Eating Enough Calories?

huckleberry0070 · January 2015

Okay, so I am by no means new to MFP but my goals have changed and I am looking for a little advice. I am a 27 year-old female, 5'4" with a starting weight around 130. Just before the holidays I re-joined a gym and started lifting and doing cardio to lose weight. My goal is more to lose fat around the middle and firm up rather than to reach a specific number on the scale, though I'm aiming for about 115-120. I have lost 3 or 4 pounds so far.

The thing is, my weight loss has been incredibly slow. I know that's a good thing in terms of keeping it off, but I want to make sure that I'm not losing muscle. Here is my weekly workout routine:

M: lifting AM (burn 500-700 calories), intense cardio PM (burn 800 to 1000)
T: moderate cardio PM (up to 500 calories)
W: lifting AM (burn 500-700 calories), moderate cardio PM (up to 500 calories)
Th: intense cardio PM (burn 800 to 1000)
F: lifting AM (burn 500-700 calories), moderate cardio PM (up to 500 calories)

I have a heart rate monitor so those are the numbers that I've gotten while wearing it (yes, I accounted for a 10% error). I am currently eating 1650 per day (focusing on protein) and have a BMR around 1350.

I know there's a lot of conflict out there about "eating back exercise calories" but I am wondering if it would do me good to eat an extra 200-300 calories on the days when I lift and do intense cardio. I've come to realize that on those days I am probably eating below my BMR and I dont want to do that.

Any advice would be appreciated. Thanks!

Just for sake of reference - my "intense cardio" is a hiphop cardio class at the gym and my moderate cardio is football practice (usually involves some drills, running routes, etc.).

mlowman213 · January 2015

Losing weight slowly and continuing to lift is the key to retaining as much muscle as possible (well, and getting enough protein).

If you are losing weight slowly, why would you consider eating more calories if your overall goal is to lose weight? It's just going to make you lose weight even more slowly.

If you are happy with the rate of weight loss, keep doing what you're doing. If you want to lose it faster, cut out a couple hundred calories extra a day. If you want to lose it slower, add in a couple hundred calories.

TimothyFish · January 2015

I think you'll probably be alright continuing what you are doing.

segacs · January 2015

The slower you lose it, the less chance you're losing muscle mass.

Don't worry about your BMR. That's not really a relevant number to these discussions.

If you've lost 3-4 pounds since just before the holidays, that sounds like a rate of loss of around 0.7-1lb/week. Since you're on your last 10 pounds, you could probably drop that to about 0.5lbs/week and eat back another couple hundred calories a day, if you wanted to.

But that's personal. If you're not hungry and you're feeling fine where you are, then keep on keepin' on.

huckleberry0070 · January 2015

Thanks everyone!

Pickles175 · January 2015

huckleberry0070 wrote: »

Okay, so I am by no means new to MFP but my goals have changed and I am looking for a little advice. I am a 27 year-old female, 5'4" with a starting weight around 130. Just before the holidays I re-joined a gym and started lifting and doing cardio to lose weight. My goal is more to lose fat around the middle and firm up rather than to reach a specific number on the scale, though I'm aiming for about 115-120. I have lost 3 or 4 pounds so far.

The thing is, my weight loss has been incredibly slow. I know that's a good thing in terms of keeping it off, but I want to make sure that I'm not losing muscle. Here is my weekly workout routine:

M: lifting AM (burn 500-700 calories), intense cardio PM (burn 800 to 1000)
T: moderate cardio PM (up to 500 calories)
W: lifting AM (burn 500-700 calories), moderate cardio PM (up to 500 calories)
Th: intense cardio PM (burn 800 to 1000)
F: lifting AM (burn 500-700 calories), moderate cardio PM (up to 500 calories)

I have a heart rate monitor so those are the numbers that I've gotten while wearing it (yes, I accounted for a 10% error). I am currently eating 1650 per day (focusing on protein) and have a BMR around 1350.

I know there's a lot of conflict out there about "eating back exercise calories" but I am wondering if it would do me good to eat an extra 200-300 calories on the days when I lift and do intense cardio. I've come to realize that on those days I am probably eating below my BMR and I dont want to do that.

Any advice would be appreciated. Thanks!

Just for sake of reference - my "intense cardio" is a hiphop cardio class at the gym and my moderate cardio is football practice (usually involves some drills, running routes, etc.).

You burn 1000 calories a day and eat 1650 giving you at net of 650 calories a day? That is way to low. Your net should never be below your bmr. You need to up those calories! Check out scooby for an accurate calculator to find out where you should be eating.

TheCherryMama · January 2015

every now and then eat a a little more. Two work outs a day can freak your body out! Over training can have some negative effects. Weights are the best thing, but need good repair time, and good repair foods. Remember its 80% nutrition and only 20% exercise.

Eating Enough Calories?

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