Am I eating too many calories for my activity level?
Asked by anonymous on Jan 08, 2009
in Fitness
For 2-3 days a week, I do 20 minutes of cardio exercise and 1 hour of body pump (low weight/high rep), and one day a week, I do “Body Attack”, a 1 hour aerobics class. I've been taking in about 1500 calories a day but I am gaining weight and my muscles are not getting any bigger. I want to lose about 5 lb. I'm 23, 130lb, 5'7, and female. I really just don't know what to do.
Answer
You need 1900 calories a day to maintain your present weight, which is perfect at BMI 21. But on 1500 calories, you should lose 2 – 3 lbs a month. Might you be eating more than you realize? Many people do not accurately estimate the size of their portions and neglect to log everything they eat. Or perhaps you are losing weight but do not see it because you are fooled by day-to-day variations. You might jump start weight loss by changing the time when you eat. Exercise 4 hours after a major meal and eat a meal within 30 minutes of your workout. If none of this helps, then I'll assume that your body is wisely defending its set point.
How often should you eat during the day?
It is neither necessary to eat every two hours nor to stop eating at 6:00 PM. As long as your calorie intake is less than your output... Read more
