Need advice about calorie intake and expenditure

S

Saphron_Girl

0
Okay, I feel like I’ve hit a brick wall… I’ve remained the same body fat percentage (25%) for the last three months despite working out/monitoring my diet religiously. I can feel the muscle I’ve built underneath this layer of fat, but what good is it if you can’t see it? ;)

So, I recently decided to use an online program to help monitor my daily caloric intake and expenditure. Turns out I’m eating an average of 1800 cals a day, and spending about 2500… so by this math, I should be a lot leaner. Unless of course, I’m not eating enough. I injured my knee jogging in the middle of April, and had to take it easy for about a week – during that time, I didn’t adjust my eating habits, and was surprised to discover that I actually lost weight while I wasn’t as physically active. When my knee started feeling better, and I was able to return to my more rigorous program, the weight came back on.

So what should I do to balance things out? Reduce my workout intensity/frequency, or increase my daily calories? If I choose the second option, isn’t that a sure fire way for gaining weight? I heard that you have to “cycle” your calories to get your body used to the increase. I’m at a loss here… any suggestions/thoughts?
 
What are your stats and normal workout routine sweetie? 2500 seems a lil high to me, i jsut busted through a plateau (man was it a bitch ha) but maybe i can help , i just want to know you stuff first.
 
No prob!

Height: 5'6"
Weight: 142 lbs
Body Fat: 25%

And I thought 2500 seemed pretty high as well, but apparently an hour long, moderate-intensity kettlebell workout burns 1200 calories, and I usually do about 30 minutes a day (with two days off a week).

:)
 
if you have reached a plateau, now would be a good time to increase your calories. now you wont gain weight once you increase your cals, think of it using this analogy, a camp fire. Once it starts to dwendel you add more wood to keep the fire burning. same goes for your metabolism.
 
Saphron_Girl said:
No prob!

Height: 5'6"
Weight: 142 lbs
Body Fat: 25%

And I thought 2500 seemed pretty high as well, but apparently an hour long, moderate-intensity kettlebell workout burns 1200 calories, and I usually do about 30 minutes a day (with two days off a week).

:)
Click to expand...

I did alot of reasearch during my plateau on calorie burning as i was sure that is where the culprit was. Trying to figure out an exact calorie burned method is never going to be exact, but if you take in all the varibles you can get into a pretty close range for sure. As far as the kettlebells and calories burned from what i have read about it, the big showing point is the UP TO 1200 calories an hour. Depending on body weight, body type so on...Its like when you go to a gym and they tell you a spin class burns up to 1000 calories an hour, its just not that cut and dry.

Regardless of that, more calories do indeed break through a plateau. What i did was a major calorie bounce week mixed with fasted cardio and felt great and started losing fat again (in a healthy manner) at a pretty decent rate. The first week i went to 1500 then the next day to 2000, then to 1650, then to 2100 and then leveled at at 1950 calories for 3 days. After that i stayed bouncing in the 1600-1900 range with one day a week of stuffing myself with a huge healthy meal. Really remind your body what it used to feels like to eat big, but do it with healthy food instead of 2 slices of pizza. For instance my last meal (cheat) was 6 ounces of turkey, cup of mashed sweet potatoes, veggies and a whole grain roll. I feel my metabolism pumping full force as if in shock and it really gets the wheels turning. Varying the diet is what i have found to be most important with breaking through plateaus. Your body adapts so quicky, so if you eat pretty much the same breakfast everyday, then change it up to something different.

Now is the kettlebell the only working out you do? If so that might also be an issue. While a great training method, when trying to induces fat loss and not maintain mixing your cardio and strength training session in one is okay, but seperating them can maximize your effects of fat loss. Doing cardio and training the same session lessons muscle gain, and since muscle gain is needed to help aid in fat loss and lower body fat %, it might be time to have a focused strength training session seperate from your cardio session. For now i have been doing fasted cardio in the mornings (HIIT) on days i do my strength training (at night), I actually stubbled upon this while trying to help figure out a workout for a friend and instantly I felt the difference immediatly. Breaking through the mental for a morning workout was hard at first, and you have to really push yourself cause yes you don't have that extra engery, but its all a mind battle and i beat it every morning with my HIIT. Now on days i have training off, in the late afternoon i do Low intesity cardio for 45 mins. The combo of that new routine and calorie bounce with smart carb/protein/fat ratios and suppliments made me bust through and am finally starting to see a lil definition.

A few extra helps in plateau break throughs...

-More water
-Suppliments-I started putting Flax oil in my shakes and getting more green tea (i personally use decaf but thats a personal choice) as well i kept up my multivitman and extra calcium. Being a woman and doing strength training its really important to keep the bones healthy.
-Careful carbing-Been getting mostly fruit and veggie carbs? Make sure to throw in the whole grain as well as the non-diary. Just look basically at what you have been doing, and mix it up a lil different.
 
Wow, thanks for all that GREAT info! You're a sweetie. :D

I do supplement my kettlebell training with cardio... usually elliptical machine or swimming, done in intervals, for about 35 - 40 minutes twice a week.
And as for calorie cycling, that's probably a great way to "jolt" my body... I've gotten so far in to a set routine...
 
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