Nutrition for increasing strength and losing fat

LovenderNurse
LovenderNurse Posts: 57 Member
in Food and Nutrition
A few stats first: I am 33 years old, 5'8" and I weight 163. I workout 5 days a week, 20 min high intensity cardio and then weights.

I was just curious about what my caloric needs should be???

I am wanting to lose fat and gain muscle but working out makes me HUNGRY and Im finding that by the end of the day all I want to do is EAT. Currently I have not gone over my caloric needs BUT as I increase my strength I am finding that I am getting hungrier and hungrier each week. I want to know what is the easiest way to figure out what my requirements are as my strength increases so it's not such a guessing game. I don't want to eat too little or too much.

I workout and lift 5 days a week. I do 20-30 min of interval cardio and then alternate my lifting (arms, legs, abs, back, etc.) on different days. I have only been doing this for 2 weeks but already I have seen great results and my strength has more than doubled from when I first began and all my clothes are fitting me so much nicer than before. I moved my caloric needs from 1200 calls a day to 1400, is that still too little? And how much should I drop my intake on days that I don't workout?

Also what percentages should I be shooting for as far as protein, fat, and carbs go? I do have a bit to lose mainly around my waist (mommy pouch from my c-section) and I know abs are made in the kitchen!

Thanks in advance!

Replies

  • toddis
    toddis Posts: 941 Member
    I usually see the recommendations at this:
    1g of protein per pound of lean body mass.
    0.4 to 0.6g or 25% of caloric intake from fat
    fill out the rest with carbs.

    HIIT training is only possible a few times a week, from my understanding.

    You can either set your calories based on your perceived activity level and not vary daily.
    Or...you can set it and eat back your exercise calories.
  • LovenderNurse
    LovenderNurse Posts: 57 Member
    I guess my confusion is that my activity level has been increasing each week, so as i increase my strength should I be resetting my nutritional settings each week as well/

    Also I have no problem getting enough healthy fats, I love avocados and coconut oil and olive oil. But with the protein, I'm not sure exactly what i would consider lean body mass for myself? Are you saying I should have 163g of protein since that is how much I weigh?

    I don't do HIIT training every day but I do interval training, varying levels of intensity but not hitting my 'oh **** button', I only do HIIT about 2x a week. But I try and make sure that I do the interval cardio every time I begin my workouts.
  • franzhaydn
    franzhaydn Posts: 44
    Well, first of all I suggest that you do your HIIT after weights. Just as a strength building issue.
    And well I think 1400 is way better. I think you probably had your goal at 1200 because you wanted to lose. Well, doing your HIIT after weights will help you burn more fat. Lifting weights destroys your glycogen stores so then your body burns mostly fat on what you do after. Me, I only do HIIT for 10 minutes and I eat 1400 cals!
    If you don't work out at all I think you should eat at most 200 cals deficit. And that means burning off 200 not under eating. Your body repairs the day after muscle training. I've heard that switching up your nutrients can be helpful - more carbs on workout days to boost energy and lift heavier, more protein off days to repair. But as far as caloric fluctuation I don't think lowering your intake on off days dramatically will do any good.
  • LovenderNurse
    LovenderNurse Posts: 57 Member
    Thanks for that info, I will switch my routine around and do HIIT after I lift. I think you are right about needing more protein on your days off to help muscle repair, I don't know why I didn't think of that. That makes sense.
  • kaylingonzales
    kaylingonzales Posts: 37 Member
    http://iifym.com/iifym-calculator/

    I use that calculator to figure out my Cals/Macros, I'm only 5'3 171 and work out 3x a week lifting weights (I walk a bit too) and I have mine set at 1900-2100 Cals and 160 Protein a day and have been losing about .5 a pound a week. Since you do far more activity than me I would suggest upping you calories at least a little.
  • chrisdavey
    chrisdavey Posts: 9,834 Member
    are you currently eating back exercise cals or are you only eating 1200? (now 1400)

    If so, that is why you are hungry. It isn't enough.

    For your stats, I'd start with about 2000cals. 160gP/55-75gfat/f remainder carbs.

    Take pics, measurements and assess every 2 weeks.

    If you are currently eating 1400 gross I'd slowly increase by 200 per week to avoid unnecessary fat gain.
  • Confuzzled4ever
    Confuzzled4ever Posts: 2,860 Member
    google scooby's workshop (scooby's calculator maybe it's called) and fill in the spreadsheet. (accurately)

    I get to eat a lot more then I can a lot of days.. I even had a slice of pizza today (which made my stomach hurt) and i still did not eat enough.

    If you are hungry you are either not eating enough or not eating enough of the right things. You're body might be looking for a specific nutrient and you may not be giving it enough. High protein for lifting, more carbs for cardio intensive. That's what makes my body happy.
  • AvaMusnicki
    AvaMusnicki Posts: 15 Member
    You can get a hydrostatic bodyfat test that will weigh you in water and give you your actual lean body mass. For example, during my test I weighed 123.8 lbs but my lean body mass was only 87 lbs. So yes I am an horrible 30% :( So I am in the same dilemma, I want to lower bodyfat but simultaneously increase muscle. The bodyfat test also generates my resting metabolic rate of 1376 calories. So from that number I created a calorie deficit and have been losing weight. I've been getting the adequate protein grams (87+) like the prior poster indicated, according to my actual lean mass. Everyone is different. We could weigh the same weight but could have really different lean mass and bodyfat numbers. I haven't been too hungry (but will admit I do especially before bed) because the protein really helps. Every meal has a lot of protein and my snacks or post workouts are whey protein shakes. I've lost 8 pounds since the first of the year. Hopefully not losing muscle too. I too do HIIT about 3-4 times a week and some lifting in between. (CrossFit with barbell work at home on the other days)

    The bodyfat testing took away all of the guessing on my numbers. I can't stop recommending it to everyone. The place I did it at was a mobile unit that set up near gyms or medical facilities. http://www.bodyfattest.com/

    You can add lean protein and whey protein shakes which will add to your protein numbers and calories but not your carbs and sugars.
  • nikkihk
    nikkihk Posts: 487 Member
    google scooby's workshop (scooby's calculator maybe it's called) and fill in the spreadsheet. (accurately)

    I get to eat a lot more then I can a lot of days.. I even had a slice of pizza today (which made my stomach hurt) and i still did not eat enough.

    If you are hungry you are either not eating enough or not eating enough of the right things. You're body might be looking for a specific nutrient and you may not be giving it enough. High protein for lifting, more carbs for cardio intensive. That's what makes my body happy.

    Here's the site she mentioned.... http://scoobysworkshop.com/calorie-calculator/#projectedweightloss

    Seems much more accurate then MFP.
  • florentinovillaro
    florentinovillaro Posts: 342 Member
    I guestimated a BMR of 1630 and assuming your workout burns another 600 calories. That's roughly a TDEE of 2230 on your workout days. Now if your goal is to lose 2 lbs per week, that would put you right at a 1230 calorie goal per day. That's without knowing about any other activities you do on a daily basis. I would say increase it by 200 and wait it out for 2 weeks and see if your still hungry after hitting goal.

    My intake is constant on or off, and I don't adjust.

    Whenever weight or activity level changes, I suggest changing goal settings. I revise weekly. On another note, I tried carb cycling, and it did not work for me, the weight just came on in a short amount of time, so now I don't eat back exercise calories.
  • LovenderNurse
    LovenderNurse Posts: 57 Member
    Lots of great information and suggestions, thank you so much. I think at once point my TDEE came out to be 1800 a day but my body composition wasn't changing, but back then I was only doing cardio.Some days I eat back my calories, somedays I don't just depends on whether or not I feel hungry? Its tough to say what I am burning now because I don't get a caloric burn when I log my strength training on MFP. Which I should buy a HRM, but Im broke right now so that's not gonna happen (yet). I do eat a lot of lean protein ie: tuna, boneless skinless plain chicken, a protein shake w/ unsweetened almond milk, I also make veggie blends in my juicer and ninja blender (I keep the pulp for the fiber). I have changed to 1400 and that seems to be helping, even if I splurge and have a couple slices of pizza it doesn't seem to have an effect on me. I have gone to the scooby site before thats where I got the 1800 TDEE from but like I said i wasn't seeing much of a change, I just stayed the same and then when school started up my activity went down but my appetite stayed pretty ferocious and then gained about 15 lbs. I will see how the rest of this week goes, so far the increased calories have helped if I need more I will add another 200 next week. Tonight I am gong to change my routine up too. Do 5 min warm up, lift, then HIIT for 10 min.
  • toddis
    toddis Posts: 941 Member
    A HRM wont help with gauging your calories with lifting and really isn't terribly helpful with calories for cardio.
  • 10manda86
    10manda86 Posts: 229 Member
    I always calculate my TDEE at zero activity. I have bought a fitbit and go to the gym and log that and eat back some of the calories. I generally do not need to eat all of them back and most days I still have 300 calories to spare... remember the calorie goal set by MFP or any other site (generally) is 20% LESS than your TDEE, that way if you eat back all exercise calories you will still be eating 20% less calories than your body has used for that day... i think its the -20% that a lot of people forget when worrying about how much they should or shouldn't eat!
    I just used the http://iifym.com/iifym-calculator/ site and my TDEE was 1466, not for off the 1583 I had it set at before :)
  • delicious_cocktail
    delicious_cocktail Posts: 5,797 Member
    1650 + half your exercise calories :-)
  • SezxyStef
    SezxyStef Posts: 15,267 Member
    TDEE-15-20% is what I would recommend.

    I don't use the calculator online I used my own data.

    I use a scale to measure and be accurate for intake so my calculation for TDEE is

    Total calories consumed +(3500xlbs lost)/number of days (I chose 21 days) gave me a TDEE of 1995 and I eat TDEE-20%

    As for the exercise someone already said do cardio after weights....and keep in mind you can't buid muscle at a deficet unless it's "noob" gains which are small or if you are extremely over weight.

    You need to concentrate on one or the other...
    I always calculate my TDEE at zero activity. I have bought a fitbit and go to the gym and log that and eat back some of the calories. I generally do not need to eat all of them back and most days I still have 300 calories to spare... remember the calorie goal set by MFP or any other site (generally) is 20% LESS than your TDEE, that way if you eat back all exercise calories you will still be eating 20% less calories than your body has used for that day... i think its the -20% that a lot of people forget when worrying about how much they should or shouldn't eat!

    This above is not TDEE this is the NEAT method which MFP uses...the bolded area above is false. MFP takes your data and applies the NEAT method, with TDEE method you don't eat calories back...

    I prefer True TDEE method because as mentioned calculating calorie burns for weight lifting and circuit training (HIIT) is difficult at best....

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