Should I focus on weight/pounds or?

CAlexRose

I'm a bit confused because I know I want to lose an extra 5-10 lbs, but its confusing because I do weight training which adds a lot of muscle/bulk on my body. Since I started last year, I gained 10 lbs in muscle, but I know I have about 2" off my waist I want to lose = about 5-10 lbs of fat(?)

My scale weight says 162 which is "overweight" according to my BMI (I'm 5'6"), but a doctor says do NOT look at my BMI at all because I have a lot of muscle. She said I am a "true mesomorph". I've always been naturally muscular, even before I picked up a weight.

So in terms of the weight/inches I want to lose, how do I calculate how many calories I should eat daily? Do I calculate using my height and weight here on MFP which brings me at 1400+ calories/day on a non work out day, or is that too many for my immediate goal given I don't have much fat to lose?

I never focused on calories because its always been confusing to me given my weight:fat ratio.

lawtechie

What is your current body fat% versus lean mass % (muscle/water)? I think you need to start with that, and then figure out how many pounds you can safely loose. Being that you're muscular your lean mass is probably taking up much of your weight.

CAlexRose

What is your current body fat% versus lean mass % (muscle/water)? I think you need to start with that, and then figure out how many pounds you can safely loose. Being that you're muscular your lean mass is probably taking up much of your weight.

Good question - I don't know. How would I find that out?

ajbeans

Well, the more lean mass you have, the more calories you burn per pound just living. So I wouldn't think that 1400 calories would be too many, not by a long shot. It might be too few. What's your BMR?

I might consider talking to a nutritionist and/or personal trainer about this. Since you are close to your goals, and since you are so muscular, your needs might be different from the average MFPer.

CAlexRose

Well, the more lean mass you have, the more calories you burn per pound just living. So I wouldn't think that 1400 calories would be too many, not by a long shot. It might be too few. What's your BMR?

I might consider talking to a nutritionist and/or personal trainer about this. Since you are close to your goals, and since you are so muscular, your needs might be different from the average MFPer.

My BMR is 1514.8.

I think I may to talk to a personal trainer about this. The more I do my own research, the more confused I am!

ajbeans

Well, the more lean mass you have, the more calories you burn per pound just living. So I wouldn't think that 1400 calories would be too many, not by a long shot. It might be too few. What's your BMR?

I might consider talking to a nutritionist and/or personal trainer about this. Since you are close to your goals, and since you are so muscular, your needs might be different from the average MFPer.

My BMR is 1514.8.

I think I may to talk to a personal trainer about this. The more I do my own research, the more confused I am!

The general recommendation is to not eat below your BMR. You need to fuel your body properly if you want to burn fat instead of muscle, and that's especially true when you don't have a lot of fat to burn. Make sure you're eating plenty of protein, and focus on strength training to maintain your muscle mass. But still, I'd go ahead and see a professional just to get more specific recommendations for your needs.

CAlexRose

This is very helpful - thank you so much! Until I see someone, I will stick to 1470 calories/day (I usually eat too far below that).

My W/H ratio is .78, so that helps I think.