Question: Why is cutting on 1100 cals too low?

Gf is trying to lose fat shes 5'3 127lbs doin cardio 3 days a week burning bout 600 cals each workout ive given her some advice but she just gets mad at me lol but anyways what i came up with is she'd be able to lose good weight if she eats 1100 cals on none workout days and 1700 on workout days. Ive read on here that girls even with her same stats dont cut at 1100 cals. Is it too low even if it is 500 cals under her maintenance which is 1600 cals daily? Im also tryin to get her to lift with me but she loves her cardio hah.

Thanks

Where do you get 1600 as her maintenance at 127lbs? Her maintenance would be more like 2,000. It's pretty damn hard for a girl that size to burn 600 calories a workout, I wouldn't factor that in, sounds inaccurate.

Why is 1100 too low? Because it's below her BMR (not her maintenance, her BMR) and she doesn't have to eat such a small amount of food to lose weight. Your math is off. 1500ish (give or take) is more reasonable at 127lbs.

Ok her maintenance is bout 1524, in order for her to lose 1lb per week she would subtract 500 cals right? So that would be even less than 1100 cals, and she does 1 hour on her eliptical machine which says 600 cals burned after her workout so maybe its wrong? Could be. My maintenance is barely 2200 btw at 180lbs not counting activity levels.

[QUOTE=GreenBayPacks;1053284451]Ok her maintenance is bout 1524, in order for her to lose 1lb per week she would subtract 500 cals right? So that would be even less than 1100 cals, and she does 1 hour on her eliptical machine which says 600 cals burned after her workout so maybe its wrong? Could be. My maintenance is barely 2200 btw at 180lbs not counting activity levels.[/QUOTE]Read sonti's post again....

Unless if she enters all of her stats in the machine, the 600 calories is probably just an estimated guess made by the machine for the average person.

I'm at the same stats, and I would go bananas on 1100 cals... I'm losing on 1700 daily.

[QUOTE=GreenBayPacks;1053284451]Ok her maintenance is bout 1524, in order for her to lose 1lb per week she would subtract 500 cals right? So that would be even less than 1100 cals, and she does 1 hour on her eliptical machine which says 600 cals burned after her workout so maybe its wrong? Could be. My maintenance is barely 2200 btw at 180lbs not counting activity levels.[/QUOTE]

She could be around 1500-1600 calories for cutting, so something is off. As for you, a 21 yr old male at 180 lbs...no way would your maintenance calories be that low.

Ok so from what ive been basing my calculations off of is this formula Bodyweight x Activity level which is 12-15 depending how active you are 12 being not active and 15 being active AF and that is your maintenance. Then i subtract 500 cals from that. Im currently cutting at 1947 cals and seeing great gains bout a lb per week. My bodyweight(181) x My activity level (13.5)=2443.5 my maintenance subtract 500 and that is my cut calories. Seem legit?

[QUOTE=GreenBayPacks;1053400661]Ok so from what ive been basing my calculations off of is this formula Bodyweight x Activity level which is 12-15 depending how active you are 12 being not active and 15 being active AF and that is your maintenance. Then i subtract 500 cals from that. Im currently cutting at 1947 cals and seeing great gains bout a lb per week. My bodyweight(181) x My activity level (13.5)=2443.5 my maintenance subtract 500 and that is my cut calories. Seem legit?[/QUOTE]

Lol sorry to laugh but you're 180lbs and you're cutting? What exactly are you cutting? Unless you're really short.
And that number you got is most likely your BMR. Which means the number of calories you'd need to survive if you were say, in a coma.
I'm 5'6" 136lbs (bulking) and my maintenance is about 1900 calories. I'm gaining very nicely at 2200 calories a day, about a pound a week. Just to give you an idea

OP maintenance includes activity level.

[QUOTE=GreenBayPacks;1053284451]Ok her maintenance is bout 1524, in order for her to lose 1lb per week she would subtract 500 cals right? So that would be even less than 1100 cals, and she does 1 hour on her eliptical machine which says 600 cals burned after her workout so maybe its wrong? Could be. My maintenance is barely 2200 btw at 180lbs not counting activity levels.[/QUOTE]Wrong, her BMR is probably about 1500, and when you factor in exercise/lifestyle, her maintenance is closer to 2000. She should be losing 1lb per week on 1500 calories. How does she know what she's burning during cardio? 600 would be like 1.5 hrs of intense activity. Doubtful she's burning that much.

[QUOTE=Cara0915;1053403051]Lol sorry to laugh but you're 180lbs and you're cutting? What exactly are you cutting? Unless you're really short.
And that number you got is most likely your BMR. Which means the number of calories you'd need to survive if you were say, in a coma.
I'm 5'6" 136lbs (bulking) and my maintenance is about 1900 calories. I'm gaining very nicely at 2200 calories a day, about a pound a week. Just to give you an idea[/QUOTE]

I didnt just start my cut mang started at 197 on Jan 7th tryin to hit 170 then bulk to 200 sound good?

[QUOTE=oregonchick76;1053405901]Wrong, her BMR is probably about 1500, and when you factor in exercise/lifestyle, her maintenance is closer to 2000. She should be losing 1lb per week on 1500 calories. How does she know what she's burning during cardio? 600 would be like 1.5 hrs of intense activity. Doubtful she's burning that much.[/QUOTE]

She only does cardio 3 days a week and no lifting what so ever which is why im not sure sure bout that high of a maintenance but youre probably right i dont know much about women's bodybuilding so im just tryin ta get some info thanks :)

She's not lifting? You have realized that this is a women's BODYBUILDING forum, right? The women here lift and want to GAIN muscle.
Not do cardio and look like a stick with skin.

[QUOTE=Cara0915;1053424561]She's not lifting? You have realized that this is a women's BODYBUILDING forum, right? The women here lift and want to GAIN muscle.
Not do cardio and look like a stick with skin.[/QUOTE]

Welcome to the female section of Bodybuilding.com. Here you will find a database on pink dumbbell exercises (Never pick up more than 3lbs! You'll get bulky!), the best forms of cardio to achieve that saggy skinnyfat look we all desire, and numerous 1200 calorie/day CLEAN diet plans.
Also hugs and coddling. We love that stuff. Prepare to have your hand held, ladies! Put on your yoga pants and get ready to get stared at.

[QUOTE=Cara0915;1053424561]She's not lifting? You have realized that this is a women's BODYBUILDING forum, right? The women here lift and want to GAIN muscle.
Not do cardio and look like a stick with skin.[/QUOTE]You mean woman here want muscles?

Groce.










:~p

[QUOTE=Cara0915;1053424561]She's not lifting? You have realized that this is a women's BODYBUILDING forum, right? The women here lift and want to GAIN muscle.
Not do cardio and look like a stick with skin.[/QUOTE]

Lol, with her body type she would never look like a stick with skin but its hard to get through to her that lifting is 100x more beneficial than 1 hour of cardio but she gets cranky when i tell her hah so diet will be her best bet to lose fat.

[QUOTE=GreenBayPacks;1053412011]She only does cardio 3 days a week and no lifting what so ever which is why im not sure sure bout that high of a maintenance but youre probably right i dont know much about women's bodybuilding so im just tryin ta get some info thanks :)[/QUOTE]

When it comes to bodybuilding and fat loss there is no difference between male/female.

Calorie deficit for fat loss and a solid weight training program...just like the guys.

Honestly, I think your maintenance is somewhere between 2700-2800 calories easily.

I'm a female (and old female) and I maintain around 2200 calories.

[QUOTE=kimm4;1053623791]When it comes to bodybuilding and fat loss there is no difference between male/female.

Calorie deficit for fat loss and a solid weight training program...just like the guys.

Honestly, I think your maintenance is somewhere between 2700-2800 calories easily.

I'm a female (and old female) and I maintain around 2200 calories.[/QUOTE]

I almost asked that question also about women and if they also go for 1lb per week for weight loss good to know this shiz haha hope im jacked AF when im in my 40's just gotta make it a lifestyle. This is our first time tryin to get serious bout diet and training, well, more me than her lol and i should have started earlier thanks for advice on cals maybe il up mine from 1900 to 2100 wont hurt.

Op, do you or your girlfriend count calories? Do you own a food scale?



[QUOTE=Cara0915;1053403051]Lol sorry to laugh but you're 180lbs and you're cutting? What exactly are you cutting? Unless you're really short.[/quote]LOL?

5'11", 152, finishing cut. Your point?

[QUOTE=GreenBayPacks;1053618661]Lol, with her body type she would never look like a stick with skin but its hard to get through to her that lifting is 100x more beneficial than 1 hour of cardio but she gets cranky when i tell her hah so diet will be her best bet to lose fat.[/QUOTE]Any body type can look like a stick with skin if you give it enough time. Not sure why one would want to, but that's neither here nor there.

As for lifting benefiting more than cardio, that depends. If she just wants to be thinner then cardio's her gig. If she wants to have a specific type of physique, then probably lifting is where she should go.

[QUOTE=Simpy;1053746651]Any body type can look like a stick with skin if you give it enough time. Not sure why one would want to, but that's neither here nor there.

As for lifting benefiting more than cardio, that depends. If she just wants to be thinner then cardio's her gig. If she wants to have a specific type of physique, then probably lifting is where she should go.[/QUOTE]

Her goal is to get the fat off her legs im sure every chick here knows bout that so yea cardio is probably for her but then i hear her sayin "i want her arms or "i want here legs" but shes gotta lift for thems haha

[QUOTE=acrawlingchaos;1053681391]Op, do you or your girlfriend count calories? Do you own a food scale?



LOL?

5'11", 152, finishing cut. Your point?[/QUOTE]

Yea i count my calories and weight my food but she got tired of it says shes happier now that she doesnt have to count lol. I dont understand it.

[QUOTE=GreenBayPacks;1053412011]She only does cardio 3 days a week and no lifting what so ever which is why im not sure sure bout that high of a maintenance but youre probably right i dont know much about women's bodybuilding so im just tryin ta get some info thanks :)[/QUOTE]

If she's trying to cut fat she has to start lifting.

Hah.. course she's cranky you're tryin to starve her lol. Besides ending up looking sickly.. that much cardio and that little food is not sustainable. She'll burn out fast. I did it for a while and my legs were still FAAAAAT and my upper body looked like skeletor. I'm like 20 lbs heavier now (going for slow loss) but it doesn't look like that much more. And I'm much more pleasant to be around. Get her to read the stickies or try one of the premade plans. Besides, lifting is so much more fun than just jogging in place for an hour.

I am 5'3 and weigh 125, and there's no way her maintenance is that low. I've been wearing the Body Media armband, which tracks how many calories I'm burning daily, and although it can't be completely accurate, on average I am burning 2200 calories a day on workout days. During my workouts I burn about 300 calories. My regular activity during the day isn't overly active. Based on those numbers and how much I've been eating and losing, 2200 for my height and weight (and hers) has proven to be pretty accurate. I would agree that 1500 cals would be low enough for her to lose. Just make sure her calorie counts are accurate. I used to think I was eating a certain # or calories, when in fact I underestimated which is why I wasn't losing like I was expecting to. Get a food scale, measure everything.