Calorie Intake question

Rheeren3
Rheeren3 Posts: 6 Member
edited November 2024 in Health and Weight Loss
I've been on a deficit for about 6 days now (down 5lbs) and today I definitely felt the effects. I was training back and biceps in the gym and felt very light headed. Any advice to help cut the weight and also feel better while working out?

Replies

  • estherdragonbat
    estherdragonbat Posts: 5,284 Member
    How much are you trying to lose per week? And how much do you have to lose total? It could be that you're running a deficit that's a bit too aggressive.
  • Rheeren3
    Rheeren3 Posts: 6 Member
    Currently at 223 lbs want to get down to 190 in 3 months (if that's possible) my daily intake should be about 2600 I'm averaging about half.
  • estherdragonbat
    estherdragonbat Posts: 5,284 Member
    Okay. The general rule of thumb is:

    75+ lbs set to lose 2 lb range
    Between 40 - 75 lbs set to lose 1.5 lb range
    Between 25-40 lbs set to lose 1 lb range
    Between 15-25 lbs set to lose 1 -.50 lb range
    Less than 15 lbs set to lose 0.5 lbs range

    It sounds like you're shooting for 10 lbs per month or thereabouts, but with 33 lbs to lose, you're relatively close to goal and running that big a deficit is hurting your energy levels. You'll probably feel a lot better (and be able to train harder) if you run a smaller deficit.
  • Rheeren3
    Rheeren3 Posts: 6 Member
    What would you suggest?
  • AnvilHead
    AnvilHead Posts: 18,340 Member
    heybales wrote: »
    Not a 50% deficit.

    Unless just curious to see how the body will rebel against it, adapt, and leave you far away from goal.
    You got one effect, keep going to see more.
    For instance, while lifting can help retain muscle mass during a diet (along with enough protein and reasonable deficit) - make it extreme enough (like 50%) - and watch that method fail to work.

    First suggestion - drop time based weight loss goals - they lead to aggravation and unrealistic expectations - the stress itself can cause water weight gain, and if watching the scale that much - more stress is likely.

    Second - a good chart was given - follow it.
    500 cal deficit.

    Third - keep the focus on lifting - and even though you won't hit goal amount for time - you can look like it because of body transforming more than scale would indicate.

    But the body won't transform as much if you are running through the ringer with an extreme deficit.

    So keep it reasonable, have better workouts, and show better results.

    Now - to the point of better workouts.

    Why only back and bicep today?

    Are you doing the fad lifting workout of just a couple body parts per day, once a week?
    Unless you have many years of lifting experience - that won't provide as good a transformation as a better program for at least 3 x weekly EACH body part. (with knowledge things like bench and OHP are working tri's already, and bent-over row is working biceps already, ect - so you don't waste time on some lifts missing more useful ones)

    ^ Awesome advice right there. Heed it and prosper.
  • Rheeren3
    Rheeren3 Posts: 6 Member
    heybales wrote: »
    Now - to the point of better workouts

    Why only back and bicep day?

    Are you doing the fad lifting workout of just a couple body parts per day, once a week?
    Unless you have many years of lifting experience - that won't provide as good a transformation as a better program for at least 3 x weekly EACH body part. (with knowledge things like bench and OHP are working tri's already, and bent-over row is working biceps already, ect - so you don't waste time on some lifts missing more useful ones)

    I'm trying the body beast program

  • heybales
    heybales Posts: 18,842 Member
    Does Body Beast really do only a couple body parts per day, once a week?

    Merely guessing because it's from Beach Body, perhaps I'm wrong.

    Are the rests between lifts less than 1 min, and reps up around 15-20?

    Now, that program may mean you got your gym at home only, so limits on what can be done.

    That may be a good program to get the joints and muscles used to moving and being used, and you can make progress for a bit.
    But I'm betting the overload on your body isn't going to remain heavy weight for very long, which will require more muscle to to deal with increased weight.
    I'm betting the overload will be aerobic, meaning the rests are so brief the weight being done is artificially lower than what you could really lift.

    If you do actually have access to a gym with bars, plates, racks - then something from this topic would probably work much better to transform.

    http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10332083/which-lifting-program-is-the-best-for-you/p1
  • Rheeren3
    Rheeren3 Posts: 6 Member
    I've had a gym membership for about a year now and was around 270lbs a year ago.. (lost due to going to the gym and doing random things as well as intermittent fasting) I've just recently been cutting hard and using body beast. I was just wondering how this caloric intake would effect my body.
  • amusedmonkey
    amusedmonkey Posts: 10,330 Member
    Eating 1300 calories will most likely affect your body negatively. Not enough nutrients, likely more muscle loss, not enough energy for an effective workout, higher chance of gallstones and a few other things.
  • mmapags
    mmapags Posts: 8,932 Member
    AnvilHead wrote: »
    heybales wrote: »
    Not a 50% deficit.

    Unless just curious to see how the body will rebel against it, adapt, and leave you far away from goal.
    You got one effect, keep going to see more.
    For instance, while lifting can help retain muscle mass during a diet (along with enough protein and reasonable deficit) - make it extreme enough (like 50%) - and watch that method fail to work.

    First suggestion - drop time based weight loss goals - they lead to aggravation and unrealistic expectations - the stress itself can cause water weight gain, and if watching the scale that much - more stress is likely.

    Second - a good chart was given - follow it.
    500 cal deficit.

    Third - keep the focus on lifting - and even though you won't hit goal amount for time - you can look like it because of body transforming more than scale would indicate.

    But the body won't transform as much if you are running through the ringer with an extreme deficit.

    So keep it reasonable, have better workouts, and show better results.

    Now - to the point of better workouts.

    Why only back and bicep today?

    Are you doing the fad lifting workout of just a couple body parts per day, once a week?
    Unless you have many years of lifting experience - that won't provide as good a transformation as a better program for at least 3 x weekly EACH body part. (with knowledge things like bench and OHP are working tri's already, and bent-over row is working biceps already, ect - so you don't waste time on some lifts missing more useful ones)

    ^ Awesome advice right there. Heed it and prosper.

    QFT!
  • DX2JX2
    DX2JX2 Posts: 1,921 Member
    If you can't perform in your workouts, you'd not eating enough. Since you're following a beach body program, remember one of Tony Horton's mantras...food is fuel.

    Unscientifically, 1300 is way too low for you. It will impact both your workout performance and your body's ability to recover/build. I don't know your height/age but I'm about the same weight as you (6'3", 40 years old) and find that 1800-1900 or thereabouts (inclusive of 150 calories per day from exercise) is enough food to keep me comfortably at a 1.5 lb per week loss with no obvious ill effects to my workout performance . Less than that on a recurring basis and I definitely feel my energy lacking for exercise.

    Since you're blasting through a pretty intense program, I wouldn't be surprised if you really need 2000+ per day.
  • Rheeren3
    Rheeren3 Posts: 6 Member
    DX2JX2 wrote: »
    If you can't perform in your workouts, you'd not eating enough. Since you're following a beach body program, remember one of Tony Horton's mantras...food is fuel.

    Unscientifically, 1300 is way too low for you. It will impact both your workout performance and your body's ability to recover/build. I don't know your height/age but I'm about the same weight as you (6'3", 40 years old) and find that 1800-1900 or thereabouts (inclusive of 150 calories per day from exercise) is enough food to keep me comfortably at a 1.5 lb per week loss with no obvious ill effects to my workout performance . Less than that on a recurring basis and I definitely feel my energy lacking for exercise.

    Since you're blasting through a pretty intense program, I wouldn't be surprised if you really need 2000+ per day.

    I'm 6'3" 18 years old
  • estherdragonbat
    estherdragonbat Posts: 5,284 Member
    According to this https://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/macronutcal.htm if you're mostly sedentary you maintain at 2276. Sedentary job and intense exercise: 2690. Very active: 3104. You want to subtract 500 from that to lose 1 lb/week.
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