How many calories a day?

[BGriffin]

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I agree with you on the benefits of strength training, but right now all my time goes to cardio, with a full body workout thrown in once a week (bench, military, pullups, seated rows, deadlift). It's really hard to gain real muscle when on a caloric deficit (I'm almost 1000 cals under what I need in a day), and I'm very scared of injury because I feel weak right now. Plus, strength training is much more difficult than cardio... I'd rather watch a nice tv show on the elliptical than have to concentrate and lift stuff 😀.

I agree it is difficult to gain muscle on a hypocaloric diet (even on anabolic steroids), but the reason to continue to do resistance training as you lose weight is to keep your body from jettisoning too much muscle mass. Are you on a strict time table to try to lose weight? If not, a 500 calorie daily deficit might be more reasonable, especially if you want to maintain a decent amount of lean mass. It's much easier to not lose muscle in the first place than to lose it, then try to build it back up.

 

[hb2998]

I agree it is difficult to gain muscle on a hypocaloric diet (even on anabolic steroids), but the reason to continue to do resistance training as you lose weight is to keep your body from jettisoning too much muscle mass. Are you on a strict time table to try to lose weight? If not, a 500 calorie daily deficit might be more reasonable, especially if you want to maintain a decent amount of lean mass. It's much easier to not lose muscle in the first place than to lose it, then try to build it back up.

I'm trying to lose all the fat before June, so that when I start studying hardcore for the boards I'm not depriving myself of food. Of course I'll still keep a 6 meal a day diet, but I feel like I drop IQ points being on this diet. I want to get off it ASAP so I could eat alright before the boards.

To help keep muscle mass, I eat a lot of protein:

6 egg whites for breakfast with low cal bread
several chicken breast and sauteed veggie meals per day
whey protein & oat meal
canned tuna with a fork (yeah.. not my favorite 😳)
sandwiches with 4oz of chicken breast deli meat

I also do one full body workout a week. High reps (12) and pretty darn heavy, although I used to easily bench 85lb dumbels on each arm, after losing all this weight, I struggle with 65s. I'm counting for muscle memory.

 

[BGriffin]

I'm trying to lose all the fat before June, so that when I start studying hardcore for the boards I'm not depriving myself of food. Of course I'll still keep a 6 meal a day diet, but I feel like I drop IQ points being on this diet. I want to get off it ASAP so I could eat alright before the boards.

To help keep muscle mass, I eat a lot of protein:

6 egg whites for breakfast with low cal bread
several chicken breast and sauteed veggie meals per day
whey protein & oat meal
canned tuna with a fork (yeah.. not my favorite 😳)
sandwiches with 4oz of chicken breast deli meat

I also do one full body workout a week. High reps (12) and pretty darn heavy, although I used to easily bench 85lb dumbels on each arm, after losing all this weight, I struggle with 65s. I'm counting for muscle memory.

That sounds reasonable, although it's not the way I would do it personally. Granted, I've never struggled with excess body fat--I've lifted heavy since college, and the muscle has made it hard to keep bodyweight on unless I'm consuming >3500 cals/day. How much did you weigh at the beginning of your wt loss and how much do you weigh currently?

 

[ThinkTooMuch]

look into some anti-cortisol supps. i know there is no 100% OMG IT WORKS proof but the info out there and my personal exp says is helpfull in helping prevent fat gain during times of stress. and try not to eat any carbs 3-4 hours before sleep. this will help maximize GH release while you are sleeping.


as far as gaining lean mass on calorie deficit...how fat are you? 🙂 The more fat you are carrying around the easier it will be for you to lose fat/gain muscle at same time. you body is not like a tank of gas. when you give your body less fule than it needs it doesnt just stop. it goes and takes what it needs from your fat reserves.

 

[hb2998]

That sounds reasonable, although it's not the way I would do it personally. Granted, I've never struggled with excess body fat--I've lifted heavy since college, and the muscle has made it hard to keep bodyweight on unless I'm consuming >3500 cals/day. How much did you weigh at the beginning of your wt loss and how much do you weigh currently?

I'm 5'10, I started at 212.. I was 169.5 this afternoon. My goal is to lose another 20, and then start lifting and eating like an animal 😀. I'm hoping to gain about 20 pounds of muscle after I'm done, so I'll settle at around 170 (with about 20 pounds more muscle than I have today).

[oh yeah, I'm gonna do the muscle gain thing gradually with some cardio here and there to make sure I don't pick up too much fat.]

 

[hb2998]

look into some anti-cortisol supps. i know there is no 100% OMG IT WORKS proof but the info out there and my personal exp says is helpfull in helping prevent fat gain during times of stress. and try not to eat any carbs 3-4 hours before sleep. this will help maximize GH release while you are sleeping.


as far as gaining lean mass on calorie deficit...how fat are you? 🙂 The more fat you are carrying around the easier it will be for you to lose fat/gain muscle at same time. you body is not like a tank of gas. when you give your body less fule than it needs it doesnt just stop. it goes and takes what it needs from your fat reserves.

Dude, I don't want to lose weight that bad... from what I've learned in physio.. cortisol is pretty dang important. Honestly, good old watching what I eat and exercising has done wonders so far. I have yet to hit a plateau, everytime I've felt like my weight wasn't coming down, I wait 2-3 days, and boom I drop another 2 pounds.

I was pretty fat man.. I think 212 is too much when you can do something about it. Now I'm at 169, I know my body wants to go back to 212... this is not the first time I've lost significant weight... I went from 218->175 6 years ago on the Atkins diet (god awful miserable diet, but it works if you don't cheat at all). My way of making sure I don't rebound this time is by gaining some muscle to improve my BMR, and I hope I never stop doing cardio. [I couldn't run the mile back in highschool, now I can run 6 no problem].

For some reason guys associate great bodies with a lot muscle (I do too), but it takes a lot of calories to grow it all, and even pro-bodybuilders go through a cutting phase to just get rid of all the fat you inevitably gain when lifting/eating like an animal. In the gym I see a lot of guys who have great muscles, are very powerful, but have a huge gut... I guess they forget that you gotta watch out how much fat your gaining. Thats not the type of body I ever wanted.

 

[masterofmonkeys]

look into some anti-cortisol supps. i know there is no 100% OMG IT WORKS proof but the info out there and my personal exp says is helpfull in helping prevent fat gain during times of stress. and try not to eat any carbs 3-4 hours before sleep. this will help maximize GH release while you are sleeping.

ZMA and phosphatidylserine are probably the only two anti-cortisol supps with any kind of validation to them at all. A small amt of casein protein before bed will help as well.

 

[masterofmonkeys]

I was pretty fat man.. I think 212 is too much when you can do something about it. Now I'm at 169, I know my body wants to go back to 212

Well, your body is in a massive stress-starvation state from all the dieting, the very same state that causes your body to put on fat in the first place. Which is why traditional kamikaze dieting methods are often self-defeating.

My approach to weight loss (in other people lol I am happy with my love handles) is instead of trying to 'lose weight' trying to put the body in a high energy state. Interval training instead of traditional cardio (more calorie burn in the same amt of time, greater excess post-exercise oxygen consumption--i.e. burning calories after the session is over, and increased BMR--as opposed to decreased BMR with traditional cardio), and high intensity muscle work.

I see plenty of fat joggers. Never seen a fat sprinter though...

 

[brenster99]

i see plenty of fat joggers. Never seen a fat sprinter though...

big lol!!!!!

 

[DominicanaMD]

I do not count calories but I make sure to have healthy snacks handy (dried fruit or almonds) and when eating out or hospital cafeteria I always go w/soup or salad. I find I'm much more productive when I consume light healthy meals. Finding time work out seems impossible at times between an unpredictable clerkship schedule & studying but I make it a point to go out and run or bike whenever I have free time.

 

[brenster99]

I do not count calories but I make sure to have healthy snacks handy (dried fruit or almonds) and when eating out or hospital cafeteria I always go w/soup or salad. I find I'm much more productive when I consume light healthy meals. Finding time work out seems impossible at times between an unpredictable clerkship schedule & studying but I make it a point to go out and run or bike whenever I have free time.

This isn't necessarily true everywhere, but i wouldn't say a soup would be "light".... they are usually not that great for you, but incredible delicious.

 

[amidoinitrite]

1) Eat Less

2) Work out more

3) ????


4) Profit!


👍

 

[CanIMakeIt]

I use Harris Benedict Formula.

First calculate what your basic metabolic rate is:

English BMR Formula

Women: BMR = 655 + ( 4.35 x weight in pounds ) + ( 4.7 x height in inches ) - ( 4.7 x age in years )

Men: BMR = 66 + ( 6.23 x weight in pounds ) + ( 12.7 x height in inches ) - ( 6.8 x age in year )

then to determine your total daily calorie needs, multiply your BMR by the appropriate activity factor, as follows:
1. If you are sedentary (little or no exercise) : Calorie-Calculation = BMR x 1.2
2. If you are lightly active (light exercise/sports 1-3 days/week) : Calorie-Calculation = BMR x 1.375
3. If you are moderatetely active (moderate exercise/sports 3-5 days/week) : Calorie-Calculation = BMR x 1.55
4. If you are very active (hard exercise/sports 6-7 days a week) : Calorie-Calculation = BMR x 1.725
5. If you are extra active (very hard exercise/sports & physical job or 2x training) : Calorie-Calculation = BMR x 1.9


and if you want to lose weight, then you should have 500 Calorie deficit/day and that should make u lose a pound a week (a pound of fat ~ 3500 Cals)

there you go 🙂

 

[Slow]

[lalala