26% body fat to 18% body fat

rachelsturtz
rachelsturtz Posts: 7 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
Hey, so I've always been told I was thin(at 105lb) but the past couple years I've put on weight (120 now). I'm female,5'3, and 23yo. I did some online measurement quiz to determine body fat percentage, and it said I am 26% body fat. I would like to get down to 18%. I'm willing to do what it takes (exercise/diet) but honestly I have no idea where to start. I eat fairly healthy. I rarely go out to eat, meal prep everything for the week, log my food.

Currently my diet is about 1100-1200 calories (37%carbs, 38%fat, 25%protein).
The problem is there are so many different nutrition recommendations, I don't know what to follow.

And how much exercise should I actually be doing? I was running about 2 miles twice a week, but its getting pretty cold and need to move my exercise inside. And I know I cant just run to get the results I want. So what combo of cardio/ strength training is good for me?

Any advice you could give would be helpful. Overall I just want to adopt healthy habits before my weight gain spirals out of control.

Thanks so much!

Replies

  • rachelsturtz
    rachelsturtz Posts: 7 Member
    So I should eat more? I dont feel hungry on my current diet.
  • rachelsturtz
    rachelsturtz Posts: 7 Member
    Thanks! Whats an ideal number of exercise calories?
  • janejellyroll
    janejellyroll Posts: 25,763 Member
    edited December 2017
    rachelsturtz wrote: »
    Thanks! Whats an ideal number of exercise calories?

    The ideal number of exercise calories to burn are the number of calories that fit into your lifestyle and fitness goals.

    Or do you mean the number to eat back?
  • rachelsturtz
    rachelsturtz Posts: 7 Member
    Oh I thought I would eat back the same number of calories as I would burn during exercise.

    My lifestyle is pretty sedentary. I work at a desk and don't do much exercise besides the running (which I'm stopping cause its cold). I want to set my fitness goals pretty high, but I dont want to fail, so whatever is realistic. I just want to get rid of this jiggle on my stomach, thighs, butt, etc. I want to feel strong and toned. I have plenty of time to exercise, I just dont know what to do, how long, and how often.

    Haha sorry Im kinda clueless.
  • janejellyroll
    janejellyroll Posts: 25,763 Member
    rachelsturtz wrote: »
    Oh I thought I would eat back the same number of calories as I would burn during exercise.

    My lifestyle is pretty sedentary. I work at a desk and don't do much exercise besides the running (which I'm stopping cause its cold). I want to set my fitness goals pretty high, but I dont want to fail, so whatever is realistic. I just want to get rid of this jiggle on my stomach, thighs, butt, etc. I want to feel strong and toned. I have plenty of time to exercise, I just dont know what to do, how long, and how often.

    Haha sorry Im kinda clueless.

    Yes, if your calorie goal comes from MFP, ideally you will eat back your exercise calorie burns. The trick is determining exactly what those are -- if you're using the MFP database to calculate calorie burns, some people find those are over-estimates. Same with devices like Fitbits -- some people find their estimates to be very accurate, others not. At the end of the day, you're dealing with estimates. So some people start by eating back just a portion of their exercise adjustments to account for potential over-estimation and then compare it to the real life results.

    Your exercise can be whatever you want -- there is no set amount to lose weight. Think about what you enjoy and what is sustainable for your life. Your end results are going to be be created by matching your calorie intake to what your body is actually using, not a certain amount of calories burnt through exercise.

    That said, it sounds like you have some specific goals for what your body will feel like and look like that go beyond weight, so I highly recommend incorporating resistance training (in some form) into your plans.
  • byrnet18
    byrnet18 Posts: 230 Member
    Do you have access to a gym? Or where would you be working out? Do you have access to heavy weights?
  • rachelsturtz
    rachelsturtz Posts: 7 Member
    I'd rather not go to a gym. I have anxiety and it would really stress me out. So I'd like to workout at home. But I can buy some weights to use at home.
  • janejellyroll
    janejellyroll Posts: 25,763 Member
    rachelsturtz wrote: »
    I'd rather not go to a gym. I have anxiety and it would really stress me out. So I'd like to workout at home. But I can buy some weights to use at home.

    Another option is to do bodyweight resistance exercises. I do these and love my results.

    I use a book called "You Are Your Own Gym," it has exercises for all levels of fitness including absolute beginners (which I was when I started) and it has plans to progress as you gain strength. Best part: no weights to buy! I have also heard good things about "Convict Conditioning," though I have never used it.
  • rachelsturtz
    rachelsturtz Posts: 7 Member
    Awesome! That sounds even better. Thanks!
  • middlehaitch
    middlehaitch Posts: 8,487 Member
    edited December 2017
    Here are a couple of threads you may find interesting.

    Recomp- maintaining weight while lifting to add strength, muscle, and improve physique.
    http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10177803/recomposition-maintaining-weight-while-losing-fat/p1

    Links to some of the best lifting programmes around, including 'You are your own gym'. I did Nerdfitness, a simple beginners bodyweight programme before moving to free weights.
    http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10332083/which-lifting-program-is-the-best-for-you/p1

    If you do want to lose a few lbs a deficit of 250 cals a day/.5 lbs a week would be good. Eat back your exercise cals, including your weight training cals (found in the cardio exercise section).

    You often see people say that the burn from weight training is minimal so not worth eating back. Because you are quite petite, with a low-ish calorie intake, I personally would advise eating back the 100-200 cal burn.
    (I'm petite and found I really needed those cals otherwise I was just exhausted all the time and underperformed in training and life)

    Cheers, h.
  • ISweat4This
    ISweat4This Posts: 653 Member
    Check out fitnessblender.com, they have great workouts you can do at home.

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