How many calories do you eat?

[IgniterBlast]

Hi Meso,

So I've been doing some reading into cutting diets, different percentages for macros and all of that good stuff. I've come across a program by Vince Delmonte which has intrigued me the most. I just wanted other opinions on it.

Now, according to Vince, my total daily calories for a cutting diet should be calculated by my bodyweight x 10, with a refeed day bodyweight x 12. With the refeed day every 4th day for mesomorphs (which is my body type). Now I weigh 211lbs so this gives me 2110 calories a day. Which seems a little high to me for a fat loss diet.

Also, the macros are calculated in a 35/35/30 split. Which is then calculated by: (total calories x 0.35) / 4 (1g protein = 4 calories) for protein. Which at my weight would be 2110 x 0.35 = 739 (rounded up) / 4 = 185g of protein a day. Again I feel this is a little low?

This is the same for the carb calculation too. Every 3 weeks the carbs are lowered by 25g, but no calorie deficiet, so if I lose 25g of carbs I supplement it elsewhere with either protein or fats. So how will I continue to lose weight after a plateau?

A bit of guidance here would be helpful, I'm aware my metabolism would fire up due to the refeed days, but every calorific calculator I've used has gave me results of 1,600-1,900 calories a day for fat loss.

If anyone's wondering the fats are calculated in a similar way to carbs & protein except it is divided by 9 as 1g of fat = 9 calories.

Therefore my starting macros will be:

Protein: 185g
Carbs: 185g
Fats: 70g

I've read a lot about higher fat/lower carb diets are the best for fat loss, not seen too many 1:1 protein:carb ratios, so I'm just after your opinions and what you feel about this?

 

[jJjburton]

I count my protein, carbs and fats. idc about cals.

 

[Sk8man101]

Not enough..

 

[IgniterBlast]

I count my protein, carbs and fats. idc about cals.

So when cutting you just, lower macros? Anyone's in particular? Don't feel the protein is high enough

Not enough..

Not enough of.... Cals or macros?

Thanks for your replies gents

 

[jJjburton]

So when cutting you just, lower macros? Anyone's in particular? Don't feel the protein is high enough


Not enough of.... Cals or macros?

Thanks for your replies gents

i dont cut really. if so i would lower carbs or cycle them. and adjust fats. you can keto too. No sugar drinks just water.

 

[RodgerThat]

Well considering you are 211lbs and gave litterally no other stats I'm going to consider you as an umpa lumpa size and say this all track so .

Or if you aren't an umpa lumpa and for some reason you are on a steroid forum and have musculature I'll say this is crap. Find YOUR metabolic rate don't use a calculator for sole purposes but instead find what your maintainence level is from trail and error. Calculators may get you close or may be off by 500-800 calories and that's a stupid amount.

Once you've found your tdee with a macro split of
1.2xBW protein
0.4x BW
The rest coming from carbs then hats your start zone.

From there drop 125g of carbs to get into a 500 cal deficit for two weeks then drop 10g fats and another 25g carbs to get a bit deeper into the deficit. Have one day a week were you eat at the maintenance level.

 

[Ackmud]

People can have significantly different metabolisms, don't increase calories if you're not even hungry just because a certain calculator gives x times bodyweight as a daily calorie recommendation. If I ate the amount of calories that some calculators say (for cutting) I would I'd be gaining fat instead.

Eat protein + veggies when hungry + if keto then add some fat or if not keto then add some starchy carbs until you're full. Repeat when you're hungry. Done.

If this isn't giving you your weight loss goals then consciously reduce the portion sizes starting with the starchy carbs.

 

[Perrin Aybara]

Yeah, what the calculators tell me should have me gaining weight has me losing weight. You pretty much have to figure it out for yourself. It's an okay place to start from though.

 

[Ackmud]

what's personally worked for me is (target bodyweight) x 10 calories per day, with minimum 50 percent of it coming from protein (typically about 65 to 70 percent protein).

I don't really see the point of using the current weight to base calories on, when the current weight has more fat than we'd like. In am extreme example, no one will tell someone on "my 600 lb life" TV show to diet on 6,000 calories per day, but that's what some calculators will say, and some will even say higher.

Target bodyweight is usually also overestimated the first time you diet down. I tend to have a slower metabolism than most though.

 

[Ackmud]

I count my protein, carbs and fats. idc about cals.

I don't see the difference, it's very easy to calculate calories from macros and trainers or authors who advise on "macro amounts" have calories in mind when coming to their recommendations.

 

[jJjburton]

I don't see the difference, it's very easy to calculate calories from macros and trainers or authors who advise on "macro amounts" have calories in mind when coming to their recommendations.

usually when you eat these macros the calories are the same.

 

[GearGodess]

@RodgerThat I like your explanation... that's how everyone should look at it. Once you know the basics for YOU, then adjust from there.

One of my pet peeves are people who don't understand the concept and start criticizing that a person is eating not enough or too much, yet they are comparing themselves and their breakdown. If you don't have the same exact stats as that person, basically shut up. This I see the most in women's threads where a woman is (for example) 100lbs and told by a 230lb dude that she isn't eating enough as he eats that for breakfast. Failing to realize the obvious size, sex and other stats difference!

Eat for your size, stats and goals, no one else's. We are all very different. One thing we can use as the same guideline is for example, if you want to cut then reduce your calories anywhere between 300-700 (simple average being 500) and if you are wanting size then add those cals in.

 

[RodgerThat]

usually when you eat these macros the calories are the same.

Not usually, if macros are the same calories are ALWAYS the same. Counting macros thinking there is an abscents of calorie count is in itself stupid. Total calories is the most important thing in relation to a fitness/body composition goal

 

[jJjburton]

Not usually, if macros are the same calories are ALWAYS the same. Counting macros thinking there is an abscents of calorie count is in itself stupid. Total calories is the most important thing in relation to a fitness/body composition goal

How is calories the most important. If you have no protein then youre fucked.

 

[Ackmud]

How is calories the most important. If you have no protein then youre fucked.

obviously, no one is advocating JUST counting calories without caring what macros they consist of, I think the post meant that in general when some argue not to care about calories just macros, they aren't really introducing anything new in their approach, because everyone who counts calories also counts macros. The two are convertable, it's almost like saying I don't count pounds I only count kilograms and I don't care how many pounds something is

 

[jJjburton]

Yea ok.... got it...idk why I am being difficult.

 

[Ackmud]

Yea ok.... got it...idk why I am being difficult.

lol you're not, I think some others (not u) are vocal with this perception that counting macros instead of calories is revolutionary so they tend to create a stereotype, cheers

 

[RodgerThat]

How is calories the most important. If you have no protein then youre fucked.

Even in the abscents of protein you aren't fucked your body creates EAA but taking a pause from that. I said calories are the most important not the only
Important thing. Without a proper calorie intake that is tailored to your TDEE for your goals you will neither gain or lose weight the way you want. Now is protein important absolutely, protein between 0.8g - 1.4g per lb of body weight being ideal (there is ZERO scientific studies stating any higher then this is beneficial for muscle building) so all you guys boasting 350g protein count you better at least be 300lbs yourself.

The way to find your ideal macro and calorie count of course is going to be personal preference but I'd suggest starting like so

Very active BWx15
Moderatively Active BWx13
Seditary BWx11

Macros
Cutting:
1.2g - 1.4g protein per lb of BW
0.35g fats per lb of BW
remaining calories to be filled with carbs to hit the ever so important calorie goal (ex 800 calories left to hit goal that's 200g carbs)

Bulking:
0.8g-1.2g protein per lb of BW
0.45g fats per lb of BW
remaining calories to hit calorie goal to be filled with carbs because carbs are your fuel so why the hell not have more fuel right?

(Rodgerthats pending formula to success right there)

 

[jJjburton]

lol you're not, I think some others (not u) are vocal with this perception that counting macros instead of calories is revolutionary so they tend to create a stereotype, cheers

I guess I dont care about my calorie intake as much as my macros. I like to get my 250 protein, 400 carbs, 100 fats in. And if that is done I know I am eating right around 4000 calories, from the trend I got when I was logging everything I eat. I did count calories 6 weeks ago and now have a pretty good idea where I hit. I stopped counting and basically do 50 protein, 80 carbs, and 20 fats 5 times a day. Then every 2 or 3 weeks I will write down all my food intake to make sure I am still in line with what I want. I eat the same shit every day. Sweet potatoes, protein cereal, smoothie, a meat filled dinner, another smoothie or protein cereal with fair life milk, then chobani yogurt. So I memeroized all the macros and calories.

Of course calories and important for body weight. Protein, carbs, and fats are for body composition.

 

[GearGodess]

I guess I dont care about my calorie intake as much as my macros. I like to get my 250 protein, 400 carbs, 100 fats in. And if that is done I know I am eating right around 4000 calories, from the trend I got when I was logging everything I eat. I did count calories 6 weeks ago and now have a pretty good idea where I hit. I stopped counting and basically do 50 protein, 80 carbs, and 20 fats 5 times a day. Then every 2 or 3 weeks I will write down all my food intake to make sure I am still in line with what I want. I eat the same shit every day. Sweet potatoes, protein cereal, smoothie, a meat filled dinner, another smoothie or protein cereal with fair life milk, then chobani yogurt. So I memeroized all the macros and calories.

Of course calories and important for body weight. Protein, carbs, and fats are for body composition.

Not to be a smartass but your numbers translate to 3,500 cals or 700 per meal x5

1g Protein 4 cals
1g Carbs 4 cals
1g Fats 9 cals

(Rounded up but a good reference point)