Calories while heavy lifting (women)

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cjl2535
cjl2535 Posts: 89
in Health and Weight Loss
Hello!

I just started incorporating lifting into my workout routine and loving it so far :D So sore but I feel good (Y)

I'm just wondering...more for the women out there that do lift, how many calories do you intake per day?
I'm trying to lose so I'm doing TDEE - 20% atm (~1900 calories per day) but is it effective to eat at a deficit when lifting?

I also get ~ 160 grams of protein per day

Also, how much fat do you guys get per day? I feel like I may not be eating enough :( (probably will start incorporating walnuts or pecans to my diet for more fat!)

Replies

  • meshashesha2012
    meshashesha2012 Posts: 8,326 Member
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    i'm still working out the calories for being able to lose and continue to work on my gains, but i found TDEE -20% to be too aggressive. at the moment i'm doing TDEE -10% and losing around .5 pound a week
  • cjl2535
    cjl2535 Posts: 89
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    i'm still working out the calories for being able to lose and continue to work on my gains, but i found TDEE -20% to be too aggressive. at the moment i'm doing TDEE -10% and losing around .5 pound a week

    Thank you for your reply :) may I ask which calculator (if you're using one) you're using for TDEE?
  • Supertact
    Supertact Posts: 466 Member
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    i'm still working out the calories for being able to lose and continue to work on my gains, but i found TDEE -20% to be too aggressive. at the moment i'm doing TDEE -10% and losing around .5 pound a week

    Thank you for your reply :) may I ask which calculator (if you're using one) you're using for TDEE?

    You should lift whether your cutting or bulking. The difference is you may only maintain and may even lose strength while cutting (unless you are a noob to lifting)

    You're body needs to be in a calorie surplus to gain muscle.
  • AJ_G
    AJ_G Posts: 4,158 Member
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    i'm still working out the calories for being able to lose and continue to work on my gains, but i found TDEE -20% to be too aggressive. at the moment i'm doing TDEE -10% and losing around .5 pound a week

    Thank you for your reply :) may I ask which calculator (if you're using one) you're using for TDEE?

    You should lift whether your cutting or bulking. The difference is you may only maintain and may even lose strength while cutting (unless you are a noob to lifting)

    You're body needs to be in a calorie surplus to gain muscle.

    Yup this. I'll add that you should be consuming a minimum of 0.4 grams per pound of body weight of dietary fat per day and a minimum of 0.82 grams per pound of body weight of protein per day. As mentioned you should always be lifting whether cutting or bulking. In a cut lifting helps you retain the maximum amount of muscle possible while losing weight and while bulking it helps you gain the maximum amount of muscle possible while gaining weight. You will not gain muscle on a deficit. There is an energy cost associated with muscle building and if you're running a deficit you will not build muscle.
  • cjl2535
    cjl2535 Posts: 89
    Options
    i'm still working out the calories for being able to lose and continue to work on my gains, but i found TDEE -20% to be too aggressive. at the moment i'm doing TDEE -10% and losing around .5 pound a week

    Thank you for your reply :) may I ask which calculator (if you're using one) you're using for TDEE?

    You should lift whether your cutting or bulking. The difference is you may only maintain and may even lose strength while cutting (unless you are a noob to lifting)

    You're body needs to be in a calorie surplus to gain muscle.

    Yup this. I'll add that you should be consuming a minimum of 0.4 grams per pound of body weight of dietary fat per day and a minimum of 0.82 grams per pound of body weight of protein per day. As mentioned you should always be lifting whether cutting or bulking. In a cut lifting helps you retain the maximum amount of muscle possible while losing weight and while bulking it helps you gain the maximum amount of muscle possible while gaining weight. You will not gain muscle on a deficit. There is an energy cost associated with muscle building and if you're running a deficit you will not build muscle.

    Oh I see. Thank you so much for your insights :)
    How much of a deficit would be good for losing body fat ?
  • cjl2535
    cjl2535 Posts: 89
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    Also, is 5 sets of 6 reps a good lifting routine?
  • AJ_G
    AJ_G Posts: 4,158 Member
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    Anywhere from a 10% - 20% deficit is ideal for weight loss. If you are more concerned with losing weight fast then closer to 20% would be best. If you're more concerned with retaining maximum muscle mass during weight loss, then between 10% - 15% would be best.

    As far as rep and set schemes. If your main goal is strength, then 5x5 (5 sets of 5 reps) would be ideal. If your main goal is muscle hypertrophy (increase in muscle mass) or in this case maximum muscle retention, then 3 sets of 8-12 reps to failure would be ideal.
  • cjl2535
    cjl2535 Posts: 89
    Options
    Anywhere from a 10% - 20% deficit is ideal for weight loss. If you are more concerned with losing weight fast then closer to 20% would be best. If you're more concerned with retaining maximum muscle mass during weight loss, then between 10% - 15% would be best.

    As far as rep and set schemes. If your main goal is strength, then 5x5 (5 sets of 5 reps) would be ideal. If your main goal is muscle hypertrophy (increase in muscle mass) or in this case maximum muscle retention, then 3 sets of 8-12 reps to failure would be ideal.

    Wow! Thank you so much :D Haha, I'm pretty new to lifting so I'm still very confused :$
    Could you recommend a good TDEE calculator? (if you've used one)
  • AJ_G
    AJ_G Posts: 4,158 Member
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    Anywhere from a 10% - 20% deficit is ideal for weight loss. If you are more concerned with losing weight fast then closer to 20% would be best. If you're more concerned with retaining maximum muscle mass during weight loss, then between 10% - 15% would be best.

    As far as rep and set schemes. If your main goal is strength, then 5x5 (5 sets of 5 reps) would be ideal. If your main goal is muscle hypertrophy (increase in muscle mass) or in this case maximum muscle retention, then 3 sets of 8-12 reps to failure would be ideal.

    Wow! Thank you so much :D Haha, I'm pretty new to lifting so I'm still very confused :$
    Could you recommend a good TDEE calculator? (if you've used one)

    I'll start by saying if you want to use an online calculator, there can be variation for site to site. If you'd like to use an online calculator, this is the best one I know: http://scoobysworkshop.com/calorie-calculator/

    I don't use calculators, I just calculate it by hand so there's less error and variation. There are two main equations that are used. The first is Mifflin-St Jeor which uses gender, weight, height, and age to calculate your BMR. The second equation is the Katch-McArdle which uses your Lean Body Mass (Total Body Weight - Total Body Fat Weight) to calculate your BMR. The Katch-McArdle is the more accurate equation if and only if you have a good idea of your body fat percentage. The Mifflin-St Jeor is pretty accurate but tends to overestimate BMR in those who are overweight.

    Mifflin-St Jeor:

    MEN: BMR = [9.99 x weight (kg)] + [6.25 x height (cm)] - [4.92 x age (years)] + 5
    WOMEN: BMR = [9.99 x weight (kg)] + [6.25 x height (cm)] - [4.92 x age (years)] -161

    Katch-McArdle

    BMR = 370 + (21.6 x LBM)Where LBM = [total weight (kg) x (100 - bodyfat %)]/100


    Once you calculate your BMR, to get your TDEE all you have to do is multiply your BMR by the appropriate activity factor below that most accurately describes yourself. One thing to note is that when the descriptions below refer to exercise, they mean cardiovascular exercise, not strength training.


    1.2 = Sedentary (Desk job & Little Formal Exercise)
    1.3-1.4 = Lightly Active (Light daily activity & light exercise 1-3 days a week)
    1.5-1.6 = Moderately Active (Moderately daily Activity & Moderate exercise 3-5 days a week)
    1.7-1.8 = Very Active (Physically demanding lifestyle & Hard exercise 6-7 days a week)
    1.9-2.2 = Extremely Active (Athlete in ENDURANCE training or VERY HARD physical job)
  • cjl2535
    cjl2535 Posts: 89
    Options
    Anywhere from a 10% - 20% deficit is ideal for weight loss. If you are more concerned with losing weight fast then closer to 20% would be best. If you're more concerned with retaining maximum muscle mass during weight loss, then between 10% - 15% would be best.

    As far as rep and set schemes. If your main goal is strength, then 5x5 (5 sets of 5 reps) would be ideal. If your main goal is muscle hypertrophy (increase in muscle mass) or in this case maximum muscle retention, then 3 sets of 8-12 reps to failure would be ideal.

    Wow! Thank you so much :D Haha, I'm pretty new to lifting so I'm still very confused :$
    Could you recommend a good TDEE calculator? (if you've used one)

    I'll start by saying if you want to use an online calculator, there can be variation for site to site. If you'd like to use an online calculator, this is the best one I know: http://scoobysworkshop.com/calorie-calculator/

    I don't use calculators, I just calculate it by hand so there's less error and variation. There are two main equations that are used. The first is Mifflin-St Jeor which uses gender, weight, height, and age to calculate your BMR. The second equation is the Katch-McArdle which uses your Lean Body Mass (Total Body Weight - Total Body Fat Weight) to calculate your BMR. The Katch-McArdle is the more accurate equation if and only if you have a good idea of your body fat percentage. The Mifflin-St Jeor is pretty accurate but tends to overestimate BMR in those who are overweight.

    Mifflin-St Jeor:

    MEN: BMR = [9.99 x weight (kg)] + [6.25 x height (cm)] - [4.92 x age (years)] + 5
    WOMEN: BMR = [9.99 x weight (kg)] + [6.25 x height (cm)] - [4.92 x age (years)] -161

    Katch-McArdle

    BMR = 370 + (21.6 x LBM)Where LBM = [total weight (kg) x (100 - bodyfat %)]/100


    Once you calculate your BMR, to get your TDEE all you have to do is multiply your BMR by the appropriate activity factor below that most accurately describes yourself. One thing to note is that when the descriptions below refer to exercise, they mean cardiovascular exercise, not strength training.


    1.2 = Sedentary (Desk job & Little Formal Exercise)
    1.3-1.4 = Lightly Active (Light daily activity & light exercise 1-3 days a week)
    1.5-1.6 = Moderately Active (Moderately daily Activity & Moderate exercise 3-5 days a week)
    1.7-1.8 = Very Active (Physically demanding lifestyle & Hard exercise 6-7 days a week)
    1.9-2.2 = Extremely Active (Athlete in ENDURANCE training or VERY HARD physical job)

    Thank you so much for such a detailed response :D Learning so much!! Haha.
    Just one last question...if I am lifting 4x a week and doing cardio 3x a week, what would my activity level be? When I'm not working out I mostly have a desk job (apart from 2 - 4 miles walk / day for transportation)

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