hi,

i really enjoy exercising, especially running. i just finished a 10K race today. my problem is that in preparation for these events, i never want to underfuel myself. so i either gain weight or lose it VERY VERY SLOWLY.

i am currently trying to eat about 1500-1700 a day. if i run 5 miles, eating this little becomes difficult after a few days. so, i guess i should run less in order to eat less, right?

i guess i just want to get a feel about y'alls exercise regimens that allow you to lose weight without feeling weak. i am trying to incorporate more strength and flexibility workouts. here is what i'm thinking of doing every week:
pilates or yoga (1-3x)
weights (2-3x)
running or elliptical, 30-45 min (5-7x)

i figure if i eat 1600 cal on average, i should burn 1500 (basal) + 400 (exercise)= 1900 on average. so i am in a deficit of 300 cal/day-- about 1/2 per week.

i guess i should just stick with this? or is there a way to create more of a deficit? what is working for everyone else? by the way, i am 5'4" 25F, currently about 149ish lbs.

thanks! and sorry if this was so technical.

Hey, I'm a calorie counter myself (22 year old female, same height and weight as you) but I go for a bit lower of a range than you. 1500 would be my outside range, I usually try to stick around 1200. I try to do cardio 6 days a week which burns between 400-500 extra calories. I also lift weights probably 3 times a week most weeks. I aim for a 1000 calorie deficit each day so I just adjust accordingly if I am very active or end up sitting down all day. I also try to get as close as I can to 50% carbs, 30% protein and 20% fat, this is just sort of a mini-experiment though, I'm going to see how it works and if I don't see the result I want to I will adjust accordingly. The other things I take into account is making sure that I am getting enough vitamins, calcium and iron as well as fibre. It's a lot to take into account but tracking it online makes it fairly simple. For more energy you don't necessarily need more food, just food that is actually fuelling your body and not just filling you up with empty calories. Sounds like a great plan you have going but just be prepared that it will be a while before you see a lot of result as far as weight loss goes with a 300 calorie deficit each day. If you don't want to lower your calories you may just want to increase your activities. Anyway...did this go anywhere? Not sure, but hopefully something helped.

kristy-
thanks for your input-- i think i just need to get slowly used to eating less becuase exercising more than 1-2hr/day is not realistic. i used to eat 2000-2200/day, and 1700 felt like too little. i bet over time, 1500 will feel ok as well-- especially if it is 1500 healthy, filling calories and not junk.

about the ratio-- i am hypoglycemic, so i tend to eat a bit more fat and protein (maybe 45-50%carb/20-25%PRO/25-35%FAT). your ratio goal sounds very reasonable. what were you doing before-- more carbs?

kate

Yeah, before I was about 60 carbs...that's without trying, just naturally what I was falling into without paying any attention. Hopefully this will be an improvement. If you're already exercising an hour to two a day you don't need to up it at all! Maybe just push it a little more for the time you work out. I elliptical for just under an hour and hit 500 calories. Then you only need a 500 calorie deficit from your maintenance calories to lose a lb. a week. If you were maintaining at 2200 calories and you drop your calories to 1500 than you have 700 calories deficit, exercise for 300 calories worth and there's your thousand calorie deficit. Have you ever tried Nutridiary or Fitday? They're great for tracking that and it really helps me. Definately sounds like you're on the right track though. At least at our height 10 pounds is a huge difference. I'm already down just about 12 in 5 weeks!

Just saw that you do have a FitDay, I wasn't paying very much attention...good work!

Before reducing the total calories you eat, try reducing the percentage of fat. If you are eating 35% fat, that is a good place for you to go down. One gram of fat is 9 calories while one gram of carbs, protein, fiber, everything else is 4 calories. If you bring your fat down to 20% of calories consumed, I bet you you'll see a difference in the rate of weight loss, even while maintaining 1700 calories per day. Besides, you'll be less hungry cuz less fat and same calories equals more food!!! Just fill yourself up with more vegetables and legumes and non-fat dairy, which are healthier and lower in fat and calories.

Calories per day 1,700
35% calories from fat = 595 calories
30% calories from fat = 510 calories
25% calories from fat = 425 calories
20% calories from fat = 340 calories

If you go down from 35% to 25%, you'll be at a 170 calorie deficit for the day, 1,190 calorie deficit for the week. If you go down to 20% fat, your deficit increase to 255 daily, 1785 weekly.

There is a general discussion in the medical community whether going down to 10% of calories from fat is advisable. Though Dr. Dean Ornish recommends it for reversing heart disease. I don't know if you'll want to go down that far, or even if it's possible since you are trying not increase your carb intake. But you should do well health-wise with 18-20%.

Good luck! :-)

Body for Life has great food lists and advocates 40% protein, 40% carbs and 20% fats. I like it. I don't always get quite that. But I like it.

yeah i think that i am going to try to cut down on all the PB and nuts. i already have switched from 2% to skim, so that should help.

i was consuming so much fat before because a) i am hypoglycemic and it helps regulate sugar and b) i once lost ALOT of weight by eating barely any fat and i think that knocked my hormones off-center for a while-- don't want to do that again, and c) i had hair loss issues and wanted to make sure lack of fat was not contributing to it (but i think it was stress in the end).

but reducing fat intake to 20% is not extreme. it IS how i really lost weight the first time...