Does it make sense to weight train on 800 calories??
I am on day 4 of my back-on-track diet. I was initially 215 and got down to 128 at one point, stayed there a long while without trying really. Then gradually, I have put on 20 lbs and was up to 148 or so. So, finally, I am doing what is necessary to lose it and following the original diet, with higher calories and a bit more carbs now that I get hungry again. 800 calories/50 carbs/80 protein. At the beginning of day 4, after 3 days of dieting, I have dropped 3.8 lbs. I am sure it will slow down, but Yay! anyway!! : )
I am planning on starting to work out soon. Two things are confounding me, however. First, I have NO ENERGY right now on this...or brief energy...I MUST eat frequently or I get shaky and nauseous. So I am going to put a timer on my phone for when I am running around. What do people do about that?
Second and most important, does it even make sense to weight lift? I have read in multiple places that you cannot lose weight and gain muscle at the same time. Is that what you all have experienced? Do you gain strength anyway? Does it make more sense to focus on cardio until I am at goal?
Confused.
I know when i first started working out, I was very dizzy, tired and felt weak. I played with my food intake and workouts and finally came to the conclusion, I needed a protein shake before i worked out. i drink my shake while i am driving to the gym. I also drink about 30 oz of water while i am working out per hour. I am usually ravenous after my work outs and then when i get home, i eat 1/2 cup of high protein cereal with berries and almond milk or greek yogurt with berries and some almonds. This works for me. If I were to switch it up and have the cereal before the workouts, I would be light headed and weak. Instead, the protein prior leaves me feeling strong and able to do the workout.
Initially, I had no energy either after working out. A 20 minute workout was very difficult. While I worked out I was fine, but the minute I stopped I was so pooped. That changed as time went on. I pushed thru it and eventually my body and mind changed and now I can work out for 2 hours and then go shopping, run errands,and go, go go. Who knows why.
Also, I lose slower when i work out with weights. It seems bizarre, but for me it is true. BUT, i have lots of muscles and my clothes get looser even though my weight stays about the same. I have lost as much as 2 sizes and not lost a pound. I think it's inches lost not weight. So you may want to take your measurements.
If you keep getting shaky then I would have my blood taken. You may be hypoglycemic. Or for me when that happened, it was because my blood pressure was dropping due to the working out. I was told to stop the blood pressure meds because i did not need them anymore.
Good Luck,
Sharon
yes it does. you can gain muscle at the same time as losing fat. if you are only interested in losing weight (muscle included) then you can skip strength training, but i wouldn't recommend it. lean muscle mass is really important for metabolism and general health, during heavy weight loss via calorie deficit, your muscles will be attacked as well as stored fat. so if for nothing else other than maintaining current muscle mass, i would suggest keeping strength training in.
right now. somewhere. somebody is working harder than you.
Sounds like you are pretty far out....so 800 calories is unrealistic and dangerous. You should concentrate what a "normal" person would need every day for good health. General rule is do not go under 1,200 per day (for folks that are more that a year out), and you may require more if you are burning lots of calories.
I've never heard that statement you made about not losing fat and gaining muscle at the same time. That is exactly what I did during my weight loss phase. I do not think you should focus on one type of exercise-just like you need a well balanced diet, you need a well balanced workout plan.
To keep my metabolism running top notch, I eat 6-7 small meals per day, with about 120 grams of protein and about the same in carbs. I shoot to keep my carbs as complex, and my proteins lean.
The 3.8 lbs you've lost is likely water weight. In order to stick to your plan and lose consistently, set yourself up to lose about one lb per wee****il you hit goal.
1) Begin tracking everything you put into your mouth. You can do that here on OH in the Health Tracker. Or mobile apps like myfitnesspal.com.
2) Determine your RMR http://www.caloriesperhour.com/index_burn.php
3) Set your daily caloric level at your RMR - 500. This will set you up to lose 1 lb per week, which is the safest level to shoot for AND it will give you enough food so you don't feel deprived.
4) Make 100-120 grams of protein per day your goal. I eat a 6-7 oz chicken breast grilled every single day. That alone is 53 grams of protein, and it is real food so I feel full.
5) Eat 6-7 small meals each day. This will keep your blood sugar level and will keep you feeling full.
6) Exercise. Everyday. At least 30 minutes. If your heartrate is up and you are sweating, you are good.
7) Follow the rules of your surgery. Do not drink with meals and do not drink for at least 30 minutes afterward. Limit simple carbs and sugar, but don't completely eliminate them. If you do, you'll feel deprived, and we all know how well that has worked for us in the past.......
8) Come here for support. We are here for you.
Thank you everyone for your thoughtful responses!
A number of you asked where in the world I had heard that you cannot gain muscle mass and lose fat at the same time. I have it in my head as "common wisdom," and from weight-lifting sites. I went back and looked more carefully. It seems we can do both simultaneously as beginner body builders. I think the information I had was aimed at builders aiming to put on serious muscle: the logic was that adding muscle requires surplus calories and losing weight, the opposite. So it doesn't pose a problem for me.
I was also asking because I have been experiencing such enormous exhaustion sticking to this regimen. It's puzzling -- and I want to ask the larger group about it -- I wonder why I could do quite well on 600 cal or so for 8 months without suffering from excessive weakness or feeling low sugar, while now I can not. The appetite change I understand, but the reaction to low calories/low sugar perplexes me. Ah well.
If I want to work out, and I do, I will indeed have to up my intake. Not sure what ratio protein/carbs and the rest of it.
Thank you Kim for all of the steps. I am not sure I am patient enough to do it 1 lb at a time. I will if I have to - but I have sustained losses of 2-3 consistently overtime with weigh****chers before and could go back to that or something if need be. I have not been overweight my whole life, although I definitely surfed up and down 20 lbs quite a lot. The moment in my life -- divorce, special needs kids, etc.-- just made me want to get weight off of my mind. I also realized that weight loss in the past -on a large scale - had required incredible single mindedness and obsessiveness. I knew I would not be able to acheive that mind set while my world was being turned upside down. Plus, becoming single after 23 years with my ex was scaring me to pieces!
Now my goal is to become as fit as I am able to within a year with the idea of integrating it into my life in a permanent way for a number of reasons. I also really want to get closer to my normal weight by spring and then lower weight by summer to be able to wear my clothes! I do not want to start accumulating the rolodex clothing closet with clothes at 3 or 4 different sizes. Sigh.
I am a bit bummed that this low calorie thing is proving to be a problem. I can stand being hungry but I cannot stand being weak and tired. Got stuff to do!!
Thanks again!
Jenny
