Scared to lower my calories.

39laurita39

Guys I need advice on my calorie intake.. Been "bulking" for a year now (switching between maintenance and a surplus of 150 cal, actually) but I do feel I've put on some muscle so l think I'm ready to start my "cut" now.

I'm eating 1700 right now for maintenance, and will be having 1500 to lose weight. My stats are female, 5'0 and 127 lbs.

I know 1500 is not low for my frame, but I come from a background of eating 1000 kcal to lose and 1200 for maintenance, I gained weight so easily back then I actually had to starve myself to lose.

The thing is, I'm so happy I've found such balance to be able to up my calories up to 1700 without gaining weight that idk how to proceed now, should I cut as I mentioned above or try and up my maintenance calories to say... 2000 and start cutting from there? My fear is not being able to up my calories again without gaining weight.... Would my maintenance become 1500 calories eventually? I know it would, but would it be impossible to up it again once I lose some fat, or I will be able to go back to 1700 kcal? Really, really don't wanna *kitten* my metabolism up ever again, I'm in a place in my life right now where I finally love to eat and I'm grateful I get to eat so much for my frame now, something I would have never imagined was possible before..

Thank you all!!

TavistockToad

Roughly how much do you want to lose when you cut?

39laurita39

TavistockToad wrote: »

Roughly how much do you want to lose when you cut?

About 17 pounds, my goal at the moment is 110 because that's what I used to weigh the first time around and I looked good.
But maybe I have more muscle now, I don't really know.

sardelsa

39laurita39 wrote: »

TavistockToad wrote: »

Roughly how much do you want to lose when you cut?

About 17 pounds, my goal at the moment is 110 because that's what I used to weigh the first time around and I looked good.
But maybe I have more muscle now, I don't really know.

Yea if you bulked and gained muscle your goal weight most likely will be a bit higher, ideally of course, there are exceptions..it could be the same or lower if your aim is to be even leaner than before.

I would tread carefully because of your history.. take it slow and not make any sudden drops. Don't go too agressive, take maintenance breaks, etc.

39laurita39

Thank y'all. But if I cut on 1500 will I be able to up my maintenance higher again (1700 or more, by building muscle) or that's impossible because I'll also weigh less so my maintenance will become 1500?

PAV8888

39laurita39 wrote: »

Thank y'all. But if I cut on 1500 will I be able to up my maintenance higher again (1700 or more, by building muscle) or that's impossible because I'll also weigh less so my maintenance will become 1500?

As a general rule when you have a smaller body you require less calories for the same amount of activity. Whether you will manage to mittigate this or not is open to question and I don't know that anyone can answer this ahead of time.

On the face of it, if you are eating 1700 now and lose 15lbs you would be unlikely to be able to eat the same 1700 with the same level of activity. Of course nobody stops you from eating 2000 at your new lighter weight and at a different level of activity.

If you want to play with 'what ifs' you can try to plot what has already happened with you and also "preview" what might happen to you by using: https://www.niddk.nih.gov/health-information/weight-management/body-weight-planner.

If you're relatively happy where you are right now, and if that happens to be within the healthy weight range (which it does happen to be), you might want to also consider continuing with a period of maintenance instead of continuing to bulk.

Nothing prevents you from continuing to train to become stronger while maintaining your overall weight, thus slowly reducing your body fat %.

39laurita39

PAV8888 wrote: »

39laurita39 wrote: »

Thank y'all. But if I cut on 1500 will I be able to up my maintenance higher again (1700 or more, by building muscle) or that's impossible because I'll also weigh less so my maintenance will become 1500?

As a general rule when you have a smaller body you require less calories for the same amount of activity. Whether you will manage to mittigate this or not is open to question and I don't know that anyone can answer this ahead of time.

On the face of it, if you are eating 1700 now and lose 15lbs you would be unlikely to be able to eat the same 1700 with the same level of activity. Of course nobody stops you from eating 2000 at your new lighter weight and at a different level of activity.

If you want to play with 'what ifs' you can try to plot what has already happened with you and also "preview" what might happen to you by using: https://www.niddk.nih.gov/health-information/weight-management/body-weight-planner.

If you're relatively happy where you are right now, and if that happens to be within the healthy weight range (which it does happen to be), you might want to also consider continuing with a period of maintenance instead of continuing to bulk.

Nothing prevents you from continuing to train to become stronger while maintaining your overall weight, thus slowly reducing your body fat %.

Ahh I see. My biggest concern is messing with my metabolism but you are certainly right, we shall see if that's possible, I guess I do know better now than I did the first time around, so I'll just jump right into it and see what happens! I'm on my 2nd day of cutting.
That calculator is really interesting too.
Thank you for your helpful response