Time For Sleeep

I'm trying to cut down on bodyfat % while maintaining/gaining muscle and strength; and my maintenance calorie needs have ranged anywhere from 1490 to ~2800 calories a day @_@.

The first # is by multiplying my bodyweight by 10 (as I've read on these forums) and the 2nd # is from inputting my stats onto this website: http://www.caloriecontrol.org/calcalsm.html.

I'm almost positive 2840 is way too many calories for someone of my weight (149 @ 5'4").

Can anyone chime in on what the most accurate way to measure my maintance calories is?

Nykor

I don't know where I picked it up from (thought it was here actully), but I use 12 calories per pound as my base point. I have found that to be very accurate.

ccannizz11

I hate calorie counters.... bottom line.... experience is the most accurate way to measure your maintenance calorie level. All the calculators in the world might get you in the general or "average" neighborhood, but it really depends on the person.

There are just too many variables that affect your ability to burn calories, basically eating habits (what AND when AND how often you eat) and exercise habits (what you do AND how you do it AND how often) that don't get taken into consideration on those calculators. That calculator that you linked to for example only considers ONE (how often you exercise) of those six factors I just listed, not to mention other body composition factors. But all of them affect your metabolic rate, both at rest and during physical activity, which will determine your ability to maintain weight.




Also, I'd like to point out that for the goals you listed (cut body fat while maintaining or gaining muscle) it's more important to watch what kinds of calories you are putting in your body rather than the total number of calories.

So increase your protein intake, watch your fats, eat less carbohydrates later in the day, eat 5 or 6 small meals a day, drink lots of water. And for fat burning and maintaining strength/muscle, I'd suggest a weight workout that allows you to move quickly through your sets but still challenges you on the lifts. That is, you should be sweating and breathing at a faster pace than normal in between sets, and still working hard to get through every last rep. If you're looking to increase muscle, then burning fat needs to become a secondary goal. I'm not saying you can't do both at the same time if you work hard enough, I just find it easier for most people if you separate these two goals. Decreasing body fat is something that will come later as a result of the primary goal of building muscle. Your diet would be slightly different and your workouts would emphasize low rep counts with more weight.

Just my

EDIT: I'd also like to add that increasing strength and increasing muscle mass are not exactly the same thing either. Depending on variables in your genetics, diet, and your workouts, you can increase strength without a comparably similar increase in size or muscle mass. But that's a whole 'nother story.

oneilc

Based on your information I would say you should be taking in ~1670 calories to maintain your weight, around 2300 with light activity, 2600 with moderate, and 2880 with heavy.

Pug

The 2840 result comes from the "heavy exercise" variable. So if you are doing a lot of activities each day, like running several miles, this could be reasonable. If you're doing less activity, then try calc'ing it again using a lower exercise threshold.

Doc.Booty

Those estimates are never reliable. Trial and error is the best way to do it.

Whiskers

2800 is not so bad if you do heavy exercise...