nrolfw calorie surplus and fat loss?

taylormoooon

So, I've started the new rules of lifting for women. I'm eating at a surplus of course to gain the muscle. My confusion however is a lot of people are saying the program worked for fat loss and reshaping the whole body. How does this work if when eating at a surplus and gaining muscle, you also gain fat? Should I follow the program straight through or have "cutting" periods?

cwolfman13

Because a lot of people do it on a calorie deficit to preserve their lean body mass while dieting and make strength gains. Not everyone who lifts is on a bulk.

taylormoooon

That's true but the program has you specifically eating at a surplus to gain muscle so that's where the confusion is.

grantdumas7

The program will work for fat loss if you are eating at a deficit. The program itself doesn't determine if you will lose fat.

BarbellCowgirl

That's true but the program has you specifically eating at a surplus to gain muscle so that's where the confusion is.

No, if you are eating at the calories that Lou suggests(using the NROL4W calculator) you are more than likely eating at maintenance. He provides a rough calculation for your maintenance TDEE, not a surplus. Then he offers a calculator for a 300 cal/day deficit for those seeking to lose fat.
ETA: I found the Scooby's Workshop calculator more accurate than the one provided in the NROL4W book.

taylormoooon

Ah when I did the calculations it put me at a surplus of 200-300 calories! I'll check out the scoobys workshop calculator though, thanks!

BusyRaeNOTBusty

Ah when I did the calculations it put me at a surplus of 200-300 calories! I'll check out the scoobys workshop calculator though, thanks!

How do you know it's a surplus?

taylormoooon

Just based on wearing my bodymedia fit which is supposed to be quite accurate and then estimated formulas online

taylormoooon

I guess the only way to really tell is test it out and see how much my weight goes up in a month or if it stays the same. Lifting is totally new to me so I'm not trying to come off as if I know everything about this lol so any information is appreciated.

cwolfman13

I guess the only way to really tell is test it out and see how much my weight goes up in a month or if it stays the same. Lifting is totally new to me so I'm not trying to come off as if I know everything about this lol so any information is appreciated.

keep in mind that if you actually do want to put on muscle mass, you do need to eat at a small surplus...you can also re-comp nice and slow in maintenance or lean out and preserve muscle mass in a deficit.

like another poster said, the program itself is just a weight training program...you energy intake is going to determine what your body does with that training.

taylormoooon

I guess the only way to really tell is test it out and see how much my weight goes up in a month or if it stays the same. Lifting is totally new to me so I'm not trying to come off as if I know everything about this lol so any information is appreciated.

keep in mind that if you actually do want to put on muscle mass, you do need to eat at a small surplus...you can also re-comp nice and slow in maintenance or lean out and preserve muscle mass in a deficit.

like another poster said, the program itself is just a weight training program...you energy intake is going to determine what your body does with that training.

Yes thank you I'm starting to figure out a plan. I have barely any muscle on me so I think I should put on muscle first then work on cutting and preserving. Since the surplus is small and assuming my maintenance estimate is correct I'll be putting on about a .5 lb a week. Just trying to figure out how long I should do that for before cutting again.

BusyRaeNOTBusty

Ah, then the calculations from the book are probably not accurate for you. I'd got with what your BMF tells you, and maybe subtract 250 or so from that.

cwolfman13

I guess the only way to really tell is test it out and see how much my weight goes up in a month or if it stays the same. Lifting is totally new to me so I'm not trying to come off as if I know everything about this lol so any information is appreciated.

keep in mind that if you actually do want to put on muscle mass, you do need to eat at a small surplus...you can also re-comp nice and slow in maintenance or lean out and preserve muscle mass in a deficit.

like another poster said, the program itself is just a weight training program...you energy intake is going to determine what your body does with that training.

Yes thank you I'm starting to figure out a plan. I have barely any muscle on me so I think I should put on muscle first then work on cutting and preserving. Since the surplus is small and assuming my maintenance estimate is correct I'll be putting on about a .5 lb a week. Just trying to figure out how long I should do that for before cutting again.

what BF% are you currently?

men usually get to around 10% or so before doing a bulk...that way they can go longer before having to cut and thus maximizing their muscle gains. It's a lot harder for women to build muscle. You may want to check out the Eat, Train, Progress group...there's some ladies there who are more knowledgeable than I am about the particulars of women and muscle building than I am.

also note that you can make great strides just working in maintenance and re-comping. I've been in maintenance for 9 months now and even though I weight the same, my body is much different than it was 9 months ago. It's a slow process, but it works for me as I'm not really interested in my age at bulking on any substantial muscle...just re-comping the body I have. In a maintenance re-comp you will shed fat very slowly and build muscle very slowly...I am achieving a much more athletic look with doing this.

taylormoooon

I'm not sure 100% but calculators online says between 20 and 23%. I'm guessing it's more towards the 23 though since I'm not athletic looking. That's all great info though, you've been very helpful and that is likely what I would like to aim towards as well.