Looking to lose fat and improve fitness, any suggestions?

08robyngreen
08robyngreen Posts: 31 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
The number on the scale means little to me; however, I would like to lower my waist circumference. Would you recommend a macro ratio of 40% carbs, 30% protein, 30% fat while eating 1,400 calories for overall fat loss?

5'2 145lb. 24 year old female
Ideal weight: 110-120lbs.
Lose: 0.5-1.5lbs. a week
Bust: 34
Waist: 31
Mid-belly: 35
Hips: 40
Thighs: 25
Biceps: 14.5

Current plan:
Calories: 1,400 40% carbs, 30% protein, 30% fat
Minimal cardio except chasing children around and daily housework (logging 5,000-10,000 steps daily, work a desk job)
Daily routine involves 2 sets of: 100 jumping jacks, 50 sit ups, 20 squats, 20 lunges (each leg), 70 Russian twists, 20 tricep dips, 10 push ups, 20 calf raises, 60 sec. plank (squats, lunges, pushups, planks, calf raises done with 20-30lbs. weight)
Heavy weight lifting 2x weekly (Arms, chest, back, shoulders one day; legs, glutes, calves, whole body another day)

Any recommendations for improvement?

Replies

  • crosbylee
    crosbylee Posts: 3,455 Member
    Check out some of the threads that are posted at the top of the forum pages. There are many with a lot of great suggestions of how to get started.
  • SergeantSausage
    SergeantSausage Posts: 1,673 Member
    The standard "Eat less Move More" plan works for everyone, right?

    Don't unnecessarily complicate it.
  • jdlifsey
    jdlifsey Posts: 22 Member
    You should be eating 1.0 to 1.5 grams of protein (daily) per body weight.

    Your Basal Metabolic Rate (BMR); the number of calories you'd burn if you stayed in bed all day = about 1465 calories.

    Depending how active you are excluding working out, you might use another 750 calories throughout your day. Then let's say you were on a treadmill and burned 500 calories each day during workouts.

    To lose 25 pounds of fat, you'd have to burn or have a calorie deficit of 25*3500=87500 calories.

    If you only eat 1400 calories per day, used another 750 calories doing stuff and then 500 calories working out, you'd theoretically lose 25 pounds of fat in 66 days or 2.65 pounds per week.
    That's a lot.
    87500/1315 = losing 25 pounds of fat in 66 days by doing the above.
    1400-1465-750-500=-1315 calorie deficit per day


    I would suggest restricting your daily fat grams to 32 per day, consuming >145 grams of protein per day, and restricting your daily carb grams to 218 per day.
    That's eating 1740 calories per day and getting the necessary protein per day.

    So...1740-1465-750-500=-975. 87500/975= 89 days losing 25 pounds of fat. The math isn't constant over time as your % of body fat changes and amount of lean body weight does up.
    Get a body composition test first (skin fold, Bioelectric Impedance, etc) because the % of body fat is what you should really care about.

    All of this done per the ISSA textbook. One pound of fat = 3500 calories

  • 08robyngreen
    08robyngreen Posts: 31 Member
    Thank you for your post that was very informative. I am still hesitant on increasing calories so drastically though as i have been eating a 1,200 calorie diet for a little over a year now. Unfortunately in my experience the eat less and move more hasn't done much except keep me at a constant weight. Im a busy body and aside from sitting at work (which is around 9 hours) i do not sit down at home. We are avid hikers and bike alot as well so i move as much as i can but typically that doesn't involve an actual cardio workout. Maybe I will work my way up to 1700 calories as you have suggested. How much cardio would you recommend I aim for in a week?

    The problem is I have defined arms and legs I am just having trouble losing the stomach fat so I thought cardio and macro based nutrition would be most effective.

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