Starting Over

Hi everyone!

I feel like I am starting over somewhat with my fitness journey - over the last two years I lost 30kg and started lifting, I am a mother of two who has had weight and eating disorder issues for as long as I can remember, but at 33 have finally found a healthier relationship with my body, focusing on the weight on the bar instead of the weight on the scale and marveling over my sudden guns haha, however, since going vegan just over 6 months ago, being sick for about 2 months and the onset of cold weather, I have managed to regain almost 10kgs and have fallen out of my healthy routines.

I am putting together a new lifting routine today, but am feeling a bit lost with regards to food/diet, not knowing whether I should aim for a deficit to get rid of the fat or maintenance cals to get my muscle gain back on track, plus I am really having trouble getting my protein levels high enough, but that is why I'm here! I plan to read, read, read, read and read some more and am feeling positive that I can get back into it and see progress once again.

Just thought I would say hi before I start jumping in here, there and everywhere and asking questions of you all!

Hi there!

Been a busy 2015 but getting back engaged with the forums again!

Will give you some of my opinions/advice too.

Don't fret about the ups/downs, happens to everyone to some degree -- only human.

So as I read, you've the awesome combined goals of both losing the extra non-functioning weight and firming/strenthening up the rest. Complimentary goals so good for you.

A few immediate things, and some suggestions...

1) generally we're WAY over sold on the amount of protein we need. Eat a calorie sufficient, plant-based whole foods diet with a variety of plants, fruits, nuts, beans and you'll get more than enough protein. With the over-emphasis on tons of products in the grocery store you'd think we had a raging protein deficiency crisis in the USA....the opposite is true. Most people get way more than they need, and surprise -- too much can get stored as fat in your body.

2) Cals: Couple of things here, first, you should go and check out your BMR which given your specific stats will tell you how many calories you need per day just doing nothing...just existing. Then check out your Harris-Benedict # and align with your activity levels and goals. THEN, once you get a good vector, I'd suggest taking some before pics and taking measurements of all the right areas. As your body changes, the scale is only 1 tool in tracking your progress. How your clothes fit, how you look in the mirror are beneficial too. Losing non-functioning weight and replacing it with muscle can give false progress reporting just by using the scale. You could stay the same weight be really transform your body.

Lastly, all calories are NOT equal in their nutritional make up and the micro-nutrients contained with in. So, to better help, how about sharing what a typical days foods are? You should eat like 5-6x a day, breakfast, snack, lunch, snack, dinner, snack, sorta grazing all day long. But time and size your meals/snacks based on either what you just did, or what you are just about to do (relative to physical activities)...

Look forward to your response...