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CrossFit & Macros/Calories

seanvierra7413
seanvierra7413 Posts: 5 Member
edited December 2024 in Food and Nutrition
I’ve been doing CrossFit religiously 3x/week for about the last two months, and I recently started tracking my macros. My results so far have been extremely inspiring, and I’ve definitely hit the point where going 3x/week is a habit, and I feel weird if I miss a day. Because I am/was overweight, I know it’s much easier to maintain or gain muscle while still losing fat compared to a lean person (being thick has SOME perks, eh? ). Any input on calorie deficit? From all the research I’ve done, you must have a calorie deficit to lose the fat. You build or maintain muscle through diet and strength training while maintain a caloric deficit. Would love some feedback/confirmation that my thinking and research is correct: I must always be at a caloric deficit to lose fat, and I need not worry about being calorie positive until my goal shifts away from primarily fat loss to primarily muscle gain. Thanks!!!

Replies

  • naldinger
    naldinger Posts: 8 Member
    I also do CrossFit 3x a week plus Olympic lifting. I can’t find a CrossFit log and do I eat the cams I burn or half? How do you stay low cal doing CrossFit? It takes so much out of me and I’m starving afterwards
  • 7elizamae
    7elizamae Posts: 758 Member
    I use a fitbit with a heart monitor during my crossfit workouts. That gives me a calorie burn for the workouts. And they really vary a lot!
  • Cahgetsfit
    Cahgetsfit Posts: 1,912 Member
    maybe a low calorie deficit because crossfit is quite demanding.

    @naldinger maybe you should use a TDEE calculator instead of the MFP "eat back calories" model. That way you don't need to worry about exact calorie burn to "eat back" you just enter 1 calorie burnt for exercise.

  • naldinger
    naldinger Posts: 8 Member
    Cahgetsfit wrote: »
    maybe a low calorie deficit because crossfit is quite demanding.

    @naldinger maybe you should use a TDEE calculator instead of the MFP "eat back calories" model. That way you don't need to worry about exact calorie burn to "eat back" you just enter 1 calorie burnt for exercise.

    So I did my tdee and it is giving me 2188..so I’m guessing that I have to subtract about 500 to be in a calorie deficit? I’m kinda new to this numbers thing so bare with me lol

  • Cahgetsfit
    Cahgetsfit Posts: 1,912 Member
    naldinger wrote: »
    Cahgetsfit wrote: »
    maybe a low calorie deficit because crossfit is quite demanding.

    @naldinger maybe you should use a TDEE calculator instead of the MFP "eat back calories" model. That way you don't need to worry about exact calorie burn to "eat back" you just enter 1 calorie burnt for exercise.

    So I did my tdee and it is giving me 2188..so I’m guessing that I have to subtract about 500 to be in a calorie deficit? I’m kinda new to this numbers thing so bare with me lol

    Oh you lucky woman! yes, remove about 25% of that or ~500 calories and hey presto. You get to eat ~1500/1600 per day.

    See how you go in terms of feeling hungry. Something I do is "save" a bit of calories, so for example from Sun-Fri I will eat 1500 and then on Saturday I allow myself 1800-2000. Overall for the week i'm still under but I get to look forward to more food on one day and it helps a lot.

    I don't like being hungry. The "refeed" day keeps me going :)

    If you are feeling super hungry, eat a little bit more. You will still be in a deficit anyway. Even if you eat 1700 per day. Less of a deficit, but still there.

    Good luck!
  • naldinger
    naldinger Posts: 8 Member
    Cahgetsfit wrote: »
    naldinger wrote: »
    Cahgetsfit wrote: »
    maybe a low calorie deficit because crossfit is quite demanding.

    @naldinger maybe you should use a TDEE calculator instead of the MFP "eat back calories" model. That way you don't need to worry about exact calorie burn to "eat back" you just enter 1 calorie burnt for exercise.

    So I did my tdee and it is giving me 2188..so I’m guessing that I have to subtract about 500 to be in a calorie deficit? I’m kinda new to this numbers thing so bare with me lol

    Oh you lucky woman! yes, remove about 25% of that or ~500 calories and hey presto. You get to eat ~1500/1600 per day.

    See how you go in terms of feeling hungry. Something I do is "save" a bit of calories, so for example from Sun-Fri I will eat 1500 and then on Saturday I allow myself 1800-2000. Overall for the week i'm still under but I get to look forward to more food on one day and it helps a lot.

    I don't like being hungry. The "refeed" day keeps me going :)

    If you are feeling super hungry, eat a little bit more. You will still be in a deficit anyway. Even if you eat 1700 per day. Less of a deficit, but still there.

    Good luck!
    Thank you so much for your help!
This discussion has been closed.

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