I’ve been monitoring my calories/macros very closely lately trying to get a better idea of how my body is reacting from what I’ve been putting into it. I’m not very big by any means, about 170lbs kinda soft. 170 x 13 as a maintenance multiplier = 2210 kcal, which isn’t a whole lot of food.
From reading some of the posts/articles, Dr. Clay Hyght’s interview:
and one from caveman that I pulled from this thread:
Both of these guys are pretty large, lean, and muscular, but don’t require a whole lot of food for maintenance. Dr. Clay’s was like 2200-2400 kcal/day and caveman’s was like bwx13 which I had to be 2800 kcal. Still not a lot of food. Compared to somebody like Berardi who says he needs 4500 kcal a day, which is a lot of food.
Understanding that people have different metabolisms, training routines, daily activity levels, etc., I was wondering what people’s maintenance intake of kcal is. Maybe post sex/bodyweight/~lbm/height/work type (like office work, construction, etc)/kcal intake for maintenance. I just kinda want to see what the spread looks like.
My maintenance is around 3,300-3,500cals/day, I think. It used to be around 2,900, but not anymore. I’ve been eating 3,000-3,100cals for the last 5 weeks and have been losing weight (about 10 lbs).
[quote]debraD wrote:
I just plugged today into fitday and got ~3400. I think I might be overeating considering what you guys are saying you eat.[/quote]
If you aren’t gaining weight, then I wouldn’t say you were overeating. You did say you were very active.
I’m just now returning to the gym from injury, so I’m not sure what my maintenance will be once I’m back to my old level of activity. I’m still taking it pretty easy on my lower body days (it was a glute issue) and I’m slowly working back into it with both the calories and activity.
I always thought maintenance was around (BW X 15), so that a 20% reduction would mean (BW x 12) and a 20% increase would mean (BW x 18). Simple, yet just a guideline.
Now, the question is, I have seen reference to LBM and BW used for the calculation. Which is it? Does it really matter?
I would assume using BW is better since our bodies seem to acquire a ‘memory effect’ when it comes to overall body weight…
[quote]Trenchant wrote:
I lost a pound last week on 4200-4300 cals on training days.
So I guess maintainance is around 4500ish.
I’m 170lbs…so I guess I’m more like Berardi.[/quote]
So when you calculate maintenance based on activity factor like Berardi lays out, do you just take that number and add/subtract 20% or so as a guideline for gaining/losing?
I always get confused when I calculate that shit. Seems like my final calculation is MAINTENANCE and I should be adding cals if I want to grow.
I’m 5’7 150 lbs and calculated 3500 to gain (that’s 30% over maintenance) on lifting days (activity factor of 1.6, 1:15 hr workouts).
I can see where people recommend to not even count calories and just learn your body.
So when you calculate maintenance based on activity factor like Berardi lays out, do you just take that number and add/subtract 20% or so as a guideline for gaining/losing?
I always get confused when I calculate that shit. Seems like my final calculation is MAINTENANCE and I should be adding cals if I want to grow.
quote]
You nailed it. I actually do the massive eating guidelines and then add 4-500 calories atop that. I know Berardi in the article mentioned in the conclusion that the formula is just for maintainance and for his gains, he doesn’t cycle calories. He keeps them constant so he has a surplus on off days.
Personally, I do the 4-500 calorie surplus on lifting days and go close to maintainance on off days.
5"11 been stuck around 170. On a day of work (stocker constantly lifting 5-50lb boxes 9-10 hrs). I maintain weight at around 4000-4500. So I have to bulk with around 5000 or more. Off day I’ll consume around 3500 though give or take.
male/204lbs/170lb lbm?/6"1/college kid so a lot of walking around carrying heavy books. /maintenance is about 3000 cal. Im doing John Berardi’s Scrawny to Brawny so I’m only in the gym maybe 4 hours a week.
Male/~180lbs,6’1, college kid who walks to classes. I eat 3500 cals/day to gain weight so im guessing my maintenance is 3000 since I do not gain or loose at that currently.
I used the formula 18-20 X BW to calculate how much I should eat to gain weight. I am not gaining much fat. Just a few lbs when I upped the cals from 3000 to 3500 but now the gains are coming lean.
[quote]elano wrote:
Male/~180lbs,6’1, college kid who walks to classes. I eat 3500 cals/day to gain weight so im guessing my maintenance is 3000 since I do not gain or loose at that currently.
I used the formula 18-20 X BW to calculate how much I should eat to gain weight. I am not gaining much fat. Just a few lbs when I upped the cals from 3000 to 3500 but now the gains are coming lean.[/quote]
