Crazy diet or am I being a sissy?

[ManzSkinny]

I'm seeing people who are on a bulk @ the same bodyweight as me (170lbs atm) are hitting like 4000 CALORIES!

Now, to me... That seems like overkill. Am I wrong? I mean... it's recommended to have 500 cals above maintenance, so these people have a maintenance of 3500 calories at 170lbs? WTF, really?

Anyway, I'm just finishing up my cut resting at sub 9% bodyfat and I'm going to jump onto a gradual bulk (200 cal increase per week progressing from cutting cals)

My last bulk was my first and I didn't count calories until THIS cut, so this time round I'm going to bulk and count all my macros accurately to minimise fat gain.

Is 4000 calories recommended or overkill?

What do you guys think?

EDIT: Also, is the IIFYM website a reliable website to use?

[nakkiz]

Who knows. you give us nothng to work with. It all depends on active you are. yes, the iifym calculator is fine t give you an idea

[chemo29]

EDIT: Also, is the IIFYM website a reliable website to use?

I personally like it
(especially how it separates the work activities from workout to determine the activity factor)

[ManzSkinny]

Who knows. you give us nothng to work with. It all depends on active you are. yes, the iifym calculator is fine t give you an idea

Well I meant the average male.. I know many factors come into play but I was speaking generally. 4000 cals seem overkill for most people, let alone someone weighing 170lbs. On the IIFYM website, to get given a 4000 cal diet you need almost all factors maxed (as in work status, intensity of workouts) and thats the 'aggressive bulk' option at that weight.

I've just seen people throwing around 4000 cal diets like its normal where they weigh near to nothing on this forum is all.

[nakkiz]

Well I meant the average male.. I know many factors come into play but I was speaking generally. 4000 cals seem overkill for most people, let alone someone weighing 170lbs. On the IIFYM website, to get given a 4000 cal diet you need almost all factors maxed (as in work status, intensity of workouts) and thats the 'aggressive bulk' option at that weight.

I've just seen people throwing around 4000 cal diets like its normal where they weigh near to nothing on this forum is all.

4000 would be far too much for the average male. No exercise and a desk job would probably put you at ~2300 ish calories. But if you do cardio and lift 4-6 times a week, and ride your bike to school/work, then 4000 could be fine to gain between 1 and 3 lbs in a month. Some consume more.

Track your intake as well as your weight. If you gain more than 3 lbs a month slow it down.

>9% is very very lean by the way.

[ManzSkinny]

4000 would be far too much for the average male. No exercise and a desk job would probably put you at ~2300 ish calories. But if you do cardio and lift 4-6 times a week, and ride your bike to school/work, then 4000 could be fine to gain between 1 and 3 lbs in a month. Some consume more.

Track your intake as well as your weight. If you gain more than 3 lbs a month slow it down.

>9% is very very lean by the way.

That's how I planned originally, and I do prefer your way of tracking weight gain per month. Most people aim for 1lb per week, and assuming that means weigh yourself every week it's pretty hard to tell cause I fluctuate quite a lot.

I'm currently at a 2100 calorie diet (4 day split & desk job), been cutting for 8 weeks now and lost around 10lbs so far - assuming a few pounds of water weight loss I would say thats a good number and sitting roughly on ~1lb loss per week.

Looking at it as if 2100 calories is losing me 1lb per week on average my maintenance should be around 2600. So I should progressively increase to 3100 for bulking (500 surplus)? Is that a good way to go about it? ALL DIS MATH MAYNE, I HATE IT.

Oh and thanks! I shall definitely post some end product pics right before I start bulking

[Jcart159]

Quit comparing yourself to others, life is a lot more enjoyable that way.

What if those people you are seeing at the same weight as you are college kids whom are extremely active and quite possibly playing sports? Then 4k really isn't that much.

[gailh]

if youre only burning 2500 calories a day and consuming 4000 on a bulk than yes......youre gonna get fat

[blue9steel]

If you just finished cutting you should have a pretty good idea of what your maintenance calories are, why would you care what someone else is using?

[TBU720]

Well I meant the average male.. I know many factors come into play but I was speaking generally. 4000 cals seem overkill for most people, let alone someone weighing 170lbs. On the IIFYM website, to get given a 4000 cal diet you need almost all factors maxed (as in work status, intensity of workouts) and thats the 'aggressive bulk' option at that weight.

I've just seen people throwing around 4000 cal diets like its normal where they weigh near to nothing on this forum is all.

You know how you'll be talking to some random person and they'll be like "Yo I bench 300 lbs!" and you're like "....k? Bull****..."

On this board, calories/macros and food selection are the same way. Lots of people just say they eat more than they really do. Lots of people on this board also look like complete chit.

Don't worry about what other people are doing. Set your goals, follow your routines, track your progress, and adjust. This is just a fun place to come and chat with people. You shouldn't use this forum as a source of reliable information.