Am I right on calories?

Cgirl · 06-11-2006, 12:57 PM

I am getting a little confused with myself! I have been working really hard to put on some clean muscle and I don't feel I am were I should be... Im 5'5" about 120 pounds. I am eating around 1800-2100 calories a day.
I'm not sure if i should have more though, I work as a waitress and work everyday between 4 to sometimes 10 hours a day..thats a lot of walking!! so with that lifestyle, my full body lifting 3x week, and a little moderate cardio a couple times a week, what should my calories be??? and Im wondering about carb grams also?? ANY help would be great because Im having a hard time figuring it out, even with all those calculators... Thanks!

AmyJ · 06-11-2006, 05:41 PM

1800 calories is way to low. I suggest you log onto www.fitday.com and go to the activities section. It calculates how many calories you need for maintenance. I also have a job where I am on my feet the whole day, and without any other activity It says I burn 2400 calories a day. If I add in an hour of weight lifting, it puts me at 2600.

I would also suggest logging your food into the foods section of fitday as you can see how much and what ratios you are eating. Most people aim for 40/40/20 protein/carbs/fats.

So if I were you I would try to stay at least close to maintenance calories. So at the very least 2000 cals, but if you are eating clean, you can go right up to 2600 (although I am still having a hard time fitting in 2600 clean cals :P)

More importantly than all the calculators though, is what you notice with your body. If you start eating 2600 cals every day and in two weeks notice a little pudge somewhere that wasn't there before, you need to cut it back by 100 cals or so for the next two weeks. But I have been eating 2100-2300 cals daily and have seen lots of fat dissapear and a lot of little muscles showing up over the last 6 months.

terracotta · 06-11-2006, 05:49 PM

Fitday's calculation for maintenance is actually too high for most people.

To the OP, since you are trying to gain, that isn't enough calories for you.. I prefer the calculator at http://www.msun.edu/wellness/bmr.htm

You should be eating 200 to 300 calories over maintenance in order to gain LBM.

sherdi · 06-11-2006, 07:46 PM

I also think 1800 is too low. I am also 5'5" and I am also building muscle and I eat an 2100 on non-weight days, and 2400 on weight days. My job is also sedentary so if you are on your feet all day you definitely need to up the calories. Good luck!

Cgirl · 06-12-2006, 10:04 AM

Thanks everyone, I will try try try to eat more...because i think not enough calories are slowing my progress! thanks everyone

user464444132bbg · 06-12-2006, 10:24 AM

Excellent info. I am also 5'5" and at 130 lbs. - trying to get down to 125 and can't. I workout 6 days a week, very intensly for about an hour and half a day. I eat between 1800-1900 in calories (just upped it from 1500) but I'm still not losing any body fat. Do you all think I need to eat more? I can't even fathom eating more than I do, I'm always so full now.

terracotta · 06-12-2006, 10:34 AM

fitnessfreak - how long ago did you up your calories, and how quickly?

user464444132bbg · 06-12-2006, 11:24 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by terracotta

fitnessfreak - how long ago did you up your calories, and how quickly?

Terra, here's my story, bear with me. Last August I was at 15% bf and at 124 lbs. The best I've ever been at. Christmas time rolled around and I put on about 3-4 lbs., usually no biggie but I haven't been able to lose it.

In January I lowered my calorie intake to 1500 a day and went up to 2300 once a week. Nothing, no change at all and as of two weeks ago, I was up another pound. So two weeks ago I upped my calories to around 1800-1900 and going up to 2300 once a week thinking I wasn't eating enough for my activities. I stayed the same with my weight and body fat (I'm at 18.2% and have been since January), so I stayed with 1800-1900 last week and gained ANOTHER pound! I don't get this. My body is really rejecting everything I'm doing lately and its really bringing me down.

I use to be able to shed 3 lbs. in a mere two weeks. Now its a constant battle. My pants are tight and I really hate that.

I can PM you my meals and all if you want. I lift weights 3-4 times a week for about an hour to an hour and a half and do at least an hour of cardio 3 times a week.

Thanks!

terracotta · 06-12-2006, 11:42 AM

that is quite puzzling..

What were you eating in August - what were your calories, ratios? Are you doing the same amount of exercise now as in August?

user464444132bbg · 06-12-2006, 12:12 PM

I checked back in my food journal for last June/July/August, I was eating around 1900-2000 a day which shocked me because I don't remember eating that much. Thats when I decided to up my calories. I only went up about 300 calories the next week so I didn't think that was too bad. I just don't get it. I eat clean (except for salad dressing and BBQ sauce) and stay within 40/40/20 or 50/30/20 ratio each day. Its so frustrating. I've tried doing an endurance rotation for 4 weeks, did nothing but endurance weight training and cardio and didn't lose one freakin' pound or any body fat. I'm at a loss here.

casey e · 06-12-2006, 12:14 PM

Terra, I like that calculator better, thanks. I do have a question to mantain my weight it says 2044 calories, I am trying to loose 5-8lbs so subtract 500 or 300 to loose? Thanks

terracotta · 06-12-2006, 12:19 PM

Casey - since you are so close to your goal weight, I recommend only dropping 300 calories below maintenance. This will mean that it will take ~10 weeks to reach your goal. If you want to reach it sooner, burn off an EXTRA 1000 calories per week with cardio.

FitnessFreak - I'll start PMing you

casey e · 06-12-2006, 05:14 PM

terra, thanks I will do that

sokwatson · 06-17-2006, 02:31 PM

Cgirl and AmyJ...or anyone else for that matter...
I'm in the same boat as you guys. I'm ALWAYS on my feet... my job, workouts, cardio 3-5 times a week (30mins)... if I'm not doing any of that I'm in my yard, cleaning house (yes, I'm a busy body... I never really sit, except to eat)
I'm REALLY trying to increase my caloric intake. Unfortunatly, I've discovered I'm extremely carb-sensitive...so I revolve c-carbs around my workouts only. Which is making it hard to figure where to add more. I'm averaging only about 1800 A DAY...sometimes I don't even make that.
This is really impairing my progress, I know. Just since I've been logging my food and am SURE to increase my foods I've noticed a change in my body (feel fuller, my strength is increasing compared to eating so little before)

If I could have a typical day from some of you that would be great. Through PM or whatever, doesn't matter to me.

My typical workout day is as follows
meal 1 - 1 c cooked oats, 1 scoop whey
meal 2- cottage cheese, veggies (I LOVE VEGETABLES!)/soynuts
meal 3- protein of some sort, 1 c cooked oats
(workout)
meal 4- 1.5-2 scoops whey, 1 banana
and the rest of the day is just pretty much protein and veggies. So, basically on my off days I only have those 2 servings of oats for carbohydrates.

Help please.

lea869 · 06-17-2006, 04:05 PM

sokwatson--
im by NO means an expert, and I hope some of these very learn-ed ladies chime in here, but IMO, first thing that pops into my head is yes, you need more carbs, and i see no fats! try having more cal-rich foods at each meal, thatll bump up your total cals!
Good luck!

terracotta · 06-17-2006, 04:16 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by lea869

sokwatson--
im by NO means an expert, and I hope some of these very learn-ed ladies chime in here, but IMO, first thing that pops into my head is yes, you need more carbs, and i see no fats! try having more cal-rich foods at each meal, thatll bump up your total cals!
Good luck!

yep.. healthy fats + complex carbs

AmyJ · 06-18-2006, 02:30 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by sokwatson

Cgirl and AmyJ...or anyone else for that matter...

If I could have a typical day from some of you that would be great. Through PM or whatever, doesn't matter to me.

my typical day is something like this:

4pm oats and a whey shake.
5pm 3 eggs 1 yolk and some whole grain cerial a banana or apple.
6:30pm preWO shake.
6:45-8 workout
8 pm post workout shake.
9 pm Steak, or Slamon, or chicken, and rice or sweet potatos.
9:30pm I go to work.
12 am. half a chicken breast and a serving of pasta or rice +fish oil.
2:30 am. 3-4 eggs 1-2 yolks and a cup of oats with raisins and wallnuts + multi.
5 am half a chicken breats and a complex carb as earlier + fish oil.
6:30 am ZMA as I leave work.
7:30 am cottage cheese and PB.
8 am bedtime

I work nights, so that's why the schedule is a little off. Hope that helps you some.

sokwatson · 06-18-2006, 07:38 AM

Yes, that actually helps me alot! I've found it to be rather difficult getting meal ideas because I'm mostly around guys and they can typically get away with any sort of food combo, but for myself it becomes tricky! Ah, I just don't know where I'd put all of that.... whoooo...

Thanks Lea... Whoops, I forgot to put it, but yes, I use flaxoil and flaxseeds during the day. Fats are ok. I'm just not a carb person (as you can see).. but give me oatmeal and I could eat that all day long!...sweet potatoes too. I guess I'll just have to figure out where to stick something in without it causing too much havoc. Hmm.
Thankyou guys so much! I love being able to come here knowing someone out there can help.

One more ?...
Since I will be trying to bump up the cals from here.. I'm currently at roughly 1800-1900 MOST days. Without it being too drastic how should I increase? Weekly? Daily? how many cals? I want to get to ATLEAST avg 2100. According to MSUsite my maint. is 2356.6.