How do bodybuilders eat 3000-4000 calories a day?

PetulantOne

I mean sure, I can eat crap food and high carbs and hit that, but I don't have issues with energy.
Maybe its just my thinking but I relate carbs to needing more energy throughout the day.

There is only so much chicken and broccoli I can physically stuff in my body. I never really feel hungry anymore.

Of course I've already lost 45 lbs and Ive put on about 15 lbs of muscle from when I was at my worst.
The last 3-4 months haven't really seen any results though.

What's your issue with carbs? Clearly, eliminating them isn't working for you. Why not give them a shot? And, you seem to equate crap food and carbs together. I think that may be part of your problem here. Don't be so restrictive. Have some rice, or potatoes, or oatmeal...you don't have to fill your calories with lucky charms and ho-hos (though at this point, I think they may actually help you progress).

3 or 4 months is a legit plateau. I think you probably need to take a diet break, eat at maintenance for 10-14 days MINIMUM, and let your body recharge, and eat some muthafckin carbs! Anyway, if you're interested I wrote a blog post about diet breaks a month or so ago that might help explain the concept: http://www.myfitnesspal.com/blog/MoreBean13

^this

zaph0d

You need to eat the right amount for YOU. Don't compare to what others eat unless they are close to your height and body type and body fat percentage. Many body builders can eat more because they take steroids, or hormones and don't want to admit it, not all but some. Guys will build muscle faster than girls. You don't need "extra" food, you just need enough food.

Brad Pilon just posted a good article on his blog about this today.

Did you read the OP? Here are the highlights:

> I usually lift weights 4 times a week and usually do 20-60 minutes of cardio after each weight lifting session.
> I am 5'8 195 lbs. I have decent muscle on my frame and last I had a BF check done I was at 21.6%
> But I am around 1200 calories a day an my workouts usually burn around 600 calories.

Common sense. Apply some. What do you come up with?

tobnrn

Let me start off by saying that my goal is to lose weight and look better. In hopes of that, I usually lift weights 4 times a week and usually do 20-60 minutes of cardio after each weight lifting session.

I eat clean most of the time, lean white meats and fish, veggies like broccoli, try to stay under 20g of sugar each day.

I have a suspicion that I am not eating enough. I feel like I eat all the time (4-5 times a day) and have a hard time getting over 1200 calories a day without milk and protein shakes. I am 5'8 195 lbs. I have decent muscle on my frame and last I had a BF check done I was at 21.6% BF. My goal is to get to 10% by next summer.

For the last 5 months I have fluctuated between 205 and 195 and while my diet isn't 100% clean 100% of the time, I feel like
I put in a clean diet 90% of the time and the times I don't are on the weekends and even then I am not eating that bad.
I may be eating out, but I am eating like steak, grilled shrimp and veggies or a baked potato.

I really need help here trying to figure out what I need to do to get the best results.
I have no problems with energy levels as it is and I have read that you should cut carb intake until you feel a lose of energy.
But I am around 1200 calories a day an my workouts usually burn around 600 calories.
Any help and advice is appreciated, I read a lot of stuff on the internet and am kind of lost on what my next step needs to be.

You need to eat the right amount for YOU. Don't compare to what others eat unless they are close to your height and body type and body fat percentage. Many body builders can eat more because they take steroids, or hormones and don't want to admit it, not all but some. Guys will build muscle faster than girls. You don't need "extra" food, you just need enough food.

Brad Pilon just posted a good article on his blog about this today.

Why do I get the feeling your promoting low calorie eating again which is unhealthy and has metabolic consequences.

To the OP Don't be afraid of fats & carbs. Netting 600 cals is far too low. Calorie dense food is yummy.

Goal_Line

I heard a pro football lineman once say he used to get a sore jaw from all the steak he had to eat to maintain weight. They eat 6 full meals a day.

GodzillaR35

im 240 pounds,i am eating 1570 calories a day,i lift heavy 5 days a week,cardio 6 days,im dropping massive bodyfat,gaining some muscle,i push hard when i am in the gym..to the point of an outer body experience when i get home,sometimes the next day i feel disoriented.

dg09

I eat twice the calories you eat just to lose weight. I'm pumped when it's time to start adding mass! Omnomnom. EAT!

WendyTerry420

I mean sure, I can eat crap food and high carbs and hit that, but I don't have issues with energy.
Maybe its just my thinking but I relate carbs to needing more energy throughout the day.

There is only so much chicken and broccoli I can physically stuff in my body. I never really feel hungry anymore.

Of course I've already lost 45 lbs and Ive put on about 15 lbs of muscle from when I was at my worst.
The last 3-4 months haven't really seen any results though.

If all I ate were chicken and broccoli, I might have off'd myself already. Try something new! Eat a frickin' pork steak once in a while, grilled with some BBQ sauce and a dinner roll with a pat of butter! YUM!

briang1224

Since I started this thread I rebalanced my calorie goals. I skipped breakfast this morning, but I grabbed a Peanut butter sammich and added picked up a protein shake at lunch and I'll have another when I get home.

If I had eaten breakfast, I would be right on point for the rest of the day.

I added my whole meals for today/tonight.
Feel free to take a look at my diet and let me know how it looks.

girlykate143

"I eat twice the calories you eat just to lose weight"

^^^dg09 posted progress pics last week and it's incredible. Follow him to see what's worked. or somethin.

Remember, most people here are trying to help. We use sarcastic language a lot. What people say in writing is different than what they'd say to your face. It's the interwebs, you can either feel slammed for asking, or feel like, hey, they are trying to help.
I think it's Freekin Fantastic that you've lost weight and are asking the questions. It's tons better than giving up and hiding behind the curtain.

As for bodybuilders, are you actually going for that or just strength training in general? There are some who will say that you should really not do so much cardio. You need rest days between your strength training days. All the best.

trojanbb

I eat 4k to 5k a day. It hurts. I feel bloated and gross all day, every day, every year. I do not enjoy it. But I force myself. Because I want the results.

It's not complicated. It just requires desire.

Also, if I eat under 4k a day..I lose weight and muscle. Fast. That terrifies me.

love4fitnesslove4food_wechange

I eat 4k to 5k a day. It hurts. I feel bloated and gross all day, every day, every year. I do not enjoy it. But I force myself. Because I want the results.

It's not complicated. It just requires desire.

Also, if I eat under 4k a day..I lose weight and muscle. Fast. That terrifies me.

It hurts? I'll make your meal plan--it won't hurt.

love4fitnesslove4food_wechange

Since I started this thread I rebalanced my calorie goals. I skipped breakfast this morning, but I grabbed a Peanut butter sammich and added picked up a protein shake at lunch and I'll have another when I get home.

If I had eaten breakfast, I would be right on point for the rest of the day.

I added my whole meals for today/tonight.
Feel free to take a look at my diet and let me know how it looks.

Your diary is locked.

trojanbb

I eat 4k to 5k a day. It hurts. I feel bloated and gross all day, every day, every year. I do not enjoy it. But I force myself. Because I want the results.

It's not complicated. It just requires desire.

Also, if I eat under 4k a day..I lose weight and muscle. Fast. That terrifies me.

It hurts? I'll make your meal plan--it won't hurt.

Force feeding hurts. Yes. I have the appetite of a skinny 14 year old boy. If I ate when I was hungry, I'd eat around 2800 a day.

mmapags

Since I started this thread I rebalanced my calorie goals. I skipped breakfast this morning, but I grabbed a Peanut butter sammich and added picked up a protein shake at lunch and I'll have another when I get home.

If I had eaten breakfast, I would be right on point for the rest of the day.

I added my whole meals for today/tonight.
Feel free to take a look at my diet and let me know how it looks.

Can't look pal. Diary is not public. If you open it up, be happy to. Sounds like you are moving in the right direction.

KitchenAbs

You don't have to eat crap to get calories in. Try nuts, coconut milk, avacado, beef mince

love4fitnesslove4food_wechange

I eat 4k to 5k a day. It hurts. I feel bloated and gross all day, every day, every year. I do not enjoy it. But I force myself. Because I want the results.

It's not complicated. It just requires desire.

Also, if I eat under 4k a day..I lose weight and muscle. Fast. That terrifies me.

It hurts? I'll make your meal plan--it won't hurt.

Force feeding hurts. Yes. I have the appetite of a skinny 14 year old boy. If I ate when I was hungry, I'd eat around 2800 a day.

YIKES...can we trade places? I have the appetite of a 220 pound football player and I'm only 1/2 that. CRAP! Not fair.

briang1224

Sorry, thought I had it public, its open now.

As far as what I am trying to do, I am not trying to bulk as much as get lean and look better.
If you had to ask me if I wanted big arms or 10% Bf, I'd go with 10% body fat first and add the arms later.

SideSteel

There's no need to keep CHO that low or protein that high. You should be sufficient in protein around ~160g or so. Fat intake looks reasonable although you could increase it if you want for personal preference reasons.

There's nothing inherently wrong with keeping protein high and CHO low provided that performance doesn't suffer. If it helps you with satiety go for it but it sounds like the problem is NOT satiety and I would suspect that you'll have a much easier time on your diet if you reduce protein and increase carbohydrate or fat or both. You're ALREADY having an issue consuming food volume (although the necessity to eat "clean" is causing this and that's been addressed).

I would also not make the jump from 1200 calories to 2400 calories in one swoop. I'd make gradual increases, maybe go to 1500 followed by 1800 followed by 2100 (300/week) and I'd stop at 2100 for a good two to three weeks and monitor rate of loss once you hit that point.

At 2100 I'd prefer to see your macros somewhere around the following:
~160p
~80f (you can go higher here if you want)
~rest in CHO to reach 2100. This will vary if you want to eat more fat.

Gramps251

OP. Please let us know how this works for you.

Game8

Your stomach will get used to it eventaully. You just have to keep trying and track your foods. I eat 3,500+ cals daily between 10am and 3pm. That's my eating window and it's been that way for over a year now. I don't find it hard at all, and I eat mostly real food, no BS meal replacements.