Stronglifts 5x5 for Women

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How did you eat when starting to lift vs now?

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ZRx4
ZRx4 Posts: 158 Member
edited May 2016 in Social Groups
Hello fellow lifters!

I'm a newbie lifter (7weeks in) and lately I'm struggling with my diet. I did whole30 for about a month and once I started lifting I was craving cheese, bread, peanut butter and unsweetened whole wheat muffins, anything I really wouldn't eat on whole30. So I've given into my temptations and can't help but feel like all those yummy things are gonna throw off my results, plus I haven't been tracking anything. But I'm so HANGRY all the time!!! How many calories did you start off with, while losing? How many do you currently eat? Do you really need pre or post snack? Should I avoid butters and dairy?

I'm about 10-15 lbs to my goal, but at 5'7" and 153lbs I could just lean out a bit, but have no idea how to do that. Do I need to stick to 1600 a day? I'm starving all the time!!! Please help a HANGRY sista out!

TIA!!

Replies

  • DawnEmbers
    DawnEmbers Posts: 2,451 Member
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    Hi there.

    Well, I eat a little less now but I started at around 200 lbs (over when I began counting calories and added in a little more cardio to my schedule). So, now that I'm closer to a healthier weight for my height, the calories are less as I'm still working in a deficit. I'm also only 4'11.5" so my numbers won't be the same.

    Personally, I don't limit anything. I just don't care to go with that approach. I don't even cut out dairy, just limit to a degree, and that's despite having a mild allergy. In general, there is some trial and error in figuring out what works. I was doing intermittent fasting but right now I'm doing more volume eating instead by having more veggies. I always try to get my protein minimum but sometimes fail. Other than that, nothing too special before and now, just on less calories though considering future of either maintenance or bulk.
  • Sumiblue
    Sumiblue Posts: 1,597 Member
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    Increased hunger is fairly normal when you start lifting. But I think restricting foods from your diet can lead to cravings & binges. Better to find a way to fit some of those foods into your diet if you like them and they for your macros. I answered you on your other thread, too.
    I eat more than ever since I started logging. I've been lifting for almost 2 yrs & I'm maintaining my weight now.
    The amount of calories you need will depend on your age, height, weight & activity level. Trust the math and eat!
  • canadianlbs
    canadianlbs Posts: 5,199 Member
    edited May 2016
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    i can't live anymore without my protein/yogurt shakes. a male friend of mine introduced me to the idea of this stuff and i mocked him mercilessly for bro-ness . . . but then i started to lift.

    lifting makes you hungry. it's one of the great benefits i've gotten from it once it settled into a regular part of my life. i think i overthunk it a bit when i started, but after two years it's now a much simpler thing. i just have a far less complicated relationship with hunger and food. i eat, and it's kind of fun to be hungry because what i've been doing means that being hungry makes pretty straightforward sense.

    fwiw, protein on rest days and a little more focus on carbs on days when i'm planning to lift seems to keep me happiest. fuel when lifting and building blocks when i'm waiting for my body to do it's repairing/growing.

    outside of that, i found 1600 pretty hard to keep myself to as well :) on the days when i'm going to die if i don't get something to eat, i try to at least make my 'extra' eating something that has some actual value to it.
  • scrittrice
    scrittrice Posts: 345 Member
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    I have been lifting heavy for a little over a year now and was more or less at maintenance when I started. In the beginning, I was hungry in a way that I have never been hungry before. Indescribably hungry. I often went 100 calories or so over my goal. It has definitely gotten much better/less intense, and I've learned to deal with it by having a snack ready to eat. I've also gained 2 or 3 pounds in the year I've been lifting. My measurements are more or less the same, and my clothes still fit, so I don't sweat it too much. I also find that the onset of hunger is very sudden now--I go from not hungry to wanting to gnaw off my own arm very quickly. That, too, has subsided a little with time (or maybe I've just gotten used to it). My unscientific theory is that it's a symptom of lower body fat. I'm generally active and had been lifting with dumbbells (but not progressively) for many years, and the hunger definitely came with switching to a heavier progressive program.
  • xcalygrl
    xcalygrl Posts: 1,897 Member
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    I find I am hungrier when I'm lifting heavy. I make sure I focus on eating foods that keep me fuller longer and work treats into my day, otherwise I feel super restricted and more likely to binge.

    As for your question: if you are happy with your scale weight and just want to lose BF, then you can eat your maintenance calories and continue to lift. This will put you in recomp, which is slow, but it'll allow you to eat more so you won't be hangry all the time.

    Here is a good thread about recomping: http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10177803/recomposition-maintaining-weight-while-losing-fat/p1
  • ZRx4
    ZRx4 Posts: 158 Member
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    xcalygrl wrote: »
    I find I am hungrier when I'm lifting heavy. I make sure I focus on eating foods that keep me fuller longer and work treats into my day, otherwise I feel super restricted and more likely to binge.

    As for your question: if you are happy with your scale weight and just want to lose BF, then you can eat your maintenance calories and continue to lift. This will put you in recomp, which is slow, but it'll allow you to eat more so you won't be hangry all the time.

    Here is a good thread about recomping: http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10177803/recomposition-maintaining-weight-while-losing-fat/p1

    Great info, thank you! I have increased my intake of calls and protein. I'd like to lose weight, at least 10lbs but if I just lost BF I'm good with that too. I just want a trimmer look. :)
  • ZRx4
    ZRx4 Posts: 158 Member
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    Thank you, all, for the tips and advice. It's helped immensely. I'm still trying to get the cardio bunny diet out of my head and the supah bulky diet in lol. They're so opposite. I'm gonna add more Calories and protein and hope and trust I don't gain lol.
  • canadianlbs
    canadianlbs Posts: 5,199 Member
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    heh. case in point from my life: i bought chicken livers post-workout for a 'know i shouldn't, but treat' instead of a bag of cheetos today. and i can't WAIT to eat them.
  • idlecrush
    idlecrush Posts: 22 Member
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    Just curious - what if you have a lot of weight to lose? I'm sitting at 227 right now and I'd like to get down to 160-170. I know my body is shrinking. I'm down to a size 16 from a size 22 since August with maybe a 10 lb loss to go along with it. I'm trying to get my focus off the scale but I'd still like to get out of the 200's. Do you still eat more to build muscle or do you eat at a deficit to lose weight?
  • 5minty
    5minty Posts: 85 Member
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    @idlecrush That is awesome that you have gone from a 22 to a size 16 since only August! That is a real good change :) Sounds like you are definitely on the right track. I am 5'9" and was down to around 180 in September and managed to get myself back up to 209 over the winter :s I did WW's to get down the lower weight for about 5 months and then stopped as I thought, eh, I got this! Err, yeah, don't think I got it at all! So I keep tossing around rejoining WW's as the accountability really works for me. Though in reality, as I eat fairly healthy during the day, it is the nighttime munchies that are my downfall, so if I can conquer that, I will be ok! Also if I actually made an effort to get out on my bicycle more often, the cardio will help me big time too!
  • DawnEmbers
    DawnEmbers Posts: 2,451 Member
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    @idlecrush - You can go with a deficit and lift if you're wanting to lose weight. The trick is finding the balance in eating enough to fuel your workouts but still reaching a deficit. Can take some trial and error plus will change as you lose weight and with varying factors like activity level, etc.

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