Knowing I'm eating the right amount, new to lifting.

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kaylatee0
kaylatee0 Posts: 65 Member
in Goal: Maintaining Weight
Afternoon team,

Just want to give you a quick overview of my story before I get to my question:

- I lost a total of 25 pounds between Aug 13 and Jan 14 going from 143 to 117 (5’2)
- I lost weight by exercise and eating at a moderate-high deficit (1-3 hours of cardio 7days per week and consuming 1200-1500 calories not including the weeks I severely overate and didn’t lose anything
- I recognize that a lot of this weight could have been muscle as I still look flabby and have a belly that hangs a bit
- I went on a cruise a few weeks ago and ATE and DRANK and ATE, and came back at 128lbs (11 pounds) higher
- After I got back from vacation (this past Monday) I went straight back into my healthy eating and exercising, 9 days after being back and on the grind, I was down to 125.8 (sigh)

While I’m not happy, I understand that I gained and I understand what I need to do to lose it again. However, seeing how I was not even the least bit happy with how I looked at 117 pounds, I’ve decided that I’m ok with my pants being super tight for awhile longer and focus on lifting heavy weights. I’ve dumped the excessive cardio and low calories to focus on strength training and my half marathon training.

Knowing this, the average TDEE calculator based on every day exercises put me at 2000 calories.

I’ve been eating at 2000 calories and am really worried I will put on fat and make the super tight jeans into jeans that don’t fit! I’ve never (on purpose) ate this much before, I usually ate around 1400 but with more “binge” or “cheat” day. It’s been a week at 2000-2200 and I feel like I have so much more energy and am getting so much more out of my exercising, plus I don’t want to binge! However, I feel like I need to get back into my jeans again.

My questions for you folks are:

1. I want to stay off the scale for a bit because I know that when you first start lifting you can put on some weight from holding onto water. How long should I stay at this number before I weigh myself to get an accurate representation of the effect of 2000-2200kcal? At what point do you make a determination that X calories is working for your body?
2. Do you think 2000 is the right number for me 5’3, 125 (a tight size 3) and this as a workout schedule????

Sunday – Long Run (11K)
Monday – AM: Recovery Run(5-6KM) PM: Body Pump
Tuesday – AM: 20 min cardio + Legs PM: 40 Minutes on Stairmaster
Wednesday – AM: 20 min cardio + Biceps/Triceps/Shoulders PM: Run (6-8KM)
Thursday – AM: Run (6-8KM) PM: Body Pump
Friday – AM: 20 min cardio +Back/Chest/Abs PM: Cardio (Optional)
Saturday – Body Attack

Before you say the workout is too much, know that I’ve been exercising like this since September and will take the odd day off every 2 weeks or so, but really don’t feel the need to at this point. With my weight lifting I am doing roughly 3 set of each exercise of 10-12 reps, the final set I usually max at about rep 9.

Suggestions are welcome! I really want to be strong and muscular.

Replies

  • butreally12
    butreally12 Posts: 67 Member
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    Hey!

    So, I really can't offer any advice (sorry!) but I feel like we're twins! I'm 5'3, started at 151, and am currently around 120-125. I lost the weight through diet and cardio. At my lowest weight (around 115) I wasn't happy with the way my body looked either. I'm also training for a half marathon!

    I think you'll have a lot of people here say to ditch the cardio and up the weights. I have to say that I am a big proponent of heavy lifting (in my case, heavy is a relative term, but it's generally reps of no more than 6). SInce I started it this summer, I have really noticed a change in my body! I have gained a little weight, and I'm sure it's not all muscle, but I think I just generally look and feel better.

    However, I'm also training for a half marathon (I've never been able to run a mile before this year!) so I refuse to ditch the cardio, like a lot of people suggest. Basically, what I (and probably you) am trying to do is pretty difficult. When you're marathon training, you're trying to make your body as small and efficient as possible - that's definitely not what you're doing when you're trying to gain muscle!

    I've found, however, that the combination of the two is working pretty well for me. I realize that I could probably gain more muscle/get stronger a lot quicker if I would do less running, but I like running. I realize that I could probably run better if I didn't focus a lot of my time on lifting, but I like lifting. I'm happy with a happy medium!

    I'm curious as to what more experienced people will say.
  • kaylatee0
    kaylatee0 Posts: 65 Member
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    Hey!

    So, I really can't offer any advice (sorry!) but I feel like we're twins! I'm 5'3, started at 151, and am currently around 120-125. I lost the weight through diet and cardio. At my lowest weight (around 115) I wasn't happy with the way my body looked either. I'm also training for a half marathon!

    I think you'll have a lot of people here say to ditch the cardio and up the weights. I have to say that I am a big proponent of heavy lifting (in my case, heavy is a relative term, but it's generally reps of no more than 6). SInce I started it this summer, I have really noticed a change in my body! I have gained a little weight, and I'm sure it's not all muscle, but I think I just generally look and feel better.

    However, I'm also training for a half marathon (I've never been able to run a mile before this year!) so I refuse to ditch the cardio, like a lot of people suggest. Basically, what I (and probably you) am trying to do is pretty difficult. When you're marathon training, you're trying to make your body as small and efficient as possible - that's definitely not what you're doing when you're trying to gain muscle!

    I've found, however, that the combination of the two is working pretty well for me. I realize that I could probably gain more muscle/get stronger a lot quicker if I would do less running, but I like running. I realize that I could probably run better if I didn't focus a lot of my time on lifting, but I like lifting. I'm happy with a happy medium!

    I'm curious as to what more experienced people will say.

    What's your daily calories? Have you maintained?
  • BeachGingerOnTheRocks
    BeachGingerOnTheRocks Posts: 3,927 Member
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    Try it for a month or so. Don't weigh yourself, cut back a bit on the cardio, make sure you're pushing yourself with the weights, and see what happens.

    Don't worry about the number on the scale. If your jeans feel too tight, cut back to 1800 calories and keep going.

    I'm quite a bit taller and 122 pounds, and I maintain on about 2200ish calories a day.
  • kaylatee0
    kaylatee0 Posts: 65 Member
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    Thanks!!
  • TavistockToad
    TavistockToad Posts: 35,719 Member
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    if you want to lose weight you should be eating at a deficit, not at maintenance.

    I would say take 10-15% off your maintenance figure and go from there.

    i know you say its not too much exercise, but its still cardio heavy, and you should have 1 day of rest per week.
  • kaylatee0
    kaylatee0 Posts: 65 Member
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    if you want to lose weight you should be eating at a deficit, not at maintenance.

    I would say take 10-15% off your maintenance figure and go from there.

    i know you say its not too much exercise, but its still cardio heavy, and you should have 1 day of rest per week.


    I think I have an [irrational] fear of rapidly gaining if I slow down the cardio.

    While I do enjoy the cardio (I mean it!) I’ve found over the last week that I have a lot more fun lifting and doing resistance training.

    Even this morning I regretted doing my 20 min cardio warm up because I had to cut my back workout short!

    I’m definitely going to take the advice that I keep trying to avoid and slow down the cardio and lift even more! As well as rest for 1 day every 7-10 days.. I tend to associate rest days with guilt and find myself overeating and doubting myself.

    Thank you for the help, still welcoming feedback if anyone has any!!!
  • stealthq
    stealthq Posts: 4,298 Member
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    Hey, we've got similar stats - I'm 5'3", started at 143, now at 117.5. I'm 39.

    For a frame of reference, I still lost eating 1500 cals and being sedentary. One 30min weight lifting session a week.

    That's past tense because I switched gyms so I could move to free weights and lift 3 days a week. Calories have increased some as well, but I haven't done it long enough to have concrete results. I tend to lose weight in a chunk once a month.

    I have to agree with others - you NEED days off to recover if you're going to lift. Steady state cardio you can crank out day after day as long as you're not killing yourself. Lifting doesn't work that way. You need to rest to repair muscle or you'll sabotage your efforts to gain strength.
  • OverDoIt
    OverDoIt Posts: 332 Member
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    The mirror is the best way to determine if you are eating the right ammount. Science is science, human digestion of nutrients can only be speculated. I liken it to psychology, trying to put science and labels on the human behavioral patterns is only speculation. Look in the mirror, if you like what you see then you are on the right track.
  • butreally12
    butreally12 Posts: 67 Member
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    I have a base of 1450 calories for rest days (if I have any). When I weight lift, I give myself about 250 extra calories, and I try to make sure that's mostly protein because I hardly ever get enough of it. (The 250 comes from wearing my HRM). When I run, I use my HRM and MFP to calculate an approximate amount of calories burned, and I eat those too. Sometimes I'll only run 3 miles so I only have 250 extra calories; sometimes I'll run 10 miles and have maybe 900 extra.

    I have definitely maintained this weight - I may even be losing in very, very, very small increments! More importantly to me, however, I have noticed crazy changes in my body and how my clothes fit.

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