Proper nutrition for extensive exercise
saresimsr36
Posts: 128 Member
I'm trying to figure out the right combination of macros for extensive exercise.
Here is what I'm currently doing:
My exercise is 20 mins jogging, 20 minutes bending and stretching exercise, 30-40 minutes shooting hoops, 30 minutes tension band exercise and 10 minutes yoga. Plus approx 14k or more steps daily.
I've been attempting to eat low carb, so under 100g of carbs daily and 1500cals max. I keep getting headaches and feeling light headed. I'm wondering if I'm not eating enough or for what I'm doing if carbs are too low. Thoughts?
Here is what I'm currently doing:
My exercise is 20 mins jogging, 20 minutes bending and stretching exercise, 30-40 minutes shooting hoops, 30 minutes tension band exercise and 10 minutes yoga. Plus approx 14k or more steps daily.
I've been attempting to eat low carb, so under 100g of carbs daily and 1500cals max. I keep getting headaches and feeling light headed. I'm wondering if I'm not eating enough or for what I'm doing if carbs are too low. Thoughts?
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Replies
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How many days a week are you doing all of that and are you consuming 1,500 net calories are total calories. If it's 1,500 total, then I would first up how many calories you're eating. Even if it's net calories, I'd probably up the calories given your 14k daily steps.2
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I do this 5 days a week with about half the time and steps of each on the weekends. I tried taking a day off and felt like it impeded on my progress.0
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Hard to say for sure as this is one area where there is a lot of personal variance. The easiest solution would be to increase your carbs for a few days/week and see if the problems subside.4
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If I understand it correctly, your muscles need carbs to burn and protein to build. That's obviously a gross over-simplification, but let's start there. So, you may feel light-headed or weak when you are exercising because your muscles need more carbs to burn. I'm a runner, and on long runs it is recommended that you take in some carbs during your run to give your muscles something to keep you going. I know when I don't do that, I struggle to finish a run. Hope that helps!4
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jrh_this_better_work wrote: »If I understand it correctly, your muscles need carbs to burn and protein to build. That's obviously a gross over-simplification, but let's start there. So, you may feel light-headed or weak when you are exercising because your muscles need more carbs to burn. I'm a runner, and on long runs it is recommended that you take in some carbs during your run to give your muscles something to keep you going. I know when I don't do that, I struggle to finish a run. Hope that helps!
There are plenty of Keto marathoners who can perform just fine. You don't, "Need," dietary carbs.
Obviously life is better and exercise easier with carbs. I'm not a Keto-er, I just disagree with your premise.1 -
cmriverside wrote: »jrh_this_better_work wrote: »If I understand it correctly, your muscles need carbs to burn and protein to build. That's obviously a gross over-simplification, but let's start there. So, you may feel light-headed or weak when you are exercising because your muscles need more carbs to burn. I'm a runner, and on long runs it is recommended that you take in some carbs during your run to give your muscles something to keep you going. I know when I don't do that, I struggle to finish a run. Hope that helps!
There are plenty of Keto marathoners who can perform just fine. You don't, "Need," dietary carbs.
Obviously life is better and exercise easier with carbs. I'm not a Keto-er, I just disagree with your premise.
Yep, I can't disagree with you. I had planned on going into the whole fat-adapted thing, which I know is valid and works for a lot of people, but I was putting forth the most likely issue for the OP.3 -
How many days a week are you doing all of that and are you consuming 1,500 net calories are total calories. If it's 1,500 total, then I would first up how many calories you're eating. Even if it's net calories, I'd probably up the calories given your 14k daily steps.
Just to re-emphasize these points.
OP - are you eating back exercise calories? What is your activity level set to?saresimsr36 wrote: »I do this 5 days a week with about half the time and steps of each on the weekends. I tried taking a day off and felt like it impeded on my progress.
You need to take at least one day off per week to allow your body to recover.3 -
Everyone is different so I can only speak to what I personally tried and what "works" for me. I lift weights 3-4 days a week (60-90 minutes everything said & done). I consume 1500-2200 calories a day and shoot for a macro split of 40:30:30 but don't stress about it. I was struggling with my energy levels on days I worked out. What has helped me is I added a coffee concentrate to my post workout protein shake and try to eat a meal with a starch about 90 minutes after I work out. Today it is a chicken coconut curry with a serving of rice & a side of broccoli.
Play around with foods, calories, and meal timings around your workouts. Also make sure you stay hydrated - dehydration can also cause headaches and make you lightheaded.2 -
Based on your activity level it sounds like you're simply not getting enough fuel (whether you're low carb or not you still need gas in the tank). Personally I aim for about 55% of my calories from carbs (preferably mostly complex ones) I'm one of those people that low carb just makes me super cranky...
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More calories and more carbs to fuel your exercise!5
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How many days a week are you doing all of that and are you consuming 1,500 net calories are total calories. If it's 1,500 total, then I would first up how many calories you're eating. Even if it's net calories, I'd probably up the calories given your 14k daily steps.
Just to re-emphasize these points.
OP - are you eating back exercise calories? What is your activity level set to?saresimsr36 wrote: »I do this 5 days a week with about half the time and steps of each on the weekends. I tried taking a day off and felt like it impeded on my progress.
You need to take at least one day off per week to allow your body to recover.
My activity level I keep at sedentary. No I do not eat back exercise calories. I'm a fairly large woman with a lot to lose.
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saresimsr36 wrote: »How many days a week are you doing all of that and are you consuming 1,500 net calories are total calories. If it's 1,500 total, then I would first up how many calories you're eating. Even if it's net calories, I'd probably up the calories given your 14k daily steps.
Just to re-emphasize these points.
OP - are you eating back exercise calories? What is your activity level set to?saresimsr36 wrote: »I do this 5 days a week with about half the time and steps of each on the weekends. I tried taking a day off and felt like it impeded on my progress.
You need to take at least one day off per week to allow your body to recover.
My activity level I keep at sedentary. No I do not eat back exercise calories. I'm a fairly large woman with a lot to lose.
You need to eat more calories. That's likely what's causing the headaches and lightheadedness. This is likely not an issue of macros, it's an issue of calories. Trying to lose too quickly is not going to help you in the medium or long run and that's effectively what you're setting up by exercising that much and not eating back the calories.
What do you mean by it impeded your progress? What sort of progress are you talking about?I do this 5 days a week with about half the time and steps of each on the weekends. I tried taking a day off and felt like it impeded on my progress.7 -
saresimsr36 wrote: »How many days a week are you doing all of that and are you consuming 1,500 net calories are total calories. If it's 1,500 total, then I would first up how many calories you're eating. Even if it's net calories, I'd probably up the calories given your 14k daily steps.
Just to re-emphasize these points.
OP - are you eating back exercise calories? What is your activity level set to?saresimsr36 wrote: »I do this 5 days a week with about half the time and steps of each on the weekends. I tried taking a day off and felt like it impeded on my progress.
You need to take at least one day off per week to allow your body to recover.
My activity level I keep at sedentary. No I do not eat back exercise calories. I'm a fairly large woman with a lot to lose.
I'm 5'9, 180 pounds, and can lose on 2000 calories a day. You need to eat more.6 -
saresimsr36 wrote: »How many days a week are you doing all of that and are you consuming 1,500 net calories are total calories. If it's 1,500 total, then I would first up how many calories you're eating. Even if it's net calories, I'd probably up the calories given your 14k daily steps.
Just to re-emphasize these points.
OP - are you eating back exercise calories? What is your activity level set to?saresimsr36 wrote: »I do this 5 days a week with about half the time and steps of each on the weekends. I tried taking a day off and felt like it impeded on my progress.
You need to take at least one day off per week to allow your body to recover.
My activity level I keep at sedentary. No I do not eat back exercise calories. I'm a fairly large woman with a lot to lose.
So the answer to your original question is: correct, you are not eating enough. 14k steps daily means you should be set to active, not sedentary. You should also be eating back exercise calories. Calories burned estimates are often inflated, but you should be eating back at least half.5 -
So my next question, in all these weight loss shows, for example one I'm currently watching from Australia, they say eat 1500 cals per day, and burn 2500 or more. (Yes I know it's a show) but, their personal trainer suggested that and I've researched him and he is legit. If that's the case, would what I'm doing not compare?0
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saresimsr36 wrote: »So my next question, in all these weight loss shows, for example one I'm currently watching from Australia, they say eat 1500 cals per day, and burn 2500 or more. (Yes I know it's a show) but, their personal trainer suggested that and I've researched him and he is legit. If that's the case, would what I'm doing not compare?
A few thoughts...
Would it compare? Yes and no.
Are they also doing 1000 calorie deficit per day AND low carb, as you are trying to do?
They are doing it supervised. You only have yourself.
They are doing it for a very short period of time - what happens after the show?
If/when they experience problems, they have whoever is supervising to advise them and make adjustments. That's what we're trying to do here for you.
So, I'll ask you this...
Is what you're trying to do sustainable? You came here with a problem, so that would suggest it's not.
Is what you're doing healthy? That's debatable... it's hard to get adequate nutrition and a low calorie diet.
TV shows are for entertainment and revenue - are you doing this for entertain or revenue? No, of course not... so you have different motivations and different goals. There more to it than JUST the end result.6 -
True and you are right.0
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saresimsr36 wrote: »So my next question, in all these weight loss shows, for example one I'm currently watching from Australia, they say eat 1500 cals per day, and burn 2500 or more. (Yes I know it's a show) but, their personal trainer suggested that and I've researched him and he is legit. If that's the case, would what I'm doing not compare?
You need to realize that the multi year failure rate for those shows is very high. Losing weight in that manner is not healthy. Also the ultimate point of those shows (and most shows) is to make money. Never mind that "eating" -1,000 calories is not at all sustainable. As in, not sustainable for living. Heck, eating 1k calories as an adult isn't sustainable.2 -
saresimsr36 wrote: »So my next question, in all these weight loss shows, for example one I'm currently watching from Australia, they say eat 1500 cals per day, and burn 2500 or more. (Yes I know it's a show) but, their personal trainer suggested that and I've researched him and he is legit. If that's the case, would what I'm doing not compare?
Your own data and experiences are going to always be more meaningful to you and your situation than what any "expert" who appears on a weight loss show, youtube channel or is an instagram influencer has to say.
Without knowing your height, weight, and age it's hard to estimate, however, more than likely you're not eating enough to support your current size and activity to lose weight in a sustainable fashion. Weight loss programs (at least those in the US) are notorious for sensationalizing extreme measures for rapid weight loss that aren't typically easy to follow or even recommended to follow for the average person not being supervised by a professional.3 -
I'm 5 foot 6, weigh around 295lbs and 37 years old.0
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