Muscle mass and caloric intake

Buildingit3157
Buildingit3157 Posts: 145 Member
edited November 2024 in Health and Weight Loss
Hi all, I'm new here, still getting comfy..
Here's my Q: Is there any way to know How much extra one should compensate with calories for if they have lots of muscle?? I'm 5ft 6 and have a broad gate. For as long as I could remember nobody has ever guessed my weight accurately because I have a lot of muscle. I'm just wondering how to accurately determine what my body needs initially for calories before adding a deficit to lose weight. I work out lots too so I can always eat extra but still..I'd like to know my personal body requirements to feed myself and my muscle..

Replies

  • usmcmp
    usmcmp Posts: 21,219 Member
    I believe a pound of muscle at rest burns 6 calories per day and pound of fat burns 2. Many people/articles say a pound of muscle burns 50 calories per day, but that's based on old information.
  • arditarose
    arditarose Posts: 15,573 Member
    I'd just use a few calculators and take the average. Then you can adjust depending on your rate of loss.
  • Buildingit3157
    Buildingit3157 Posts: 145 Member
    usmcmp wrote: »
    I believe a pound of muscle at rest burns 6 calories per day and pound of fat burns 2. Many people/articles say a pound of muscle burns 50 calories per day, but that's based on old information.

    Good to know..I wonder how to incorporate that. I feel like the big people must have researched this. It's not a one size fits all thing. Someone could be my height/age and weight yet have little muscle and a narrow frame, we shouldnt require the same calories...hmm.. thanks for that info!
  • Buildingit3157
    Buildingit3157 Posts: 145 Member
    arditarose wrote: »
    I'd just use a few calculators and take the average. Then you can adjust depending on your rate of loss.

    I think I'll have to do that. Thank you.
  • usmcmp
    usmcmp Posts: 21,219 Member
    Readysetgo333 wrote: »
    usmcmp wrote: »
    I believe a pound of muscle at rest burns 6 calories per day and pound of fat burns 2. Many people/articles say a pound of muscle burns 50 calories per day, but that's based on old information.

    Good to know..I wonder how to incorporate that. I feel like the big people must have researched this. It's not a one size fits all thing. Someone could be my height/age and weight yet have little muscle and a narrow frame, we shouldnt require the same calories...hmm.. thanks for that info!

    I'm a competitive bodybuilder, so I have significantly more muscle than most women. The online TDEE calculators are pretty close even for me.

    http://www.iifym.com/tdee-calculator/
    http://1percentedge.com/ifcalc/
  • hopeandtheabsurd
    hopeandtheabsurd Posts: 265 Member
    If you want to accurately determine your starting TDEE, you could use the maintenance number given to you on MFP consistently for a month and see how your weight tracks with that...if you lose 1 pound over the whole month, you will know that you are running about 125 calories above the "average" for your height/weight/sex/activity level.

    It would be faster to just start with a deficit that should give you a 1 pound per week loss (or 1/2 depending on how much you need to lose) and see what happens, ignoring the first week of water weight loss. If you lose too fast, add a few calories.
  • Buildingit3157
    Buildingit3157 Posts: 145 Member
    usmcmp wrote: »
    Readysetgo333 wrote: »
    usmcmp wrote: »
    I believe a pound of muscle at rest burns 6 calories per day and pound of fat burns 2. Many people/articles say a pound of muscle burns 50 calories per day, but that's based on old information.

    Good to know..I wonder how to incorporate that. I feel like the big people must have researched this. It's not a one size fits all thing. Someone could be my height/age and weight yet have little muscle and a narrow frame, we shouldnt require the same calories...hmm.. thanks for that info!

    I'm a competitive bodybuilder, so I have significantly more muscle than most women. The online TDEE calculators are pretty close even for me.

    http://www.iifym.com/tdee-calculator/
    http://1percentedge.com/ifcalc/

    Thank you! Interesting...and very helpful. Yes these are the numbers I got last time. I'll see how it goes.:)
  • Buildingit3157
    Buildingit3157 Posts: 145 Member
    hopeandtheabsurd wrote: »
    If you want to accurately determine your starting TDEE, you could use the maintenance number given to you on MFP consistently for a month and see how your weight tracks with that...if you lose 1 pound over the whole month, you will know that you are running about 125 calories above the "average" for your height/weight/sex/activity level.

    It would be faster to just start with a deficit that should give you a 1 pound per week loss (or 1/2 depending on how much you need to lose) and see what happens, ignoring the first week of water weight loss. If you lose too fast, add a few calories.

    That's exactly what I'm planning to do. Thanks!
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