Calories Deficit, am I doing it right?

[bpf53]

Hello everyone I’m 5’3 27 years old and I weigh 130 I’m trying to get down to 125 or lower so I’ve been eating around 1300 calories or less a day.

I walk 8-10k steps a day and every day including the weekends I go to the gym and do the elliptical 20mins and strength training mainly in my arms and cores exercises.
The day I don’t go to the gym I do a 25 min Pilates workout at home

As well I spend the day moving around cleaning or cooking.

My meals consist of sourdough bread and hi made blueberries Jam in the morning with bacon, avocado and oranges

For dinner I usually eat a plate of rice with chicken and avocado on the side

I sleep throughout the night the only thing I’m trying to get better at is consuming water

I used to have a Coca Cola addiction now I replaced it with water or brisk iced tea I usually drink 2 of those a day and then water

I’m also taking magnesium citrate, vitamin D3, vitamin B12, and L cartintine

Is there anything else you can recommend for me?

Before you say it might be my hormones or thyroid I did get my levels checked out in March and everything was in range.

 

[artless_ascetic]

@bpf53 Doesn’t matter what you eat, it’s how much. You would need to fully weigh and count calories in order to know if you’re in a deficit… but 1300 seems low considering how active you are?

 

[bpf53]

@artless_ascetic I put in my height weight in a calorie deficit online and they told me to stay under 1360. I feel like it’s low as well but here I’m not really losing weight. I thank my Calories in my fitness pal on my iPhone and try to get it as accurate as I can

 

[gladius]

@bpf53 are you weighing your food or just guessing?

 

[sweettia4christ]

@bpf53 Hi! I’m 5’3, 28, and 130 lbs too. I’m eating 1800 cals everyday, HIIT 4x/ week.

Have you done an inBody scan? Also you might have to start weighing your food to be more accurate when you use FitnessPal.

 

[bpf53]

@sweettia4christ What is a inbody scan?

I’m thinking of buying a scale as well to measure out my protein

 

[rodneys]

@bpf53 How long has it been since you started this routine? Remember it takes at the very least six weeks to notice extremely small changes so if it’s been close to or less than that, you’re just not giving your body enough time to adjust.

That aside, you don’t seem to be consuming enough food for an extremely high-level of exercise. Under eating combined with a very imbalanced workout routine, as you’ve described, puts you at a really really high risk for injury. Putting your body under a necessary stress like this can also make it more difficult for you to lose weight because stress does weird things to our bodies. I would very strongly, recommend drastically increasing the amount that you eat, I’ll be at slowly to make it easier on your stomach, and following a well-rounded workout routine designed by fitness professional, instead of working out the same two muscle groups six days a week.

 

[bpf53]

@rodneys Eating more isn’t the issue and I don’t think the exercise I’m performing are going to injury me..

I’ve been on this routine for a month now.

I don’t mind eating more my issue is the moment I start to eat pass 1300 calories I start to gain the weight even with the excersing maybe it is what I’m consuming like how the other Reddit users said consume more protein

 

[rodneys]

@bpf53 There is NO way you are gaining fat if you eat a little over 1300 calories with this much exercise. It’s probably just water retention.

I didn’t say the specific exercises are going to hurt you—but core training six days a week is way too much. You’re going to tire out your muscles and get hurt. You’re also not doing any lower body. This is not a balanced routine which is ineffective and unsafe. A balanced strength training routine is EXTREMELY important.

Respectfully, increasing your protein intake isnt going to do much if you don’t address the other concerns. There are a LOT of misconceptions in your post and your comments. Working with a professional would be really beneficial to help you understand the basics so that you make safer choices.

 

[tobyp]

@bpf53 Not sure what calculator you are using. I put your stats in at lightly active and you have a TDEE of almost 1800. But if you're going to the gym every day you might be closer to 2000 for your TDEE.

You need protein to grow muscles. If you are in a calorie deficit and not eating enough protein you will lose your lean muscle mass. Losing lean muscle mass will lower your metabolic rate.

You don't mention how much chicken and bacon you're eating but it does not sound like you are getting enough protein. Most people recommend 1g/kg of body weight. And unless you're eating like an entire chicken at dinner you probably arent even getting 50g

 

[bpf53]

@tobyp I was focusing on consuming more fiber to heal my gut but I’m going to look into adding my protein into my meals

For breakfast I usually have 3 slices of bacons and avocado and fruits (I’m allergic to eggs)

Dinner I would have a chicken breast to myself with rice or mashed potatoes but you’re right I need to consume more protein.

My legs and arms are toned but my stomach especially after having my child gives my body the impression of skinny fat so Its been tuff

 

[tobyp]

@bpf53 Yep definitely need to eat more protein. Eat high protein and do some strength training and you'll be able to build some muscles that will help with the skinny fat