What are doing about calories? - JP Fitness Forums

Morondava · 04-06-2008, 12:49 PM

So here's my story: I'm 5'4, trying to lose 10lbs or so. Last week, I weighed in at 141.5 lbs, which has been my weight for the last couple of months. I've completed week 1 of stage one, and on Saturday I weighed in at 139, and today, Sunday, I weighed in at 137. (I did my workouts Mon, Wed, Fri). I've been eating slightly below maintenance for my size (1900 cal/day or so), and never been hungry. I'm not against eating more, but I figure if I'm not hungry, I might as well listen to my body. Overall, I'm thrilled with the results, I' haven't been hungry, and I've seen enough progress to motivate me. I'm sure I lost some water weight by eliminating junk, but some of my loss must be real. I'm really hoping that I'll be able to keep this progress up without cutting calories, I'm actually hoping that I'll be able to up the calories to 2000/2250 when the workouts gets tougher, and still keep losing. I'd like to know if this is realistic.

I'm just curious what everyone's experience has been. Ideally, I'd like to stay at this calorie level because I love never being hungry and eating well all the time. I know everyone's body is different, but I'd like to hear what people have noticed about fat loss and cutting calories on the program. Has anyone stayed at "maintenance" calories and kept on losing? Or do you find that after a couple of stages you need to starting eating less and less to see progress?

jessie · 04-06-2008, 06:44 PM

I need the 2000/2200 calories per day. I know its only a difference of 200, but 1800 isnt enough, I'm still hungry, especially on lifting days. I have been using sparkpeople to track my intake and I've been hitting the same mark on most days now.

marygrace · 04-06-2008, 08:08 PM

I haven't really counted calories while on the program because I haven't felt the need. But the first couple of weeks in I was losing one or two pounds each week it seemed, no matter how much I ate. After a little while the weight loss stopped and now I am very slowly gaining weight, which I guess is muscle, since my clothes are fitting better. I attribute the initial weight loss to cutting out the sugar and junky carbs.

Amblus · 04-06-2008, 08:34 PM

le sigh. I guess I need to start counting because I was 128 when I started Stage 1 and now I'm 132 going into Stage 2. I'm certainly eating better (and not more) than I was before I started so I'm a little annoyed.

rixatrix · 04-07-2008, 03:29 AM

I was losing fat, albeit slowly, while eating around maintenance. The great thing about eating more is that I felt really energized, happy, and my body recovered from exercise quickly. Right now, I've cut calories and switched to NROL Fat Loss 1, and boy, is there a difference. I'm MUCH more tired, my body doesn't recover so fast and I'm sore for days, and there are some days where I'm a bit grouchy.

I'd say keep eating like you're eating. If you only have 10lbs to lose, it'll come. If you need to, you can always cut calories later. Give your body some time to build up muscle and feel good about the program.

The funny thing about hunger is that it can come and go so quickly. If you start a harder stage, you may find yourself ravenous. And I swear some days, you just feel hungrier than others - the days when you have a perfectly balanced breakfast, but you're still starving a little while later. I don't know why that is.

Anyway, if it ain't broke, as they say...

LaraT · 04-07-2008, 06:28 AM

I gained at the maintenance calorie levels computed in the book so cut those numbers by 100-200 calories/day and that seems to be my maintenance levels because my weight is holding steady and I am almost done with Stage 3.

I have about 5-7 lbs to lose and I think I will only lose them if I cut calories some more. But then I worry about not having enough energy for the workouts. As it is at eating 1700 on workout days and 1500 on non-workout days I feel like it would be very hard to eat less.

Contemplating doing a "cut" for a month. I have a few big events in early to Mid May and would like to get some of this fat off.

Kimble · 04-07-2008, 06:44 AM

Lara - I'd be interested to know how you're thinking of doing your cut? You're going to cut calories, presumably, but are you going to continue with the NROL programme? Do you think you will have enough energy? Or are you going to not lift for a month?

LaraT · 04-07-2008, 07:06 AM

Kimble--that is what I am currently contemplating. I would not stop lifting completely. I love it and it makes me feel great. I know that in the original NROL there are some workouts designated for fat loss (I think they involve higher reps) so that is one option. I don't know though if those FL stages require cutting calories or not?

Another option might be to just continue on with this program, cut calories, and work at maintaining strength/muscle and not building it i.e. maybe take the weights down a bit and up the reps more.

LaraT · 04-07-2008, 07:47 AM

[quote=rixatrix;532515]I was losing fat, albeit slowly, while eating around maintenance. The great thing about eating more is that I felt really energized, happy, and my body recovered from exercise quickly. Right now, I've cut calories and switched to NROL Fat Loss 1, and boy, is there a difference. I'm MUCH more tired, my body doesn't recover so fast and I'm sore for days, and there are some days where I'm a bit grouchy.quote]

Rix--how much do they recommend cutting calories for teh NROL Fat Loss stage?

rixatrix · 04-07-2008, 07:53 AM

[quote=LaraT;532604]

Quote:

Originally Posted by rixatrix

I was losing fat, albeit slowly, while eating around maintenance. The great thing about eating more is that I felt really energized, happy, and my body recovered from exercise quickly. Right now, I've cut calories and switched to NROL Fat Loss 1, and boy, is there a difference. I'm MUCH more tired, my body doesn't recover so fast and I'm sore for days, and there are some days where I'm a bit grouchy.quote]

Rix--how much do they recommend cutting calories for teh NROL Fat Loss stage?

Dude, it's a book for guys - I don't remember reading about calories at ALL. Just sort of like "eat better" advice. Maybe it's in there, I don't know. But I don't remember it.

Plus I'm not really a rule-follower. So I made up my own cut. Based on my own needs. Which I highly recommend. All those formulas and calculations of calorie needs are just an estimation. Let your body tell you what you need.

I also did a ton of Googling and reading about cutting plans and zig-zagging calories, which seems to be the preferred method to keep energy up on certain days and when you're getting closer to your desired weight and have a harder time losing. Like I said, I've got a lot of fat to lose, so I my calorie cut was pretty big, and I'm DEFINITELY just getting by in the weight room. I've accepted that at best, I'll just be maintaining lean mass while losing fat. So if one of your goals is increased strength, don't drop too far. Like I said, listen to your body. Do some research. Make your own choices.

Kimble · 04-07-2008, 01:50 PM

This is such an interesting thread! I'm new to lifting and still lifting heavier and heavier with each workout, but then I'm starting from scratch, literally!

I think I'm happy for now with maintaining and, hopefully, increasing my lean body mass just slightly, as the most important thing for me is to lose body fat. As long as I can keep do this without messing up my metabolism I can actually build more strength/muscle later. So I'm only going to cut calories by 100-200. I figure if I lose fat then even those slight muscle gains will show up more! Does this make sense?! LOL!

LaraT · 04-07-2008, 02:33 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kimble

This is such an interesting thread! I'm new to lifting and still lifting heavier and heavier with each workout, but then I'm starting from scratch, literally!

I think I'm happy for now with maintaining and, hopefully, increasing my lean body mass just slightly, as the most important thing for me is to lose body fat. As long as I can keep do this without messing up my metabolism I can actually build more strength/muscle later. So I'm only going to cut calories by 100-200. I figure if I lose fat then even those slight muscle gains will show up more! Does this make sense?! LOL!

Makes total sense. I can see more definition in my upper body then I had before NROLW and I think if I lose some fat it will show even more. I have always read that definition was primarily a function of bodyfat levels. Even people who don't lift but have low bodyfat levels have definition and appear "toned" (ick hate that word but you know what I mean..)

100-200 below maintenance is not allowing me to lose fat now. I eat totally clean and count/weigh/measure every bite. I think I need a more dramatic calorie deficit to lose fat. I am hoping that these last 3 months at maintenance and building some lean mass has rev'ed up the metabolism a bit so the calorie cut won't have to be too drastic. I am close to where my body likes to be weight-wise and it doesn't give up those last few lbs of fat very readily. The book advocate a max deficit of 300 calories. I am going to try that when I am done with Stage 3 which will be this coming Saturday.

Kimble · 04-07-2008, 03:40 PM

The one thing I'm wondering is when cutting calories even slightly should we increase our protein intake to compensate. i.e., go over 30% protein in order to maintain muscle mass?

LaraT · 04-07-2008, 07:00 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kimble

The one thing I'm wondering is when cutting calories even slightly should we increase our protein intake to compensate. i.e., go over 30% protein in order to maintain muscle mass?

As long as you are getting 1 gram/lb then that is more than enough.