My athleticism is screwing up my weight loss goals!
BridgetteBane
Posts: 3 Member
Before I started roller derby I was doing several things right. A combination of intermittent fasting and paleo helped me drop 25 lbs in about 2 months, and I loved it.
But when I joined roller derby it became incredibly evident that my 4 hours of constant skating was not having the right affect on my body- my focus was terrible, my attitude was awful. I started eating more carbs, started eating breakfast. I haven't lost an inch from my waist or a pound since. I have lost an inch from my thighs and calves though, and my endurance has absolutely increased.
So my current schedule is Fridays and Sundays I skate for 3 hours. I'd like to into a diet rhythm that doesn't involve junk foods, but isn't necessarily carb-restrictive but I'd prefer to keep it to natural sources like veggies instead of bread. I'd also like to work out 30-60 minutes two other days a week, at least. If someone recommends more I am willing to try. I have hand weights up to 6lbs, exercise bands, and a balance ball.
Can anyone help me figure out what is the best way to get my body the fuel it needs to perform and reshape itself in to badass muscle?
I should also disclose that I am pretty terrible at eating and making my calorie goals. My usual calorie intake is maybe 900 calories on a good day- I have a hard time balancing healthy foods and the quantities required to make 1200-1500 calories. A bowl of cereal, a salad for lunch, and dinner is usually in the 500 cal range. It's bad. Any suggestions?
But when I joined roller derby it became incredibly evident that my 4 hours of constant skating was not having the right affect on my body- my focus was terrible, my attitude was awful. I started eating more carbs, started eating breakfast. I haven't lost an inch from my waist or a pound since. I have lost an inch from my thighs and calves though, and my endurance has absolutely increased.
So my current schedule is Fridays and Sundays I skate for 3 hours. I'd like to into a diet rhythm that doesn't involve junk foods, but isn't necessarily carb-restrictive but I'd prefer to keep it to natural sources like veggies instead of bread. I'd also like to work out 30-60 minutes two other days a week, at least. If someone recommends more I am willing to try. I have hand weights up to 6lbs, exercise bands, and a balance ball.
Can anyone help me figure out what is the best way to get my body the fuel it needs to perform and reshape itself in to badass muscle?
I should also disclose that I am pretty terrible at eating and making my calorie goals. My usual calorie intake is maybe 900 calories on a good day- I have a hard time balancing healthy foods and the quantities required to make 1200-1500 calories. A bowl of cereal, a salad for lunch, and dinner is usually in the 500 cal range. It's bad. Any suggestions?
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Replies
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If you have lost inches on your legs, but not lost pounds, that sounds like lost fat and gained muscle.
Makes me think you are on the right track.0 -
What you are trying to achieve is fairly difficult.
Athletic performance relies on energy availability whereas losing fat requires energy restriction - they are essentially opposing goals.
You could maintain a small deficit, remain patient and accept it may take longer than expected to reach your goal. Alternatively you may put the performance goal on hold and go for it on the fat loss goal in a big way. Finally, you could just say "screw it, being athletic totally kicks *kitten* and is much better than looking a certain way" and smile.0 -
I'd like to into a diet rhythm that doesn't involve junk foods, but isn't necessarily carb-restrictive but I'd prefer to keep it to natural sources like veggies instead of bread. I'd also like to work out 30-60 minutes two other days a week, at least. If someone recommends more I am willing to try. I have hand weights up to 6lbs, exercise bands, and a balance ball.
Can anyone help me figure out what is the best way to get my body the fuel it needs to perform and reshape itself in to badass muscle?
What is wrong with the diet you descibe above - not low carb, but not junk. Whole grains are a great source of fuel. Brown or black rice, quinoa, oats, wheat berries, etc. You don't have to eat something overly processed like bread if you want to eat grains.
Beans are also a great source of carbs since they are nutrient dense, low calorie and contain fiber and protein.
Just eat a sensible balanced diet.0 -
I should also disclose that I am pretty terrible at eating and making my calorie goals. My usual calorie intake is maybe 900 calories on a good day- I have a hard time balancing healthy foods and the quantities required to make 1200-1500 calories. A bowl of cereal, a salad for lunch, and dinner is usually in the 500 cal range. It's bad. Any suggestions?
I've just seen your edit.
You obviously need to eat more. If you have trouble then consider low volume, calorie dense items (like nuts, homemade protein bars, cake - seriously) to bolster your energy availability.0 -
For the exercise you are doing, 900 calories/day is extremely low. If you have been in this range for a while, there is a chance your body is in starvation mode and everything you take in the body is hoarding as it needs to pack away as much fuel as possible to keep you going. I would address the calorie issue first, if you can get your numbers more balanced and your body in less of a starvation mode, then you ought to be able to put yourself back in a "fat burning mode" as you are certainly doing plenty of exercise.
To build "badass muscle" you are going to have to hit the weights on those 2 days you reference. Heavy weight should help you achieve the muscle you seek but may require access to more weights then you say you have. If thats a problem, then I would implement body weight exercises for the upper body more often than 2 days per week as your skating is likely firming and shaping your lower body. My 2 cents... Good luck...0 -
It's not your athleticism screwing up your weight loss goals, it's being a young, active person who eats 900 calories a day that is. Eat more. Seriously.
ETA: And there ain't NO WAY you will build any kind of "bad *kitten* muscles" on 900 cals a day. Just no way.0 -
I should also disclose that I am pretty terrible at eating and making my calorie goals. My usual calorie intake is maybe 900 calories on a good day- I have a hard time balancing healthy foods and the quantities required to make 1200-1500 calories. A bowl of cereal, a salad for lunch, and dinner is usually in the 500 cal range. It's bad. Any suggestions?
There's your problem. Stop eating "diet" food.0 -
Before I started roller derby I was doing several things right. A combination of intermittent fasting and paleo helped me drop 25 lbs in about 2 months, and I loved it.
But when I joined roller derby it became incredibly evident that my 4 hours of constant skating was not having the right affect on my body- my focus was terrible, my attitude was awful. I started eating more carbs, started eating breakfast. I haven't lost an inch from my waist or a pound since. I have lost an inch from my thighs and calves though, and my endurance has absolutely increased.
So my current schedule is Fridays and Sundays I skate for 3 hours. I'd like to into a diet rhythm that doesn't involve junk foods, but isn't necessarily carb-restrictive but I'd prefer to keep it to natural sources like veggies instead of bread. I'd also like to work out 30-60 minutes two other days a week, at least. If someone recommends more I am willing to try. I have hand weights up to 6lbs, exercise bands, and a balance ball.
Can anyone help me figure out what is the best way to get my body the fuel it needs to perform and reshape itself in to badass muscle?
I should also disclose that I am pretty terrible at eating and making my calorie goals. My usual calorie intake is maybe 900 calories on a good day- I have a hard time balancing healthy foods and the quantities required to make 1200-1500 calories. A bowl of cereal, a salad for lunch, and dinner is usually in the 500 cal range. It's bad. Any suggestions?
900 calories isn't nearly enough for a sedentary lifestyle. Remember you need 500 calories just for your brain to function. So think of it in terms of this...if you're not fueling your body you're body is cannibalizing itself. Meaning you're probably losing muscle when you eat at these low amounts AND exercise on top of it.
I would consider increasing your caloric intake about 100 calories per week until you're up to maintenance and stay @ maintenance for a month or two. Do NOT weigh yourself during this time. There will be some ups on the scale but that is normal since you've been eating at such a low amount. Take your measurements every couple of weeks instead.
And I could reconsider the low-carb thing if you are going to continue the roller derby gig.
Good luck!0 -
eating too little is going to be at odds with being an athlete.
- start weighing your foods, so you know your intake with some degree of accuracy
- hit your calorie and macro targets.
- low fat is not the way to go, BTW - your body needs fats. Eat full fat dairy, for example - it will help get your calories up, without feeling like you're eating too much. Add avocado or nuts to that salad, as another example.
- 'diet' food is not necessary. Eating 'clean' isn't necessary. Eat mostly whole foods, and throw in a few of your favorite treats - this is more sustainable0 -
I know a lot of it intermixes- more muscle means a higher metabolism, for example. I just want to do it in a way that is slightly faster than a snail's pace!0
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so is it more important to literally starve yourself to lose weight faster, or to lose it in a regular manner that will be easier to maintain in the long run?I know a lot of it intermixes- more muscle means a higher metabolism, for example. I just want to do it in a way that is slightly faster than a snail's pace!
....because you're on one path now, and it ain't the right one.0 -
It's not starving myself, after a meal I'm not hungry and chewing on my arm waiting for my next meal. I eat nuts and good fats and plenty of protein. I just know it's not enough according to MFP and all the other things I've checked.0
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It IS starving yourself.....Stop arguing with MFP and people who's been there and know what they are talking about.... Start reading, science, learning about nutrition and smarten up if you really want to be an athlete...If not - go ahead and eat 900 calories untill you have no muscle left and have screwed up your metabolism for life....
You were given a load of really good advise - it's your choice to follow it or not....
Good luck with your goals....0 -
WHYIt's not starving myself, after a meal I'm not hungry and chewing on my arm waiting for my next meal. I eat nuts and good fats and plenty of protein. I just know it's not enough according to MFP and all the other things I've checked.
ARE
YOU
FIGHTING
TO
NOT
EAT?0 -
If you have been doing roller derby for a while, and you haven't lost weight (but are getting muscular and losing fat), then there's no way you are eating only 900 calories. It's simply not possible. Water retention might explain a short plateau at that calorie intake, but not a long one.
http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/872212-you-re-probably-eating-more-than-you-think0 -
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Being a Derby Girl > any number on the scale
Train to be a bad *kitten*. Not to see a certain number that's just a reflection of your mass and the pull of Earth's gravity.
Eat more, skate hard, hit *****es. If you want to see a certain number on a scale just change it's settings. There are much more rewarding things in life and you're already doing them.
This. Eat well and train to be bada$$. Bread isn't bad for you, oatmeal isn't bad for you, stop restricting for no reason. You can eat breakfast and do well. Eat like a bada$$ and go kill it in the rink.0 -
i don't understand how a bowl of cereal, salad, and a 500 calorie dinner dont' even tally up to 1000 cals. my bowls of cereal are GINORMOUS! yes, yes, maybe *that's* why i'm not losing weight; )0
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So, you are physically active, eating only 900 calories and not losing weight? Sorry, but it is not possible. And the only explanation is you are greatly underestimating what you are eating.0
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According to the surgeon who put me on a VERY LOW Calorie diet before Gallbladder Removal surgery, that happens to be a Bariatric Surgeon, it is unsustainable to maintain a diet below 1200 calories. Yes, it can be done short term to mix things up but no more than a week or so. Your body thinks that you are in a famine and is probably clinging to every little bit of fat it gets in an effort to maintain normal functioning. Try going up to AT LEAST 1200 calories and see how that works. Good Luck!
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It's not starving myself, after a meal I'm not hungry and chewing on my arm waiting for my next meal. I eat nuts and good fats and plenty of protein. I just know it's not enough according to MFP and all the other things I've checked.
It is starving yourself if you find yourself weak and unable to compete in the rink! Didn't you mention in your original post that when you were carb cutting you couldn't focus and your endurance sucked? It's because you're not fueling yourself properly. Also you didn't mention how long it had been since you had reintroduced carbs.
Hey, I've been in your shoes. Restricting myself to the point where I was eating once or twice a day. AND I had EVERY justification in the book. The fact is - it's not healthy.
Like I said before, once you start eating at normal levels you will see an uptick on the scale. That is only temporary. You have to give your body a hot minute to adjust and realize that you're not depriving it any longer.
Again, eat MORE.
Stop demonizing carbs.
Oh, and stop expecting overnight results. You stated you dropped 25 lbs in 2 months, that's a little over 3 lbs a week. Those crash diets where you lose 50 lbs in three months....you may lose the weight but it's all gonna come back...and probably with a few extra pounds to boot.0 -
i don't understand how a bowl of cereal, salad, and a 500 calorie dinner dont' even tally up to 1000 cals. my bowls of cereal are GINORMOUS! yes, yes, maybe *that's* why i'm not losing weight; )
I refuse to give up my bowls of cereal! I trrrryyyy to limit it to my Sat nite Netflix binge session, but ya know...win some, lose some!0 -
If you lost 25 pounds in 2 months and are only eating 900 calories a day, you are starving yourself. If you don't think that is starving yourself, then I hope you get some counseling! I agree with the previous posters who think that if you're no longer losing weight it's because your body is desperately holding onto everything it can. It's okay to feel hungry, it's okay to eat. It doesn't make you less badass or less of an athlete.0
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Skating isn't what is having a negative effect on your body (I skate - every week - 4 hours on Sunday!) the weight of the skates is strength training (don't let anyone tell you different - those skates are heavy) and it is toning up your legs and butt (I've noticed it too since I got back in the rink) but the lack of food is what is having the negative effect .......
I am at 1230 calories on MFP (I sit at a desk all week) and eat back my exercise calories - I also go over some days and don't sweat it - and I'm still losing about a pound a week. (and people here tell me that I don't eat enough) (I'm also really short and need to lose about 25# or more) There is NO WAY 900 calories for someone as active as you can be good. I eat when I skate - and on Sundays sometimes that food isn't even good for me (grab a hot dog or nachos at the rink) and I still lose.
Up the calories and watch your macros - drink LOTS of water and you should start seeing a change0 -
if youre looking at being athletic think about carbs more positively, you need the fuel especially for something as physical as roller derby. i used to think less is better calories wise it because of what written in mags etc. you'll need to train your mind set away from needing to eat less and more towards an athletic mind set which is pretty much opposite to what is written in most thing you may read. just reading training articles for sports maybe look for a roller derby blog im guessing there stuff like that about just to change the way you think.
from experiance of thai boxing and having a pretty physical job going with out carbs and a decent amount of food just ended badly.
also dont think about fat as being a weight and aim towards a body fat percentage?? i know i've been at my leanest when ive been eating around about 3000 cals a day and thats because i had the carbs to fuel it and the protein to rebuild it.
if you need to boost your number just look online theres plenty of healthy foods which you can throw in a smoothie that'll boost your cals up.
hope this has help in any way0 -
Bake up some potatoes or sweet potatoes. Nomnomnom skating fuel.0
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inb4 OP is 5'10
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Sounds like extreme case of Metabolic Adaptation, checkout Dr Layne Norton videos on Metabolic Adaptation. http://www.biolayne.com/nutrition/biolayne-video-log-16-metabolic-damage-v3-0-damage-control-a-mechanistic-discussion-of-metabolic-adaptation/0
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The advice you've been given is good advice. You really need to eat more before you get even more problems than you have already. I ended up in a right state after months of eating very low calorie. I couldn't focus or concentrate, I couldn't do anything because just moving was exhausting and I struggled to breathe, I was dizzy, blacking out and falling asleep all the time. My hair started to lose its colour and I felt awful constantly. My weight also hit a plateau. Once I started eating more(which was horrendously hard btw), I started to feel better and had more energy. The weight also started to drop off fast and I've found that I should be eating double what I was eating back then. Life is good again 0
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Athletic performance is dependent on energy availability.
1) You rapidly lost 25 lbs in 2 months.
2) Athletic performance greatly diminished during semi-starvation.
3) Athletic performance improved during an increase in calories.
These symptoms are consistent with malnutrition during competition. I hope you do not intend to restrict to such degree again for your own sake.0
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