How to Adjust Calories

[JanusC]

Hi All

Could someone please offer advise on how to adjust my calorie intake as im a bit confused

i currently eat approx 1900 Calories per Day and currently weigh 265lbs

i get approx 190g Carb & Pro per day + 44g Fat

i have been exercising 4 times per week which for me is good coming from no exercise , for about five weeks now

week 1 i lost about 11 pound which i assume could have been some water weight so didnt get to excited about it

weeks 2 & 3 no loss but this was my own fault as i was rigid throughout the week on my diet and over endulged at the weekend

week 4 - i actually gained 2 lbs dispite only consuming on one day approx 300 Calories over the 1900 daily which could have been that i gained some muscle (not to sure)

week 5 i decided to stop pissing around and be totally rigid for the week so i could see exactly how my body was coping with the 1900 Calories - so no over edulging no extra calories,

week 5 - i lost 9lb which for me although my aim is to lose fat is to much for my liking and would prefer around 3 so i can hopefull ensure that the weight this time stays off for good - plus the 9lb tends to waste me a bit

this is where the confusion kicks in - if a pound of fat = 3500 calories and i lost 9
9 x 3500 = 31500 Deficit over a 7 day period

as i stated above i would be more comfortable with 3lb loss = 10.500

thats still leaves me 21000 Calories if i divide that by 7 (days in week) = 3000 Calories

i surely could not eat 3000 Calories per day extra + 1900 i currently eat and lose 3lb a week - given my current level of activity

some help would be really appreciated here as i am totally confused how to adjust my calorie intake Accordingly


Many Thanks

[chamelious]

Weight change is not linear. Your body doesn't work in discrete 7 day periods. You didn't lose 11/9/whatever lbs in a "week".

I'm not sure how you're currently measuring your weight, but the only way to get a rough idea of whats going in is weighing in daily at the same time and looking at a rolling 7+ day average. If you're basing the above on single data points taken a week apart, that's just daft.

[JanusC]

Weight change is not linear. Your body doesn't work in discrete 7 day periods. You didn't lose 11/9/whatever lbs in a "week".

I'm not sure how you're currently measuring your weight, but the only way to get a rough idea of whats going in is weighing in daily at the same time and looking at a rolling 7+ day average. If you're basing the above on single data points taken a week apart, that's just daft.

Thanks for your reply

To be honest im just weighing myself on normal scales no other method used

so take measurment over 7 days and take an average from the top figure to the lowest figure = weight lost and then asses from there.

any other advice or just do that for now ?

[vanzekin]

Take in consideration that sometimes, depending of water consumption etc .. your weight might fluctuate so I try to weight myself every week in similar conditions

[vanzekin]

I'm also surprised by my weight ( 200-203 lbs )

[dipatel13]

Thanks for your reply

To be honest im just weighing myself on normal scales no other method used

so take measurment over 7 days and take an average from the top figure to the lowest figure = weight lost and then asses from there.

any other advice or just do that for now ?

Just monitor over 7-14 days the general trend of your weight, should be going down and you're fine.

FYI 44g fat is quite low for your stats. You should be almost double that. .4g/LBM is the minimum.

[JanusC]

Just monitor over 7-14 days the general trend of your weight, should be going down and you're fine.

FYI 44g fat is quite low for your stats. You should be almost double that. .4g/LBM is the minimum.

Thats what i was doing over a seven day period - and every Monday same time getting on the scales - i can extend that to 14 No Problem

why did Chamelious state - If you're basing the above on single data points taken a week apart, that's just daft.

to be honest i started at that fat level - from here (filled in for fat loss)

bodybuilding.com/fun/macronutrients_calculator

where does the .4g /LBM come from ? and is that a good figure to start for fat loss

[chamelious]

every Monday same time getting on the scales -14 No Problem

why did Chamelious state - If you're basing the above on single data points taken a week apart, that's just daft.

Because it is.

As already stated, your weight fluctuates day to day, hour to hour. If you're basing calculations on one data point a week, how are you expecting any degree of accuracy?!

[dipatel13]

Thats what i was doing over a seven day period - and every Monday same time getting on the scales - i can extend that to 14 No Problem

why did Chamelious state - If you're basing the above on single data points taken a week apart, that's just daft.

to be honest i started at that fat level - from here (filled in for fat loss)

bodybuilding.com/fun/macronutrients_calculator

where does the .4g /LBM come from ? and is that a good figure to start for fat loss

That calculator is junk. .4g/LBM comes from actual studies, not some ratio. Read more here: Calculating Calories & Macros How to

[Connor1226]

Yo-yo dieting is probably just about the worst approach to nutrition in terms of trying to gain muscle or lose fat. Do your best to remain consistent day to day. Nothing wrong with a splurge here and there, just don't make it every other day.

You need to eat a consistent amount of calories over I'd say a 2-3 week period of time before you can determine a good trend and then adjust caloric intake from there based on your goals. If you want to maintain muscle mass, I wouldn't go for a loss greater than 2lbs per week.

[JanusC]

Yo-yo dieting is probably just about the worst approach to nutrition in terms of trying to gain muscle or lose fat. Do your best to remain consistent day to day. Nothing wrong with a splurge here and there, just don't make it every other day.

You need to eat a consistent amount of calories over I'd say a 2-3 week period of time before you can determine a good trend and then adjust caloric intake from there based on your goals. If you want to maintain muscle mass, I wouldn't go for a loss greater than 2lbs per week.

Like i say i have been exercising now 5 / 6 weeks and my diet is constant - 1900 cal a Day - 44g fat 190g Carb & Pro and this remains constant and doesnt change. i was only concerned as i thought (wrongly it seems ) that i had lost 9 Lbs and was worried i should be eating more to bring that deficit within the 2lb area

[sooby]

44 grams of fat is pretty low, you should probably aim for 60+ and lower your carbs.

and weigh yourself everyday in the morning after you take a piss.

[JanusC]

44 grams of fat is pretty low, you should probably aim for 60+ and lower your carbs.

and weigh yourself everyday in the morning after you take a piss.

Just so we are clear in doing things correct

assume my Highest weight 260 lbs and over seven days my lowest weight is 250 lbs is this a 5 lb Loss ??

[chamelious]

Just so we are clear in doing things correct

assume my Highest weight 260 lbs and over seven days my lowest weight is 250 lbs is this a 5 lb Loss ??

...What?!

You can't look at 7 day periods in isolation. Keep a running 7 day (or more) average. A mean average, as in add up all the numbers, and divide by the number of numbers.

[JanusC]

...What?!

You can't look at 7 day periods in isolation. Keep a running 7 day (or more) average. A mean average, as in add up all the numbers, and divide by the number of numbers.

Thats what i Said

ill rephrase it

day 1 - 259Lb
say every day for the next six day it drops 1.5lb a day (hypothetical)
so day 7 weight = 250lb

so what would my weight loss be ?

[Connor1226]

Thats what i Said

ill rephrase it

day 1 - 259Lb
say every day for the next six day it drops 1.5lb a day (hypothetical)
so day 7 weight = 250lb

so what would my weight loss be ?

What he is saying is you need to average over longer periods no a couple days or even a week at a time.

I would stay consistent for 4 weeks and do an average.

Your hunger level should help you determine if your calories are too low. You can't determine after only a week if you are losing too much or too little. Especially if your prior weeks were inconsistent.

[JanusC]

What he is saying is you need to average over longer periods no a couple days or even a week at a time.

I would stay consistent for 4 weeks and do an average.

Your hunger level should help you determine if your calories are too low. You can't determine after only a week if you are losing too much or too little. Especially if your prior weeks were inconsistent.

thanks

but i still Dont know how to work it out - hench why i asked how to work out the weekly figure as an example

i have no problem doing it over longer periods - i tend to get more hungry at the end of the week, which makes me think the low calories are catching up with me by then

[chamelious]

thanks

but i still Dont know how to work it out - hench why i asked how to work out the weekly figure as an example

i have no problem doing it over longer periods - i tend to get more hungry at the end of the week, which makes me think the low calories are catching up with me by then

Download at app for your phone like "libra" that handles calculating averages for you if its something you can't do yourself.

[JanusC]

Download at app for your phone like "libra" that handles calculating averages for you if its something you can't do yourself.

Thanks

like i say im not sure if its something i can or cant do, i just dont know the formula to do it to know if i can or cannot

[chamelious]

Thanks

like i say im not sure if its something i can or cant do, i just dont know the formula to do it to know if i can or cannot

We are literally talking about mathematical averages like everyone learns in school. If its something you struggle with you can google it in seconds.

[JanusC]

We are literally talking about mathematical averages like everyone learns in school. If its something you struggle with you can google it in seconds.

Hi All

i took the advice given and downloaded an app that works things out for me - gave it all the info required weight & measurements.

over the last 8 inputs on weight its telling me i have lost 6 Lbs - i understand on giving it a longer period to see what the readings may be.

to make sure im calculating things correct, what im trying to do is work out precise how many calories i should be eating so hopefully when i do get more weight off i know how to adjust my diet & macro needs accordingly

so lets assume i lost 6lbs over the 8 days and i only want to be in the 2 lb loss area , this would mean that i have lossed 4 lb more than required, Now if a pound of fat = 3500 calories x 4 = 14000 and divide by 8 days = 1750

Have i calculated that correctly so i should be eating another 1750 Calories per Day to have a 2 Lb loss ???

That seems a hell of a lot of calories per day Extra - i know over a longer period it wont be this but is the Math the correct way of doing it

obviously i will divide by the longer period when i get there, i just want to make sure what i have done is correct ?

Thanks

[sooby]

Hi All

i took the advice given and downloaded an app that works things out for me - gave it all the info required weight & measurements.

over the last 8 inputs on weight its telling me i have lost 6 Lbs - i understand on giving it a longer period to see what the readings may be.

to make sure im calculating things correct, what im trying to do is work out precise how many calories i should be eating so hopefully when i do get more weight off i know how to adjust my diet & macro needs accordingly

so lets assume i lost 6lbs over the 8 days and i only want to be in the 2 lb loss area , this would mean that i have lossed 4 lb more than required, Now if a pound of fat = 3500 calories x 4 = 14000 and divide by 8 days = 1750

Have i calculated that correctly so i should be eating another 1750 Calories per Day to have a 2 Lb loss ???

That seems a hell of a lot of calories per day Extra - i know over a longer period it wont be this but is the Math the correct way of doing it

obviously i will divide by the longer period when i get there, i just want to make sure what i have done is correct ?

Thanks

If you lost 8 lbs in 6 days a lot of it is probably water weight, nothing to do with calories in/out. And don't bother with doing calculations you are just giving yourself paralysis by analysis.

Just take your running average of the week, if you are losing too much weight, eat slightly more and see where the running average of the next week takes you. If you not losing any weight or not fast enough, eat slightly less or do more cardio. Dieting is a game of constant microadjustments over-time in order to figure out how the body responds and the amount of calories needed, done through trial and error, not a knee-jerk reaction and huge caloric swings.