For the "Mature" Audience...help with BF Reduction

RE: For the

I had to stop working out like I was. I was working out every day with her dvds. I wasn't even worrying about which one I was doing or if I was working the same muscle groups. I was losing weight fast so I didn't care. But now I'm having a little trouble w/my right knee. I've cut back alot.

Not sure about on the calories I was burning, I just knew I stayed hungry. It was a different hungry than just wanting to eat. My body needed fuel. I was eating low calorie at first and I tried to keep it that way but I just couldn't. So I started adding more food, just healthier food (most of the time).

I don't have trouble gaining muscle but I really have to watch my diet to keep the weight off if I don't work out at some sort of strenuous level. That's my main reason for switching to more weight training than cardio...at least that's my thought to see how my body responds. I'd like to walk more (at an intense pace). Before I started the Cathe workout's last March I was walking about 4 days a wk, 5 miles each day and that seemed to really slim my thighs and butt. Soon after I started Cathe and I started building really fast.

Does that help?
 
RE: For the

Yes, that does help, thank you! I think I just need to either go get tested to see how much I'm burning and what I should be eating or try to add a little more to my calories each day & see if I gain or lose. I'm just so scared of gaining I hate to add more calories but unless I go get tested, trying other things is the only way to know. I just know with my body type that I gain so easily it seems like I should eat less to lose but again, with working out like I do for 60-90 min./day & eating about 1500 calories, I don't think I can cut back or I'd be grouchy and starving all day!
 
RE: For the

Hi, ladies~
I have been reading all these posts about more cardio vs. more strength training with great interest as I am trying to lose roughly 20 lbs. and lean out some more. I'm still looking for the answers, too, and am in the process of re-evaluating my current diet/workout regimen. I've found the e-book BFFM to be helpful -- it makes the most sense of any approach to fitness that I've read so far. Yesterday, I invested in a HRM.

Jen, have you visited caloriesperhour? You can find your BMR and RMR there. It might be a place to start before you have yourself professionally tested. http://caloriesperhour.com/index_burn.html. Based on what I've read in BFFM, 1500 calories sounds like it could be too low if you're working out 60-90 minutes. If during a typical workout you burn, let's say, 500 calories, then that puts you below the 1200 calorie absolute minimum mark. So, you'd be hitting starvation mode. I do think upping or zig-zagging your calories might be something to try.

Thanks again for getting this post going...I'm 32 and have noticed many things changed after hitting 30. A new plan of attack is necessary!

Cathy :)
 
RE: For the

Hey Cathy! No I haven't checked out caloriesperhour yet but think I may have to take a look. I was reading through some old threads & found this website-
http://www.freedieting.com/tools/calorie_calculator.htm

So, I went to it & plugged in my information...well what I think my info. is, don't own a scale so I did 30yr. old, female, 133 weight(guess), 5'5", and working out everyday. This is what it gave me:
RESULTS - GUIDELINE ONLY
Maintenance: 2170 Calories/day
Fat Loss: 1736 Calories/day
Extreme Fat Loss: 1302 Calories/day
7 day calorie cycle (zig-zag)
Ex FatLoss FatLoss Maintain
Monday 1303 1737 2171
Tuesday 1064 1390 1737
Wednesday 1563 2084 2605
Thursday 1303 1737 2171
Friday 1173 1563 1954
Saturday 1433 1910 2388
Sunday 1303 1737 2171
*Calorie cycling provides same amount of calories per week, but 'tricks' your body by constantly changing daily calories. This helps to prevent or break plateaus. Guideline only.

So, maybe I should up my intake a little, based on the fat loss for zig-zag, I only have 2 days under 1700, which is for sure more than I am taking in right now on average... I can't imagine eating 2084 calories though, talk about being able to have some FUN! :)

So, what do you think based on this?
 
RE: For the

According to BFFM, the recommendation for a basic zigzag rotation would be to have 3 days of low calorie days (15-20% below your maintenance level) followed by one high calorie day (this should be AT or even a little bit above maintenance level), and repeat. The author suggests it may be necessary to experiment with those numbers a bit depending on your results. So yeah, the basic premise is that if you have been at a calorie deficit for a while (and it sounds like you have), your body eventually recognizes the deficit and slows your metabolism down, burning fewer calories. So, the zigzag is supposed to be effective in "tricking" your body into keeping the metabolic rate up. That is my understanding of how it works...like I said, I'm no expert -- I am also just beginning to experiment with this stuff :) but it doesn't sound unsafe, so if it helps me break the plateau I've reached, I'm all for trying it. :) HTH!

Cathy :)
 

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