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Caloric needs
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Bit ashamed at having to post this, as most of you folks have the opposite problem than I: I am pretty sure I should be losing weight but I'm not. Stats: F, 30, 5'6", 137lbs, avg training week: 10-13hrs, everything else in tiptop shape (as per last medical). I am trying to best determine appropriate caloric needs. Base need around 2000 cal, add 400 cal per hour of swim or weights, add 600 cal per hour of riding, add 800 cal per hour of running (based on what my HR monitor tells me). So yesterday I ran 3 hrs, and spent 1.5 hrs in the gym. 2000+2400(run)+600(gym)=5000c. I know I eat less than I burn, but I'm not losing any weight, I've been 137-138 for almost a year now, even with increased work loads. I'm in the muscular endurance phase of my weight training - and so far the only thing I can think of as contributing to my lack of weight loss is the weight training. suggestions? good references/books/websites? How have folks here lost those last 3-5 lbs?

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"How bad could it be?" - SimpleS
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Re: Caloric needs [AndyPants] [ In reply to ]
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Several things:
1. get a set of body fat calipers. These will allow you to determine if the weight you are putting on is muscle or fat, or if you are losing fat and gaining muscle at the same time therefore maintaining the same weight. I ordered slim guide brand for about $20. These are supposedly the most accurate of the cheap (under $300) calipers.

2. Don't rely on the polar hr calories. 800/hour for your size running sounds like too much. 5000 kcal in 1 day sounds like too much as well. I'm 6'1" 8% body fat at 165 lbs and the most I can ingest in one day is about 4500 healthy calories.

3. My wife is working out about 6 hours/week, mostly running with some weights. She is 33 yrs old, 5'5" 119 lbs. She says her daily caloric needs are in the 1600 cal range to maintain her current weight and fitness.
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Re: Caloric needs [tom] [ In reply to ]
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I got the 2000c per day based on 1.0c/kg/hr sleeping (8hr) and 1.5c/kg/hr awake (16hr). But I'll try adjusting the "active" hourly burn numbers and see if that helps as a guideline, sounds like 600c/hr for running is more appropriate? Thanks for the info and suggestions.

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"How bad could it be?" - SimpleS
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Re: Caloric needs [AndyPants] [ In reply to ]
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Look at the timing and composition of your caloric intakes. A poster on another board I frequent has a similar problem. He is making such minor "tactical" errors as not eating anything until late in the morning, and eating high glycemic empty calories (like M&Ms) very late in the day, just prior to bed or even just end-loading the majority of his calories at the evening meal. While his caloric intake is less than his thoretical needs each day, these small errors sabotage your bodies attempts to shed the weight. For instance, beginning your calorie consumption long after you've been up and about causes your body to say "hey, I'm not getting any sustenance here so I'd better slow down the metabolism," even if you have a training bout in there somewhere. Eat a small amount as soon as you wake sets up your metabolism to run strong all day. Consume the majority of your calories early in the day. You'll be better fueled for afternoon workouts, and you won't have extra cals running around your body looking for a fat cell to invade. Try to divorce your main caloric intake from your training schedule. In other words, don't think "I'm doing a 3 hour bike ride in the afternoon so I'll save most of my calories for after that ride and eat a huge bowl of pasta." While you WILL have to recover with caloric intake, those calories should be very specific. I'm talking about the 2000 calories you estimate you need each day. Eat most of those in the AM and at lunch, saving dinner for refueling cals after your PM training bout.

So you can do the right things like eating more, smaller meals throughout the day and refuel withing 1/2 hour of exercise, but if you are making these smaller errors, you are holding your body back from shedding those final few lbs. You obviously do enough training to burn it off. Your body is trying to conserve that weight for some reason. Its usually the timing/composition of your intake.

Hope this helps.
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Weighing technique [ In reply to ]
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First things first...
weigh yourself at the same time every day... best time is to do this 1st thing in the morning.

Be sure that you are fully hydrated every time you weight yourself.

Losing the last couple of pounds. The only way that is possible to lose weight is to expend more calories than what you eat.

First things first... why do you want to lose the last 3-5 pounds? If it is becoming increasing difficult to lose lose last couple of pounds there is usually a reason... your body really doesn't want to let it go. 137 is plenty light enough especially if you are muscular at all. If you push yourself to lose too much weight your immune system will revolt, you will lose a lot of your power, and throw your body all sorts out of whack...

second... weight would not be my first concern in the pre-peak phase of your training... if you are going to worry about it at all worry about it then.
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Re: Caloric needs [TriBriGuy] [ In reply to ]
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I am a grazer, I eat breakfast (300-500c) every morning, without fail, and do not have huge meals (but instead have about 6 smallish meals throughout the day). My co-workers say I'm always eating.

And as for weigh-ins, yep I do it every morning at the same time, after the same routine (evacuation - for lack of a better term ;-)).

I think I need to get my BF measured first. The comment about fat vs. muscle is a good one, and I really don't know where I stand. I am pretty certain I'm in the mid-twenties, which is still a bit high. But when I run, you can see that I still have lots of weight to lose ;-) ha ha. And based on the amount of training I do, at a variety of intensities, I know I should be closer to or below 20% BF.

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"How bad could it be?" - SimpleS
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Re: Caloric needs [AndyPants] [ In reply to ]
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I am aware of a number of athletes who are very cyclic in their fitness/weight training programs. By this I mean that no matter what they do they generally gain or maintain weight in the winter months and loose weight in the summer months. This has a lot to do with their training as they are more inclined to lift weights and do shorter training runs/rides in the winter then summer. It may help you to do the LSD runs and rides of 3 or more hours as I have read a number of reports that indicate that this is the way to really drop the pounds. You may find this helpful. Your bodies bony structure will also play a large role in how much weight you can loose. Just go chat with any wrestler from the HS or college and they will give you all the tips you want on loosing weight; however, I would not concern myself with just a couple pounds.

Greg
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