Insanity Calories

Lastchanceellie
Lastchanceellie Posts: 1 Member
edited February 21 in Health and Weight Loss
Hi
Hope you can help.....I'm in week three of insanity (well, I've started a few times but had to stop because of other commitments so keep restarting!). Anyway, on week three and defo committed to it. I have been trying VERY hard to stick to the 40/40/20 plan although not using the insanity recipies as I prefer my own. Overall, on my fitness pal reports most weeks I'm getting the 40/40/20 split or near to it (say 39/23/38).
The query I have is that I'm still not really sure how many calories I should be eating. I'm not desperate to lose weight as such as I am 5'6" and currently weigh 123lbs, I also don't feel the need to lose too many more inches around waist hips etc, however, I do have a bit of a stomach that I'd like to get flat, it's more the top part, I seem to have a bit of fat there that just wont shift. Like most women I'd like to tone my behind too.....
So, after all that, what I really want to know is, how many calories should I really be eating, I'm currently eating net of 1200. Not 100% sure how many calories im burning on insanity, have a heart rate monitor but have since been told that even those aren't accurate ARGH

Replies

  • KylaDenay
    KylaDenay Posts: 1,585 Member
    I was using an HRM with Insanity and was told that they are not for HIIT. Only for steady state cardio like walking, running, treadmill, elliptical and etc.... As for the calories have you done the calculations from the insanity guide? Shaun T uses the Tdee method.

    You can try this calculator....

    http://scoobysworkshop.com/calorie-calculator/

    or the one from the IIFYM website.

    When doing insanity it is not easy to know exactly how many calories you are burning, so I would use the TDEE method instead of the MFP method when figuring out your daily calorie intake.
  • kgeyser
    kgeyser Posts: 22,499 Member
    You are eating far too little for a 5'6" woman weighing 123 lbs and doing Insanity. Calculate your TDEE and subtract 5-10% at the most, as all you have to lose is a little body fat. You should probably be eating closer to 2000 calories per day easily.
  • albayin
    albayin Posts: 2,524 Member
    I just have to whine again about insanity...while I really enjoy my heart pumping and sweat like bucket of water, but it's impossible for me to keep my head straight when it comes to food choice...as I am constantly hungry...:( I don't want to deal with the water weight gain so I decide to move away from the program for a while until I figure out how to lose my last pounds and a new maintenance level.
  • KylaDenay
    KylaDenay Posts: 1,585 Member
    I just have to whine again about insanity...while I really enjoy my heart pumping and sweat like bucket of water, but it's impossible for me to keep my head straight when it comes to food choice...as I am constantly hungry...:( I don't want to deal with the water weight gain so I decide to move away from the program for a while until I figure out how to lose my last pounds and a new maintenance level.

    Yes I second this!! I feel the same way! I did the same exact thing. I was sooo tired of the water retention and gaining weight that I did not have the patience for the program. I love it, but no patience at all. I stopped Insanity about a week and a half ago to get my eating under control.

    The Insanity guide told me that I should be eating 1850-2080 calories to lose weight while following the program 6 days a week. I gained 10 lbs :(....I posted a thread and people told me that was too much. I did what the guide told me to do. Now I stopped and am eating 1600 calories a day and doing other workouts like Zumba, walking, elliptical, weights and more.

    When it comes to the calorie intake you have to find what fits for you. I was always hungry so no way I can maintain under 1850 doing it, so I just can't do the program if that is the case. Good luck!!
  • TavistockToad
    TavistockToad Posts: 35,719 Member
    Insanity made me huuuuungry.... I am amazed anyone can do it on 1200 cals... I am 5ft5 and 136lbs and I was eating net 1800 when I did it, and still had days I could have gnawed my husbands arm off!
  • SLLRunner
    SLLRunner Posts: 12,942 Member
    You can't spot reduce and you cannot choose where where weight comes off. .

    That said ,at 5 ft 6 and 123 pounds, it seems to me you don't need to lose any weight, which you've already said you don't want to do.

    I suggest heavy weight lifting because it is meant to recomp your body all over. If you eat at maintenance or a surplus, you will slowly gain some muscle. If you eat at a deficit, you will not. You need to up those calories to at least your maintenance level if you want body recomposition.

    The point of eating at a surplus while weight lifting is to bulk (gain a few pounds) and then cut calories to lose it and hopefully you will have some of the muscle left. Usually, however, you will be a smaller size than when you started out (but around the same weight).

    Also, eating 1200 calorie at your height for your level of exercise is not doing you justice. As a trainer at the gym told someone the other day who she was working with, "You're doing all this work so you need to feed your body." So, up those calories to your maintenance level if you are not interested in losing weight.

    I do heavy weights on M,W,F and run on T, TH, and sometimes a weekend day, and I've seen amazing changes in my body.
  • albayin
    albayin Posts: 2,524 Member
    Insanity made me huuuuungry.... I am amazed anyone can do it on 1200 cals... I am 5ft5 and 136lbs and I was eating net 1800 when I did it, and still had days I could have gnawed my husbands arm off!

    hey, I remember you told me last time that by the end of the program, your body looked amazing...I believe you but I am too weak to deal with my pants not fitting while doing it...:( So I decided to ditch it for now...maybe come back to it later. Thank you for your advice last time.
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