Tips on 3900 calorie diet

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fwesley4356
fwesley4356 Posts: 6 Member
in Goal: Gaining Weight and Body Building
Hi, I'm 6ft2 and weigh 14st (89kg) and my calorie intake is 3964 but finding it hard enough to reach it every day on good food good carbs. So any tips or advice on reaching my target greatly appreciated.
Thanks Wes.
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Replies

  • AdamAthletic
    AdamAthletic Posts: 2,985 Member
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    That seems very high to me.
    The best results I've seen when gaining is adding 3-500kcal per day onto my calories.
    I'm roughly the same height and weight as you, leaving my goal when bulking to 2300 at the maximum.

    I imagine that with that kind of surplus, you're likely to see a fairly hefty body fat gain too!

    Remember, this is a lifestyle not a race :)
  • bbell1985
    bbell1985 Posts: 4,572 Member
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    Are you shooting for a half pound gain per week?

    Anyway, hit an appropriate protein and fat goal, fill in the rest with carbs. Eat nutritious foods, but also ice cream. Eat full fat. Add oil and butter to your meals. Make sure you season things so they don't taste like cardboard.
  • fwesley4356
    fwesley4356 Posts: 6 Member
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    Because when I type in height, weight, age and activity leve, on average it comes up that in need 3950 to 4050 calories per day.
  • AdamAthletic
    AdamAthletic Posts: 2,985 Member
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    fwesley4356 wrote: »
    Because when I type in height, weight, age and activity leve, on average it comes up that in need 3950 to 4050 calories per day.
    Personally, unless you have a VERY active job that involves doing an incredible amount of exercise on a daily basis - I recommend setting your activity level as average and then logging the exercise you do, eating back the calories you burn that way.
    Otherwise you're likely to be eating them back twice, if you're logging them as well as setting them as a base on MFP.
  • fwesley4356
    fwesley4356 Posts: 6 Member
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    Yeah, very active job, play football an gym 3 times a week. But no I'm not logging in exercises as well.
  • AdamAthletic
    AdamAthletic Posts: 2,985 Member
    edited March 2017
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    fwesley4356 wrote: »
    Yeah, very active job, play football an gym 3 times a week. But no I'm not logging in exercises as well.

    Personally, my guess is that you're likely over-estimating your activity levels but - only you can truly know that.
    I work 2 jobs, I'm an athletic personal trainer and a hotel manager - combined, I walk around a lot but I still consider my daily activity level as average.
    The I add my gym activity - running, cycling.. hiking, etc and eat back those calories.
    I mean, feel free to continue as you will but I genuinely think that your consumption seems unnecessarily high and you're likely to gain more body fat than lean muscle tissue.

    My advice stands the same as above but, I wish you the best either way!
  • fwesley4356
    fwesley4356 Posts: 6 Member
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    Thanks, but I stick to it for d next 4 weeks an see how it goes!!
  • Erik8484
    Erik8484 Posts: 458 Member
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    fwesley4356 wrote: »
    Thanks, but I stick to it for d next 4 weeks an see how it goes!!

    This is the best way to do things.
  • jasonjamieson357
    jasonjamieson357 Posts: 5 Member
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    Very high calorie intake unless you are super lean and very active. Try figuring out your maintenance level" calorie intake " then you can adjust your calories lower
  • bbell1985
    bbell1985 Posts: 4,572 Member
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    I was waiting for dudes to respond. I know some can eat 4000 calories for a slow gain but it doesn't seem like the norm. It's hard for me to imagine because I bulked on 2000 lol
  • jdscrubs32
    jdscrubs32 Posts: 515 Member
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    Hi @fwesley4356 I was on 4,000 calories for my first bulk and while its hard at the start, you get used to it. However I didnt know what my maintenance calories were cos I started on MFP to put on weight. I started at 3,000, gave it a month, no increase, increased by 250, gave it another month and kept going until the weight started to go up and that was on 4,000 calories. Maybe start at 3,000 and do something similar cos MFP isnt always right with the allotted amount it gives you. It's trial and error. When you find the calorie rate that helps you to start gaining weight, go with the suggestions that @bbell1985 gave you as they were good. You might have to reduce the cardio somewhat to help you to gain or eat back some or all of the calories burned. I found pre logging the diary helped a lot as it prevented times when it was 9pm and I had loads of calories to fill up before bed.

    Good luck. Have some fun with the calories that you are on.
  • blackcomaro
    blackcomaro Posts: 796 Member
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    Im very close to your body shape and consume 3250 cals aday vey active. I hit that easily on a cut cycle with good food. Everybody is different. You didnt state what your goal was... i assume hitting those cals your bulking??
  • blackcomaro
    blackcomaro Posts: 796 Member
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    bbell1985 wrote: »
    I was waiting for dudes to respond. I know some can eat 4000 calories for a slow gain but it doesn't seem like the norm. It's hard for me to imagine because I bulked on 2000 lol

    I consume 853 cals for breakfast..lol
  • trigden1991
    trigden1991 Posts: 4,658 Member
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    Firstly I don't think your calorie goal is that high for someone who weighs 90kg, is very active and is aiming for a caloric surplus.

    For reference I maintain somewhere between 3800-4100 dependant on my step count for the day at 100kg.

    My comment to the OP would be to allow yourself some "bad" foods. Clean eating is a myth and you should eat whatever you want to hit your macro and calorie goals. There is no benefit to choosing chicken & rice over a burger for example. A calorie is a calorie, a gram of protein is a gram of protein and as long as you eat some fruit and vegetables, you will meet your micronutrient needs.

    In summary; stick with your calorie goal but eat any foods you want.
  • fwesley4356
    fwesley4356 Posts: 6 Member
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    So basically it's no harm to eat no harm to eat a bit of bad food as well to up the calorie count, sounds good to me.
  • Spliner1969
    Spliner1969 Posts: 3,233 Member
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    fwesley4356 wrote: »
    Hi, I'm 6ft2 and weigh 14st (89kg) and my calorie intake is 3964 but finding it hard enough to reach it every day on good food good carbs. So any tips or advice on reaching my target greatly appreciated.
    Thanks Wes.

    Peanut Butter. Glorious Peanut Butter. Are you trying to lose or gain weight (bulk?)? Maintain? I am 6'2" tall, work out up to 1.5 hours a day five days a week pretty intensely and maintain on about 2600-2700ish. If I tried to eat as much as you I'd be gaining likely 2lb a week or more.
  • Hornsby
    Hornsby Posts: 10,322 Member
    edited March 2017
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    fwesley4356 wrote: »
    So basically it's no harm to eat no harm to eat a bit of bad food as well to up the calorie count, sounds good to me.

    Correct. You don't get extra credit for eating more nutrients than you need. And FYI, I am 178lbs, 6', 39 years old, relatively lean and active and maintain on around 3800-4k per day. I know your pain.
  • Chieflrg
    Chieflrg Posts: 9,097 Member
    edited March 2017
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    bbell1985 wrote: »
    I was waiting for dudes to respond. I know some can eat 4000 calories for a slow gain but it doesn't seem like the norm. It's hard for me to imagine because I bulked on 2000 lol

    I'm 47 & retired and eat just below 4000 now for a tiny bulk on virtually no activity other than lifting. I usually don't get the scale to move up until just over 4000 cals. Baseball season starts in a few weeks and I'll be in the 4500 range then to bulk.
    Is it the norm? Perhaps not, but norm is where one starts and we adjust from there :).
    fwesley4356 wrote: »
    Hi, I'm 6ft2 and weigh 14st (89kg) and my calorie intake is 3964 but finding it hard enough to reach it every day on good food good carbs. So any tips or advice on reaching my target greatly appreciated.
    Thanks Wes.

    I'm not a believer in good/bad carbs. Perhaps give some examples and we can help :).

    I currently eat ice cream, bananas, ranch flavored veggie straws, angel food cake, and pancakes primarily every day as far as carbs go.

  • lorrpb
    lorrpb Posts: 11,464 Member
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    Add olive oil & butter to everything you can. Calories will add up fast. Also you can eat other calorie dense food like avocado and PB and dessert!
  • fwesley4356
    fwesley4356 Posts: 6 Member
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    Ok, my diet is basically porridge, banana an a shake in d morning, den more porridge an 3 or 4 boiled eggs later on brown rice or pasta or sweet potatoes with chicken with lots of veg, after that I'd have tuna and sardines in tomato sauce mixed with pepper an onion an an den eggs an beans an a shake. And that's basically it and I know it sounds like a lot but when you count the calories it hard enough to get to the 4000 mark!! And yea trying to bulk up a bit an I am getting very close to the 4000 mark but the scales ain't really moving up an if I only got to d 3000 mark some days I cud be down a lb or half a lb. can be frustrating by times when your trying to bulk!!

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