Jenny's Progress :)
jennytree
Posts: 195 Member
Hello! I'm Jenny, from Ireland 
I just thought I'd open this thread up to help me keep motivated!
Started out a few years ago eating 1,300 a day with great success till 18 months or so ago when it all came to a grinding halt.
Starting weight: 172
Current weight: 176
BMR: 1582
TDEE: 2453
Activity level: Moderate (I am now strength training 3 times a week).
I found that I had no strength to lift when I started training after xmas. So, figured I should probably look at what I was eating and try and increase cals.
First increase: 1400 > 1600
Felt like crap for the first 2 weeks - really bloated. Weight went up 4lbs. Strength increased immediate though
Second increase, which was about 6 weeks ago: 1600 > 1848
Again, felt horrible for the first 2 weeks. Put on another 4lb which has since come off (well, I've been on holidays so I've a few lbs water weight to lose, hopefully!). Big thank you to Kiki for keeping me motivated, as it can be very hard not to panic and lower cals when you're having a fat day!
So, I guess I should up my cals again, till I hit my proper TDEE, right? My main goal is to gain strength and lose fat. When I first calculated my TDEE, I didn't take activity level into consideration as I had a few busy weeks ahead and I wasn't sure if I'd get to do training or not.
I also need to figure out proper healthy meals! I found myself eating extra but the wrong kinds of foods. Going food shopping later, can't wait
I just thought I'd open this thread up to help me keep motivated!
Started out a few years ago eating 1,300 a day with great success till 18 months or so ago when it all came to a grinding halt.
Starting weight: 172
Current weight: 176
BMR: 1582
TDEE: 2453
Activity level: Moderate (I am now strength training 3 times a week).
I found that I had no strength to lift when I started training after xmas. So, figured I should probably look at what I was eating and try and increase cals.
First increase: 1400 > 1600
Felt like crap for the first 2 weeks - really bloated. Weight went up 4lbs. Strength increased immediate though
Second increase, which was about 6 weeks ago: 1600 > 1848
Again, felt horrible for the first 2 weeks. Put on another 4lb which has since come off (well, I've been on holidays so I've a few lbs water weight to lose, hopefully!). Big thank you to Kiki for keeping me motivated, as it can be very hard not to panic and lower cals when you're having a fat day!
So, I guess I should up my cals again, till I hit my proper TDEE, right? My main goal is to gain strength and lose fat. When I first calculated my TDEE, I didn't take activity level into consideration as I had a few busy weeks ahead and I wasn't sure if I'd get to do training or not.
I also need to figure out proper healthy meals! I found myself eating extra but the wrong kinds of foods. Going food shopping later, can't wait
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Replies
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If you do 3-5 hrs of exercise a week that is more intense than walking, and no kids keeping you more active in the evenings - sounds like you got a rough TDEE to start with.
I'd suggest if bloating that badly, perhaps keep increases to that 200 cal extra daily for a week or two at a time until gut gets used to it.
How long have you been strength training?
Because at some point, gaining strength and losing fat weight by being in a deficit will be at odds with each other. One focus will have to win, depending if you need more weight off the knees daily say, or want more weight on the bar during the workout say.
So several things could be done to attempt both within the same time frame, but not a daily dual focus likely.0 -
If you do 3-5 hrs of exercise a week that is more intense than walking, and no kids keeping you more active in the evenings - sounds like you got a rough TDEE to start with.
I'd suggest if bloating that badly, perhaps keep increases to that 200 cal extra daily for a week or two at a time until gut gets used to it.
How long have you been strength training?
Because at some point, gaining strength and losing fat weight by being in a deficit will be at odds with each other. One focus will have to win, depending if you need more weight off the knees daily say, or want more weight on the bar during the workout say.
So several things could be done to attempt both within the same time frame, but not a daily dual focus likely.
Thank you for the response
I've been doing the increases every 4 weeks, so after a week or two, my stomach gets used to the changes alright.
My goal now is to eat enough and properly. I do strength training to keep muscle, but I will aim to do more strength training in August. I have been doing 3*45mins training a week since March.
Tomorrow, I'll move up to 2000 and see how I get on for the next 4 weeks.0 -
Good job at looking after your body. You will be amazed at what happens to your strength gains as you feed your body. It's awesome!0
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I've all my holiday weight lost now - only took 5 days! Amazing what dehydration and pizza will make your body do I kept to my cals though, didn't panic starve myself and my body did it's own thing.
I've had a few distractions over the last few weeks so I'm back in the game now if I can keep the food healthy, I won't know myself! 0 -
Day 3 of 2000cals. 1lb up so far but I won't judge yet 0
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I'm surprised that a little increase in calories (200 at a time) makes you bloat, at least enough for you to be annoyed by it... Do you drink enough water, eat enough fiber and fats to keep everything moving ? Your strength will increase gradually over months, it's not only a matter of food intake of course but of muscular and neuronal adaptation mostly0
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I've been at 2000 (well, in reality 2200 moreso) cals a day now and this time I've been feeling fine! I think my body is now adjusting to eating more, and doesn't complain as much.
I had a bad day yesterday food-wise. My initial instinct this morning was to eat much less to get over the binge, but I am going training later and I don't want to be weak for it, so I must fuel my body properly. Definitely a sign that my mindset has changed a little in this regard. Instead of hitting panic mode, I'm accepting what has happened and looking forward.0 -
Great mindset.
Usually never helpful to attempt to make up after the fact. Much better to prepare in advance, though I guess you don't want to prepare for a binge, but special night out or such, sure.
Because if you had cut more today prior to workout, probably wouldn't have had as good a workout, only would have dropped some glucose stores with attached water.
And that may be only what was added anyway.0 -
So, I had tonsillitis last week
couldn't eat or drink anything for a few days without being in awful pain, but I'm back on track now eating at TDEE.
I've been planning on staying at TDEE till the end of August, then I'm going to start a cut along with implementing a new training programme with 3 days strength and 2 days HIIT. I realise with my increased activity I'll have to recalculate, but I'm aiming for some decent fat loss results over the coming months.
Any tips on what programme to go with? I've been looking at Strong Curves etc, it's hard to know which one to pick.0 -
Strong Curves gets great reviews. I'm doing Strong Lifts because it's free and easy with the equipment I have (plus I do it with my husband). As long as it's a progressive weight lifting programme, you can't go wrong. I think my next one will be either Cathe system or the EM2WL system.0
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I've finished strong curves and running it again! I love it. The best changes in my glutes and legs ever...and I've squatted for years.0
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Excellent, thank you for the responses! I'm doing Stronglifts at the moment but I'm not making much progress and I think I could benefit from some assistance work. Happy to go along with Strong Curves so
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Just to update on progress. I started in a new gym two weeks ago, and I really really wanted to start a cut so that I could be at my goal weight by Christmas. The new place is great: weight training followed by strength circuits etc.
So, I cut to 1,700 a day for the last 2 weeks and my weight hasn't moved at all. I'm not even sure why I did it. Sometimes, it can be so frustrating because I know there's fat to lose but it doesn't seem to want to go anywhere. The temptation to cut to 1,300 is high, but I love eating more and I don't think I could cope
I also know the types of food that I'm eating is not the healthiest either, and I think that's a big part of the problem.
Anyway, since I've started eating more, I've gone up to 181lbs and I've stayed in or around that weight week-on-week.
My goal for this week: Eat at TDEE. Eat properly. No added sugar. That's it 0 -
Eating more is fun but it's not getting us to our goal weight, huh? I'm in your boat too. I am just starting my cut. Good luck! Thanks for the update!0
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I am in that same boat. I started cut beginning of August, dropped one pound from where I had been for a couple weeks prior. But just bouncing within a 2 lbs range since then. My numbers are not proof of my current reality. I should be going downwards. I haven't gotten back to my lower weight I was at when I started resetting.
I do enjoy more strength and have lost inches in the process, so wearing smaller sizes now. And the extra food ain't bad either!
I did reconnect my Fitbit and MFP and I eat back some of my calories when I have them. I set MFP to very active so the adjustments wouldn't be so high. While I am hoping for .5 lbs per week I set them both for 1 lb. Hopefully our bodies will start to trust we are not going to starve them again. I am just hanging in and hoping the process starts to work. I do seem to find maintenance, never stayed in one place this long before.0 -
I hear ye @retirehappy, my body needs to trust me I'm the same measurements too though (afaik, although I didn't take them right when I started increasing cals) Do you find your fitbit helpful? I was thinking of getting one, but I'm not sure if it would help or hinder my progress as it would be another thing for me to obsess over.
I still have this niggling voice telling me "f* this, go back to 1,300 a day".0 -
I hear ye @retirehappy, my body needs to trust me I'm the same measurements too though (afaik, although I didn't take them right when I started increasing cals) Do you find your fitbit helpful? I was thinking of getting one, but I'm not sure if it would help or hinder my progress as it would be another thing for me to obsess over.
I still have this niggling voice telling me "f* this, go back to 1,300 a day".
Don't listen to that niggly voice it doesn't have your best interest at heart. I know I can't go back to 12 or 1300 calories again. My endurance and strength are sooooo much better now. I am more active because I have the energy to be.
I really increased my activity level after I got a Fitbit. I saw how much of slug I really am. I am a computer geek, and still spend most of my days in front of monitor. But now I make time to go out and get those steps in. I also do fitness classes and am working with a trainer to ease me into weight lifting, I am currently working on the machines and using dumbbells but I hope to graduate to barbells some day in the future. I have the Charge HR and most of my activity is step based, only occasional bike rides, and strength training, so the weekly report tells me what I did for the week.
This has all worked for others no reason it won't for us unless we just give up. We aren't going to do that are we?
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I know I should ask this on the Fitbit site, but since you are talking about it..does the Charge HR increase your burn for the bike riding, etc? I have a One & don't think it does, so I wonder if I would like the Charge HR better.0
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retirehappy wrote: »This has all worked for others no reason it won't for us unless we just give up. We aren't going to do that are we?
no, we certainly are not
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RetiredAndLovingIt wrote: »I know I should ask this on the Fitbit site, but since you are talking about it..does the Charge HR increase your burn for the bike riding, etc? I have a One & don't think it does, so I wonder if I would like the Charge HR better.
The One is totally a step-based calorie burn estimate - and biking is not only missing steps, but the steps seen have nothing to do with walking or running - so the formula to get calorie burn is totally wrong.
Yes the HR-based devices would do that better if steady-state aerobic cardio is major part of your workouts.
If you are attempting to get a handle on real TDEE - you need to manually log ALL non-step based activity on Fitbit's site (better calorie estimate) - like swimming of course, lifting, rowing, stair climber, biking, elliptical, ect.
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You also have to realise that it takes a while to truly see change, especially when you aren't doing a huge cut. It takes time. A LOT of time. But it's worth it, especially as you are lifting, since you will lose more fat and retain more muscle than you would have before.0
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RetiredAndLovingIt wrote: »I know I should ask this on the Fitbit site, but since you are talking about it..does the Charge HR increase your burn for the bike riding, etc? I have a One & don't think it does, so I wonder if I would like the Charge HR better.
I have the Charge HR and have it record a workout when I bike. I also turn map my ride on and compare. I like having the distance and pace info map my ride gives me but its calorie burns are as much as 1/3 higher than what my charge records. Usually if I manually log the bike ride and override the recorded workout it's also a bit higher though not as much. so I tend to just categorize it as a bike ride and keep the recorded workout stats. I tend to trust them most because I can see how they correspond to effort exerted.
I also highly recommend getting the Fitbit (and ifyou do I think it's really worth going for the charge hr). I had a different experience than most which is that I was shocked to realize howany calories I'm actually burning. Last week I averages right around 3,000 calories burned a day. And that's with minimal working out-just an overall high level of activity. This confirmed for me that I must have been eating between 3,000 and 3,500 cals/day over the last 2 years. This knowledge makes it so much easier to know what to do. You get a weekly report from Fitbit - I just got mine which told me I had a net deficit of 6,500 cals and lost 1.8lbs - so pretty much exactly on target. This accuracy has been pretty consistent the last 2 1/2 weeks. I have a pretty big deficit because I'm just starting and have plenty of excess fat to mobilize but I gross around 2,000 cals/day, which feels doable. There are days I go to 2,500 and others I only get to 1,700 but I have a real time handle on what I'm doing. This weekend I went out of town and one day I ate 3,900 cals and it was so easy to do - some normal meals, a king size candy bar and a bunch of heavy beers. It's easy to see how I gained so much weight. But it's relatively easy to shift some things around to start losing without starving myself.
The Fitbit will go a long ways towards giving you much more concrete info and allowing you to adjust from there.
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RetiredAndLovingIt wrote: »I know I should ask this on the Fitbit site, but since you are talking about it..does the Charge HR increase your burn for the bike riding, etc? I have a One & don't think it does, so I wonder if I would like the Charge HR better.
I log bike rides and strength training sessions manually. Just to be clear, I manually log in Fitbit so it shows up on the reports correctly. The Fitbit doesn't make you burn calories, it reminds you to get up off your bum and do something to burn some calories
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I got a FitBit Charge HR today
I don't have it synced with MFP. The evening will be spent trying to figure what I should be logging where 
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Quick update on 6 days on FitBit
So far, my average TDEE is 2226 a day. So, not far off what other charts and sites suggested for me. My net average food intake was 1,671 for the week.
I've also changed my main meal of the day to lunchtime. Realised I got into a really bad habit of eating about 2/3rd of my food from dinner onwards. I think I wanted to save some if I got a craving, but this isn't very practical. No point having all this food and energy when I'm going to bed
so I'm hoping that'll impact my training.
This week, I will be mostly eating 0 -
I've stayed at a constant 183.7lbs (to be precise ) over the last 2 weeks. I have a whole week of Fitbit now and increased my intake since Monday.
Sept 17th - 23rd
Average cals in = 2,149
Average cals out = 2,2830 -
One thing I've really noticed over the last 2-3 months is that my hair and nails have never been longer or stronger! I never had strong enough hair to keep it longer than chin length, and my nails don't split or break easily anymore
Anywho, t'was TOM so weight was up 3lbs but:
Sept 24th - 30th
Average cals in = 2,223
Average cals out = 2,270
I think this is the first time I've truly eaten at my TDEE for a whole week.
I'm still in doubt as to when to start doing a cut too. Today I feel like I'm ready, but that could all change tomorrow 0 -
Isn't it interesting how the body will adapt to use less energy. Imagine all the functions that don't have a visible component that also probably slowed down.
And we haven't even gotten in to winter to experience that yet.
Most people mistakenly believe it's the lack of a few lbs of fat spread around their body that causes them to feel so much colder that they have to wear extra clothes.
They have no idea.0
