hi! new and i need some pointers

[k1130]

Hi everyone! I'm 20 years old and about 5' 4''. May 2010 I began working out for the first time and dropped from 170 pounds to about 130 pounds in October 2010. Over the past half year or so I've gotten back up to 145~150. I've just been introduced to this whole thing of a normal lifestyle with proper nutrition and working out. I always had the mindset that most people do of cutting as much food as you can and do as much cardio as you can to get the best results for a woman.

I've been spending a lot of time reading articles/forums on this site, so I've been training with weights and trying my best to have a proper nutrition the past 2 weeks. My concern is, I'm really not sure what my caloric intake should be, or my macronutrients should be for the day and I think I may be undereating. My goal is to gain lean mass and lose fat (get to around 16~17% body fat for an athletic type body).

For workouts, I weight train 3x a week (back/biceps/shoulders on monday, chest/triceps wednesday, and legs on friday) and do HIIT and abs on tu/th/sat.

Here is an example of my nutrition for the day:

Meal 1: 1/2 cup liquid egg whites, 1 whole egg, 1/3 cup oatmeal, 100g strawberries
Meal 2: (preworkout) 4oz chicken breast, 100g sweet potatos + veggies
Meal 3: post workout shake (1 scoop whey protein, 8oz 1% milk, 1 tbs peanut butter+ 100g of a fruit)
Meal 4 and 5: 4oz chicken breast + veggies
Meal 6 (before bed): 1/2 cup cottage cheese

I've been busy with finals so my food choices have been pretty bland since I haven't been able to try new recipes, but I've just been trying to feed my body the correct amount of nutrients I need with basic foods I know how to make.

I'll appreciate any tips/pointers to help improve my performance and results!! Thanks!!

[freebirdmac]

You should be eating about 1700 cals for fat loss. As far as macros, the key is to get at least 1g of protein and .3g of good fats per pound of body weight each. Every day. Beyond that you fill in with carbs and maybe more fat and protein. It's better to fill according to what you like and how you feel. It can vary day to day. It does look like you need more good fats in there.

[k1130]

You should be eating about 1700 cals for fat loss. As far as macros, the key is to get at least 1g of protein and .3g of good fats per pound of body weight each. Every day. Beyond that you fill in with carbs and maybe more fat and protein. It's better to fill according to what you like and how you feel. It can vary day to day. It does look like you need more good fats in there.

hmm ok, so about 145~160g / protein, and 45-50g of fats? Ive been shooting for around 150g protein/30g fats/100-120 complex carbs (rest of carbs being fiberous carbs) and 1450~ cals/day. I guess I should throw in some snacks of celery + peanut butter to get more cals/fats? I've gotten used to eating about 1200~ cals/day for the past year, so I already feel quite full from what I've been eating every day. It's also a bit difficult at first to grasp the concept of eating more to lose fat. I just want to make sure I'm doing everything the best i can.

[freebirdmac]

hmm ok, so about 145~160g / protein, and 45-50g of fats? Ive been shooting for around 150g protein/30g fats/100-120 complex carbs (rest of carbs being fiberous carbs) and 1450~ cals/day. I guess I should throw in some snacks of celery + peanut butter to get more cals/fats? I've gotten used to eating about 1200~ cals/day for the past year, so I already feel quite full from what I've been eating every day. It's also a bit difficult at first to grasp the concept of eating more to lose fat. I just want to make sure I'm doing everything the best i can.

Fats are essential for everything, including fat loss. So yes, some celery w/pb, olive oil, tuna, salmon, etc would be great.

Eating more to lose is what you want to do. You always want to eat as much as possible. You may even need to go further since you have been eating so little for so long. Sometimes the metabolism needs maintenance for several weeks to several months to reset it's self. Hopefully you'll respond quickly. You may get some bloating as you get the cals up, but that should resolve in a few weeks. And yes, it can be tough adjusting to more food. That'll come in time too. What'll really help is when your appetite kicks in.

[k1130]

Fats are essential for everything, including fat loss. So yes, some celery w/pb, olive oil, tuna, salmon, etc would be great.

Eating more to lose is what you want to do. You always want to eat as much as possible. You may even need to go further since you have been eating so little for so long. Sometimes the metabolism needs maintenance for several weeks to several months to reset it's self. Hopefully you'll respond quickly. You may get some bloating as you get the cals up, but that should resolve in a few weeks. And yes, it can be tough adjusting to more food. That'll come in time too. What'll really help is when your appetite kicks in.

thanks for the advice. i have to just eat more and not feel guilty knowing that it's what im supposed to be doing until i see the results. also, ive heard lots of different things about carbs and such. should i avoid eating fruit at night as well? i know my carb sources should be from complex carbs, but should i avoid eating them at night?

[freebirdmac]

thanks for the advice. i have to just eat more and not feel guilty knowing that it's what im supposed to be doing until i see the results. also, ive heard lots of different things about carbs and such. should i avoid eating fruit at night as well? i know my carb sources should be from complex carbs, but should i avoid eating them at night?

Heh, lots of myths out there You can eat carbs any time you want. Right before bed even! You do want a good dose pre and post workout but otherwise, whenever. Fruit is fine! You really would like to strive for a mix of veggies, grains, and fruits. Because of your limited cals (doesn't seem limited ...yet) you just have to watch your total cals for the day. If one day you splurge a bit on the fruit, make it up the next day eating extra veggies or grains.

[k1130]

From my understanding, I've been basically starving myself for the longest time....I've been brought up with a pretty solid foundation of "healthy" foods -- always eating whole grains, lots of veggies, etc., and have never eaten much fast food/soda, so I've gotten really used to having my hunger satisfied with much less food than I need. So I guess a bit of indulgence would be a good idea for me?

I just want to make sure I have the correct information from the start. So, if I consume 150g protein/day, and 50g fat/day while keeping within 1700~ cals, while continuing my workout routine, I should see better results? And I can eat anything I want? It's just really hard for my brain to accept, since I've already entirely cut out junk foods like ice cream, pizza, etc. out of my diet. It's also hard for me to accept that I will see better results if I am free with whatever I eat as long as I stay within 1700~ cals (because I've been eating under that for so long with minimal/negative results).

[oregonchick76]

From my understanding, I've been basically starving myself for the longest time....I've been brought up with a pretty solid foundation of "healthy" foods -- always eating whole grains, lots of veggies, etc., and have never eaten much fast food/soda, so I've gotten really used to having my hunger satisfied with much less food than I need. So I guess a bit of indulgence would be a good idea for me?

I just want to make sure I have the correct information from the start. So, if I consume 150g protein/day, and 50g fat/day while keeping within 1700~ cals, while continuing my workout routine, I should see better results? And I can eat anything I want? It's just really hard for my brain to accept, since I've already entirely cut out junk foods like ice cream, pizza, etc. out of my diet. It's also hard for me to accept that I will see better results if I am free with whatever I eat as long as I stay within 1700~ cals (because I've been eating under that for so long with minimal/negative results).

Accept it! Develop a good relationship with food now, and your body will thank you.
You can eat ice cream and pizza - everything in moderation. As long as you hit your macros, you can eat what you like. I like the 80/20 rule - 80 percent healthy/clean, 20 percent indulgence.

[Freak4Fitness]

Heh, lots of myths out there You can eat carbs any time you want. Right before bed even! You do want a good dose pre and post workout but otherwise, whenever. Fruit is fine! You really would like to strive for a mix of veggies, grains, and fruits. Because of your limited cals (doesn't seem limited ...yet) you just have to watch your total cals for the day. If one day you splurge a bit on the fruit, make it up the next day eating extra veggies or grains.

^^^^
This lady knows her stuff! Hey Free

Same mistake I was making! NOT enoug calories for your daily routine!
Great tracking tool if you don't have one is Dailyburn.com... you can track your intake, exercise & it breaks down your macro's too

I love fruit! I have an apple & banana alsmost daily along with cantaloupe YUMMY!

[Freak4Fitness]

Accept it! Develop a good relationship with food now, and your body will thank you.
You can eat ice cream and pizza - everything in moderation. As long as you hit your macros, you can eat what you like. I like the 80/20 rule - 80 percent healthy/clean, 20 percent indulgence.

^^^^
Definite words to live by!

[freebirdmac]

Accept it! Develop a good relationship with food now, and your body will thank you.
You can eat ice cream and pizza - everything in moderation. As long as you hit your macros, you can eat what you like. I like the 80/20 rule - 80 percent healthy/clean, 20 percent indulgence.

Yep, 80/20. You do have to be a bit more careful when eating at a deficit. You want to make sure you get your nutrients in and don't end up really hungry from a junkier, less filling meal. But anything in moderation is fine.

From my understanding, I've been basically starving myself for the longest time....I've been brought up with a pretty solid foundation of "healthy" foods -- always eating whole grains, lots of veggies, etc., and have never eaten much fast food/soda, so I've gotten really used to having my hunger satisfied with much less food than I need. So I guess a bit of indulgence would be a good idea for me?

I just want to make sure I have the correct information from the start. So, if I consume 150g protein/day, and 50g fat/day while keeping within 1700~ cals, while continuing my workout routine, I should see better results? And I can eat anything I want? It's just really hard for my brain to accept, since I've already entirely cut out junk foods like ice cream, pizza, etc. out of my diet. It's also hard for me to accept that I will see better results if I am free with whatever I eat as long as I stay within 1700~ cals (because I've been eating under that for so long with minimal/negative results).

You definitely need to raise you calories. What is unknown is how mucked up your metabolism is from under eating for so long. It may be that after being at 1700 for awhile you'll need to go all the up the maintenance for some period of time to fix your metabolism.

Our bodies are very adaptable. Yours has gotten too used to limited food. We want to kick start it back into burning what it should be burning.

I'm 5'4", hypo, post meno, 51, sit on my ass all day, lift 4x week, no cardio and will slowly lose fat at 1700 cals. And I have always been the type to look at food and gain fat

[k1130]

Accept it! Develop a good relationship with food now, and your body will thank you.
You can eat ice cream and pizza - everything in moderation. As long as you hit your macros, you can eat what you like. I like the 80/20 rule - 80 percent healthy/clean, 20 percent indulgence.

haha. i just started my cycle too so i'm excited to see my results in a week without extra water retention! (would've been about 2.5-3 weeks at that time)

[k1130]

Yep, 80/20. You do have to be a bit more careful when eating at a deficit. You want to make sure you get your nutrients in and don't end up really hungry from a junkier, less filling meal. But anything in moderation is fine.



You definitely need to raise you calories. What is unknown is how mucked up your metabolism is from under eating for so long. It may be that after being at 1700 for awhile you'll need to go all the up the maintenance for some period of time to fix your metabolism.

Our bodies are very adaptable. Yours has gotten too used to limited food. We want to kick start it back into burning what it should be burning.

I'm 5'4", hypo, post meno, 51, sit on my ass all day, lift 4x week, no cardio and will slowly lose fat at 1700 cals. And I have always been the type to look at food and gain fat

I'm glad I'm finally starting to understand how many body is supposed to function. I'm really good about not being tempted by junk food, but I'm going to try to start upping my cals/day by throwing in more fruit as snacks and maybe indulging in some nonfat frozen yogurt after a workout so I can up my calories .

I'm going to start at around 1700~1750 cals and slowly adjust from there if needed. (I was already having a bit of trouble eating 1400-1500). I really appreciate all of the help and information. A quote I will live by: "Knowledge is power" !

[freebirdmac]

I have to avoid a lot of foods, but there are still ways to make some yummy, healthy stuff. The first two in this thread I can attest to! Even my picky daughter liked the black bean chocolate cupcakes http://forum.bodybuilding.com/showth...hp?t=128195421