How many calories to eat while strength training.

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obsidianwings
obsidianwings Posts: 1,237 Member
in Food and Nutrition
Right now I am doing new rules of lifting for women, I used the calculations in the book to work out how much I should be eating. When I have finished this program I am planning on starting a 5 day split program, does anyone know if the calculations provided in the book are good for any strength training in general, or will I need to do more research and change my calories totally when I start the new program?
Hope that makes sense. Thanks

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  • obsidianwings
    obsidianwings Posts: 1,237 Member
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    bump :)
  • palmerig88
    palmerig88 Posts: 623 Member
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    Are you eating for maintenance right now? If so, how long have you been doing that? I have only been lifting for 6 or 7 months and I have to keep my daily intake pretty high currently in order to maintain. On the days I play sports or lift I eat back what I think I've burned. I've been experimenting with maintenance since July and have increased my calories 3 times, I really don't want to gain, but I REALLY don't want to lose more. I don't follow the book 'new rules' but I lift. Hope this helps.
  • Jester522
    Jester522 Posts: 392
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    It would help if you tell us what book.
  • foleyshirley
    foleyshirley Posts: 1,043 Member
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    It would help if you tell us what book.

    She already did :). NROLFW.
  • Jester522
    Jester522 Posts: 392
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    Ohhh, typographical grammar helps. I'll look into it.
  • obsidianwings
    obsidianwings Posts: 1,237 Member
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    Thanks. I didn't have the book on me at the time so I was hoping someone familiar with the formula used in it would be able to help, but it doesn't look like that is the case so I have typed up the formula below to assist in people helping me

    Find out your resting metabolic rate, run this equation
    795 + (7.18 x body weight in kilograms) = resting metabolic rate, then for people with a BMI of 18-24.9 and under 35 years multiply your RMR by 1.6 to get the amount of calories to eat on non lifting days, and by 1.8 to get calories to eat on lifting days. If you want a calorie deficit you are then allowed to cut a maximum of 300 calories a day from these numbers, I do this for for 2 reasons, I am still trying to cut body fat, and also my BMI is a little lower than the minimum 18 used for equations in the book so i'm guessing I probably need a little less.
    This gives me 1427 calories to eat on non lifting days, and an extra 221 calories on lifting days.
    Does this formula sound reasonable for any lifting program? If not, could someone point me towards a good formula?
    If it makes a difference I do also eat back any calories I get from cardio, although not always on the same day, I usually work my calories on a weekly basis.
    Thanks :)
  • default
    default Posts: 124 Member
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    check out bodybuilding.com

    I know they have plenty of information on there for your question, but 1427 sounds extremely low if you are looking to "build" muscle.
  • obsidianwings
    obsidianwings Posts: 1,237 Member
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    Thanks will check it out :)
    Keep in mind I am a very small person, only about 95lb and very short, but I do know I can't build muscle on a deficit, at this point I am trying to build strength (which considering my progress so far in weights I am confident I am doing) and maintain muscle whilst losing fat, then I am looking at switching to maintenance calories. That amount is definitely working for me now, just wasn't sure if it was suitable for different programs or not if you get what i mean, this is the first weight lifting program I have done. Will check out that site tonight when I have time to properly go through it, thanks.
  • obsidianwings
    obsidianwings Posts: 1,237 Member
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    Theres a lot of info on that site, but all the calculators i've entered my info into so far have come up with number hovering around the same range I do now, so will stick with it, thanks. Great site :)

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