this at a deficit but you have to be willing to accept you are going to take a while to build up strength, increases in the weight you can lift will probably take longer to come.
And I am trying to up my protein too, it's hard I love my pasta and rice
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