How to calculate calorie goals according to NROLFW

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Replies

  • njean888
    njean888 Posts: 399 Member
    BUMP and thank you! I need to increase my intake by at least 300 cals. I recently (2 weeks ago) went up to 1700 but I'm still at the same weight so maybe just adding 200 more cals might do the trick.
  • Dauntlessness
    Dauntlessness Posts: 1,489 Member
    Thanks so much!
  • amysj303
    amysj303 Posts: 5,086 Member
    I would like to hear from women who are doing this-are you really losing weight? or is your goal not to lose weight, but to gain muscle and then lose fat later in a sort of "cutting phase".
    I am ok with my weight, but I would like to be more toned and reveal abs if possible.
    Anyone else in the same boat? Did you gain at first-muscle and fat? I just think it seems counter-intuitive that you could eat at a surplus and gain muscle while losing fat.
  • fittiephd
    fittiephd Posts: 608 Member
    I would like to hear from women who are doing this-are you really losing weight? or is your goal not to lose weight, but to gain muscle and then lose fat later in a sort of "cutting phase".
    I am ok with my weight, but I would like to be more toned and reveal abs if possible.
    Anyone else in the same boat? Did you gain at first-muscle and fat? I just think it seems counter-intuitive that you could eat at a surplus and gain muscle while losing fat.

    You're not eating a surplus you are still eating a deficit. Check out my post about 3 posts up from this one with all the links to people's successes. This method is the suggestions to lose weight the healthy way - by losing fat and not by losing muscle, bone or other vital parts of your body.

    I'm in the same boat, looking to gain muscle and lose the rest of the fat I have.
  • amsparky
    amsparky Posts: 825 Member
    Bumping for future reference...I'm trying to be patient!! :)
  • modernmom70
    modernmom70 Posts: 373 Member
    I would like to hear from women who are doing this-are you really losing weight? or is your goal not to lose weight, but to gain muscle and then lose fat later in a sort of "cutting phase".
    I am ok with my weight, but I would like to be more toned and reveal abs if possible.
    Anyone else in the same boat? Did you gain at first-muscle and fat? I just think it seems counter-intuitive that you could eat at a surplus and gain muscle while losing fat.

    I have not lost any weight, but I have lost 2 inches off of my belly button area which had been impossible despite being at goal for 2+ years and I basically thought it was just loose skin from babies. And I often have to eat more than recommended or I wills starve and this is funny but is usually the days after lifting day that I am famished! Don't be afraid!
    I did stage 1, but now I am doing stronglifts 5x5 just because their are less excercises with the same result.
  • Binouchette
    Binouchette Posts: 13 Member
    bump!!
  • Angybabefitzg
    Angybabefitzg Posts: 30 Member
    bump
  • amysj303
    amysj303 Posts: 5,086 Member
    I would like to hear from women who are doing this-are you really losing weight? or is your goal not to lose weight, but to gain muscle and then lose fat later in a sort of "cutting phase".
    I am ok with my weight, but I would like to be more toned and reveal abs if possible.
    Anyone else in the same boat? Did you gain at first-muscle and fat? I just think it seems counter-intuitive that you could eat at a surplus and gain muscle while losing fat.

    You're not eating a surplus you are still eating a deficit. Check out my post about 3 posts up from this one with all the links to people's successes. This method is the suggestions to lose weight the healthy way - by losing fat and not by losing muscle, bone or other vital parts of your body.

    I'm in the same boat, looking to gain muscle and lose the rest of the fat I have.
    I know, I mean, it's hard for me to get it in my head since MFP says maintenance cals for me are 1490 and I am not doing any cardio and have no idea how much I am burning on the lifting. I want to feed the muscle, it just seems like a lot more calories for me, but I am doing it-and staying off the scale at the moment so I don't even know if it's working, but I can still button my jeans so that's good:tongue:
  • amysj303
    amysj303 Posts: 5,086 Member
    I would like to hear from women who are doing this-are you really losing weight? or is your goal not to lose weight, but to gain muscle and then lose fat later in a sort of "cutting phase".
    I am ok with my weight, but I would like to be more toned and reveal abs if possible.
    Anyone else in the same boat? Did you gain at first-muscle and fat? I just think it seems counter-intuitive that you could eat at a surplus and gain muscle while losing fat.

    I have not lost any weight, but I have lost 2 inches off of my belly button area which had been impossible despite being at goal for 2+ years and I basically thought it was just loose skin from babies. And I often have to eat more than recommended or I wills starve and this is funny but is usually the days after lifting day that I am famished! Don't be afraid!
    I did stage 1, but now I am doing stronglifts 5x5 just because their are less excercises with the same result.
    My belly is my problem area! I am doing the Starting Strength, a 3x5 program but I looked at Stronglifts too. how do you like it?
  • fittiephd
    fittiephd Posts: 608 Member
    I would like to hear from women who are doing this-are you really losing weight? or is your goal not to lose weight, but to gain muscle and then lose fat later in a sort of "cutting phase".
    I am ok with my weight, but I would like to be more toned and reveal abs if possible.
    Anyone else in the same boat? Did you gain at first-muscle and fat? I just think it seems counter-intuitive that you could eat at a surplus and gain muscle while losing fat.

    You're not eating a surplus you are still eating a deficit. Check out my post about 3 posts up from this one with all the links to people's successes. This method is the suggestions to lose weight the healthy way - by losing fat and not by losing muscle, bone or other vital parts of your body.

    I'm in the same boat, looking to gain muscle and lose the rest of the fat I have.
    I know, I mean, it's hard for me to get it in my head since MFP says maintenance cals for me are 1490 and I am not doing any cardio and have no idea how much I am burning on the lifting. I want to feed the muscle, it just seems like a lot more calories for me, but I am doing it-and staying off the scale at the moment so I don't even know if it's working, but I can still button my jeans so that's good:tongue:


    well, the "multiply by 1.8 for workout days" is for the lifting workouts in NROLFW, so if you're doing strength training, that's probably pretty accurate for you. I'm stayin off the scale for a month as well but I feel much slimmer since eating more :)
  • modernmom70
    modernmom70 Posts: 373 Member
    I would like to hear from women who are doing this-are you really losing weight? or is your goal not to lose weight, but to gain muscle and then lose fat later in a sort of "cutting phase".
    I am ok with my weight, but I would like to be more toned and reveal abs if possible.
    Anyone else in the same boat? Did you gain at first-muscle and fat? I just think it seems counter-intuitive that you could eat at a surplus and gain muscle while losing fat.

    I have not lost any weight, but I have lost 2 inches off of my belly button area which had been impossible despite being at goal for 2+ years and I basically thought it was just loose skin from babies. And I often have to eat more than recommended or I wills starve and this is funny but is usually the days after lifting day that I am famished! Don't be afraid!
    I did stage 1, but now I am doing stronglifts 5x5 just because their are less excercises with the same result.
    My belly is my problem area! I am doing the Starting Strength, a 3x5 program but I looked at Stronglifts too. how do you like it?

    I like it, just because it takes less time, and I get knee problems if I am doing to many lunges and step ups, but squats are fine. However, it recommends you increase your weight by 5lbs everytime which is pretty impossible.
  • KareninCanada
    KareninCanada Posts: 961 Member
    I'm going to share my stats in the hope it will help some of you get your head around the program and convince you it works. :o)

    First - I'm going to say you should only follow the figures from the NROLFW book if you are following the PROGRAM in the NROLFW book.

    For reference, I am 5'2" and 34 years old.

    My starting stats (February 1):
    Weight 197.4
    Chest 46"
    Waist 37"
    Hips 46"
    Thigh 26.5"
    Upper Arm 13.5"

    My stats at the end of Stage One (March 14):
    Weight 192.6 (-4.8 lb)
    Chest 42.5" (-3.5")
    Waist 35" (-2")
    Hips 42.5" (-3.5")
    Thigh 26" (-.5")
    Upper Arm 12.75" (-.75")

    So I lost not quite 5 lb during Stage One but dropped just over 10" off my body.

    My BMR is somewhere handy to 1450; on NROLFW my calorie intake is 1832 on a non-workout day and 2116 on a workout day.
  • VAgal123
    VAgal123 Posts: 35
    Bump
  • MiniMichelle
    MiniMichelle Posts: 801 Member
    bump
  • krissypea79
    krissypea79 Posts: 362 Member
    If you don't want to do all that math for yourself there is a spreadsheet specific to NROL4W:

    http://maggiewang.com/2008/05/20/new-rules-of-lifting-for-women-diet-calculator-and-workout-logs

    Click the link in the white box in the middle of the page that says: Download: New Rules of Lifting for Women Diet Calculator and Workout Logs

    login: perturbation
    password: dominance

    :flowerforyou:



    nope, it doesn't want to be displayed...that sucks, i need decent log sheets

    Here is a log sheet that I found online and edited/modified to make it a bit more user friendly...it doesn't have the calculations for calories to eat, but it's great for logging your workouts!

    https://docs.google.com/spreadsheet/ccc?key=0AmBawuhJvld5dFBNQnRfMUNtU3F4TXc4YmdpWWQyRnc#gid=0
  • coopersmom2006
    coopersmom2006 Posts: 839
    Wowza. Thanks for this. I finally did the calculations and I should certainly be eating more according to this!
  • ebaymommy
    ebaymommy Posts: 1,067 Member
    Just bumping this thread so I can find it again later. :)

    I'm soooooo looking forward to doing NROLFW but it has to wait until my June marathon is over. I'm going to take a big break from cardio with all my running and lift, lift, lift. Calorie-wise it's very similar to what I'm already eating, but I'm hoping the change in routine from lots of cardio & some strength training to lots of strength training & a little cardio will help me shed this last bit of stubborn body fat.
  • trixiekitten
    trixiekitten Posts: 6 Member
    bumping for later
  • heatherhecate
    heatherhecate Posts: 11
    bump for later
  • shannonbillows
    shannonbillows Posts: 16 Member
    New Rules of Lifting for Women suggests using these guidelines for calculating how many calories to eat each day:

    Step 1: Find your weight in Kilograms
    Take your weight and divide it by 2.2 = your weight in kilograms.
    For example, I weigh 131 lbs, so in kilograms I weigh 59.55 kg

    Step 2: Calculate your Resting Metabolic Rate
    Multiply your weight in kilograms by 7.18
    (MY example:) 59.55*7.18 = 427.54

    Now add 795
    795+427.54 = 1222.54
    We'll call that number X

    Step 3: Calculate your BMI
    Use this chart: http://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/guidelines/obesity/bmi_tbl.pdf
    For example, I am 68 inches and 131 lbs, so I am about a 20 BMI.

    Now:

    If your BMI is 18-24.9:
    Multiply X by:
    On non-workout days: 1.6
    On workout days: 1.8


    If your BMI is >25
    Multiply X by:
    On non-workout days: 1.5
    On workout days: 1.7

    So for me, I'll do
    Non-workout days: X = 1222.54 * 1.6 = 1956 calories
    Workout days: X = 1222.54*1.8 = 2201 calories


    Now, the book says that if you are also trying to lose lbs, you can subtract up to 300 cals from both days.

    So I can eat NO LESS THAN a NET calorie count of 1656 calories, or 1901 if I worked out that day.

    I'm starting at 1700/1950 for now, might go up a little more as my body gets used to eating this much. I was at 1300 so it is a big change for me!!!

    The book also recommends doing 40/30/30 carbs/fat/protein. To set all of these manually, you can do a custom goal setting in MFP.

    These calculations are approximations based off of averages, thus if you try it for a few weeks and you find it's not working how you want it to, then you can change it. The workout-days account for ~250 calorie burns because it is for ~30 min lifting sessions. If you do high intensity cardio one day and burn more than that, then you should eat more than that.

    Good luck to all!

    Hey, i know Alen Cosgrove is a fantastic author and has vast knowledge in training but weight loss really comes down to how much you want to lose and in how much time

    1. Fat is not metabolically active. for a kilo of fat to sit on your body you burn about an extra 2 calories a day. if someone is 30 kilos over wight that equation would let that person eat huge amounts of calories, i'm a male at 6ft and i don't need to eat any more than 2000 cals and that's on working and training days.

    2.your bmr is your bmr it wont change, you will have pretty much the same resting metabolic rate and the person who is the same sex and height as you. you metabolism is largly made of of your organs, bones and yea a little bit for muscle. but for you to function frm day to day just to stay alive...thats what you are actually eating for. if you eat less you will lose fat if you eat more you will gain

    i highly recomend you and anyone trying to lose weight. find out your bmr and eat 500 cals less as a bar minimum. if you want to lose fat faster it a little less each day. You will not starve!

    i highly recomend reading up on Eat stop Eat by brad Pilon

    My BMR is 1450.....so what you're suggesting is that I eat only 950? (1450-500=950) I can gaurantee you that at 950 calories a day, I would surely starve ;) lol.

    Thank goodness I have enough sense to research what my body needs, otherwise you would have just put me on the most ridiculous "diet" of my life lol.

    there are 2 ways to weight loss... 1. Eat below Bmr... you will lose fat.... 2. Eat at your bmr Exactly and exercise to get below your bmr.

    please watch this

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u7_RV7Z7hXE

    Thank goodness I have done all the research and know enough about fat loss and muscle building that all my clients get guaranteed results

    Take it from me, I have lost 50 kilos im just trying to offer REAL advice and not some diet that in 4 months time you have only lost .5 kilos
  • shannonbillows
    shannonbillows Posts: 16 Member
    your simply.. eating too much, or you miscalculating how much your eating or you may have miscalculated what yourbmr actually is. even them your BMr is just a guideline of how much you should eat it can vary 400- or 400+ what your bmr states its just an average. here is my analogy.If you take veryone in Australia, added how much every makes working. then divide it by the amount of people it could ssay everyone earns an avrage of $60,000 a year... then you can turn around and say hey.. but i make 80,000 a year... is just a guideline you then have to play with the numbers a little.
  • Flissbo
    Flissbo Posts: 302 Member
    bump to read later
  • BrandiD56
    BrandiD56 Posts: 103
    Bump for later.
  • shannonbillows
    shannonbillows Posts: 16 Member
    New Rules of Lifting for Women suggests using these guidelines for calculating how many calories to eat each day:

    Step 1: Find your weight in Kilograms
    Take your weight and divide it by 2.2 = your weight in kilograms.
    For example, I weigh 131 lbs, so in kilograms I weigh 59.55 kg

    Step 2: Calculate your Resting Metabolic Rate
    Multiply your weight in kilograms by 7.18
    (MY example:) 59.55*7.18 = 427.54

    Now add 795
    795+427.54 = 1222.54
    We'll call that number X

    Step 3: Calculate your BMI
    Use this chart: http://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/guidelines/obesity/bmi_tbl.pdf
    For example, I am 68 inches and 131 lbs, so I am about a 20 BMI.

    Now:

    If your BMI is 18-24.9:
    Multiply X by:
    On non-workout days: 1.6
    On workout days: 1.8


    If your BMI is >25
    Multiply X by:
    On non-workout days: 1.5
    On workout days: 1.7

    So for me, I'll do
    Non-workout days: X = 1222.54 * 1.6 = 1956 calories
    Workout days: X = 1222.54*1.8 = 2201 calories


    Now, the book says that if you are also trying to lose lbs, you can subtract up to 300 cals from both days.

    So I can eat NO LESS THAN a NET calorie count of 1656 calories, or 1901 if I worked out that day.

    I'm starting at 1700/1950 for now, might go up a little more as my body gets used to eating this much. I was at 1300 so it is a big change for me!!!

    The book also recommends doing 40/30/30 carbs/fat/protein. To set all of these manually, you can do a custom goal setting in MFP.

    These calculations are approximations based off of averages, thus if you try it for a few weeks and you find it's not working how you want it to, then you can change it. The workout-days account for ~250 calorie burns because it is for ~30 min lifting sessions. If you do high intensity cardio one day and burn more than that, then you should eat more than that.

    Good luck to all!

    Hey, i know Alen Cosgrove is a fantastic author and has vast knowledge in training but weight loss really comes down to how much you want to lose and in how much time

    1. Fat is not metabolically active. for a kilo of fat to sit on your body you burn about an extra 2 calories a day. if someone is 30 kilos over wight that equation would let that person eat huge amounts of calories, i'm a male at 6ft and i don't need to eat any more than 2000 cals and that's on working and training days.

    2.your bmr is your bmr it wont change, you will have pretty much the same resting metabolic rate and the person who is the same sex and height as you. you metabolism is largly made of of your organs, bones and yea a little bit for muscle. but for you to function frm day to day just to stay alive...thats what you are actually eating for. if you eat less you will lose fat if you eat more you will gain

    i highly recomend you and anyone trying to lose weight. find out your bmr and eat 500 cals less as a bar minimum. if you want to lose fat faster it a little less each day. You will not starve!

    i highly recomend reading up on Eat stop Eat by brad Pilon

    I can only assume what you mean is TDEE (Total Daily Estimated Expenditure) and not BMR because NOBODY should eat their BMR - 500 or they will die. Basically. Your BMR is what your body needs just to stay alive.

    No i clearly stated BMR..

    Your BMr is what you need to do, most people don't even move more than 2000 steps a day do you know how much that actually burns... Not very much at all. about an extra 100 calories and im being generous.

    Watch this by john Barban. he puts it as simple as it can possibly be.

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u7_RV7Z7hXE
  • LadyWingsFan
    LadyWingsFan Posts: 31
    Bump to read at work ha!
  • Smuterella
    Smuterella Posts: 1,623 Member
    .
  • Smuterella
    Smuterella Posts: 1,623 Member
    your simply.. eating too much, or you miscalculating how much your eating or you may have miscalculated what yourbmr actually is. even them your BMr is just a guideline of how much you should eat it can vary 400- or 400+ what your bmr states its just an average. here is my analogy.If you take veryone in Australia, added how much every makes working. then divide it by the amount of people it could ssay everyone earns an avrage of $60,000 a year... then you can turn around and say hey.. but i make 80,000 a year... is just a guideline you then have to play with the numbers a little.

    I don't think you understand what BMR is. BMR is the amount of calories you would burn if you just stayed in bed ALL DAY. It is what you would burn in a coma. You really should not eat below this for a long period of time as you need those basic calories to breathe and for your brain and heart to function.

    You need to take your BMR and multiply it by something (an activity multiplier) to get your TDEE, your daily calorie burn including your usual daily activity. So, if you have a deskjob and don't exercise you would use 1.2

    From this TDEE you can then deduct the number of calories you want for your deficit.

    Does that make sense?
  • Smuterella
    Smuterella Posts: 1,623 Member
    This is a moot point on this thread however as NROL4W does not work like that.
  • shannonbillows
    shannonbillows Posts: 16 Member
    your simply.. eating too much, or you miscalculating how much your eating or you may have miscalculated what yourbmr actually is. even them your BMr is just a guideline of how much you should eat it can vary 400- or 400+ what your bmr states its just an average. here is my analogy.If you take veryone in Australia, added how much every makes working. then divide it by the amount of people it could ssay everyone earns an avrage of $60,000 a year... then you can turn around and say hey.. but i make 80,000 a year... is just a guideline you then have to play with the numbers a little.

    I don't think you understand what BMR is. BMR is the amount of calories you would burn if you just stayed in bed ALL DAY. It is what you would burn in a coma. You really should not eat below this for a long period of time as you need those basic calories to breathe and for your brain and heart to function.

    You need to take your BMR and multiply it by something (an activity multiplier) to get your TDEE, your daily calorie burn including your usual daily activity. So, if you have a deskjob and don't exercise you would use 1.2

    From this TDEE you can then deduct the number of calories you want for your deficit.

    Does that make sense?

    Direct quote from " http://www.adonisindex.com/calculating-metabolic-rate-how-to-really-do-it/ "

    "Metabolic Rate…Metabolism, BMR, RMR…these are buzz words that the diet and fitness media throw around all the time, however it’s greatly misunderstood.

    There are many ‘metabolic rate’ calculators online that you can use to supposedly find out what your specific metabolic rate is by typing in your height, age, gender and weight. Some even have an ‘activity factor’ built into the calculator that is supposed to incorporate the amount of calories you are burning when you partake in various daily activities.


    Do you think a simple calculator can really estimate your metabolic rate exactly?
    Metabolic rate calculators are meant to be estimators, not fact. If you type your information into a calculator and it says your metabolic rate is 2500 calories per day, but when you eat 2500 calories per day you gain weight, then you have proof that your metabolic rate is actually lower than this number. You also have proof that the calculator is wrong.

    This however is not how many people view this sort of situation. I get countless emails from people who say they’ve used a calculator and the calculator says their metabolic rate is X or Y, and when they try to eat that much they gain weight. Instead of believing that the calculator is broken or wrong they instead believe there is something wrong with themselves because they don’t fit into what the calculator said.

    The tragedy is the fact that most people have the automatic assumption that they are broken instead of the calculator. This has to change if people are going to start having a healthier attitude and clearer picture of what it takes to get in shape and stay in shape."

    The point is not moot as what i am advising is that if you arent losing weight dont be afraid to go a little lower than what is written in a book or online calculator if weight loss is your goal, not every single person is a machine with exact specifics.

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