Training hard, but not maintaining well ...

So I've seen quite a few very active people around on this forum, and i was hoping to get some advice on maintaining my weight while changing my training.

I was hanging out around 131-133 all summer long, and being very active (I carried golf bags for my summer job, ran 6 days a week~ 5-8 miles per day, lifted 3 days a week, and had 2-3 hour frisbee practice 3 days a week- tell me about crazy fun way to spend the summer!!). I didn't find it too hard to maintain then- it was very easy for me to go up from my run down end of season weight (125)!

I dropped down my activity level for the start of the school year, doing just 2 hours at captain's practice per day (run, lift, sprints, etc) and maintained fine. Then, we jumped into real conditioning with the team, and since then I've dropped to 129.0- and this had been a consistent weight this week (so 2 weeks and - 2 lbs). This would't be a problem if I hadn't started to feel slower! At the start of preseason, even on our 3rd hard day in a row, it was easy as pie! I feel like my legs don't have the get-up-and-go right now! I'm competitive, so being demoted from front of the pack to 2nd or 3rd is KILLER haha...  (please don't be mean about 2-4 lbs  and say its nothing- I can feel the difference and my workouts have shown it a little this week)

So... any ideas on helping my body get itself into maintenance again?

Original Post by thatrunnergrl:

So I've seen quite a few very active people around on this forum, and i was hoping to get some advice on maintaining my weight while changing my training.

I was hanging out around 131-133 all summer long, and being very active (I carried golf bags for my summer job, ran 6 days a week~ 5-8 miles per day, lifted 3 days a week, and had 2-3 hour frisbee practice 3 days a week- tell me about crazy fun way to spend the summer!!). I didn't find it too hard to maintain then- it was very easy for me to go up from my run down end of season weight (125)!

I dropped down my activity level for the start of the school year, doing just 2 hours at captain's practice per day (run, lift, sprints, etc) and maintained fine. Then, we jumped into real conditioning with the team, and since then I've dropped to 129.0- and this had been a consistent weight this week (so 2 weeks and - 2 lbs). This would't be a problem if I hadn't started to feel slower! At the start of preseason, even on our 3rd hard day in a row, it was easy as pie! I feel like my legs don't have the get-up-and-go right now! I'm competitive, so being demoted from front of the pack to 2nd or 3rd is KILLER haha...  (please don't be mean about 2-4 lbs  and say its nothing- I can feel the difference and my workouts have shown it a little this week)

 

So... any ideas on helping my body get itself into maintenance again?

 maybe you need more food?, also you could just be in need of a break sometimes you need a week of no excersize, then you will have time to heal~erica..just 1 week and you should be golden

Haha....  week off of track? In may.... indoor then outdoor, then I get a few days off before summer maintenance. Thanks though =) I usually sneak in a day off once every few weeks until the season starts ^__^

Hi, I know it's been a bit since you posted...but did you try upping your protein?  Also making sure you're getting enough complex carbs?  Especially as active as you are, you'll definitely need it.  I run 30-40 miles per week (depending on time), plus 3 days of lifting, and I find I can eat an insane amount without gaining--and I try to keep my protein intake high w/ plenty of complex carbs.  Seems to help my energy level quite a bit.  If I don't eat enough I feel like pooooo on my runs.  Good luck!

Hi there, i am new to cc and am not sure if i have come to the right place but you guys seemed to help each other out so il give it a go...

my name is phoebe im from sydney australia, im 23, female, 5'3 and weight about 52 kg (114 pounds?) I go to the gym 5 days a week (doing 50 mins cardio from mon-thurs sessions and circuit training on friday, plus on the weekend i swim or take an aerobics class) I mostly jog do the cross trainer, bike and 3 times a week i add on 20 mins of HITT sprints. I am also at uni and walk everywhere as i dont have a car. I have been told that to keep weight off i need to eat 1500 calories. I try to stick to this, and am very particular about diet, i eat no white bread flour ect, no fried food, cakes sweets etc and take pride in healthy eating, even avoiding dairy sometimes. yet i have been told that i am not eating enough, i find that food is always on my mind, and not bad food, healthy food like il crave yogurtand fruit and nuts and lean meats etc.. the other day i binged on half a box of muesli after dinner it was like a mind body disconnect, i didnt think i just needed it.. i felt so guilty after wards too...

what do you think i am doing wrong. i am not overweight but am trying to tone up and lose excess body fat, i have started mixing up excercise routines and adding intervals but i think i have plateaued... does anyone have any advice, i have no one to talk to about this...

thanks for your time guys :)

Hi Phoebe,

It sounds like you are not eating enough.  According to the calorie target tool, a woman your age & size with a very active lifestyle should consume 2,141 calories per day to maintain.  It sounds like you definitely need to eat more and don't worry about eating foods higher in fat (like dairy or meat, if you're not a vegetarian) because as long as you burn off the calories, your body will continue to shed excess fat.  Try eating 1800-1900 calories per day - you may only lose 1/2 lb/week, but your body will not be in starvation mode, clinging to whatever fat reserves you may have.

Good luck!

Original Post by phoebe_iw:

Hi there, i am new to cc and am not sure if i have come to the right place but you guys seemed to help each other out so il give it a go...

my name is phoebe im from sydney australia, im 23, female, 5'3 and weight about 52 kg (114 pounds?) I go to the gym 5 days a week (doing 50 mins cardio from mon-thurs sessions and circuit training on friday, plus on the weekend i swim or take an aerobics class) I mostly jog do the cross trainer, bike and 3 times a week i add on 20 mins of HITT sprints. I am also at uni and walk everywhere as i dont have a car. I have been told that to keep weight off i need to eat 1500 calories. I try to stick to this, and am very particular about diet, i eat no white bread flour ect, no fried food, cakes sweets etc and take pride in healthy eating, even avoiding dairy sometimes. yet i have been told that i am not eating enough, i find that food is always on my mind, and not bad food, healthy food like il crave yogurtand fruit and nuts and lean meats etc.. the other day i binged on half a box of muesli after dinner it was like a mind body disconnect, i didnt think i just needed it.. i felt so guilty after wards too...

what do you think i am doing wrong. i am not overweight but am trying to tone up and lose excess body fat, i have started mixing up excercise routines and adding intervals but i think i have plateaued... does anyone have any advice, i have no one to talk to about this...

thanks for your time guys :)

 Phoebe - I am going to take a stab at this, and suggest that you don't have any excess body fat to lose, weighing what you weigh now. It sounds as if you need to eat to maintain, and I don't believe 1500 calories is maintenance for you, based on your age and activity. When you are hungry, you are craving protein - not junk food, but protein. That is a big red flag that you need to eat, and you need to eat protein. Try using the food log here and log what you eat, then click on analysis and see how much protein you have been eating on your limited calorie intake - I'll guess it's nowhere near enough. it should be about 20-25% of your calories - maybe even more with your activity. The experts here would be able to better answer this than me.

Welcome to CC, by the way! This is a great website and a wonderful resource for healthy eating and healthy living. Feel free to start a new thread when you have a question - it makes it easier for everyone here to see what you are asking and to give you good advice!

thanks annie... great to get advice and yes i am so happy to have found cc, as i have no one else to talk about this stuff with..

i understand what you are saying, i guess im just trying to get more toned and see excess as fat... i am slowly upping my intake of food and eating more protein and re introducing carbs and not seeing them as the devil! :)

i am scared if i stop excercising everyday that il put on weight.. if i drop down to 5 days a week will i see a difference in my body do you think?

i have been trying to stick to a 1500 calories a day because i have been reading about how celebrities etc stay slim and they seem to do all the same exercise and only eat 1500 calories, how come they dont burn out like me???

when you say maintain, does that mean if i keep exercising the way i am i need to eat more calories just to maintain the weight i am at now, if i drop in exercise to 5 days a week, should i keep calories low to compensate for lack of activity?