Calorie question

[Skyden]

So here's a question for you guys-

I know that our bodies are a direct result of our diets/ eating plans. We must eat clean to have a low bf% and to wreap the rewards of having a healthy and good looking body. Lifting is how we add muscle and definition to our bodies. It only makes things better.

That being said...

I have gone to a highly accredited dietitian and realized my calories were just too low for my activity level and BMR. After upping my calories with healthy foods- veggies, fruits, good carbs, lean proteins & healthy fats- and realizing where my macros should be, I am still having a hard time dropping those last few pounds of fat. I feel sluggish, tired and achy. I don't think I am overtraining b.c I am at the end of a surgery recovery (this week is my last one taking it lightly) and I have to lift lighter. I am doing cardio, but I am NOT killing myself with it- 5 days a week (usually 30 minutes except for spinning, 50 minutes), varying it with treadmill walking, recumbant bike, elliptical, light jogging & spinning.

So, what gives? I thought more calories would make me feel better, as well as get those body fat stores moving.

No fat loss, still tired. Help!
Any advice?

Thanks!

[twinnett]

What does your diet look like (list calories, carb, fat, protein grams) timing of meals, water intake, etc.

[Skyden]

I am 5"1' about 113 lbs
Not sure of BF anymore- guessing 18%ish

Calories- 1620
Carbs 55%- High fiber ww bread, brown rice, sweet potatoes, fruits & veggies
Protein 20%- chicken, turkey, fish, yogurt, ppowder
Fats 25%- organic granola, olive oil, peanuts
water- 1/2 gallon to a gallon per day
Supps- only multis

I usually eat every couple of hours. Six to seven meals a day. Pure carbs post cardio, but when I am lifting heavy (like I usually am when not recovering), add protien after workout.

[twinnett]

Protein seems a little low...how many grams of each are you getting?

[emunah]

Ratios don't matter. What are the grams?

What is your goal? Fat loss?

[Skyden]

1620 calories
220g of carbs
81g of protein (sometimes more inadvertantly)
45g of fats
I have to work hard to get all these in and at times I am not able to.

I was on a super high protein/ lower carbs diet but I got too high in protien(sometimes up to 200g) so in speaking with my dietitian and since I am not building right now (more of a cut), I was told to lessen the protien and add more carbs.

I want to lose fat. I have been at this stage for a while now and I know things should be changing with the way I am eating and training.

What do y'all think?

[twinnett]

I still think the protein is pretty low

[Skyden]

Originally Posted by twinnett

I still think the protein is pretty low

Do you think that is the problem? What would you recommend?

[twinnett]

I would think you should be eating at least 1 g. of protein per pound of body weight if you are weight training and doing cardio. I don't want to step on the toes of your nutritionist though. He/she must have a reason for having you on that particular diet. If you were doing low carb before, introducing a lot of carbs all of a sudden will result in water weight gain, which should stabalize

[Skyden]

Originally Posted by twinnett

If you were doing low carb before, introducing a lot of carbs all of a sudden will result in water weight gain, which should stabalize

That makes sense... I was getting probably half of that before. It has been nearly two weeks so maybe the water will be filtering out soon.

It is just frustrating to be eating so clean and training and to see literally nothing. I am not new at this and it really makes you question yourself and what you are doing a little...

I know that one has to figure out their own body but I have yet to figure out exactly what works best for me, except for a competition cut, which I cannot do year round. Too harsh...

[twinnett]

If it's only been 2 wks, your body is still adjusting to gett carbs again. don't worry and just stay with it for awhile longer. NOONE should do a competition cut year round. Not healthy or necessary to achieve a lean, healthy body

[Skyden]

Thank you so much for your advice!

[ozigal]

Originally Posted by twinnett

If it's only been 2 wks, your body is still adjusting to gett carbs again. don't worry and just stay with it for awhile longer. NOONE should do a competition cut year round. Not healthy or necessary to achieve a lean, healthy body

i agree with twinnett. Like they say Rome wasn't built in a day (nor was it built in 2 weeks) and so your body isn't going to perform miracles in 2 weeks either. If it was on a very low cal diet before, your metabolism slowed down and your body is going to take time building that back up just like it is also going to take time to the new amounts of food sources in your diet.

[karate_girl]

Introducing more carbs into your diet will def make a difference as your muscles will be holding onto fluid, that said after a short time things should even out. If you have had a break from hard training, I would think that your body should respond when I start uo again.

[Skyden]

I do look puffy in the tummy area so I will just keep on doing what I am doing and see if it goes down and my body settles in the next couple of weeks.

But what is weird is that my arms look pretty good and my legs aren't bad- it is just the tummy area. Guess that is my problem area.

Is there anything that can specifially be done exercise-wise for love handles? I know diet, but any exercises?

Thanks for all the advice, guys!

[emunah]

Nope. You can't spot reduce.

[twinnett]

The stomach is where you'll get the water weight...it will reduce with time. Stomach is diet, diet, diet!

[*supermomma*]

You definitely need more protein -- like 30 grams more than you are getting. And the sudden increase in carbs could account for the energy drop -- that should even out eventually.

Is this dietician qualified to set up a sports specific diet? Most of them aren't.

Also, you don't have to eat 100% "clean" to get lean, but that is a whole different issue.

[twinnett]

Good points Supermomma. For the average Joe, 85 g. of protein is fine, but if you are working out, you probably should have more.

[Skyden]

Originally Posted by *supermomma*

Is this dietician qualified to set up a sports specific diet? Most of them aren't.

She is really good, nationally reknown, also has a degree in sports nutrition. I told her how I workout and that I am cutting right now. She was appalled at how much protein I ate before (usually WELL over 1 g/ pound). Also too little carbs. She said I would feel better after eating this way for a week or so. Still hoping for that...

Originally Posted by *supermomma*

You don't have to eat 100% "clean" to get lean, but that is a whole different issue.

What do you mean? Isn't eating well the right (and only) way to do it?



I know stomach is diet and that is why I am so crazed! *pulling out hair!* I just want to get to that level where I know what works for me. Some people know after working at it for so long and if they need to cut, they know exactly what to do. I am not one of those people dammit! *lol* I am still trying to figure that out!


Also, if I was eating too little before, how long will the body take to "get it" after I up the calories, and go back to a good, fast metabolism? Meaning, if I was storing fat before b.c I was essentially starving my body, then after how long (approx) can I hope to get back to a non-starving mode?

[twinnett]

All bodies are different. Slowly upping them is the best way. That's what I've been doing. I eat well over 1 g. of protein per pound. I eat around 190-200 g. a day. I would have to eat TONS of fat and carbs if I didn't.

[emunah]

Technically you don't have to have over .8 grams per lb LBM. That's what the research says. People round it to 1 to make it easy. They also generally eat more protein when dieting because it is more filling and they may not want to fill up on carbs or fat. But in terms of muscle gain, having more than .8 grams doesn't add anything.

As for getting out of 'starvation mode', its too individual to say. It depends on how long you were there and how severe it was.

And of course eating 'clean' is important, but it secondary to calories. If your macros are in line after your protein and EFAs are met, you can eat crap and still progress. Its just really hard to do and you end up feeling like butt. Which is why people eat healthy: it makes them feel physically better and makes their training easier.

But you can still eat 'clean' and not progress because you just aren't eating the right calories.

[Skyden]

Ah, makes sense, Emunah.

And the protein really does fill you up more, but can get monotonous at times. Necessary but monotonous. I would rather have a yummy protein shake than a piece of boring chicken breast half the time. Yet I eat chicken all the time! And even though cottage cheese is like one of the best things out there, I just cannot choke it down!

Personally, I would just feel plain out wrong to eat a bunch of crap and think I was doing the right thing for my body, progress or no progress. It might be fun for a day or so, but the reality of it would kick in and I would not be able to do it. I think most on this message board would feel the same.

As far as my "starvation mode," it was about a month or two at 1200-1400 calories a day. My basal met. rate is about 1300 so I was eating too little. Guess I will just have to see when it levels out.

I just hate these little lovehandles! lol- bleh!

[terracotta]

Originally Posted by Skyden

1620 calories
220g of carbs
81g of protein (sometimes more inadvertantly)
45g of fats
I have to work hard to get all these in and at times I am not able to.

I was on a super high protein/ lower carbs diet but I got too high in protien(sometimes up to 200g) so in speaking with my dietitian and since I am not building right now (more of a cut), I was told to lessen the protien and add more carbs.

I want to lose fat. I have been at this stage for a while now and I know things should be changing with the way I am eating and training.

What do y'all think?

Yeah.. I agree with what has been said

You definately should up your protein. Something like 180c 50f and 120p would be good for that calorie level. If you up the calorie level, I would put it with carbs (ie. keep fats and protein at that level).

[terracotta]

You can have a protein shake! If you add a fat to it like peanut butter, it will digest slowly. I have 2 shakes a day + chicken + beef myself.

[Skyden]

Originally Posted by terracotta

You definately should up your protein. Something like 180c 50f and 120p would be good for that calorie level. If you up the calorie level, I would put it with carbs (ie. keep fats and protein at that level).

I do a fair amount of cardio so I should probably up the carbs and hold the protein & fats at that level? It can be a challenge to get my fats in, but I know they are important.

[terracotta]

Yeah, in that case, why not try 220c 50f and 120p and see how it goes

[Skyden]

Originally Posted by terracotta

Yeah, in that case, why not try 220c 50f and 120p and see how it goes

Thanks! I will!

[sborton84]

This has been a very interesting post to read and I have to say thanks to Skyden for posting this.

I have been having the very same problem. I've always had tummy issues...and well, I have quite a way to go as far as weight loss. I've *never* been below 120 lbs, and at 5'2 this is quite frustrating!

I was also eating 1200-1400 calories a day (for several months) and prior to that I always had issues with food. (Years of starvation mode in highschool, to binge-mode for a year in college, to healthy, to diet, etc. etc.) My trainer also advised me to start eating more carbs, since I am a runner and have been training for several 5Ks and 10Ks.

Anyway, I feel so helpless in this. I think I messed up my body way too much and now it is so difficult to lose weight. I just have to keep my head high and wait and see if my body ever adjusts to this higher range of calories (*pray*).

I received a lot of great advice
Here
http://forum.bodybuilding.com/showthread.php?t=918393
and here
http://forum.bodybuilding.com/showthread.php?t=918978

It's barely been two weeks, but I've taken everyone's advice and upped my calories to a range of 1500-1700 calories daily. It's scary because I've been gaining even more weight. I love the muscle that I've gained, but I feel like its just making me look stockier - since I can't lose this damn stomach fat. My waist is the freeeekin largest and chubbiest area of my body and it is so tough to continue down this road when there is this very bad little voice inside of me that says "cut more calories and you KNOW you'll lose more, you have to just keep cutting more."

My husband is pretty fed up with my constant battle with myself and wishes that I'd just be more accepting - though even he doesn't understand why I still have this much tummy fat when he sees me work out as hard as I do.

*VENT*

Ok. Sorry for my little vent! But Skyden, I just want to encourage you to stick with it, as I am. Have you felt more energized since upping your calories? I really can't believe the difference. I don't think I realized how exhausted and lethargic eating so little was making me.

Evening though I am not yet losing weight, having more energy is a major bonus.

Good luck!

[terracotta]

As far as upping your calories, you should actually raise them slowly eg. 100 per week. This gives your body time to adjust. For people who have been eating very low calories for an extended period of time, I suggest slowly moving up to your maintenance calories, and staying there for a couple weeks before going back down.

When you are dieting, instead of having low calories all the time, I suggest incorporating refeeds. If you are close to your weight goal (within 10 lbs) I suggest a refeed every 4th or 5th day. If you are farther from your weight goal, a refeed every 7-10 days should be sufficient. You can read more about refeeds here - http://terracotta2.googlepages.com/refeeds