HELP - Caloric Intake/Water retention/Muscle Gain

2abnorth

I thought I had this all figured out. I did my numbers on scooby when I first started here 6 weeks ago. However, had my activity as moderate. I've only been doing STS so only working out 3 hours per week. My job is pretty sedentary. I do walk every where I go. My first numbers came up with approx 1800 cals for my daily intake. This a.m., I redid them @ 20% cut, with a light activity level. and came up with TDEE of 1844/BMR of 1341, and cut of 1475. If this is the case, I've be been overeating by about 300 cals per week. Since starting, I've gained 8 lbs. I don't know how much of the weight I've gained is from overeating, water retention, or muscle gain. I am getting stronger, but my pants are getting tighter. I'm not really sure what to do next so would appreciate any help I can get. Not sure what to cut out of my diet, what to keep in! Any feedback would be appreciated!:huh:

heybales

I thought I had this all figured out. I did my numbers on scooby when I first started here 6 weeks ago. However, had my activity as moderate. I've only been doing STS so only working out 3 hours per week. My job is pretty sedentary. I do walk every where I go. My first numbers came up with approx 1800 cals for my daily intake. This a.m., I redid them @ 20% cut, with a light activity level. and came up with TDEE of 1844/BMR of 1341, and cut of 1475. If this is the case, I've be been overeating by about 300 cals per week. Since starting, I've gained 8 lbs. I don't know how much of the weight I've gained is from overeating, water retention, or muscle gain. I am getting stronger, but my pants are getting tighter. I'm not really sure what to do next so would appreciate any help I can get. Not sure what to cut out of my diet, what to keep in! Any feedback would be appreciated!:huh:

3 hrs of lifting is even less than 3 hrs of heavy cardio, because you burn less during the session.
You burn more fat during recovery of course, but still, who needs to replenish fat stores.
Walking does count about 1/2 time if out for exercise, if just little short trips, it would increase things a little.

I'd suggest use Lightly Active and round up to nearest 100, so 1900, so 20% deficit is 1520 daily eating goal.

But, look at those figures, you were eating 1800, you have now estimated your TDEE to be 1844. You still have a deficit, right. Should not have been any weight gain from correct weigh-ins.

The only way you would have been gaining at 1800 would be if that was actually surplus and your TDEE is even less, no other way.

Is you TDEE less because you did not use the bodyfat% estimate for BMR to get more accurate estimate?
or is your TDEE less because you still have it suppressed?

If suppressed or with decent deficit for 6 wks, you didn't gain muscle, but you indeed could have gained Lean Body Mass, and muscle is part of LBM. Getting muscle stronger doesn't mean you are getting more of it, either.

norcal_yogi

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