Some help with my calories please
Spitspot81
Posts: 208 Member
I am 5ft 4
Weight 59kg
Exercise 5 times per week doing heavy lifting, dead lifts, squats etc etc with some HIIT thrown in.
I have been advised to up my calorie intake to about 1700 which sounds a lot to me. I am skinny fat so think that is why I am having trouble toning. Do you think I should have faith and up my calories to 1700. Have previously been consuming about 1500. Thanks so much for reading
Weight 59kg
Exercise 5 times per week doing heavy lifting, dead lifts, squats etc etc with some HIIT thrown in.
I have been advised to up my calorie intake to about 1700 which sounds a lot to me. I am skinny fat so think that is why I am having trouble toning. Do you think I should have faith and up my calories to 1700. Have previously been consuming about 1500. Thanks so much for reading
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Replies
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If you think 1700 is too much, do 1600.1
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Good idea, I appreciate that0
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Why or who advised you to up your intake to 1700? Is this in order to do a "clean bulk" (bulking while in a small calorie surplus)?
Are you following a specific strength training program?
And who has told you that you are skinny fat and because of this you are having trouble toning, which toning is not really a thing.. Do you want to lose fat and build muscle at the same time, is this really the goal?
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I am following a bikini guide program. It has given a guide on which body shape I am (mesomorph) and then given a calorie intake guide including macros based on my starting weight. It includes a weekly strength training programme.
I suppose my next step would be to find out my body fat percentage and then I can gauge whether I need to lose fat?
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I have been in your shoes about 2 years ago. Scared that if I increased I would gain fat. Once I increased my calories and got my macros in check I found my workouts improved and I was losing inches. I would trust the increase.0
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spitapot81 wrote: »I am following a bikini guide program. It has given a guide on which body shape I am (mesomorph) and then given a calorie intake guide including macros based on my starting weight. It includes a weekly strength training programme.
I suppose my next step would be to find out my body fat percentage and then I can gauge whether I need to lose fat?
Are you saying outside of setting up this calorie and macro plan according to this program, you are now supposed to get your body fat percentage checked? And how or when will this be?
I am asking this because usually before calories are setup one would know if they are going to cut fat/build muscle, loose fat by eating a deficit while still lifting, or bulk.
Edited: Because this is a bikini program, and at your current height and weight, you will be "cutting fat/building muscle" in order to get to a certain size, shape, body composition. In order to do this, this is done at "maintenance calories" with or without a small deficit.
What needs to happen if I am getting this correctly, you need to see if the 1700 calories is your maintenance calories (with or with the deficit). If you are try to cut (meaning diet down to get leaner) with just maintaining your current muscle then 1700 calories may be too much and not enough deficit to achieve your goals.1 -
spitapot81 wrote: »I am following a bikini guide program. It has given a guide on which body shape I am (mesomorph) and then given a calorie intake guide including macros based on my starting weight. It includes a weekly strength training programme.
I suppose my next step would be to find out my body fat percentage and then I can gauge whether I need to lose fat?
Are you saying outside of setting up this calorie and macro plan according to this program, you are now supposed to get your body fat percentage checked? And how or when will this be?
I am asking this because usually before calories are setup one would know if they are going to cut fat/build muscle, loose fat by eating a deficit while still lifting, or bulk.
Which one of these are you following?
I am following a book that I purchased. Yes, outside of this I should get my fat percentage checked...I can do that at the gym. I suppose I should have done this before, so that is my error. I suppose once I know this figure I can determine what my next goals are1 -
spitapot81 wrote: »spitapot81 wrote: »I am following a bikini guide program. It has given a guide on which body shape I am (mesomorph) and then given a calorie intake guide including macros based on my starting weight. It includes a weekly strength training programme.
I suppose my next step would be to find out my body fat percentage and then I can gauge whether I need to lose fat?
Are you saying outside of setting up this calorie and macro plan according to this program, you are now supposed to get your body fat percentage checked? And how or when will this be?
I am asking this because usually before calories are setup one would know if they are going to cut fat/build muscle, loose fat by eating a deficit while still lifting, or bulk.
Which one of these are you following?
I am following a book that I purchased. Yes, outside of this I should get my fat percentage checked...I can do that at the gym. I suppose I should have done this before, so that is my error. I suppose once I know this figure I can determine what my next goals are
Well alright! Good luck with the program.1 -
What is/was your weight doing at 1500?
That is by far your best guide to setting your calories to lose, maintain or gain weight.
BTW "mesomorph" is purely a descriptive term and has nothing to do with your calorie needs.
First step is to decide your goals for both your weight and training. Until you are clear on goals the rest won't fall into place.
Definitive, measurable goals - not "toning"!!
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I trust you've taken measurements all over (waist, wrist, neck, etc.). If you goal is to trim up, these measurements are what you are seeking to improve.1
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https://legionathletics.com/macronutrient-calculator/
Find out your body fat % and then use this calculator (just scroll down a little and you'll see it).1 -
spitapot81 wrote: »
Just beware if you are using a BIA device the number could be horrendously inaccurate.0 -
spitapot81 wrote: »I am 5ft 4
Weight 59kg
Exercise 5 times per week doing heavy lifting, dead lifts, squats etc etc with some HIIT thrown in.
I have been advised to up my calorie intake to about 1700 which sounds a lot to me. I am skinny fat so think that is why I am having trouble toning. Do you think I should have faith and up my calories to 1700. Have previously been consuming about 1500. Thanks so much for reading
What's your goal weight?
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spitapot81 wrote: »I am 5ft 4
Weight 59kg
Exercise 5 times per week doing heavy lifting, dead lifts, squats etc etc with some HIIT thrown in.
I have been advised to up my calorie intake to about 1700 which sounds a lot to me. I am skinny fat so think that is why I am having trouble toning. Do you think I should have faith and up my calories to 1700. Have previously been consuming about 1500. Thanks so much for reading
What's your goal weight?
She does not know yet. The goal of what she is planning to do has not been created just yet. She is following a book for a bikini guide program.
She plans to get bf tested to determine the next step they way I understand it.0 -
What's the best way to measure body fat then?spitapot81 wrote: »
Just beware if you are using a BIA device the number could be horrendously inaccurate.
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spitapot81 wrote: »I am 5ft 4
Weight 59kg
Exercise 5 times per week doing heavy lifting, dead lifts, squats etc etc with some HIIT thrown in.
I have been advised to up my calorie intake to about 1700 which sounds a lot to me. I am skinny fat so think that is why I am having trouble toning. Do you think I should have faith and up my calories to 1700. Have previously been consuming about 1500. Thanks so much for reading
What's your goal weight?
She does not know yet. The goal of what she is planning to do has not been created just yet. She is following a book for a bikini guide program.
She plans to get bf tested to determine the next step they way I understand it.
I see. Judging by her height I am guessing 115lbs...0 -
spitapot81 wrote: »
What's the best way to measure body fat then?spitapot81 wrote: »
Just beware if you are using a BIA device the number could be horrendously inaccurate.
Calipers are a really cheap and accurate way - you can get some off of Amazon for a few $$. I prefer a Bod Pod (you can see if anybody offers that where you live or at your gym), although it's not as accurate (but it's really fun). I pay $50/session.1 -
spitapot81 wrote: »
What's the best way to measure body fat then?spitapot81 wrote: »
Just beware if you are using a BIA device the number could be horrendously inaccurate.
Hydrostatic immersion or DEXA scan.
BodPod can be reasonable.
Most self-applied methods have a very large margin of error including trying to contort yourself and use callipers.
Mirror, progress photos and tape measure are good ways to track progress.3
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