Strength training--how much should I eat?

AlongCame_Molly
AlongCame_Molly Posts: 2,835 Member
in Food and Nutrition
I am 27 yearld female, 5'0", 109 lbs, 18.1% bf. I would like to lower bf%, build muscle, and lose a few more inches. Right now I am strength training 3 x week for one hour with heavy weights, and usually go for a 30-40 min run on days in between. The online TDEE calculators are putting me at about 1780 calories a day, and I've been eating 1700 + most of my exercise calories, because I heard that to build muscle I need to eat more than when I was just focused on losing weight. I'm used to eating at about 20% lower than TDEE, but now that I want to build muscle I'm not sure if that's correct anymore. :/

Is 1700 too much? Not enough? Should I only eat that much on lifting days? How much should I be eating? I eat a diet high in fats and protein, moderate to low carbs, and I try to get in 2-3 servings of vegetables a day. I've been eating 1700 for about 3 weeks, which I know is too early to be seeing any real results, but I want to be set straight now if I'm doing it wrong, rather than find out months from now and have to go back and start from scratch.

(the last few days of my diary, should you visit it, have been sort of terrible, and should not be considered typical diet for me. And some days I don't log my food or exercise, but I'm still keeping to my routine, for the most part)

All input is welcome, just keep it polite. I know how you MFPers get when it's close to dinnertime. :tongue:

Replies

  • BeachIron
    BeachIron Posts: 6,490 Member
    IMO, start slowly adding calories to your diet and track the changes, the same way you did when you were losing weight. Bulking takes much longer so you don't need to rush. Start with 200 over TDEE and build from there.
  • ggxx100
    ggxx100 Posts: 520 Member
    It depends, if you want to shed fat before building 1700 would be alright. However, if your focus is gaining muscle I'd up the calories. Start with 50 calories a week and see how you feel. I'm a little taller at 5'1 and around 98 lb. My primary exercise throughout my weight loss was weight lifting as well, and I ate around 1700 for the majority of it. I transitioned to around 1800 for maintenance, and now am eating upwards of 2000-2100 calories a day since I'm training to gain.

    However, there's no exact number. In terms of eating back exercise calories, I just follow my hunger signals. If I feel hungry even if I met my calories and macro's for the day, I'll eat more. It's all about reading your body's and gauging it's needs.
  • sarah5423
    sarah5423 Posts: 152 Member
    Bump! I have very similar stats - 29 years old, 5'1.5" and weigh 98lbs with 18.2% body fat - I have recently started strength training 2 x per week for 30 minutes with brisk 30 minute walks every day as a minimum. My calories are set at 1550 and eat back some of my exercise calories. I'm wanting to reduce body fat and gain some muscle - I still struggle with eating more due to the fear of gaining weight so would love to hear the experience of others that are eating more successfully!
  • MrGonzo05
    MrGonzo05 Posts: 1,120 Member
    A slow loss combined with your strength training is better for muscle retention. Since you're presently very lean, slow means one lb/week. Target a 500 calorie deficit per day, on average. Pay attention to macros.
  • ILiftHeavyAcrylics
    ILiftHeavyAcrylics Posts: 27,732 Member
    I've been told that it's better to cut for the first 6 months or so, to get your form down and figure out what you're doing. Then you bulk after that. I'd post in Eat Train Progress for more info if I were you.
  • BinaryPulsar
    BinaryPulsar Posts: 8,927 Member
    It's difficult for us to know how much you should be eating. A lot of it is trial and error. What type of weight training are you doing? The NROLFW book has it's own guidelines and calculations, but they are pretty similiar to most other calculations. Did you try doing the calculations on a few different sites, or with a few different formulas? Sometimes that helps. Some people eat the same amount everyday. Some people eat one amount on rest days and a couple hundred more on weights days.

    There are a lot of groups on here that can give you more feedback. As others have mentioned. Eat, Train, Progress is a great group.

    I can share my stats, if that helps. I am 5'2". My weight fluctuates between 100 and 103. I'm at 18 % bodyfat. I'm 35. I eat 1950 to 2100 on most days (occasionally more, occasionally less, but never less than 1800). This works for me. If I eat 1800 regularly, I will lose weight. I don't want to lose weight.

    When you first start, you will be learning form and figuring out how to lift. So, don't worry too much about muscle gain. But, you will also have newbie gains, which make muscle gain in the beginning a little easier.

    I hope this helps a little.

    Edit to add: you are probably going to want to eat at least 90 to 100 grams of protein a day for your lean body mass.

    Alan Aragon is a good nutrition info source.
  • DavPul
    DavPul Posts: 61,406 Member
    If you're trying to lower body fat I'd recommend you continue eating at 1700, if you're trying to build muscle I'd recommend 2000 while making sure I was progressively upping the weight on my lifts
  • KhinoHoang
    KhinoHoang Posts: 59
    Drop the cardio sessions and add days with more sets, higher reps, moderate weights, less rest time in between. As far as how much you're eating, it really is a trial and error thing. High protein, decent fat, low carbs, and throw in a high carb day every few days.

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