2200 but STILL losing, huh?

LauraFouhse

After a year of weight/fat loss, I am ready to get serious about building muscle.

I've upped my calories from 1800 (which already seemed like alot) to 2200 calories per day. I've been hitting it pretty close.

Weighed myself today and have lost another pound. How is this possible?

I'm 45 years. 140lbs. 5'6" and 23% body fat.... in case that matters.

Suggestions?

jrline

Is the 2200 net calories or total calories before subtracting exercise?

MityMax96

Go up more.

I am in the same boat....
So I am trying to figure out what number is gonna start allowing weight gain......

W31RD0

What is your activity levels like? Do you run daily? Getting over your maintenance can be a little guesswork. Add 200 more calories and check in 2-3 weeks.

JoRocka

eat more.

and if you are doing a lot of running yet- you might want to dial that back... all that means while you're bulking is more food you have to cram down your gullet.

eat more
lift all the things
do minimal cardio esp if you are having a hard time gaining.

The_Enginerd

How long have you been at 2200/day? How much weight have you lost since starting?

Just like losing and maintenance, gaining weight isn't going to be linear either. This could be just normal fluctuations.

Also, your maintenance calories will be a range. I went from 2200 to 2400-2500 and I had trouble gaining. You have to go higher than your upper maintenance calories to start gaining weight. It will take some trial and error to figure that out for yourself.

williams969

Eat more, for real. We're of very similar stats (except I'm 38, 143lbs), and I lose on 1800, maintenance around 2200 (but I've got more BF and exercise less). Have you used this calculator to see where your TDEE would be? http://scoobysworkshop.com/accurate-calorie-calculator/#results

Looking at your diary, I see anywhere from 4-16 hours a week of exercise. The above calculator would put your TDEE at ~2,700 (using your BF% and Katch-McArdle, assuming an average of 7+ hours a week exercise, which it seems like you are at that activity level).

Makes sense you lose at 2,200. Eat up, and bulk up:drinker:

sarahstrezo

I bulked last fall/winter and I had to eat close to 3000 cals a day to continue to see a 1/2 lb gain each week.
I'm 33 years old, 5'5" and started at 125-126 at about 19% body fat. I do zero cardio and lift heavy 4 days a week for about an hour each session.
I can maintain my current weight at 2300 cals, cut at 2100.

TavistockToad

After a year of weight/fat loss, I am ready to get serious about building muscle.

I've upped my calories from 1800 (which already seemed like alot) to 2200 calories per day. I've been hitting it pretty close.

Weighed myself today and have lost another pound. How is this possible?

I'm 45 years. 140lbs. 5'6" and 23% body fat.... in case that matters.

Suggestions?

From a quick look in your diary the 2200 is gross... So not really that much, I am smaller than you and maintain on about that... You need more calories!

LauraFouhse

thanks everyone who have responded so far.

Answer to a couple of questions:

I have cut back significantly on my cardio. Currently I am lifting 3x per week and on alternate days am doing only 15 minutes of easy intervals on the treadmill followed by 4 minutes of HIIT on the bike. I take Sundays off. (triathlon season is over for me so extensive cardio isn't necessary right now)

I intentionally upped my calorie intake from 1800 about a week ago but before that I was on vacation and ate lots of ice cream so was going over calories regularly.

So.. I'll try adding a few more calories
I'll continue lifting
... and is my wee bit of cardio okay?

jquijas

thanks everyone who have responded so far.

Answer to a couple of questions:

I have cut back significantly on my cardio. Currently I am lifting 3x per week and on alternate days am doing only 15 minutes of easy intervals on the treadmill followed by 4 minutes of HIIT on the bike. I take Sundays off. (triathlon season is over for me so extensive cardio isn't necessary right now)

I intentionally upped my calorie intake from 1800 about a week ago but before that I was on vacation and ate lots of ice cream so was going over calories regularly.

So.. I'll try adding a few more calories
I'll continue lifting
... and is my wee bit of cardio okay?

I would think it is ok, a lot of the same rules apply to bulking that apply to dieting, just in reverse. It still comes down to calories in vs. calories out. I think for someone that actually has a triathlon season your body is in over drive. You might want to just take 2 or 3 weeks off from the cardio and then gradually get back into it once you figure out the magic bulk number!

JoRocka

cardio isn't over kill- just make sure you're eating enough.

I can't speak to the tri-training- so I don't know if you really need some time off of it or not.

But I understand trying to go cold turkey from something you've been doing for months is really hard mentally... so I don't see a reason to not keep it int- I mean I continued dancing through my bulk- which is 10-15 hours of work- sometimes rather cardio heavy. You just have to know it- and eat for it.

But that's not much- I think you're fine.

The_Enginerd

thanks everyone who have responded so far.

Answer to a couple of questions:

I have cut back significantly on my cardio. Currently I am lifting 3x per week and on alternate days am doing only 15 minutes of easy intervals on the treadmill followed by 4 minutes of HIIT on the bike. I take Sundays off. (triathlon season is over for me so extensive cardio isn't necessary right now)

I intentionally upped my calorie intake from 1800 about a week ago but before that I was on vacation and ate lots of ice cream so was going over calories regularly.

So.. I'll try adding a few more calories
I'll continue lifting
... and is my wee bit of cardio okay?

That amount of cardio is fine.

If you are doing true HIIT on the bike, I would change that to intervals or do HIIT the same day as lifting. HIIT taxes the muscles/CNS similarly to lifting and should not be done on a rest day.

sarahstrezo

A little bit of cardio is fine if it's something you enjoy doing. Just know that it will mean you have to eat that much more food at the end of the day/week to maintain a surplus. For me, about 8 weeks into my bulk...I was so sick and tired of shoving food in my face, I wasn't about to do anything to intentionally bring my TDEE up.

I'll also say to be prepared to have to up your calories during your bulk too. All the extra food will give you extra energy and your NEET will increase. So, if after a few weeks, your gains stall out.....eat more

LauraFouhse

thanks everyone who have responded so far.

Answer to a couple of questions:

I have cut back significantly on my cardio. Currently I am lifting 3x per week and on alternate days am doing only 15 minutes of easy intervals on the treadmill followed by 4 minutes of HIIT on the bike. I take Sundays off. (triathlon season is over for me so extensive cardio isn't necessary right now)

I intentionally upped my calorie intake from 1800 about a week ago but before that I was on vacation and ate lots of ice cream so was going over calories regularly.

So.. I'll try adding a few more calories
I'll continue lifting
... and is my wee bit of cardio okay?

That amount of cardio is fine.

If you are doing true HIIT on the bike, I would change that to intervals or do HIIT the same day as lifting. HIIT taxes the muscles/CNS similarly to lifting and should not be done on a rest day.

The HIIT I was planning for was 20 seconds of intensity followed by 10 seconds of rest... repeat 8 times. Is this correct?

LauraFouhse

A little bit of cardio is fine if it's something you enjoy doing. Just know that it will mean you have to eat that much more food at the end of the day/week to maintain a surplus. For me, about 8 weeks into my bulk...I was so sick and tired of shoving food in my face, I wasn't about to do anything to intentionally bring my TDEE up.

I'll also say to be prepared to have to up your calories during your bulk too. All the extra food will give you extra energy and your NEET will increase. So, if after a few weeks, your gains stall out.....eat more

What's NEET?

And.. as someone who has basically starved herself most of her life since the first fad diet at 9 years old (and who, incidently, has always been fat), I'm thrilled to be able to eat! Feeling kinda resentful towards the diet industry for sucking me in... glad I'm free!

LauraFouhse

and on an only slightly related topic.... what are the best macro percentages?

Currently I'm set at 25% fat, 30% protein and 45% carbs. This brings me way over the whole 1g per lb of body weight for protein but I wasn't really sure how to do this.

Who knew that strength training was such a science. So fun.

The_Enginerd

and on an only slightly related topic.... what are the best macro percentages?

Currently I'm set at 25% fat, 30% protein and 45% carbs. This brings me way over the whole 1g per lb of body weight for protein but I wasn't really sure how to do this.

Who knew that strength training was such a science. So fun.

It's not going to be a percent so much as an amount for your macros. This is a good guide:
http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/819055-setting-your-calorie-and-macro-targets

The cliff notes:
1g of protein per lb of LBM as a minimum target
0.35g of fat per lb of total body weight as a minimum target
The balance can fall where you wish, taking into account performance, satiety and adherence.

_Terrapin_

and on an only slightly related topic.... what are the best macro percentages?

Currently I'm set at 25% fat, 30% protein and 45% carbs. This brings me way over the whole 1g per lb of body weight for protein but I wasn't really sure how to do this.

Who knew that strength training was such a science. So fun.

A good minimum for Protein is .8 grams for each pound of LBM as the left goal post- - - -the right goal post can be the 1g per lb of BW so as long as you hit the minimum. . . .enjoy!

kerrymaas

To develop more muscle mass you need to increase your daily intake of protein...just to maintain what muscle mass you have you need to consume 1gr of protein per pound of body weight. To gain lean muscle mass you need to increase your daily intake of protein to 1.5 - 2gr of protein per pound of body weight. And it needs to be clean protein...chicken breast (about 42 grams), salmon, eggs, yogurt, but the best is casein protein (found in certain cottage cheeses) because it takes about 8 hrs to metabolize it making it a great snack to eat before going to bed.
When I was strength training and competing I consumed 7500-10,000 calories a day and around 500gr of protein daily and all of that was to maintain my muscle mass and weight. You have to find a balance in your diet...I would suggest starting with increasing your daily intake of protein and see how it goes. Good luck!

LauraFouhse

thanks again... sounds like I'm on the right track. Just need to eat more (yay!)

It's so hard to let go of the eat more = get fat mentality.