Sunday 1/12
Hey, ladies!
Lizi here. I want to cover a couple topics and then I’ll answer a couple questions that were submitted this week. If you’re just looking for answers to questions, then keep scrolling down!
My Calorie Intake
First, I wanted to share a bit about my current calorie intake.
I am someone who used to live and die by the scale and was certain eating low calorie and working out (7 days a week - lots of cardio!) all the time was the way to achieve results. I’m not going to go into too much detail about all of that right now, but I wanted to share where I am at now.
I have increased my daily calories by about 400-500 calories, so I’m eating 2800-3500 more calories per week and I workout 3x a week (just weightlifting).
And the craziest part is I’ve gained virtually no weight on the scale.
The extra calories weren’t junk calories. I am pretty disciplined with food, so it was really just about adding more volume of what I was already eating.
With that extra food though I was able to increase my metabolism so I’m burning more calories at rest which allows me to eat more (YAY!) and maintain my current weight.
If I am being honest, I definitely felt uncomfortable at first when I started eating more, both physically and mentally. There were for sure moments where I wanted to decrease calories just to feel “comfortable” again, but I’m really committed to the journey so I’ve been good at staying on track.
I can honestly say my body feels great now. My body has adapted positively and I don’t feel uncomfortable in the slightest. I’m actually trying to increase my calorie intake again to increase my metabolism even more (YAY again!). Oh, and an added bonus to eating more was my lifts increased about 15-20 lbs. I used to struggle just to maintain some numbers!!
Low Calorie Diets
Low calorie diets will only work for so long. Eventually your body will adapt and learn how to burn less calories AKA your metabolism slows down. So you’ll be stuck eating 1400-1500 (whatever it is) calories for the rest of your life just to maintain your weight and you may even begin to gain weight.
A smarter way to lose weight is to first boost your metabolism and then gradually decrease your calories.
Oh, and an important note with increasing calories: this ONLY works if you’re also weightlifting. You can’t just start eating more and expect positive change. You need to be properly strength training in tandem with the calorie increase.
Apps and “Ideal Weight”
Second, I want to quickly go over the apps and what analytics we’re using.
The only analytics we are paying attention to are the ones from the body composition scale (Fitdays+ app). These are most accurate.
Don’t pay attention to the analytics from the body scan app (MeThreeSixty: 3D Body Scanner). We’re using that simply for the body scan itself.
Lastly, please do not pay any attention to “ideal body weight” that is given in either app.
Your ideal body weight is one that your body is healthiest and functions its best at. The weight of your body can not tell me or you if you are healthy and if your body is working optimally. Our primary focus is simply to have you all get stronger. With more muscle, comes a lot of positive change body wise and health wise. How much your body weighs is irrelevant.
SUNDAY Q&A
Calories/Macros Tracking ?
Tracking Apps
Personally, I use My Fitness Pal app to track my calories/macros day to day. I find it easy to use and easy to navigate. Unfortunately, you do have to pay for it in order to get access to the macros functions. But, I found it to be worth it.
There has been some chatter about Cronometer app. I have never used this app personally, but it seems to also be a favorite among other members.
Calories
Calories and macros are specific to the individual themselves. There is an equation that can give you an estimate of how many calories your body needs in a day. With knowing that number, you can either put yourself into a deficit, maintain, or go into a surplus.
Choose your activity level below (you will need the activity factor for the equation):
Sedentary (little to no exercise): 1.2
Light Exercise (1-3 days per week): 1.3
Moderate Exercise (3-5 days per week): 1.5
Heavy Exercise (6-7 days per week): 1.7
3 Step Equation
(insert your weight here - example: 150 lbs) / 2.2 = 68 kilograms
68 kilograms x 25 calories per kilogram = 1705 calories (this is the amount of calories your body needs day to day just to function, but this number doesn’t take into account your activity level yet)
1705 x (insert your activity factor from above here - example: 1.5) = 2558 calories (the amount of calories your body needs as a 150 lb moderately active person)
Macros
As for macros, you can set those up specifically for you and your goals. How you set them up depends on whether you’re trying to lose weight, maintain, or build muscle. Remember every body is different and what works for one individual may not work for another. But, here’s just some general guidelines for macros:
Weight Loss: High Protein, Low Carb, Low Fat
Muscle Gain: High Protein, High Carb, Low Fat
Maintenance: Moderate Protein, Moderate Carb, Moderate Fat
You can play with the specific percentages of these macros to see what works best for you. I’ll list a range of macro percentages below for a starting point.
Weight Loss: Protein 35-50%, Carb 25-45%, Fat 20-35%
Muscle Gain: Protein 30-35%, Carb 40-50%, Fat 20-30%
Maintenance: Protein 25-40%, Carb 35-55%, Fat 25-40%
Protein Travel Tips?
Many of you travel for work and staying on track (specifically when it comes to protein) can be really difficult when you don’t have access to your regular full kitchen, but it’s not impossible.
If you’re a little concerned about hitting your protein goals while traveling… first, it's okay if you don’t. It’s a small part of your overall year and, remember, we don’t all always stay on track. Second, you definitely can stay on track if you just plan ahead a little and commit yourself to making smart choices while away.
Protein Packed Breakfast
My best tip would be to make sure your first meal of the day is PACKED full of protein! For breakfast, I would aim for about (honestly) 50 grams of protein. It’s really easy to let protein get away from you during the day, but if you can make protein a large portion of breakfast then you won’t have to end up forcing a bunch of protein at the end of the day.
Starting your day with a full breakfast will also keep you on a better track for the rest of the day. You’ll be full and energized and won’t have cravings and urges to snack.
Easy Protein Go-Tos
If I were staying in a hotel with a fridge, I would stock up on some protein goodies like hard boiled eggs, Greek yogurt, cottage cheese, and (quite honestly) I personally would probably get a rotisserie chicken (LOL!)
Jerky is also a good snack option, protein bars are okay depending on the brand (check out Mush), and if you don’t mind tuna fish then that’s always a really easy high protein source too!
Eating Out
If you know where you’ll be eating ahead of time, it’s a great idea to look over the menu(s) beforehand. Planning out meals in advance is super helpful. You can guesstimate the amount of protein and be able to stay on track with your protein goal ( at least the best you can!).