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Calories over maintenance to gain muscle mass?
DaveRCF
Posts: 266
Guys and gals,
I am 48, 6'2", 170lbs. Eating 500 calories over maintenance and not gaining weight. I have been at this weight for 6 weeks and strength train (early stages of Stronglifts 5X5) 3X per week, spin for an hour once a week, and walk briskly to and from the train station (15 minutes each way) 5X per week. I would like to gain 5 lbs while reducing my BF from current 17%. My diet is good and I eat at least 1g/lb of body weight of protein daily. I am getting stronger but my body isn't really changing at all.
What do you think the "right" number of calories is to gain muscle mass and reduce BF based on my description above? 500? 750? 1,000?
I am 48, 6'2", 170lbs. Eating 500 calories over maintenance and not gaining weight. I have been at this weight for 6 weeks and strength train (early stages of Stronglifts 5X5) 3X per week, spin for an hour once a week, and walk briskly to and from the train station (15 minutes each way) 5X per week. I would like to gain 5 lbs while reducing my BF from current 17%. My diet is good and I eat at least 1g/lb of body weight of protein daily. I am getting stronger but my body isn't really changing at all.
What do you think the "right" number of calories is to gain muscle mass and reduce BF based on my description above? 500? 750? 1,000?
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Replies
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What have you calculated as your maintenance calories?0
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22000
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I've calculated your TDEE to be 2700.
Lean massing would require 2450 on rest days and 3250 on workout days. That should put you gaining about .16 lbs/wk. I know not much, but you are actually eating under maintenance on rest days. You're using SL 5x5 which is good.0 -
Yeah I think you should be eating a little more too. You might also want to try a slightly different type of workout program, one that is aimed more at hypertrophy than strength.0
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According to recent scientific research, caloric intake over a week means a lot more than day to day.
A moderate daily cut vs 2 days of a large cut made no difference to weight loss. (international journal of obesity.)
So I wonder if calorie cycling for weight training really matters?0 -
Thanks guys. I will up the calories although it is amazing how much you need to eat when you are eating healthy to get the calories. I am eating Greek yogurt 3X a day some days.0
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aim nearer 3000 cals , also try to get a carb/ protein meal into u within 30 mins of training . this causes an inculin rush in the body forcing protein in to muscle
.my fav is chocolate protein and lucozade sport but any shake and a peanut butter and jam sandwich will do.
Dorian Yates use to eat a bowl of ice chips mixed with coke cola and whey protein straight after training and he swore by it0 -
10-15% above maintenance IMO.
Sounds simple but eat whatever you want, whenever you want and hit you're target macros.
Keep doing stronglifts and keep adding weight to the bar and as long as you're eating enough, you will gain weight.0
This discussion has been closed.