JP Fitness Forums - View Single Post - Help - anyone increased calories to start NROLW?

seela · 06-05-2009, 08:50 AM

Thanks everyone! I totally get it about the maintenance calculation not being precise. Since I'm so close to my initial goal weight (down another 2 pounds as of today, so only 8 to go!), I'm probably really only talking about doing Stage 1 in a deficit; then I'll slowly up my calories and monitor how it's going. I just finished doing the workout program from the Womens Health Perfect Body Diet book (but not the diet), so I don't think Stage 1 of NROLW will be that much of a shock to my system. From what everyone says the later stages seem to be harder and hopefully when I get there I'll be able to increase my calories to support the workouts without compromising my goals.

As far as content of my diet, I have been making an effort to get 30% protein daily and that is going relatively well. I'm keeping the Fage yogurt people from needing a government bailout, anyway. If anything, I could probably use a little more fat. I'm generally getting 20-25%, though, so it's not a dire situation, just room for improvement. I eat whole or minimally processed foods; I don't use artificial sweeteners or much sugar; I drink buckets of water. In general, I try to avoid eating starchy carbs after lunchtime, but that's not ironclad. And unless I've totally blown through my calories for the day, I have a square of dark chocolate and some ginger peach decaf tea after the kids are in bed and I've finished all my work for the day. My body seems to be doing well with this style of eating, but I'm definitely open to suggestions for getting more protein. I have one protein shake every day -- for breakfast after lifting on weight training days and just in the afternoon on other days. I've tried mixing the PP with cottage cheese or yogurt, but I hated that. (Maybe a different brand of PP would be better? I use the 365 store brand from Whole Foods) I'm not a vegetarian, but I'm not a huge meat eater either, so I think that's part of the difficulty. A chicken breast or a turkey burger for a snack, just doesn't appeal to me, but if I end up needing to do that to get results, I'll do it.

06-05-2009, 08:50 AM	#12 (permalink)
seela Junior Member Join Date: Jun 2009 Location: Virginia Posts: 28	Thanks everyone! I totally get it about the maintenance calculation not being precise. Since I'm so close to my initial goal weight (down another 2 pounds as of today, so only 8 to go!), I'm probably really only talking about doing Stage 1 in a deficit; then I'll slowly up my calories and monitor how it's going. I just finished doing the workout program from the Womens Health Perfect Body Diet book (but not the diet), so I don't think Stage 1 of NROLW will be that much of a shock to my system. From what everyone says the later stages seem to be harder and hopefully when I get there I'll be able to increase my calories to support the workouts without compromising my goals. As far as content of my diet, I have been making an effort to get 30% protein daily and that is going relatively well. I'm keeping the Fage yogurt people from needing a government bailout, anyway. If anything, I could probably use a little more fat. I'm generally getting 20-25%, though, so it's not a dire situation, just room for improvement. I eat whole or minimally processed foods; I don't use artificial sweeteners or much sugar; I drink buckets of water. In general, I try to avoid eating starchy carbs after lunchtime, but that's not ironclad. And unless I've totally blown through my calories for the day, I have a square of dark chocolate and some ginger peach decaf tea after the kids are in bed and I've finished all my work for the day. My body seems to be doing well with this style of eating, but I'm definitely open to suggestions for getting more protein. I have one protein shake every day -- for breakfast after lifting on weight training days and just in the afternoon on other days. I've tried mixing the PP with cottage cheese or yogurt, but I hated that. (Maybe a different brand of PP would be better? I use the 365 store brand from Whole Foods) I'm not a vegetarian, but I'm not a huge meat eater either, so I think that's part of the difficulty. A chicken breast or a turkey burger for a snack, just doesn't appeal to me, but if I end up needing to do that to get results, I'll do it.