Need Advice: Confused about proper amount of calories

Options
CWSpiegel
CWSpiegel Posts: 114
in Health and Weight Loss
Hello All,

There is a wealth of information on these message boards, some of it contradictory, about the proper amount of calories to ingest for losing weight while strength training, and I've confused myself. I'm also not really seeing any results, so I don't think I'm eating right. A little about me:

- Current: 28 Year Old Male, 5'7", 165 lbs, 16.5% Body Fat
- Goal: 155 lbs, 12 % Body Fat

Exercise:
- CrossFit MetCon Workouts 3 days/week
- CrossFit Olympic Lifting Workouts 2 days/week
- Lap Swimming for 30 minutes 2 days/week
- Road Cycling for 1.5 - 2 hours 2 days/week
- Walk dog minimum of 3 miles every day (sometimes as much as 7 miles)

Diet:
- 1800 Calories (Just upped from 1400)
- I tend to eat over the macro's MFP set for me on protein, and under for fat, although I really don't pay them much attention.
- I stay away from Fast Food, and don't do the whole Paleo thing, and I enjoy my carbs...in moderation.

Basically, is my calorie count too low? Although my clothes fit better, and I've noticed some definition, the scale hasn't moved much and my body fat percentage is staying the same. I'm a bit worried that the calorie deficit is keeping me from making any progress.

Thoughts?

Replies

  • yarwell
    yarwell Posts: 10,477 Member
    Options
    " Based on the information you provided, body fat percentage of 16.5%, you have a lean body mass of 138 lbs., and your BMR is 1725 calories." - http://www.fat2fitradio.com/tools/bmr/

    The above site would put you on "Moderately Active (moderate exercise/sports 3-5 days/wk) 2623 calories" based on the weight you want to be, the idea being you will slowly approach your goal weight's maintenance. It does also say " As you get closer to your goal weight, your weight loss will start to slow down. It is OK to eat a few hundred calories less per day (200-300) to speed up your weight loss at this point."

    Eating 1400 or even 1800 with your exercise regime may be too high a deficit. Not sure how long you've been at that with no results. The above would suggest eating at least 2000.
  • CWSpiegel
    CWSpiegel Posts: 114
    Options
    Yarwell,

    Thanks for that information. One more question...

    Because we factored in my workouts, I should NOT be eating calories back right?
  • mcarter99
    mcarter99 Posts: 1,666 Member
    Options
    Some would advise you to decide if you want to build muscle or lose fat, and if both, then work on those independently, in cycles. I think that's what most bodybuilders do to get their body fat % low. They say you need a calorie surplus with plenty of protein to build up tissues, then a stringent deficit phase to cut back fat stores. But trying to do both at once, you could be not doing either well.

    Also, what are you using to track your body fat %? Most tools are pretty crude and don't catch small changes. I wouldn't trust a scale. I'd at least get some calipers.
  • GrandmaCarole
    GrandmaCarole Posts: 35 Member
    Options
    Remember that muscle weighs more that fat and some people gain weight as they gain muscle. Personal trainers often recommend more lean protein for those who are weight/strength training. You will lose more muscle than fat if your calorie goal is too lo low. I cannot lose weight at 1200 calories but increased it to 1600 calories and lose weight. Go figure. But I am a short sedentry female in her 60s. Men need a much higher goal. Some don't recommend men dieting at under 2000 calories.
  • Spanaval
    Spanaval Posts: 1,200 Member
    Options
    Yarwell,

    Thanks for that information. One more question...

    Because we factored in my workouts, I should NOT be eating calories back right?

    That is correct. At about 2000 cals, you'd be eating at a little over a 20% deficit. You could always a little more (2100 or so), and still have a 500 cals/day deficit, which would put your weight loss at 1 lb/week. That's still pretty high, considering you have very, very little weight and body fat to lose.
  • CWSpiegel
    CWSpiegel Posts: 114
    Options
    My bodyfat is done by one of the trainers at my CrossFit affiliate, with calipers.
  • CWSpiegel
    CWSpiegel Posts: 114
    Options
    OK.

    I would like to thank all of you for the advice. Here's what I'm going with.

    - 2190 Calories per day. (4x a week)
    - No eating back calories.
    - 40/30/30 Carbs/Protein/Fat ( i selected this because it had about the right amount of protein for my Lean Body Mass. However, I should be able to eat under the allotted carbs without any difficulty.)
    - On heavy Lifting Days (2x a week) I will be shooting for 2300 calories, and 10-15 grams more protein than usual.
    - On rest days (of which I only walk dog or do a light bike ride, I will try and eat 1900) calories.

    Look Good?

Categories