Calculating your daily caloric needs and macronutrient profi
Options
snugglesworthjr
Posts: 176 Member
The following is an article that has been posted and reposted many times, but I think it is important enough to post at least once more since most people on MFP still question how much they should be eating. It's fairly lengthy but well worth a read, and you'll be totally missing out if you TL;DR on it! This is a direct copy & paste from the original, which can be found here: http://forum.bodybuilding.com/showthread.php?t=121703981
Calculating Calories and Macro's
Basic Terminology
1/ BMR (Basal Metabolic Rate): This is the amount of calories you need to consume to maintain your body if you were comatose (base level).
2/ NEAT (Non-Exercise Associated Thermogenesis): The calorie of daily activity that is NOT exercise (eg: washing, walking, talking, shopping, working). ie: INCIDENTAL EXERCISE! It is something that everyone has a good amount of control over & it is the MOST important factor in your energy expenditure. It is what helps keep 'constitutionally lean' people LEAN (they fidget)!
3/ EAT (Exercise Associated Thermogenesis): The calorie requirements associated with planned exercise. Unless someone is doing a whole heap of exercise (eg: two or more hrs training a day) it usually doesn't add a stack of calories to your requirements (30 minutes of 'elliptical training isn't going to do it')
4/ TEF (Thermic effect of feeding): The calorie expenditure associated with eating. REGARDLESS of what myths you have been told - this is NOT dependent on MEAL FREQUENCY. It is a % of TOTAL CALORIES CONSUMED (and 15% of 3 x 600 cal meals is the same as 15% of 6 x 300 cal meals). It varies according to MACRONUTRIENT content and FIBER content. For most mixed diets, it is something around 15%. Protein is higher (up to 25%), carbs are variable (between 5-25%), and fats are low (usually less than 5%). So -> More protein and more carbs and more fiber = HIGHER TEF. More FAT = LOWER TEF.
5/ TEE (Total Energy Expenditure): The total calories you require - and the sum of the above (BMR + NEAT + EAT + TEF).
How much do you need?
There is therefore a multitude of things that impact a persons MAINTENANCE calorie requirements
- Age & sex (males generally need > females for any given age)
- Total weight & lean mass (more lean mass = more needed)
- Physiological status (eg: sick or injured, pregnant, growth and 'enhancement')
- Hormones (eg: thyroid hormone levels, growth hormone levels)
- Exercise level (more activity = more needed)
- Daily activity level (more activity = more needed)
- Diet (that is - macronutrient intake)
In order to calculate your requirements the most accurate measure is via Calorimetry [the measure of 'chemical reactions' in your body & the heat produced by these reactions], either directly (via placing a calorimeter where the heat you produce is measured) or indirectly (eg: HOOD studies where they monitor how much oxygen you use/ carbon dioxide and nitrogen you excrete over a given time). But although accurate they are completely impractical for most people & we mostly rely on pre-set formula to calculate our needs.
NOTE: IF YOU ARE LESS THAN 18 YRS OF AGE - THESE FORMULA WILL NOT BE ACCURATE!There is an energy cost associated with growth / inefficient movement / high surface area:mass ratio. Look HERE for alternatives.
As a teenager I would also STRONGLY suggest you don't obsess on calories and macros! Eat well, exercise regularly, and have fun while you can!
Estimating Requirements
The simplest method is to base your intake on a standard 'calories per unit of weight (usually kilograms)'. Typically:
- 26 to 30 kcals/kg/day for normal, healthy individuals with sedentary lifestyles doing little physical activity [12.0-14 kcal/pound]
- 31 to 37 kcal/kg/day for those involved in light to moderate activity 3-5 x a week with moderately active lifestyles [14-16 kcal/ pound]
- 38 to 40 kcals/kg/day for those involved in vigorous activity and highly active jobs [16-18 kcal/ pound].
For those involved in HEAVY training (eg: athletes) - the demand is greater:
- 41 to 50 kcals/kg/day for those involved in moderate to heavy training (for example: 15-20 hrs/ week training) [18.5-22 kcal/ pound]
- 50 or above kcals/kg/day for those involved in heavy to extreme training [> 22 kcal/ pound]
There are then a number of other formula which calculate BMR. This means it calculates what you need should you be in a coma.
1/ Harris-Benedict formula: Very inaccurate. It was derived from studies on LEAN, YOUNG, ACTIVE males MANY YEARS AGO (1919). Notorious for OVERESTIMATING requirements, especially in the overweight. IF YOU CAN AVOID IT, DON'T USE IT!
MEN: BMR = 66 + [13.7 x weight (kg)] + [5 x height (cm)] - [6.76 x age (years)]
WOMEN: BMR = 655 + [9.6 x weight (kg)] + [1.8 x height (cm)] - [4.7 x age (years)]
2/Mifflin-St Jeor: Developed in the 1990s and more realistic in todays settings. It still doesn't take into consideration the differences as a consequence of high BF%. Thus, once again, it OVERESTIMATES NEEDS, ESPECIALLY IN THE OVERWEIGHT.
MEN: BMR = [9.99 x weight (kg)] + [6.25 x height (cm)] - [4.92 x age (years)] + 5
WOMEN: BMR = [9.99 x weight (kg)] + [6.25 x height (cm)] - [4.92 x age (years)] -161
3/Katch-McArdle:Considered the most accurate formula for those who are relatively lean. Use ONLY if you have a good estimate of your bodyfat %.
BMR = 370 + (21.6 x LBM)Where LBM = [total weight (kg) x (100 - bodyfat %)]/100
As these are only BMR calculations To convert BMR to a TOTAL requirement you need to multiply the result of your BMR by an 'activity variable' to give TEE.
The Activity Factor[/u] is the TOTAL cost of living and is BASED ON MORE THAN JUST YOUR TRAINING. It includes work, life activities, training/sport & the TEF of ~15% (an average mixed diet).
Average activity variables are:
1.2 = Sedentary (Little or no exercise + desk job)
1.3-1.4 = Lightly Active (Little daily activity & light exercise 1-3 days a week)
1.5-1.6 = Moderately Active (Moderately active daily life & Moderate exercise 3-5 days a week)
1.7-1.8 = Very Active (Physically demanding lifestyle & Hard exercise or sports 6-7 days a week)
1.9-2.2 = Extremely Active (Hard daily exercise or sports and physical job)
How Accurate are they?: They give rough ball-park figures and are still 'guesstimations'. So the aim is to use these as 'rough figures', monitor your weight/ measurements for 2-4 weeks, & IF your weight is stable/ measurements are stable, you have likely found maintenance.
Using the Above to Recalculate Based on Goals
You then need to DECREASE or INCREASE intake based on your goals (eg: lose or gain mass). It is not recommended to use a 'generic calorie amounts' (eg: 500 cals/ day). Instead this should be calculated on a % of your maintenance. Why? The effect of different calorie amounts is going to be markedly different based on someones size/ total calorie intake. For example - subtracting 500 cals/ day from a 1500 total intake is 1/3rd of the total cals, where 500 cals/ day from 3000 total intake is only 1/6th of the total. The results will therefore be markedly different on an individuals energy level & weight loss. Generally:
- To ADD weight: ADD 10-20% calories to the total above
- To LOSE weight: SUBTRACT 10-20% calories from the total above
Then monitor your results and adjust as required.
Macronutrient NeedsOnce you work out calorie needs, you then work out how much of each macronutrient you should aim for. This is one of the areas that is MOST often confused but This should NOT be based on a RATIO of macro intakes. (eg: '30:40:30 or 40:40:20') Your body doesn't CARE what % intake you have. It works based on SUFFICIENT QUANTITY per MASS.
So to try to make it as simple as possible:
1. Protein: Believe it or not - Protein intake is a bit of a controversial issue. In this, the general recommendations given in the 'bodybuilding' area are nearly double the 'standard' recommendations given in the Sports Nutrition Arena.
The GENERAL sports nutrition guideline based on clinical trials suggest that in the face of ADEQUATE calories and CARBS the following protein intakes are sufficient:
STRENGTH training -> 1.2 to 1.6g per KG bodyweight (about .6 / pound)
ENDURANCE training -> 1.4 to 1.8g per KG bodyweight (about .8 / pound)
ADOLESCENT in training -> 1.8 to 2.2g per KG bodyweight (about 1g / pound)
BUT researchers acknowledge that protein becomes MORE important in the context of LOWER calorie intakes, or LOWER carb intakes.
Recent evidence also suggests that protein intakes of 3g/kg help with physiological and psychological stressors associated with high volume or intense training
It is important to note that ADEQUATE v's OPTIMAL is not discussed. And one also needs to consider thermogenics/ satiety/ and personal preference.
General 'bodybuilding' guidelines for protein would be as follows:
- Moderate bodyfat = 1-1.33g per pound TOTAL weight [or ~ 1.25g/pound lean mass if bodyfat known]
- Very Low bodyfat or Very Low Calorie = 1.25 - 1.75g per TOTAL weight [or ~ 1.35 - 2g/pound of lean mass]
- Very HIGH bodyfat, Inactive, = 0.8 to 1g per TOTAL weight [or ~ 1 x LEAN mass]
Anecdotally, most find these HIGHER protein intake better for satiety, partitioning, and blood sugar control. So UNLESS you are specifically guided to use the GENERAL sports nutrition guidelines, I would suggest the BODYBUILDING values.
2. Fats: Generally speaking, although the body can get away with short periods of very low fat, in the long run your body NEEDS fat to maintain general health, satiety, and sanity. Additionally - any form of high intensity training will benefit from a 'fat buffer' in your diet - which acts to control free radical damage and inflammation. General guides:
Average or lean bodyfat: 1 - 2g fat/ kg body weight [between 0.40 - 1g total weight/ pounds]
High bodyfat: 1-2g fat/ LEAN weight [between 0.4 - 1g LEAN weight/ pounds]
IF low calorie dieting - you can decrease further, but as a minimum, I would not suggest LESS than about 0.30g/ pound.
Note 1: Total fat intake is NOT the same as 'essential fats' (essential fats are specific TYPES of fats that are INCLUDED in your total fat intake)...
3. Carbs: For carbs there are no specific 'requirements' for your body so - but carbs are important for athletes, HIGHLY ACTIVE individuals, or those trying to GAIN MASS. [carbs help with workout intensity, health, & satiety (+ sanity)].
If you are an athlete involved in a good volume of training I would suggest you CALCULATE a requirement for carbs as a PRIORITY - then go back and calculate protein / fat:
Moderately active: 4.5 - 6.5 g/ kg (about 2 - 3g/ pound)
High active: 6.5 - 8.5 g/ kg (about 3 - 4g/ pound)
INTENSE activity: + 8.5g / kg (more than 4g/ pound)
For 'other folk' - to calculate your carbohydrate intake you simply use it to fill in the calories left over from fats/ protein:
carb calories = Total calorie needs - ([protein grams as above x 4] + [fat grams as above x 9])
carbs in grams = above total/ 4
**End original article**
I know you probably don't want to read any more by now, but I just want to mention a couple things.
First, if after calculating your TDEE you find that it's a really high number, DON'T PANIC. You'd be surprised at how much your body needs.
Second, if after eating the proper amount of calories for the first time after a long stretch of severe caloric reduction (i.e. eating what MFP tells you to eat and not eating back your exercise calories) you find that you gain weight, DON'T PANIC. Your metabolism will take some time to adjust, but it WILL adjust.
Third, the macronutrient profile of your diet is just as important as the total number of calories. Do not underestimate its importance. It can be the difference between losing muscle or losing fat.
Have fun number crunching!
Calculating Calories and Macro's
Basic Terminology
1/ BMR (Basal Metabolic Rate): This is the amount of calories you need to consume to maintain your body if you were comatose (base level).
2/ NEAT (Non-Exercise Associated Thermogenesis): The calorie of daily activity that is NOT exercise (eg: washing, walking, talking, shopping, working). ie: INCIDENTAL EXERCISE! It is something that everyone has a good amount of control over & it is the MOST important factor in your energy expenditure. It is what helps keep 'constitutionally lean' people LEAN (they fidget)!
3/ EAT (Exercise Associated Thermogenesis): The calorie requirements associated with planned exercise. Unless someone is doing a whole heap of exercise (eg: two or more hrs training a day) it usually doesn't add a stack of calories to your requirements (30 minutes of 'elliptical training isn't going to do it')
4/ TEF (Thermic effect of feeding): The calorie expenditure associated with eating. REGARDLESS of what myths you have been told - this is NOT dependent on MEAL FREQUENCY. It is a % of TOTAL CALORIES CONSUMED (and 15% of 3 x 600 cal meals is the same as 15% of 6 x 300 cal meals). It varies according to MACRONUTRIENT content and FIBER content. For most mixed diets, it is something around 15%. Protein is higher (up to 25%), carbs are variable (between 5-25%), and fats are low (usually less than 5%). So -> More protein and more carbs and more fiber = HIGHER TEF. More FAT = LOWER TEF.
5/ TEE (Total Energy Expenditure): The total calories you require - and the sum of the above (BMR + NEAT + EAT + TEF).
How much do you need?
There is therefore a multitude of things that impact a persons MAINTENANCE calorie requirements
- Age & sex (males generally need > females for any given age)
- Total weight & lean mass (more lean mass = more needed)
- Physiological status (eg: sick or injured, pregnant, growth and 'enhancement')
- Hormones (eg: thyroid hormone levels, growth hormone levels)
- Exercise level (more activity = more needed)
- Daily activity level (more activity = more needed)
- Diet (that is - macronutrient intake)
In order to calculate your requirements the most accurate measure is via Calorimetry [the measure of 'chemical reactions' in your body & the heat produced by these reactions], either directly (via placing a calorimeter where the heat you produce is measured) or indirectly (eg: HOOD studies where they monitor how much oxygen you use/ carbon dioxide and nitrogen you excrete over a given time). But although accurate they are completely impractical for most people & we mostly rely on pre-set formula to calculate our needs.
NOTE: IF YOU ARE LESS THAN 18 YRS OF AGE - THESE FORMULA WILL NOT BE ACCURATE!There is an energy cost associated with growth / inefficient movement / high surface area:mass ratio. Look HERE for alternatives.
As a teenager I would also STRONGLY suggest you don't obsess on calories and macros! Eat well, exercise regularly, and have fun while you can!
Estimating Requirements
The simplest method is to base your intake on a standard 'calories per unit of weight (usually kilograms)'. Typically:
- 26 to 30 kcals/kg/day for normal, healthy individuals with sedentary lifestyles doing little physical activity [12.0-14 kcal/pound]
- 31 to 37 kcal/kg/day for those involved in light to moderate activity 3-5 x a week with moderately active lifestyles [14-16 kcal/ pound]
- 38 to 40 kcals/kg/day for those involved in vigorous activity and highly active jobs [16-18 kcal/ pound].
For those involved in HEAVY training (eg: athletes) - the demand is greater:
- 41 to 50 kcals/kg/day for those involved in moderate to heavy training (for example: 15-20 hrs/ week training) [18.5-22 kcal/ pound]
- 50 or above kcals/kg/day for those involved in heavy to extreme training [> 22 kcal/ pound]
There are then a number of other formula which calculate BMR. This means it calculates what you need should you be in a coma.
1/ Harris-Benedict formula: Very inaccurate. It was derived from studies on LEAN, YOUNG, ACTIVE males MANY YEARS AGO (1919). Notorious for OVERESTIMATING requirements, especially in the overweight. IF YOU CAN AVOID IT, DON'T USE IT!
MEN: BMR = 66 + [13.7 x weight (kg)] + [5 x height (cm)] - [6.76 x age (years)]
WOMEN: BMR = 655 + [9.6 x weight (kg)] + [1.8 x height (cm)] - [4.7 x age (years)]
2/Mifflin-St Jeor: Developed in the 1990s and more realistic in todays settings. It still doesn't take into consideration the differences as a consequence of high BF%. Thus, once again, it OVERESTIMATES NEEDS, ESPECIALLY IN THE OVERWEIGHT.
MEN: BMR = [9.99 x weight (kg)] + [6.25 x height (cm)] - [4.92 x age (years)] + 5
WOMEN: BMR = [9.99 x weight (kg)] + [6.25 x height (cm)] - [4.92 x age (years)] -161
3/Katch-McArdle:Considered the most accurate formula for those who are relatively lean. Use ONLY if you have a good estimate of your bodyfat %.
BMR = 370 + (21.6 x LBM)Where LBM = [total weight (kg) x (100 - bodyfat %)]/100
As these are only BMR calculations To convert BMR to a TOTAL requirement you need to multiply the result of your BMR by an 'activity variable' to give TEE.
The Activity Factor[/u] is the TOTAL cost of living and is BASED ON MORE THAN JUST YOUR TRAINING. It includes work, life activities, training/sport & the TEF of ~15% (an average mixed diet).
Average activity variables are:
1.2 = Sedentary (Little or no exercise + desk job)
1.3-1.4 = Lightly Active (Little daily activity & light exercise 1-3 days a week)
1.5-1.6 = Moderately Active (Moderately active daily life & Moderate exercise 3-5 days a week)
1.7-1.8 = Very Active (Physically demanding lifestyle & Hard exercise or sports 6-7 days a week)
1.9-2.2 = Extremely Active (Hard daily exercise or sports and physical job)
How Accurate are they?: They give rough ball-park figures and are still 'guesstimations'. So the aim is to use these as 'rough figures', monitor your weight/ measurements for 2-4 weeks, & IF your weight is stable/ measurements are stable, you have likely found maintenance.
Using the Above to Recalculate Based on Goals
You then need to DECREASE or INCREASE intake based on your goals (eg: lose or gain mass). It is not recommended to use a 'generic calorie amounts' (eg: 500 cals/ day). Instead this should be calculated on a % of your maintenance. Why? The effect of different calorie amounts is going to be markedly different based on someones size/ total calorie intake. For example - subtracting 500 cals/ day from a 1500 total intake is 1/3rd of the total cals, where 500 cals/ day from 3000 total intake is only 1/6th of the total. The results will therefore be markedly different on an individuals energy level & weight loss. Generally:
- To ADD weight: ADD 10-20% calories to the total above
- To LOSE weight: SUBTRACT 10-20% calories from the total above
Then monitor your results and adjust as required.
Macronutrient NeedsOnce you work out calorie needs, you then work out how much of each macronutrient you should aim for. This is one of the areas that is MOST often confused but This should NOT be based on a RATIO of macro intakes. (eg: '30:40:30 or 40:40:20') Your body doesn't CARE what % intake you have. It works based on SUFFICIENT QUANTITY per MASS.
So to try to make it as simple as possible:
1. Protein: Believe it or not - Protein intake is a bit of a controversial issue. In this, the general recommendations given in the 'bodybuilding' area are nearly double the 'standard' recommendations given in the Sports Nutrition Arena.
The GENERAL sports nutrition guideline based on clinical trials suggest that in the face of ADEQUATE calories and CARBS the following protein intakes are sufficient:
STRENGTH training -> 1.2 to 1.6g per KG bodyweight (about .6 / pound)
ENDURANCE training -> 1.4 to 1.8g per KG bodyweight (about .8 / pound)
ADOLESCENT in training -> 1.8 to 2.2g per KG bodyweight (about 1g / pound)
BUT researchers acknowledge that protein becomes MORE important in the context of LOWER calorie intakes, or LOWER carb intakes.
Recent evidence also suggests that protein intakes of 3g/kg help with physiological and psychological stressors associated with high volume or intense training
It is important to note that ADEQUATE v's OPTIMAL is not discussed. And one also needs to consider thermogenics/ satiety/ and personal preference.
General 'bodybuilding' guidelines for protein would be as follows:
- Moderate bodyfat = 1-1.33g per pound TOTAL weight [or ~ 1.25g/pound lean mass if bodyfat known]
- Very Low bodyfat or Very Low Calorie = 1.25 - 1.75g per TOTAL weight [or ~ 1.35 - 2g/pound of lean mass]
- Very HIGH bodyfat, Inactive, = 0.8 to 1g per TOTAL weight [or ~ 1 x LEAN mass]
Anecdotally, most find these HIGHER protein intake better for satiety, partitioning, and blood sugar control. So UNLESS you are specifically guided to use the GENERAL sports nutrition guidelines, I would suggest the BODYBUILDING values.
2. Fats: Generally speaking, although the body can get away with short periods of very low fat, in the long run your body NEEDS fat to maintain general health, satiety, and sanity. Additionally - any form of high intensity training will benefit from a 'fat buffer' in your diet - which acts to control free radical damage and inflammation. General guides:
Average or lean bodyfat: 1 - 2g fat/ kg body weight [between 0.40 - 1g total weight/ pounds]
High bodyfat: 1-2g fat/ LEAN weight [between 0.4 - 1g LEAN weight/ pounds]
IF low calorie dieting - you can decrease further, but as a minimum, I would not suggest LESS than about 0.30g/ pound.
Note 1: Total fat intake is NOT the same as 'essential fats' (essential fats are specific TYPES of fats that are INCLUDED in your total fat intake)...
3. Carbs: For carbs there are no specific 'requirements' for your body so - but carbs are important for athletes, HIGHLY ACTIVE individuals, or those trying to GAIN MASS. [carbs help with workout intensity, health, & satiety (+ sanity)].
If you are an athlete involved in a good volume of training I would suggest you CALCULATE a requirement for carbs as a PRIORITY - then go back and calculate protein / fat:
Moderately active: 4.5 - 6.5 g/ kg (about 2 - 3g/ pound)
High active: 6.5 - 8.5 g/ kg (about 3 - 4g/ pound)
INTENSE activity: + 8.5g / kg (more than 4g/ pound)
For 'other folk' - to calculate your carbohydrate intake you simply use it to fill in the calories left over from fats/ protein:
carb calories = Total calorie needs - ([protein grams as above x 4] + [fat grams as above x 9])
carbs in grams = above total/ 4
**End original article**
I know you probably don't want to read any more by now, but I just want to mention a couple things.
First, if after calculating your TDEE you find that it's a really high number, DON'T PANIC. You'd be surprised at how much your body needs.
Second, if after eating the proper amount of calories for the first time after a long stretch of severe caloric reduction (i.e. eating what MFP tells you to eat and not eating back your exercise calories) you find that you gain weight, DON'T PANIC. Your metabolism will take some time to adjust, but it WILL adjust.
Third, the macronutrient profile of your diet is just as important as the total number of calories. Do not underestimate its importance. It can be the difference between losing muscle or losing fat.
Have fun number crunching!
0
Replies
-
Thanks for posting this snugglesworth. Interesting stuff. I might have to read it more than once to make sure I didn't miss anything.0
-
Read it again and still confused so sticking to my BMR and the general 50/30/20 split for now0
-
Read it again and still confused so sticking to my BMR and the general 50/30/20 split for now
What are you confused about?0 -
wether or not my calorie goal and macro nutrients are right.0
-
wether or not my calorie goal and macro nutrients are right.
At the risk of over-simplification, you should aim to consume 70-80% of your TDEE made up with:
1g protein per pound total weight
0.5g fat per pound total weight
And the remainder is carbs
If you post your stats, lifestyle, average exercise/day, and the numbers you've calculated, I can look at them and try to give more specific feedback.0 -
over simplistic is fine.
I weigh 185 pounds, sedentary lifestyle, exercise when I feel able due to pain caused by my disability. Mfp has my BMR at 16000 -
I weigh 185 pounds, sedentary lifestyle, exercise when I feel able due to pain caused by my disability. Mfp has my BMR at 1600
Assuming MFP is correct about your BMR (it sounds close to me), you should be burning approximately 200-300 from your sedentary lifestyle, 100-200 from additional exercise, and 200-300 from eating. 1600 + 250 + 150 + 250 = 2250
Using the really simple method of multiplying body weight by 12-14 calories for a sedentary lifestyle: 185 x 12 = 2200 or 185 x 14 = 2590
Your TDEE should be approximately 2300 (based on the above calculations), depending on exercise. At a 30% deficit, you'd be at 1540, but since I don't think anyone should eat less than their BMR, 1600 would be the lowest I'd recommend for you. Try to eat a minimum of 1600 calories regardless of exercise. If you burn more than 200 calories/day from exercise, eat more.
Macronutrients:
125-148g protein <- this should be your priority. Try to get at least 125g protein, more is better.
50-100g fat <- if you feel you need more carbs in your diet, then use the lower end of this range.
50-162g carbs <- make up the rest of your calories with carbs.
Notice the huge range in the numbers. You can play around with your macronutrients until you find something that works for you in terms of practicality, satiety, and just general preference.
I love playing with numbers! Must be an Asian thing.0 -
Thanks for your help, I'm not great with numbers, my dad on the other hand is brilliant, will have a play.0
-
When I fist started reading threads about the protein you should eat I was sort of astounded by the amount. I would have thought my diet would have had enough protein, but it looks like it wasn't anywhere near enough - even after upping my intake I'm still probably not getting quite enough. I'll have to enter my food diary for a few days at some point just to check.
I'm thinking of ordering some protein powder - meant to do it last week but forgot, to supplement my protein a little bit, as and when i think I need it.
Anyway snugglesworth if you feel like having a look at my stats and giving me recommendations that'd be great. It's fairly similar to androde's
189 lbs, BMR 1725 seems to be the best measurement I got - i'll recheck that. Sedentary lifestyle, but getting in more exercise these days. 2 hours Karate a week which is pretty intense. I do a short walk almost every day, also doing probably about 4-6 hours of stretching and calisthenics stuff at home a week.0 -
Yeah, most people don't get enough protein in their diets. Consuming 1 g protein per pound LBM is the minimum recommended amount to maintain muscle while losing fat. In other words, 1 lb muscle requires 1 g protein per day.When I fist started reading threads about the protein you should eat I was sort of astounded by the amount. I would have thought my diet would have had enough protein, but it looks like it wasn't anywhere near enough - even after upping my intake I'm still probably not getting quite enough. I'll have to enter my food diary for a few days at some point just to check.
I have no clue how many calories you're burning from exercise. I was able to estimate androde's exercise calorie burn because she's updated a few times recently on what exercises she's done and how many calories she's burned during each workout. I haven't seen any such updates from you.189 lbs, BMR 1725 seems to be the best measurement I got - i'll recheck that. Sedentary lifestyle, but getting in more exercise these days. 2 hours Karate a week which is pretty intense. I do a short walk almost every day, also doing probably about 4-6 hours of stretching and calisthenics stuff at home a week.
However, just going with the simple 12-14 cal/pound thing: 12 x 189 = 2268 or 14 x 189 = 2646. Let's assume you're in the middle since you have a good amount of exercise in your week. Further assuming that you want the biggest deficit possible for fastest fat loss, a 30% deficit puts you at 1700. Obviously, don't eat less than your BMR, so if it's 1725, then eat that much at the least.
For your macronutrients, I'd recommend pretty much the same as what I recommended for androde.
Macronutrients:
138-172g protein
55-100g fat
34-170g carbs
By the way, 100g fat per day seems excessive to pack into a 1700 calorie diet in my opinion, but the bodybuilding guidelines say it's okay so... I don't know. Eat what you're comfortable with. Again, play with the numbers until you find something that works for you.0 -
I'd like to comment that I posted the original article to show you guys how to do the math yourself and to give you a better understanding of your caloric needs. The calorie and macronutrient recommendations I gave to bazfitness and androde were derived from using the formulas in the original article. I do not somehow just KNOW exactly what you should be eating. I'm more than happy to help and answer questions if things are unclear, but please try to figure it out for yourself so that in the future when your body changes you'll be able to adjust your diet accordingly.
@bazfitness and androde: since you both have high body fat percentages, you will definitely need to adjust your diet several times as you lose fat. Try to find out your body fat percentage from something other than an online calculator. When you have a more accurate picture of your current body composition, you'll be able to tailor your diet to your own needs much better than the estimates I've given you.0 -
Thanks and yeah I've decided to stick with my BMR for at least six weeks, as that length of change for anything seems to work for me then have another go with my calipers, to check my bodyfat percentage again and review.0
-
Thanks snugglesworth. I haven't recorded my food in a while - but i'm pretty sure I'm varying between 1800-2200 calories day. The pounds won't fly off with that sort of deficit, but I'm content with gradual progress on the weight front. Hopefully the exercise I'm doing these days will improve my fitness a bit quicker.0
-
bump for reading when I have more time to really study this...
0 -
I'm having a hard time understanding the calculations presented here. I decided that I wanted to get my body fat % into the fit level instead of average, which means losing some weight and building some muscle. I don't want to do strong lifting and have, instead, added one body pump class to my strength training routine. That gives me three strength training classes that also combine aerobic activity, three cardio classes including 2 Zumba classes, which apply some body weight strength training, and two vinyasa yoga classes. I am slowly increasing the weight I'm lifting in body pump as well as shred.
I've got a couple of apps that track body fat % by having me take my measurements and weight every week. I also take a full body picture and post it on the app.
I started out at 131lb and 29 BF%. Friday I had lost 1.5lb and a few inches.The fitness level of body fat is 21-24% so I'm about 5% away. I'm using calipers to measure body fat as well as taking my measurements to measure inches lost. I've calculated my body fat using a number of approaches using the army and navy one, and a few others, and my results vary by 5% so I've used an average..
It's an interesting process. I have changed my lifestyle in a number of ways. After years of not drinking enough water, I've been logging anywhere from 8 to 12 glasses a day for about a month. I have a lot of trouble reaching my protein allotment even though I am concentrating on increasing it. The more I exercise, the higher my protein requirements are raised by MFP. ( my diary is open if you're interested)
The water thing is difficult. I take a bladder control medication because otherwise I am urinating all the time, but I haven't been having problems even having increased my water intake.
I went shopping this past weekend and noticed that the inches I lost have translated into my change sizes from an 8/medium to a small for a number of purchases. With women's clothing it's hard to tell because different brands have different measurements, but The outfits I had to change sizes for were significantly smaller in small vs medium.
I have a relatively hourglass figure and tend to gain and lose weight proportionately. I'll post my measurements and BF% on Friday which will be a month.0
