# Calorie intake + general nutrition FAQs



## Chris (Mar 15, 2007)

I found the following formula in _Men's Fitness_ magazine. I think it is a bit more precise than bodyweight x 15 = maintenance calories.

The formula published is as follows: 

Determine your basal metabolic rate (this is your body's caloric requirement just to stay alive) 
The formula is: 66 + (6.23 * your weight in pounds) + (12.7 * your height in inches) - (6.8 * your age in years).

_For a 200lb, 5'10" man who is 27 years old, this works out to 2,017 calories. _

Step 2 takes into account your daily activity level. 
If you sit at a desk and get no exercise, ever, multiply the # from step 1 by 1.2. 
If the only exercise you get is a trip to the gym 3+ times a week, multipy the first # by 1.4. 
If you play sports, multiply by 1.6. 
If your job is physical (i.e. you are a brick layer or construction worker) _and_ you work out regularly, multiply by 1.8

_For the 5'10", 200lb man who works a desk job, but hits the gym 3-6 days per week, we multiply the BMR by 1.4 to get 2,824 calories_

If you followed the above step, you now have the number of calories required for you to maintain your current weight (based on your current activity level).

If you wish to lose weight, you should either:
1) increase your physical activity to burn more calories
OR
2) decrease calories consumed by 300-500 below your "maintenance level"

I would recommend doing only one of these at a time as doing both could confuse your body.


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## Chris (Mar 15, 2007)

*How should I get these calories?*

The simplest way is to use what should be common sense:

Eat lean proteins like chicken and turkey breast, lean steak, pork, and fish.
Eat complex carbohydrates like old-fashioned oatmeal, whole grain breads and cereals, fruits and vegetables. Avoid enriched flour and high fructose corn syrup
Ingest healthy fats like those found in fish, nuts, and olive oil

A simple nutrient breakdown to follow would be 40% calories from carbs/40% from lean protein/20% from unsaturated fats.

protein = 4 calories per gram
carbs = 4 calories per gram
fat = 9 calories per gram


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## Chris (Mar 15, 2007)

*How often do I eat?*

Eat 5-6 small "mini-meals" per day. Make sure to get protein and complex cards with each meal.

If your daily caloric requirement, based on your needs, goals and activity level is 2,400 calories, each of your 6 meals should be around 400 calories. It's pretty much just that easy.


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## Chris (Mar 15, 2007)

*What if I am skinny and looking to bulk up?*

If you want to pack on muscle, you need to eat above your maintenance level and lift heavy weight. Eat lots of lean protein and hit the gym.


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## Chris (Mar 15, 2007)

*Can I lose fat and build muscle at the same time?*

If you have never lifted weights before, your body will be able to do this for about 6 months from when you start seriously lifting. You will see phenomenal muscle gains and fat loss. After this wears off, it becomes quite difficult to lose fat and build muscle at the same time. 

Here is the problem:

You must eat more calories than you burn to build muscle.
You must burn more calories than you ingest to lose fat.

If you can figure out how to eat more calories than you burn while also eating fewer calories than you burn, please let me know as you are a genius.


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## tehk (May 12, 2007)

Right on the money there Chris. Great info.


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## yevetz (Jun 20, 2007)

My wife is already love you for this info


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## Seedawakener (Jun 20, 2007)

I just ate 2 chocolate bars of 500 calories each... thats almost half of my recommended daily intake.... shiit...  Im not fat though, so right now ithats not a problem...


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## Uber Mega (Dec 15, 2007)

Excellent info, thanks a lot Chris.

I lift weight, so i know all about proteins, meals etc. but the calorie counter is really useful.

For a 6ft 1" male, weighing 170 pounds, and weight training with a 4 day split program every week, how many calories do you recommend i take with the 6 daily meals (3 meals + 3 shakes)...it should be a fair amount more than my recommended calorie intake in order to gain weight/muscle right? I normally try to take 2500, but i'm not sure that is enough.


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## Jason (Dec 15, 2007)

Uber Mega said:


> Excellent info, thanks a lot Chris.
> 
> I lift weight, so i know all about proteins, meals etc. but the calorie counter is really useful.
> 
> For a 6ft 1" male, weighing 170 pounds, and weight training with a 4 day split program every week, how many calories do you recommend i take with the 6 daily meals (3 meals + 3 shakes)...it should be a fair amount more than my recommended calorie intake in order to gain weight/muscle right? I normally try to take 2500, but i'm not sure that is enough.




I would say more like 5 meals and 1-2 shakes


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## Uber Mega (Dec 15, 2007)

Ok, looking at the calorie calculator i need 2800 to stay at my current weight, so i'd imagine it's just a case of taking enough calories to stimulate muscle growth, but not too much as to turn me into 'jabba the hut'...finding the right balance as it were.



Jason said:


> I would say more like 5 meals and 1-2 shakes



Thanks for the advice, i certainly need to try and get another meal in, even if its only a tune sandwich.

The number of shakes i have daily depends on what shake i'm on and what serving size each shake has...MM Cyclone recommends two per day, where as Dymatize Elite recommends 3 per day with their smaller serving size.


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## REDBEARD (Dec 30, 2007)

Uber Mega said:


> Excellent info, thanks a lot Chris.
> 
> I lift weight, so i know all about proteins, meals etc. but the calorie counter is really useful.
> 
> For a 6ft 1" male, weighing 170 pounds, and weight training with a 4 day split program every week, how many calories do you recommend i take with the 6 daily meals (3 meals + 3 shakes)...it should be a fair amount more than my recommended calorie intake in order to gain weight/muscle right? I normally try to take 2500, but i'm not sure that is enough.



2500 is definitely not enough. Id take in at least 3000 to 3500 for sure if you're trying to put on size, but you have to make sure that your food is whole and clean. 3500 clean calories will have a much different effect than 3500 BS calories. When I was in Japan, I was taking in about 4500 to 5000 calories a day and STILL loosing fat. At that time I was 6'3" and about 275 @ about 16 - 18% bodyfat while I was on a mass building phase, and 4000 wasnt nearly enough.

Again, do not neglect your carb intake. Thats just as vital as protien. You can take i all the protien you want but without the quality carbs, you body cant turn that protien into muslce tissue. Also, drink a lot of water. You'll burn more fat while keeping your muslce, build more muscle, and retain less water when you're properly hydrated....


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## Jason (Dec 31, 2007)

^^ Remeber quality complex carbos tho. Keep the simple carbs to post workout only


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## REDBEARD (Dec 31, 2007)

Jason said:


> ^^ Remeber quality complex carbos tho. Keep the simple carbs to post workout only



WORD


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## CaptainD00M (Mar 16, 2008)

Another thing to consider is that the first one to two kilos/2-4 pounds of weight loss will be retained water.

Another thing to consider is the utilisation of a Thermogenic supplement, such as EAS's Thermo-Dynamix the only Thermogenic thats lab tested, or Universal Animal Cuts. Failing that a Thermogenic supplement that has a high Green Tea extract content as well as Tauracine (this will help with the potential mood swings that can be caused by a low carb high protean diet that will be beneficial to those attempting to cut and gain mass. To be fair however to gain mass properly you need a descent carb intake.) also as an addition you could drink cups of green tea, its antioxidants are excellent for over all wellness and one of the beneficial side effects of green tea (in this case) is that its a mild appetite suppressant and digestive aid.

Just some thoughts from a dude whos been there and done that.


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## Shotglass (Mar 16, 2008)

This is good information, it's all about being able to keep up with it though.

 That's where I fail.

I have a hard time motivating myself to get to the gym or do anything.


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## AngstRiddenDreams (Jan 31, 2012)

I'm 15, gonna be 16 in another month. Right now i'm 6'1" 195 and i want to add about ten more pounds of muscle. I don't need to trim down, i have little body fat right now. I lift monday, wednesday, and thursday for about an hour and a half each time. Tuesdays and Thursdays are training circuits. I am unable to eat 5 meals a day due to school, 3 only. But i drink two protein shakes a day. Anything specific i could eat to make up for this?


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## texshred777 (Apr 12, 2012)

Great thread! Thanks.

One thing to point out to someone new to nutrition and body recomping.

Maintenance Calorie calculations are only so accurate if you don't know your LBM(Lean Body Mass-weight after you subtract fat/water). Remember to modify your calorie intake up/down by 10% per week if not making gains or cutting. If you lose 10 pounds the first week and only 2 the next week, you're fine. 

Also, keep track of every calorie you consume(drinks too). Many people underestimate how many calories they actually eat. Once you've logged calories and read labels for awhile you can 'eyeball it', but not in the beginning.

Use the mirror and the fit of your clothes to judge progress..scales will drive you crazy with the constant fluctuation of water weight and muscle gain/loss.


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## Thyber (Mar 26, 2013)

I have had a gastric bypass surgery in 2011. I reached "the limit" of easy weight loss and have been stable for a while.

I came from 165kgs to a stable 98-100 kgs, and i'm 1M93 (6'4" or 6,3"?) 

i'd really like to lose another 10 kgs, and I've been working out alot, but I notice normal intake doesn't give me the "energy" I need.

Does a protëin diet any risks with my surgery? I plan on doing it for a month or 2 boosting muscle tone (by giving me more energy in the gym) and losing the 10 kg I want.

Some would say 'ask your doctor', but I'm planning on doing it before my 2 year check up this summer (I've skipped the last 2, becoming a father and having other issues meaning I couldn't keep an appointement, had it cancelled, and never made a new one ^^ procrastination...), and I'd like to proof that I've reached my "bottom weight" and that all skin I have is really excess baggage.


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