Calorie/exercise question!

[reverie 49]

I've been doing the Slim in 6 series, I'm on the last section of it. It says that it burns about 800 calories. However, I'm only eating about 650 a day, and I've noticed the scale slooowly creeping up.

Is this probably because the workout is pretty high cardio + weights? I'm not an expert so I'm unsure if it's me not eating enough or if it's me possibly gaining lean muscle. I'm not lifting anything heavy, 5lb weights on each hand but I do see more definition.

Any ideas/advice from the exercise geniuses?

[neveragain 9]

Actually, what is happening is that you're eating so few calories that your metabolism slowed down, so if you bump your calories up to 1200/day or so, you'll start seeing your weight dropping. :thumbup:

[reverie 49]

I'm not sure how to get 1200 calories a day. That is A LOT. I bumped it up to 800 yesterday and felt miserable, like I was forcing myself to eat more than I wanted. Yet, I was losing just fine eating 600 calories before I started this new exercise.

Thanks for your help! I'll bump it up a little but 1200 calories is almost double of what I'm eating now. I don't see that happening!

[bambam31 168]

This may be relevant to your situation. Good Luck!

http://www.lapbandtalk.com/f9/what-you-eat-how-much-118172/#post1496197

Brad

[B-Man 1]

There is no way 600 or even 800 calories a day is going to result in good weight loss. You have probably been loosing muscle more than anything.

Ultra low calorie might be ok for a short period of time, but it will shut down your metabolism and cause muscle loss.

When you are doing exercise your body needs Protein and amino acids to fuel your muscles. If you diet does not provide sufficient amounts of both, your body will start eating the muscle Fiber to get what it needs (muscle is the only place amino acids and Protein are stored).

Also please remember to focus on the right kind of calories if you are performing physically demanding activities. Protein and complex carbs are critical.

A lot of the complex carbs are not band friendly such as wheat bread, rice, ect.. So try to find a source that works for you.

You are probably just beginning your exercise journey, so its much better to develop the proper nutritional habits early.

[reverie 49]

Thanks guys for all your help! I've bumped up my calories a bit and the scale is moving again. I've upped my carbs a little as well.

I don't think I'm losing muscle mass at all. Inches, yeah, muscle..I don't think so. But of course it's possible. Though I find it hard to believe that I've lost 50lbs of muscle. :smile2: I'll keep on trucking along. Eating 1500 calories a day is impossible for me though. Like I said I ate about 1000 one day and just felt miserable. Maybe eventually I can eat that many cals, but I don't know.

Thanks again! :bolt:

[Jachut 487]

I doubt you've lost 50lb of muscle.

But its a certainty, for ALL of us, that on a low calorie diet, our weight loss is going to consist of Water, fat AND muscle. YOu cant avoid it, your job is just to keep as much muscle on your body as possible.

Weight loss and muscle building together are pretty impossible for women to manage, because for muscle growth, you need lots of Protein and CALORIES. You just cant really do it with a calorie deficit. But you can get stronger and have more endurance and tweak the ratio of fat/water/muscle so that you lose mainly fat, however, at the end of the day you just dont need as much muscle to carry a 150lb body as you do a 300lb one and your body is going to adjust to that.

There's also the strong possibility that your workout DOESNT burn 800 calories a time. I've done workouts where I'm sure I have burned that much and boy, I am absolutely wrecked and require a day or two to recover. I've done 8km runs which the charts SAY burn that much and I'm ready to do something else in an hour. I know I havent really burned 800 calories. It also depends on so many factors - size, intensity, fitness (you can burn more calories if you're fitter), your metabolism, etc. You just cant ever really know.

[reverie 49]

Thanks Jachut! You look awesome by the way!