I've been on a diet for three years. 36 months of eating roughly 1200 calories a day. Well there was a couple of months when I ate whatever I wanted but it wasn't a successful enterprise.
So it is very difficult for me to increase my calories and eat more.
I ran the numbers properly from New Rules of Lifting for Women and my maintenance calories are 1739 on a non-workout day and 1987 when I train.
Now it is unlikely that I will eat that much so I have gone for a reduction of 300 calories a day so I am at 1439|1687 because I am only exercising 3 days a week instead of 6. (I know my logic is flawed but its the best I can do).
Let me share some highlights from the book regarding nutrition.
Calorie restriction is the worst idea ever
Cutting calories can result in depression, loss of strength and muscle mass, deteriorating bone mass, hormonal disruption including amenorrhea, diminished energy and sex drive.
Losing weight by restricting calories will make you lose muscle mass and slow down your metabolism.
Rule: Traditional weight-loss advice is fatally flawed
Eat less and exercise more is asking you to slow down your metabolism (eat less) while speeding it up (exercise more). Its like running up your credit card while putting all your money in a savings account.
There are three things required to build a strong, healthy body
Metabolism
Anaerobic exercise
Nutritional consistency
(lift like a MAN)
So here are my thoughts after a week of this program
~ if I eat enough food my cravings all but disappear
~ if I eat enough food I don't wake up in the morning starving for breakfast or forage around the kitchen at 11.30pm at night
~ I poop more
~ I sleep better
~ I can eat meals with other people
~ I can get in enough protein (1g per pound of weight)
~ I have enough energy to push myself when I work out
~ I drink more water
~ I only get mildly hungry which goes away once I eat
~ I am warmer (not freezing all the time)
It appears that I haven't gained any weight so I am hopeful that it is working.
What you hope you will believe, what you believe you will know, what you know you will create, what you create you will experience, what you experience you will express, what you express you will become.
It's OK to live in hope ...
Hi love, I'm on a programme which has me ripping through about 850 calories a day. So I am supposed to 1250 plus 500.
ReplyDeleteI hit 1400 yesterday which is my best day so far (have been doing this since Saturday).
I gained two kilos from Saturday to Tuesday (morning). Today I'm back at the starting weight. I did have my period maybe that was it.
I feel a lot better. I'm not hitting what I'm supposed to calorie wise but its a process and my counsellor and my trainer are woking with me on that.
I feel a lot warmer and I am much more balanced emotionally.
I am trying to focus on the healthy side and not think about the numbers and the fixation with thinness.
It is really hard.
If only all the extra calories could come from cake and chocolate!!! Ha ha ha!!
ReplyDeleteCan I please ask the brand of your scales and the approximate cost?? I love all the detail that they show.
Thanks heaps!
Miss Pinky
Book sounds good, i havent got rround to ordering mine yet (must do that today).
ReplyDeleteI agree its more than ok to live in hope!!!
Kitty - is that really you? or have you been abducted by aliens :) - seriously I am so pleased you are eating well and feeling so great xx
ReplyDeleteMiss Pinky - my scale is an oregan scientific thing that cost about $150 I think. I'll see if I can post a link for you in my blog.
Cat - let's live in hope together xxx
I haven't read the book yet, but I'm currently doing something similar. 1200 calories, in winter, when exercising about 4-5 days a week and lifting weights seemed just so... little. And I was cold and craving weird stuff all the time. No wonder I'd end up overeating crap every week-end. Now that I'm eating more, things don't seem to be so bad, although I haven't enough hindsight to know if it's a method that'll work for me in the long run (I hope it will).
ReplyDeleteAnd cramming enough protein in indeed seems essential.
Hi Katie
ReplyDeleteI stop by your blog from time to time. I'm so glad you picked up the book. I'm forever trying to tell people that fit athletic girls who want to look good and kick some ass need to eat.
Kudos, girlfriend.
liz N