let's give this a try...

here are some things i've posted over in the nutrition area, but i wanted feedback from the wise losers over here in tri'ing for weightloss. please let me know what you think of my plan and my attempt at math

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most books and articles i read say to cut 500 (calories), and then to add more activity, but don't say if you should add additional calories when adding activity. i'm not just adding a walk around the block though - some of workout days i burn up 2000+ calories, so the question of how much of that to replace gets confusing. replacing all of it seems like a LOT of calories. so, 75% 50%? 25%? i've read you should replace all but what you would have burned anyway (for your regular activity level). just using the calculators is also confusing, since it give a general activity level. if i put in 'very active', which i am most days, then the number is much higher than on a moderate activity level day or rest day. so, it seems simpler to me to start with a base (probably 1600-1700), and replace calories according to the workouts for that specific day (and as matt said, replace much of them before, during, and after the workout, which i have been better about lately and it has made a difference in my energy level - especially recovery foods/drinks within 30 minutes of a workout).

right now if i calculate my calories by saying i'm in the 'very light to moderate activity' category (which is how i am when NOT workout out - walking, housework, chasing kids, etc.) i should be eating about 2100 calories a day to maintain my weight. a 500 calorie reduction brings me to around 1600 calories a day. this is about what i've been eating the last two months. what you're saying is that i should replace ALL of the calories i burn in workout out? that would put me at about 3100 calories for today (1500 for a run). even if i deduct what i would be burning during that time had i not been running (lets say 350 for some light housework and sitting on my tail reading stories to fi or checking email and bt - so, 1150 calories), the total is 2750. that seems like a LOT to me. today i did what i've been doing - adding 25% back in - so a total intake of about 2000 for the day.

SO, lets say every day was like today - assume i should be eating 2100 to maintain my weight 1600 to lose 1 lb a week. i burned 1150 extra calories from working out (1500 from running - 350 what i'd be doing instead), i should loose 2 lbs a week. if i deduct another 500 that would be a deficit of 1650. that same articles that say cut 500, also say don't cut more than 1000. if that applies to both calories in and calories burned from workouts, then i would be burning 650 over that max. hmmmm.

okay, so i think i have a plan, and let me know what you think:

1. have a base calorie intake (rest day activity level) of 1600. this is a 500 calorie deficit from my 'maintain weight' daily requirement of 2100. on a rest day, stay around 1600 calories.

2. for workout days, add in the calories burned during the workout (hrm seems high, so maybe get the number from calorie king, which tends to be a lower number - for example, 1500 today) MINUS the calories i'd be buring for the same time on a rest day (caloried burned sitting on my tush or light housework - for example, 350 for today). allow for up to 500 less than that total number (using today as an example - eating between 2250-2750 on a day like today, so a 500-1000 deficit total - but not going below a 1000 total deficit). as much as possible, get these extra calories in before, during, and after a workout, focusing on balanced foods.

3. cut out sugar and as much dairy as i can stand, to help with avoiding future colds (different subject, but a bit related to the above).


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okay, believe it or not, i think this is going to simplify things for me. i actually wrote out a formula! this is what i've been looking for but have never found in all my looking. here is the formula i am going to try out for the month of march:

bmr + (calories burned for workout(s) - (alternative calorie burn(s) + 500)) = total daily intake

so, using today as an example...

my daily bmr + (calories burned on 9.5 mile run - (calories i would have burned putzing around the house during the time i was running + 500)) = my daily intake

OR

1521 + (1631 - (420 + 500)) = 1521 + (1631 - 711) = 1521 + 920 = 2441

today i actually took in an extra 630 calories aimed at my workout - a clif shot right before, electrolyte drink during, and a power bar and recovery drink after (i know, i know, kristi - no REAL food ). i wasn't able to take in all 920 during the run, but at least i took in well over half surrounding the activity itself.

SO, this means i should have a 500 calorie deficit on rest days, and up to 1000 calorie deficit on workout days. i'll also allow myself to fluctuate between 500-1000 on workout days, depending on how i feel.

of course, then i have to figure out the carb/protein thing too...but the way my nutrition program is set up, i can only set up daily values for my base level of calories. i altered them up a bit, based on the formulas in monique ryan's book (sports nutrition for endurance athletes) so it will look like this (may be hard to meet the carb/protein levels on a rest day, but will hopefully be right on for workout days): 1521 calories, 42.5g fat, 120g protein, 360g carb, 25g fiber

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okay, what do you all think of this??? too many calories???? anything over 2000 seems like a lot to me, but i think my body isn't getting what it needs. nothing i've seen so far has really given me a full picture of what i should be doing, so this is my attempt at figuring out the details (and the math) in a way that will adapt to each individual day w/out being such a headache.