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Hi guys,
I apologise in advance for the length of this post but I want to include all relevant info so I can get accurate advice. Any help will be greatly appreciated!!
I am female, 23, 5'9" and 140 pounds. I have a bf% of between
14 and 15% (last measured with calipers a few weeks ago). I have been training for 10 months - weights 3 times a week, with 30 min of cardio on those days also, and pure cardio 2 times a week for an hour. I have been changing up my weights regularly - my trainer has been gradually increasing the intensity, and I get a new upper body programme every two weeks and a new lower body one two weeks after that, so I do each of the two programmes for a month. I do HIIT for most of my cardio - I use the elliptical a lot, and the stepper, treadmill, bike and rower as well, although not quite as much. I try to mix my usage of the cardio machines around as much as possible, as well as mixing the intensity etc. On my cardio days I burn between 800 and 900 cal and on my weights days I burn about 500 cal doing cardio, plus whatever from the weights. I train 5 times a week religiously. I also work in a tall building so three times a day, I climb up eight floors, usually two steps at a time (intense!!), which I guess alone equates to quite a lot of activity over time even without the gym.
My question relates to diet - I used to weigh about 30 pounds more than I do now - I ate lots of junk and didn't really exercise. About 5 years ago I started the WeightWatchers points system and lost 30 pounds, but a lot of that was probably muscle although I didn't realise that at the time. Since I have been training I have put on about 10 pounds, but I think that is muscle because I can now see a lot of definition and my bf% has dropped by a few percent (was about 16-17% when I started training.) My goals are basically to look toned, fit and lean, but not actually get to competition standard or anything.
Anyway, I have consistently eaten about 18-20 WW points a day for the last five years (with occasional meals out, treats etc) and didn't up my points when I started training. I was stupid and thought the more extra calories I burnt and didn't replace, the better. However, although I am very slim and pretty happy with how I look, I seem to have come to a plateau - I would still like to lose a bit a weight from my thighs/butt - and I have realised from reading this site that I am probably not eating anywhere near enough. In the last couple of weeks I have decided to consciously try and remove myself from the need I feel to stick to the WW points (I have become so used to them I find I instinctively think of everything as a certain number of points - i.e. one point is between 50 and 100 cal, or approx 300-400 kj so if I eat something I term "bad," that takes me over my points for the day, I immediately feel fat!!) I do, however, reasonably regularly, have a bit of cake, chocolate, pizza etc, and I don't usually find it makes any difference at all to my figure.
I basically just need advice on how much I should actually be eating. I have started to add in a couple of tins of tuna a day for the protein, plus more milk and yogurt (my diet consists largely of carbs at present - bread, cereal, vegetables, fruit - probably not anywhere near as much protein as I need). I figure on the points I have probably been having somewhere around 1400-1500 cal a day ever since I have been training and that doesn't account for the cals I have been burning through exercise. Does anyone have any ideas for me on how much they think I SHOULD be eating?
Many thanks for any help!! If you need any more info, just yell!!
Cheers,
Hannah
I apologise in advance for the length of this post but I want to include all relevant info so I can get accurate advice. Any help will be greatly appreciated!!
I am female, 23, 5'9" and 140 pounds. I have a bf% of between
14 and 15% (last measured with calipers a few weeks ago). I have been training for 10 months - weights 3 times a week, with 30 min of cardio on those days also, and pure cardio 2 times a week for an hour. I have been changing up my weights regularly - my trainer has been gradually increasing the intensity, and I get a new upper body programme every two weeks and a new lower body one two weeks after that, so I do each of the two programmes for a month. I do HIIT for most of my cardio - I use the elliptical a lot, and the stepper, treadmill, bike and rower as well, although not quite as much. I try to mix my usage of the cardio machines around as much as possible, as well as mixing the intensity etc. On my cardio days I burn between 800 and 900 cal and on my weights days I burn about 500 cal doing cardio, plus whatever from the weights. I train 5 times a week religiously. I also work in a tall building so three times a day, I climb up eight floors, usually two steps at a time (intense!!), which I guess alone equates to quite a lot of activity over time even without the gym.
My question relates to diet - I used to weigh about 30 pounds more than I do now - I ate lots of junk and didn't really exercise. About 5 years ago I started the WeightWatchers points system and lost 30 pounds, but a lot of that was probably muscle although I didn't realise that at the time. Since I have been training I have put on about 10 pounds, but I think that is muscle because I can now see a lot of definition and my bf% has dropped by a few percent (was about 16-17% when I started training.) My goals are basically to look toned, fit and lean, but not actually get to competition standard or anything.
Anyway, I have consistently eaten about 18-20 WW points a day for the last five years (with occasional meals out, treats etc) and didn't up my points when I started training. I was stupid and thought the more extra calories I burnt and didn't replace, the better. However, although I am very slim and pretty happy with how I look, I seem to have come to a plateau - I would still like to lose a bit a weight from my thighs/butt - and I have realised from reading this site that I am probably not eating anywhere near enough. In the last couple of weeks I have decided to consciously try and remove myself from the need I feel to stick to the WW points (I have become so used to them I find I instinctively think of everything as a certain number of points - i.e. one point is between 50 and 100 cal, or approx 300-400 kj so if I eat something I term "bad," that takes me over my points for the day, I immediately feel fat!!) I do, however, reasonably regularly, have a bit of cake, chocolate, pizza etc, and I don't usually find it makes any difference at all to my figure.
I basically just need advice on how much I should actually be eating. I have started to add in a couple of tins of tuna a day for the protein, plus more milk and yogurt (my diet consists largely of carbs at present - bread, cereal, vegetables, fruit - probably not anywhere near as much protein as I need). I figure on the points I have probably been having somewhere around 1400-1500 cal a day ever since I have been training and that doesn't account for the cals I have been burning through exercise. Does anyone have any ideas for me on how much they think I SHOULD be eating?
Many thanks for any help!! If you need any more info, just yell!!
Cheers,
Hannah
