Calories while toning up

searchingforthefullmoon
searchingforthefullmoon Posts: 4
in Food and Nutrition
Hi! I've been using MFP for a while, but this is my first time posting.
I'm at a good number with my weight. I can't really "lose" much more at this point, so my goals have shifted from getting my stomach 100% flat with abs (which I know is attributed mostly to diet) and gaining muscle all over the rest of my body. I am clean eating and will still being doing some cardio since I run and bike, but I won't be doing it for the sake of losing pounds.

So, if I am working moreso on muscle and whatnot, and not my weight in lbs, should I still be having a calorie goal of 1,200? Or should I go ahead and increase it up to a normal intake? Thanks in advance!

Replies

  • AmyRhubarb
    AmyRhubarb Posts: 6,890 Member
    I've found the info in this topic to be very helpful in setting my calories - it's really helped with the fat loss & muscle keeping/gaining goals, for me and lots of other MFPers - check it out: http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/654536-in-place-of-a-road-map-2-0-revised-7-2-12
  • searchingforthefullmoon
    searchingforthefullmoon Posts: 4
    Thank you very much, Amy!
  • Shock_Wave
    Shock_Wave Posts: 1,573 Member
    In before the anti word "tone" people come in an derail this thread with silly non sense. :drinker:
  • searchingforthefullmoon
    searchingforthefullmoon Posts: 4
    Eh, I don't really care much if people want to go off on a tangent over a word used. I use to troll the internet back in the day. I'm not sure what word other than that to use if I am lifting... Getting big, buff, and ripped? Haha.
  • AnvilHead
    AnvilHead Posts: 18,343 Member
    If your goal is to gain muscle, you're not going to do it eating 1200 calories a day. To build muscle, your body needs a caloric surplus so it has the "building materials" to make muscle. This is called "bulking", and at least some degree of fat gain is an inevitable part of it. For starters you could try eating at a 250 calorie surplus (over your TDEE, not your BMR) and see how that goes. If you're not gaining, bump it up until you are.

    Trying to gain muscle and lose fat while eating right at maintenance calories (not losing or gaining weight) is called a "recomp", and it's a slow, largely ineffective process. Usually when people want to gain muscle, they alternate bulking and cutting phases - bulking to build muscle and cutting to get rid of fat. Here's an article that does a great job of explaining it:

    http://www.bodyrecomposition.com/fat-loss/adding-muscle-while-losing-fat-qa.html
  • ilovedeadlifts
    ilovedeadlifts Posts: 2,923 Member
    I would take whatever you've been eating and bump it up by 200-300 calories. Stick with that for a month, see how it goes. If you're still staying lean, then you can try adding another 200 calories or so for the following month.
  • jacksonpt
    jacksonpt Posts: 10,413 Member
    I would take whatever you've been eating and bump it up by 200-300 calories. Stick with that for a month, see how it goes. If you're still staying lean, then you can try adding another 200 calories or so for the following month.

    Agreed
  • searchingforthefullmoon
    searchingforthefullmoon Posts: 4
    Thanks everyone! I really appreciate your help and will test out eating about 300 more and read up on the article provided :)

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