Finding balance of calories to eat to lose weight while training (Read 1230 times)

Just a quick run down. I committed myself to running and going to the gym almost every day back in late August, early September. Since then, I feel healthier, my cardio is much better, and I'm feeling confident about being able to run a marathon in May. The problem is, I can't seem to lose weight. I even had my thyroid tested (it's fine) and spoke to my doctor about it. My starting weight was 129. On average right now I'm 124. The food problem is that if I limit my calories to what my research tells me to do, I run poorly and feel fatigued much easier than if I eat around 2k calories a day. I'm not a big person. I'm 5'2. My general plan is to eat 1700 calories on days that I run, and 1200 on rest days. I will admit my diet probably contains too much processed/white carbs, so I'm going to start drinking a shake for breakfast, a salad with protien for lunch, and probably pasta or rice with veggies for dinner. So, I guess my question is, how do I know how many calories I NEED to run well, but also to lose weight? My goal weight is 110-115. Thanks for your advice, I'm hoping some of you have been there done that and can give me some advice. Thanks! ETA- When I started back in September, I could hardly run a mile without stopping to walk. But now I'm able to run 10 miles easily without stopping at least once a week, I ran a half without stopping, so I KNOW my body is responding in some ways, but it's just not dropping the fat. I want to be in shape and look great too!

Trent -- A long overdue thanks for that Pollan article... I've been meaning to read it for some time but finally made the commitment this morning. I'm a relatively healthy eater (of Food. Sometimes too much. All plants.), and the article helped to bolster many of my opinions and unfounded claims. Much appreciated.

Sarah, Your weight is down 5 lbs but your body composition is probably improved at least 10 lbs, maybe more. Are you weight training? You could have came in at 129 with 35 lbs of fat and 94 lbs of lean tissue and water. Now you could be 124 lbs and 25 lbs of fat and 99 lbs of lean tissue with a 15 lb improvement. I have done hundreds of bodyfat tests and this is very common when one goes form sedentary to active with weight training. Don't be obsessed with weight. My suggestion is eat more often with breakfast being "key", eat more fiber, don't see much fiber in your diet now - think at least 25 grams a day. Also, mix up your training a bit. Do interval training when on cardio machines - crank up full intensity 15 sec extremely hard, 1 min easy or 1 min very hard 2 min easy or 2 min hard and 3 min easy or mix 2 superset weight sets with the intervals above. Just go back and forth for 40-60 minutes. This cranks up metabolism and provide tremendous afterburn effect. My clients achieved great results with this and it shocks the body. Also, I caution you regarding severely limiting calorie intake. Your body will reprogram to live more efficiently on less i.e. resting metabolism will slow. Eat often, eat good foods and yes, processed refined sugars and high fructose corn syrup are very detrimental to fat loss goals.

I know it's not just about calories, but this calculator is good for estimating caloric intake needed for weight loss, taking your running into account.

Numbers are reasonable, although again this unnecessary focus on calories.

That's why I qualified it by saying "I know it's not just about calories". MTA: I miss Va

Numbers are reasonable, although again this unnecessary focus on calories.

Yeah. right. Well for some of us that is all that works. I eat food. Mostly plants. Always have. Grew up in one of those rare 70's households that grew 90% of what we ate. But apparently somewhere along the way - certainly by 4th grade - my ability to judge "not to much" was broken. Or maybe never existed, but I rather think my parents force-fed it out of me. And then of course there are the times in life whan apparently "not to much" radically changes It's all very nice to drill it down to what is "so simple". But get over it.

Yeah. right. Well for some of us that is all that works. I eat food. Mostly plants. Always have. Grew up in one of those rare 70's households that grew 90% of what we ate. But apparently somewhere along the way - certainly by 4th grade - my ability to judge "not to much" was broken. Or maybe never existed, but I rather think my parents force-fed it out of me. And then of course there are the times in life whan apparently "not to much" radically changes It's all very nice to drill it down to what is "so simple". But get over it.

amen

Boiling it down to calories in and out is a simple solution too. And it does not work. At all. And it promotes unhealthy eating habits. If you read Pollan, you will find that his recommendation is neither simple nor easy. The "eat food, not too much, mostly plants" mantra has thus far been described over the course of numerous articles and several books. The mantra is a reminder. The approach requires much thought and planning, especially in today's society. And yet, as complex as we try to make it, it really is simple. The challenge is taking the time, effort and will power to overcome the myriad obstacles that work to derail our attempts to eat a natural and healthy diet. And you have to be able to accept walking away from the table without feeling full. There is a great riposte to Pollan: "ate plants, loads of them, still hungry". While amusing, it is true. We are evolved/designed to seek more food even when our bellies are stuffed, and to crave calorie dense foods. While a dinner in the early spring made up of seasonal cooked greens and beans (and perhaps an appropriate portion of a meat) may be all we need, such a sparse diet it does not always leave us satisfied. And then you hit the tub of ice cream. So while the mantra is simple, the execution is not always so. And then there is this: in the end, it is as easy or complex as you make it to be. If you want to eat healthier, more natural and less, as Nike says, just do it. Get over it.

Bull fucking shit. Calorie counting is INDEPENDANT of healthy eating habits. You can calorie count shit, or you can calorie count as a way to help learn what is appropriate. It is a TOOL. And what an asinine assumption that I starve myself on salad and than hit the tub of icecream while stuffed. I've done the mindful eating stop when not full stuff. That's nice. But my not hungry sensor is SO broken. If I eat like that, even though I THINK I am eating an appropriate amount to not return to obesity I eat more calories than my body needs. I can get fat without any refined non foods thank you very much. Calorie counting is a way to say STOP now and see what this feels like in 30 or 40 minutes. And for MANY MANY people it DOES promote healthy eating. Yes - the millions of americans who are sucked into the diet shake/fozen meal/starve themselves until they binge is sad. But the people I know- and I bet I know more than you do. The people who have lost 100, 200 lbs and kept it off for 6 years or more?ALL of them calorie count in some fashion or other. Still. And calorie counting was a MEANS to learn to eat FOOD, not too much, mostly plants. Because to be successful, you have to learn what will satisfy. Successful calorie counters do NOT as you suggest stuff themselves on salad and then wonder why they are hungry. They learn that they need protein and fat and boy vegetables fill you a lot more than a frozen dinner. Just quit smoking, stop drinking and depressed? Snap out of it. Many of us had our very lives at stake, and while your mantra sounds pithy, it isnt enough for people who are trying not to die.