Calories intake while weight lifting

yasmine334

just wondering

what is the optimal calorie intake while weight lifting, with a goal of losing fat and keeping the muscles.

I am 5 3" and 186 lbs

dieselbyte

Fat loss requires a caloric deficit. How much fat you need to lose will determine the length of your deficit, and unfortunately, you will experience some muscle loss as well - its inevitable. To maintain as much muscle as possible, you shouldn't go too agressive in your deficit. While "optimal" is debatable, you should aim for 250-500 calories below TDEE (start at 250 and guage your progress from there). Protein should be a minimum of .86g-1g per lbs (in a deficit, some aim for closer to 1g for muscle sparing). Fats at .35g or higer, and the rest carbs. Lift heavy and repeat. In a deficit the body needs a reason to spare muscle, and heavy compound lifts should be the focus.

LolBroScience

dieselbyte wrote: »

Fat loss requires a caloric deficit. How much fat you need to lose will determine the length of your deficit, and unfortunately, you will experience some muscle loss as well - its inevitable. To maintain as much muscle as possible, you shouldn't go too agressive in your deficit. While "optimal" is debatable, you should aim for 250-500 calories below TDEE (start at 250 and guage your progress from there). Protein should be a minimum of .86g-1g per lbs (in a deficit, some aim for closer to 1g for muscle sparing). Fats at .35g or higer, and the rest carbs. Lift heavy and repeat. In a deficit the body needs a reason to spare muscle, and heavy compound lifts should be the focus.

x2

yasmine334

dieselbyte wrote: »

Fat loss requires a caloric deficit. How much fat you need to lose will determine the length of your deficit, and unfortunately, you will experience some muscle loss as well - its inevitable. To maintain as much muscle as possible, you shouldn't go too agressive in your deficit. While "optimal" is debatable, you should aim for 250-500 calories below TDEE (start at 250 and guage your progress from there). Protein should be a minimum of .86g-1g per lbs (in a deficit, some aim for closer to 1g for muscle sparing). Fats at .35g or higer, and the rest carbs. Lift heavy and repeat. In a deficit the body needs a reason to spare muscle, and heavy compound lifts should be the focus.

I exercise 5 times/week, so my TDEE says I need around 2230 Cal/day. I guess 1500 Cal/day would be OK for me, because I need to lose the fat.

dieselbyte

yasmine334 wrote: »

dieselbyte wrote: »

Fat loss requires a caloric deficit. How much fat you need to lose will determine the length of your deficit, and unfortunately, you will experience some muscle loss as well - its inevitable. To maintain as much muscle as possible, you shouldn't go too agressive in your deficit. While "optimal" is debatable, you should aim for 250-500 calories below TDEE (start at 250 and guage your progress from there). Protein should be a minimum of .86g-1g per lbs (in a deficit, some aim for closer to 1g for muscle sparing). Fats at .35g or higer, and the rest carbs. Lift heavy and repeat. In a deficit the body needs a reason to spare muscle, and heavy compound lifts should be the focus.

I exercise 5 times/week, so my TDEE says I need around 2230 Cal/day. I guess 1500 Cal/day would be OK for me, because I need to lose the fat.

Calculators aren't accurate, but a good place to start. Again, if you really want to preserve muscle, 1500 is a bit aggressive. Will you lose weight? Yes, but you'll also lose more muscle than you might like, since you said your goal wasn't only fat loss. Another reason you don't want to be too aggressive is if weight loss stalls, you'll want to be able to pull more calories. Dropping immediately to 1500 won't give you a lot or wiggle room. Start slow, be patient...

yasmine334

dieselbyte wrote: »

yasmine334 wrote: »

dieselbyte wrote: »

Fat loss requires a caloric deficit. How much fat you need to lose will determine the length of your deficit, and unfortunately, you will experience some muscle loss as well - its inevitable. To maintain as much muscle as possible, you shouldn't go too agressive in your deficit. While "optimal" is debatable, you should aim for 250-500 calories below TDEE (start at 250 and guage your progress from there). Protein should be a minimum of .86g-1g per lbs (in a deficit, some aim for closer to 1g for muscle sparing). Fats at .35g or higer, and the rest carbs. Lift heavy and repeat. In a deficit the body needs a reason to spare muscle, and heavy compound lifts should be the focus.

I exercise 5 times/week, so my TDEE says I need around 2230 Cal/day. I guess 1500 Cal/day would be OK for me, because I need to lose the fat.

Calculators aren't accurate, but a good place to start. Again, if you really want to preserve muscle, 1500 is a bit aggressive. Will you lose weight? Yes, but you'll also lose more muscle than you might like, since you said your goal wasn't only fat loss. Another reason you don't want to be too aggressive is if weight loss stalls, you'll want to be able to pull more calories. Dropping immediately to 1500 won't give you a lot or wiggle room. Start slow, be patient...

Thank you so much
So here is the deal, if I put 1200 cal/day at sedentary level. PLUS I eat back all the calories burnt during exercise, this sums up till 1500~1600 in an active day. I guess this is good.

I am too afraid to eat up till 1800 cal, because this is basically above my BMR by 300 cal already!

paj315

Eat at TDEE on your lifting days. Have a calorie deficit on your rest day. Keep your protein high.