Getting lean

[ohiogirl]

One problem you may be encountering is you may be eating too little calories. For most people, at about 1000-1300 calories/day the body actually starts going into a "starvation mode" and shutting down some of its functions which actually lowers your metabolism since your body is trying to protect itself and is saving all the energy (calories) for vital functions such as for your heart, lungs, and brain and nervous system. Most nutritionists I've talked to or articles I've read suggest 1500-1700 calories a day for weight loss and if exercising regularly along with dieting as much as 2000-2200. WHile you will lose weight with 1200 calories/day, you may be sacrificing nutrients, such as vitamins and minerals, and you may be breaking down muscle by using protein for the energy your body needs just for day to day tasks. I would suggest trying to up your intake to 1500 calories/day to start, but also making sure that those extra calories are good foods and not just junk and if trying to build muscle make sure you are getting a decent amount of protein (about .8 to 1.4 grams protein per kilogram of bodyweight depending on your activity level is all your body can really use, so also don't be too worried about extra supplements and all.) The best way to burn fat to get lean is a combo of diet, cardio to burn calories, and weight training/toning exercises to build lean muscle. I hope this helps and good luck achieveing your goal!

 

[robyn6002]

Agree with you I'm 112 and 5 2 ... I dont really count calories but when i did for a few weeks found I'm around 1700. For years I was at the 1200 and guess what I was the same weight.. I think thats true when the calories are too low the body tries to conserve and goes into starvation mode.. the worse thing is it is much harder to get all the nutrition.

 

[lorihart]

This is very interesting.Sometimes you wonder....can it be true? The more we eat the less we will weigh? I think that over the years we were always thought to eat less,wegih less and in my opnion this is the hardest theroy to break.Even I at times think...thats it,Im not eating ever again.Its probably a little hard for me to understand b/c when I was younger,if I ate less then I weighed less.
I lost weight over christmas and I never know why.I don't know if it was b/c I was moving so much more,or b/c I was eating more and I didn't realize it.Now, that christmas is over,I am trying to stay at this weight but I don't know how I did it.
I just use the HBE site to find out how many calories I need and its saying around 2200.But 1700 if I want to lose weight.I think I am going to try this.Chances are I probably eat this much in the run of a day BUT its not all healthy food.
I think that this subject is very interesting.It doesn't seem to be about diet,it seems to be about fueling our bodies.
Lori

 

[candi]

I believe age needs to be factored in too. At 48, if I go over say, 1400 calories a day, I gain weight. This didn't happen until I turned 42 years old. Also, logic would dictate that if you have a sedentary job, this should be factored in too.

I mostly eat 1200 calories a day during the week with maybe 1500 calories on weekend days, to maintain my 5' 123lb frame. I do Cathe workouts 7 days a week, first thing in the morning. I have loads of energy, am not hungry, and feel really good.

I wished the higher calories worked for me, but I tried and my clothes started getting tighter. Started eating less calories, weight came off.

This stuff can be soooooo frustrating.

 

[ohiogirl]

Yeah there are alot of variables to the equation which makes it hard. Everyone's metabolism is different based on genetics, age, weight, muscle mass, activity level, and the list goes on and on. So if your diet and exercise levels aren't doing much try tweeking them a little (like 100-200 calories up or down or changing your activities slightly. Sometimes it helps to create cycles you do throughout the year with your workouts (1-3 months long)- like one cycle more intense cardio, and like 2 weight lifting workouts a week, then another 3-4 weight lifting workouts a week heavy weights and drop a day of cardio, and maybe another lighter weight high rep lifting for muscle endurance and cardio. Sometimes even little changes like if you lift before cardio switch it to afterwards or switching the type of cardio like from step to kickboxing for a cycle. These can also help jump start you from a plateau by stressing your muscles differently so they won't accomodate to your activity as easily. Hope some of those suggestions might help!

 

[ucblondie]

>Yeah there are alot of variables to the equation which makes
>it hard. Everyone's metabolism is different based on
>genetics, age, weight, muscle mass, activity level, and the
>list goes on and on. So if your diet and exercise levels
>aren't doing much try tweeking them a little (like 100-200
>calories up or down or changing your activities slightly.
>Sometimes it helps to create cycles you do throughout the year
>with your workouts (1-3 months long)- like one cycle more
>intense cardio, and like 2 weight lifting workouts a week,
>then another 3-4 weight lifting workouts a week heavy weights
>and drop a day of cardio, and maybe another lighter weight
>high rep lifting for muscle endurance and cardio. Sometimes
>even little changes like if you lift before cardio switch it
>to afterwards or switching the type of cardio like from step
>to kickboxing for a cycle. These can also help jump start you
>from a plateau by stressing your muscles differently so they
>won't accomodate to your activity as easily. Hope some of
>those suggestions might help!