Rhonda: I'm assuming the 1750 calories is the amount estimated to maintain your current weight of approx. 186. at 5'4" (taken from your profile pic below).
Creating 500 calorie deficit each day is going to create weightoss but its a drastic place to begin. I really do subscribe to the idea of eating the most you can that will still allow for fat loss. Through a process you may eventually eat at 1250 to 1300 but I'd advise against beginning there. Through a process of eliminating a hundred calories at a time try to find the best place to lose the weight.
There are a few techniques I use before I make adjustments to my own caloric intake that I'll share.
First, I always eat most of my complex carbs earlier in the day. Actually, the most is in the morning (oats with cottage cheese and protein powder) then lunch is usually a lean protein with fruits and veggies, sometimes a piece of whole grain double protein bread. (Post workout and only if it was really really tough) Snack is cottage cheese with greek yogurt and more fruit and dinner is lean protein with vegetables. (no starchy carbs or bread here)
Moving my carbs up earlier in the day really makes a difference in the water weight I may see on the scale.Carbs are important. Gotta have them but I tend to taper them off as the day goes on.
Second: Water. I have to be certain I'm getting enough of this in or else nothing happens. I won't lose if I don't drink it often enough throughout the day. The diets sodas only leaving me looking for sweets or other things that pair well with soda (popcorn, snacky snack things...) better just not to go there.
Finally, the HIIT. I KNOW you are doing an awesome job with your workouts and you are making great strength gains and you are in effect preserving if not increasing your metabolism through weight training. In this area you are doing all the right things so don't lose heart there. Keep it up.
I might also add though that you may want to look at your cardio training. Are you getting enough of this outside of the strength training
I see quicker improvements when I add interval training to my workouts. Personally, I prefer to do that kind of work on the treadmill, elliptical, or AMT more so than during my lifting.
I lift slow and steady even when I'm supersetting. It's just my natural way of doing it and I decided it was just easier not to fight it. (My comeback is always I believe in the time under tension model) But this isn't enough cardio for me in the big picture so I will then find a jump rope, do flat band squats or burpees in between my sets of lifting if time is short for HIIT on the equipment.
Finally, SLEEP! Get the sleep you need to recover. If I'm lacking with just one bad night of sleep, hormones are such a trip, it will affect how well I eat the next day and if I'm not careful the rest of the week. So, become a sleep expert. Nap if you can in the afternoon just for twenty minutes if that's all you need but I really believe in this. Post workout, eat, nap and then get on with the rest of the day if this is an option. (I was home with an 18 month old who needed naps so it really was a natural thing to implement at the time. However I think it was helpful during the losing process)
If you are doing all of this and still not really getting the results, then look at the caloric intake. Maybe take it down to 1400 and live there for about three weeks. Be HONEST with what you are doing too before you make any decisions. If that's not working then lower it another 100 but really try to make everything else work first.
Honestly, I struggle with this part of it myself. I did not really "count calories" when I lost my weight initially. I really did just do the macro nutrient route of 40% protein and 40% carbs. However, I also stayed within portion sizes that are generally recognized as appropriate for someone who is my size...3 or 4 oz lean meats, 1/2 grains. unlimited vegetables.
When I plugged those things into Fitday I was around 1250 to 1300 calories averaged through the week. So yes, I did go that low. But that is really really tough. I never ate after 7:00pm. Ever. I was really really hungry between meals. It was a way to get the weight off and fortunately, maintenance has been kinder in comparison.
One last technique I use is that when I am really really hungry and I KNOW that I'm not going to make it till my next meal without a binge...I will eat a serving of protein and maybe a little fruit with it. Essentially, an extra minimeal. I keep hard boiled egg whites in the fridge (have three or four of them) with home made hummus or an apple. A couple of lowfat cheese sticks or pieces of chicken/turkey cut up and ready to graze on. Or, if I really don't want to fuss and really want the feeling of "full" I'll have a scoop of protein powder in skim milk or in water mixed with crystal light. (okay everyone is groaning with ick now) But, it works for me.
Sorry this was so long Rhonda. I wish that there was a quick and easy "Do this not that" kind of thing but in the end this is process as unique as the person going through it.
You just have to keep tweaking till you find what works for you but never quit. It will come into play for you.
Keep us posted with how you are doing with this as well as the changes you are making. I'm trying to do this too so your not alone in this either.
So, I'm going to eat some carb of some kind before the workout.
to Kim, Nelie, Alena, anyone else I missed!
