What should I set my calories to?
Crowhorse
Posts: 394 Member
So, I'm still uncertain on where to set my calories, so I just wanted to run this by you folks.
This is because the descriptors for activity levels on TDEE calculators don't seem to match what my days are like. I'm doing Strong Lifts 3 days a week (the main compounds), so I figure that as about 3 hours a week.
Outside of Strong Lifts, I am very sedentary. Occasionally I have days where I am going all day, but other than a few chores here, a few there, I'm not very active. I tend to hibernate inside during the late summer when it's really hot.
I've looked at different formulas.
On the Scooby Calculator, I put it in at 20% fat loss, with Lightly Active (1-3 times a week). This comes to a goal of 1,576 calories (maintenance 1,970).
Alan Aragon's formula (which is the simplest) is Goal Body Weight x (9 + # of hours/week working out).
I have a current goal of 130 (I'm 5' 4") and I'm sitting at 146 right now (my ultimate goal is to be lean without being skinny fat--not sure what weight will get me there). That puts me at about 1560/day, with 130g protein, 65g fat (he recommends .5 fat per goal weight), and the rest filled in with carbs (about 114g). I do have a mild case of PCOS, though I'm not sure how much of a factor that is.
I'd still like to lose a pound a week, because I think I might be able to get another 15-20lbs off (not sure with LBM; I'm guessing I have about 111-112 LBM). In terms of BF%, I think I'd like to be between 15-18%.
This is because the descriptors for activity levels on TDEE calculators don't seem to match what my days are like. I'm doing Strong Lifts 3 days a week (the main compounds), so I figure that as about 3 hours a week.
Outside of Strong Lifts, I am very sedentary. Occasionally I have days where I am going all day, but other than a few chores here, a few there, I'm not very active. I tend to hibernate inside during the late summer when it's really hot.
I've looked at different formulas.
On the Scooby Calculator, I put it in at 20% fat loss, with Lightly Active (1-3 times a week). This comes to a goal of 1,576 calories (maintenance 1,970).
Alan Aragon's formula (which is the simplest) is Goal Body Weight x (9 + # of hours/week working out).
I have a current goal of 130 (I'm 5' 4") and I'm sitting at 146 right now (my ultimate goal is to be lean without being skinny fat--not sure what weight will get me there). That puts me at about 1560/day, with 130g protein, 65g fat (he recommends .5 fat per goal weight), and the rest filled in with carbs (about 114g). I do have a mild case of PCOS, though I'm not sure how much of a factor that is.
I'd still like to lose a pound a week, because I think I might be able to get another 15-20lbs off (not sure with LBM; I'm guessing I have about 111-112 LBM). In terms of BF%, I think I'd like to be between 15-18%.
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Replies
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In your case (and pretty much every case, unless you get wonky numbers from a calculator), this is going to be a matter of selecting an intake, monitoring results (rate of loss, satiety, adherence, performance, preferences), and making adjustments as needed.
The numbers you arrived at using Alan's method seems quite reasonable to me and you could try those out and see how you do, and make adjustments if needed based on previously mentioned factors.0
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