Personal Trainer told me not to count calories
moe5474
Posts: 162
So i went for a fitness assessment at my gym today and my trainer told me not to worry about counting calories. She said to make sure and get to 130 grams of protein/day (my stats are below for reference) and that my body will tell me what it needs. She said since I don't need to really lose weight, but rather drop body fat percentage, that it's more important for me to focus on my protein intake and weight training.
She also said that it's likely I will bulk up a bit at first from the lifting, but that I should begin slimming down in about 3 months. If that's really true then I'm okay. But the thought of bulking up and then never coming back down scares me sh*tless.
Can any personal trainers out there respond and let me know if this sounds like decent advice?
Female
Age: 26
Height: 5'9
Weight: 149
Body Fat: 23%
Build: Large
She also said that it's likely I will bulk up a bit at first from the lifting, but that I should begin slimming down in about 3 months. If that's really true then I'm okay. But the thought of bulking up and then never coming back down scares me sh*tless.
Can any personal trainers out there respond and let me know if this sounds like decent advice?
Female
Age: 26
Height: 5'9
Weight: 149
Body Fat: 23%
Build: Large
0
Replies
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he probably just didnt want to overwhelm you with new tasks.0
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I agree with her that you don't need to lose any more weight. You are the same height as I am. In my profile is a picture of me weight 149 in Sept, and one of me at 160. I look better at 160 due to an increase in muscle. I ate 3000 calories a day and lifted 3-5 times a week to do this. I am now working on getting leaner again.
However, you can count calories if you want, but set them to maintenance.0 -
I don't think it's a bad idea to log your nutrition, just for the sake of being able to see the nutrition make up of food and to log your protein intake. You're a good weight for your height and bf% is in the normal range, but by eating high protein and lifting, you will definitely be able to lean out as you change your body composition.
In regards to bulking up, it won't happen unless you are eating a surplus. Your muscles will swell after an intense lifting session, but it's only temporary. Aim to hit 1g of protein per pound of LBM, so at least 115g a day.0 -
Why do you need to drop body fat % if you are already at 23%? That is a healthy BF% for a woman.0
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Why do you need to drop body fat % if you are already at 23%? That is a healthy BF% for a woman.
She told me 18-19% would be optimum for my age, so that's what I'm aiming for I guess.0 -
I don't think it's a bad idea to log your nutrition, just for the sake of being able to see the nutrition make up of food and to log your protein intake. You're a good weight for your height and bf% is in the normal range, but by eating high protein and lifting, you will definitely be able to lean out as you change your body composition.
In regards to bulking up, it won't happen unless you are eating a surplus. Your muscles will swell after an intense lifting session, but it's only temporary. Aim to hit 1g of protein per pound of LBM, so at least 115g a day.
115g of protein is much more doable
good to hear! 0 -
Why do you need to drop body fat % if you are already at 23%? That is a healthy BF% for a woman.
She definitely doesn't need to. But maybe she wants to. I'm below 25% and want to drop more so I can see more of my sexy lady muscles.
Op: bulky just means that you still have body fat over the muscle... So you can always drop that to look leaner. I'm excited for you! Lifting is fun and addictive!0 -
Why do you need to drop body fat % if you are already at 23%? That is a healthy BF% for a woman.
She definitely doesn't need to. But maybe she wants to. I'm below 25% and want to drop more so I can see more of my sexy lady muscles.
Op: bulky just means that you still have body fat over the muscle... So you can always drop that to look leaner. I'm excited for you! Lifting is fun and addictive!
This. She said that it will take longer to shed the body fat than it will to build muscle and to basically step away from the scale for 3 months to give my body time to change.
That TERRIFIES me though!! AHH!0 -
Even though the following quote is from Jamie Eason regarding her "Live Fit" program...I think it sums up what your trainer is wanting to accomplish:
"The first phase focuses on just weight training to encourage muscle growth, which is often hard for people to achieve because they tend to jump into both cardio and weight training all at once. This typically results in nothing more than cardio siphoning off the calories needed to really shape and tone the body. I always try and remind people, you can’t shape what you don’t have. Excessive cardio will help you lose weight but it will not lift and tone the body."
Build it, then sculpt it.0 -
Even though the following quote is from Jamie Eason regarding her "Live Fit" program...I think it sums up what your trainer is wanting to accomplish:
"The first phase focuses on just weight training to encourage muscle growth, which is often hard for people to achieve because they tend to jump into both cardio and weight training all at once. This typically results in nothing more than cardio siphoning off the calories needed to really shape and tone the body. I always try and remind people, you can’t shape what you don’t have. Excessive cardio will help you lose weight but it will not lift and tone the body."
Build it, then sculpt it.
Interesting. That would totally make sense though0 -
even if you don't want to lose weight, it is always a good idea to watch your calories.
It doesn't make sense to ignore it.0 -
You will not bulk up unless you eat at a caloric surplus (if you track you will know if you are in a deficit or surplus) and even then you would be hard pressed to gain more than 2lbs of muscle in a months time.
You may gain at first but this would be water weight due to your muscles retaining water to protect them from strength training and to aid in recovery.0 -
Personally when I started lifting I never went through that bulking up stage, and I attribute that to keeping track of my calories. I have a ton more muscle and definition than I did before I started so I know the weight I have been loosing has been fat and not lean muscle mass as well.0
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Looking at your stats I almost agree with the exceptions of counting calories. You do want to monitor it since too high a surplus will add body fat regardless if the surplus is from protein, fat , carbs.So i went for a fitness assessment at my gym today and my trainer told me not to worry about counting calories. She said to make sure and get to 130 grams of protein/day (my stats are below for reference) and that my body will tell me what it needs. She said since I don't need to really lose weight, but rather drop body fat percentage, that it's more important for me to focus on my protein intake and weight training.
She also said that it's likely I will bulk up a bit at first from the lifting, but that I should begin slimming down in about 3 months. If that's really true then I'm okay. But the thought of bulking up and then never coming back down scares me sh*tless.
Can any personal trainers out there respond and let me know if this sounds like decent advice?
Female
Age: 26
Height: 5'9
Weight: 149
Body Fat: 23%
Build: Large
If bodyfat percentage is the key here, then I eat at maintenance and still just hit the weights heavy.
A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
IDEA Fitness member
Kickboxing Certified Instructor
Been in fitness for 28+ years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition0 -
I don't count calories. I follow my macros that my trainer gave me. I think "bulking up" is a scary term ... your muscles will just become more defined.0
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Moe, it takes years of intense workout for anyone to look beastly, which I know is what you're imagining. Don't hold back for fear that you'll turn into a hulk. If it turns out you're gifted in muscle building, though, and grow very quickly... consider focus on the thighs... what's sexier than muscular thighs on a woman.. purrr
Avoid shoulder caps, though.. and a thick neck...0 -
So she wants you to log without counting? I wouldn't be very good at that. I'll also tell you that I'm hungry all the time, normally for sweets, and I totally hit the 130g of protein on average. That being said I had a consultation with a trainer a few months ago, he asked me my goals, I said I'm thinking about competing so I need bigger mucscles, he said stop logging until you're ready to cut and then return to logging when you cut. From that I gathered that he only recommends logging when you're trying to lean out.0
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My PT told be the same thing about calories.
I had been on the Weight Watchers diet before meeting him to lose weight and was paranoid about going over my calorie allowance.
Since working out with him, I've found I've almost doubled my calorie intake (by eating more high protein/low fat foods) and have shrunk almost 3 dress sizes.
Weight work did scare me at first but if you keep the weights relatively light and high reps you won't bulk up at all - at least I didn't!! I also do 2 days of cardio so it might help too.
Happy to be friends if you want to help motivate each other.
Hope this helps
Cx0 -
Weight work did scare me at first but if you keep the weights relatively light and high reps you won't bulk up at all - at least I didn't!! I also do 2 days of cardio so it might help too.
Women don't "bulk up" at all, regardless of lifting style or weights, unless they're taking steroids. We don't have the testosterone to support gaining big muscles. The competitive women powerlifters and MMA fighters are good evidence of that.
OP - don't be afraid to lift weights. You're smack dab in the middle of the "healthy" range for your height by pretty much all measures. Yes, you'll gain muscle, but unless you're taking steroids, you won't turn into she-hulk.0 -
You might "swell" a bit because lifting will put water in your muscles - but that goes away. But you won't bulk up. I don't care what that trainer says. It's hard enough for men to put on muscle. Next to impossible for women to do it without some kind of "aid" or enhancement. And you can get stronger without getting bigger.
I don't think it will take three months to see slimming either. I think you start noticing it in a matter of weeks.
Calories won't make much of a difference if you are doing heavy lifting. Your body will appreciate and use every calorie you put in it. Throw in a short but intense sprint interval once a week and you'll be set.
http://www.evfit.com/calories.htm.0 -
Bump.0
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My PT told be the same thing about calories.
I had been on the Weight Watchers diet before meeting him to lose weight and was paranoid about going over my calorie allowance.
Since working out with him, I've found I've almost doubled my calorie intake (by eating more high protein/low fat foods) and have shrunk almost 3 dress sizes.
Weight work did scare me at first but if you keep the weights relatively light and high reps you won't bulk up at all - at least I didn't!! I also do 2 days of cardio so it might help too.
Happy to be friends if you want to help motivate each other.
Hope this helps
Cx
Good to hear! I guess I should also throw in the fact that I've suffered from an eating disorder in the past (anorexia and then bingeing) and so it terrifies me either way whether I'm counting calories (which can make me obsessive if im not careful) or not counting them (I can overindulge if I'm not careful).
But when I don't count I tend to not stress so much about food and as a result just eat when I'm hungry versus stressing about every calorie.
Adding you as a friend to support/motivation 0 -
I have a PT as well and he has me eating 21g of protein, 50g of carbs and 9 g of fat per meal, 4 x per day. I have not had any significant weight loss but my BMI has changed a little. I'm mostly frustrated that i haven't seen more of a change in my appearance. I'm starting to wonder if I'm not eating enough calories because I have been keeping myself at no more than 1500 per day which may be deficient. I have been with my personal trainer now (meeting 1 x per week) 7 months...OI meet with him 1x per week and then do the same training on my own an additional 2 x per week. Also I try to incorporate cardio 3-5 x per week.
Does anyone have any additional suggestions of what I could try or change?0
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