Maintenance calories?

markrhodes87
markrhodes87 Posts: 8 Member
edited November 16 in Goal: Gaining Weight and Body Building
Hi guys. I'm looking to start a lean bulk by eating over my maintenance calories by 200-500 a day.
MFP is tell me my maintenance is 2900, but this seems high.
I'm 5' 10" and 13st 5 pounds.
I'm roughly 20% body fat. I've been training for a few years but not seeing much progress because I haven't been tracking macros.
So is this number for maintenance high or about right?
Cheers

Replies

  • sijomial
    sijomial Posts: 19,809 Member
    Few points for guidance:
    • MFP is actually saying 2900 + exercise calories not just 2900.
    • 20% BF isn't an optimal point to start a bulk (assumption from your lean bulk comment you have aesthetic/physique goals and not just seeking pure size and strength).
    • If you aren't seeing good results then it's more likely your training needs reviewing rather than your macros.
    • You haven't given any clues about how active you are which changes your calorie allowance.
    • Any estimate is just a start point - after a month of logging you will know for sure and then adjust as required.
  • jdscrubs32
    jdscrubs32 Posts: 515 Member
    Hi. First of all how are you measuring body fat? 20% is quite high to start a lean bulk on. You would probably be better off cutting or doing a recomp to get the body fat down to between 10-12% and then start a lean bulk.

    When MFP gives you a calorie amount, it's trial and error. You give it 4 weeks. If you are bulking and you see no increase, you increase the calories by 250 for a slow bulk and give it another 4 weeks. If you are cutting and you see no decrease, you decrease the calories by 250 and give it another 4 weeks.

  • markrhodes87
    markrhodes87 Posts: 8 Member
    Ok. Thanks guys.
    I'm a decorator so fairly active every day.
    I was thinking about cutting first but worried that there won't be much muscle left when the fat is stripped away. Read a few things that having more muscle will boost metabolism and make losing fat easier over time?
  • sijomial
    sijomial Posts: 19,809 Member
    markrhodes87 wrote: »
    Ok. Thanks guys.
    I'm a decorator so fairly active every day.
    I was thinking about cutting first but worried that there won't be much muscle left when the fat is stripped away. Read a few things that having more muscle will boost metabolism and make losing fat easier over time?

    You shouldn't see significant muscle loss if you cut sensibly.
    Adding a few pounds of muscle makes a really paltry difference to your calorie needs - muscle at rest is a very small calorie burner.
    http://www.bodyrecomposition.com/research-review/dissecting-the-energy-needs-of-the-body-research-review.html/

    Actually using your muscles is a different matter entirely....
    Recomp or cut would be my suggestion as regards calories.
    There are some very knowledgeable people here if you want help with your training plan if you want to share what you have been doing - unless your training is effective just playing around with calories/macros isn't going to achieve much.
  • markrhodes87
    markrhodes87 Posts: 8 Member
    Thanks sijomial.
    I'm doing a 3 day split at the moment .
    A hybrid between building strength on compound lifts and progressive overload aimed towards hypertrophy.
    What is a recomp?
  • sijomial
    sijomial Posts: 19,809 Member
    Recomp is eating at maintenance levels and training hard. Simultaneous gaining of muscle and loss of fat - it's the alternative to cut/bulk cycles. Pros and cons for both approaches.
    People will say it's slower but it's very dependant on the person, works well for some and is glacially slow for others.

    How many days a week are you hitting each muscle group?
  • trigden1991
    trigden1991 Posts: 4,658 Member
    DO NOT BULK AT 20%
  • markrhodes87
    markrhodes87 Posts: 8 Member
    Ok guys. Defo gonna stick to a slow cut and hope to build muscle too.
    I'm doing a typical bro split so only hitting each body part once a week.
    Should I go full body split for better results?
  • sijomial
    sijomial Posts: 19,809 Member
    markrhodes87 wrote: »
    Ok guys. Defo gonna stick to a slow cut and hope to build muscle too.
    I'm doing a typical bro split so only hitting each body part once a week.
    Should I go full body split for better results?

    Personally if you only have 3 days to train I would go full body, if you have 4 days then perhaps a split hitting muscle groups twice a week.
    Just once a week is far from optimal for growth or strength IMHO.
  • richardgavel
    richardgavel Posts: 1,001 Member
    markrhodes87 wrote: »
    Ok. Thanks guys.
    I'm a decorator so fairly active every day.
    I was thinking about cutting first but worried that there won't be much muscle left when the fat is stripped away. Read a few things that having more muscle will boost metabolism and make losing fat easier over time?

    Three things will limit the muscle loss during the cut:
    Lifting to keep the muscles stimulated
    Keeping the deficit small
    Taking in sufficient protein
  • markrhodes87
    markrhodes87 Posts: 8 Member
    I'm taking in 200g+ of protein a day.
    So do I find a good full body program or drag myself to gym 4 days a week and do an upper lower split?
    Sorry for the questions guys
  • trigden1991
    trigden1991 Posts: 4,658 Member
    richardgavel wrote: »
    markrhodes87 wrote: »
    Ok. Thanks guys.
    I'm a decorator so fairly active every day.
    I was thinking about cutting first but worried that there won't be much muscle left when the fat is stripped away. Read a few things that having more muscle will boost metabolism and make losing fat easier over time?

    Three things will limit the muscle loss during the cut:
    Lifting to keep the muscles stimulated
    Keeping the deficit small
    Taking in sufficient protein

    4 things:
    1) Drugs
  • psuLemon
    psuLemon Posts: 38,427 MFP Moderator
    markrhodes87 wrote: »
    I'm taking in 200g+ of protein a day.
    So do I find a good full body program or drag myself to gym 4 days a week and do an upper lower split?
    Sorry for the questions guys

    One that fits your schedule and that allows for adequate recovery. Also, unless it's for satiety, you don't need that much protein. You really only need .6 to 1g/lb.. more towards the bottom end if you aren't cutting weight.

    http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10332083/which-lifting-program-is-the-best-for-you/p1
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