Calorie Intake Help

[skear61]

Can someone knowledgeable provide their most accurate caloric goal for me? I have used the only calculators and feel they are all different. I understand I need to adjust week by week pending results but looking for a baseline.

I am 5'11, 226 lbs (do not know BF %, I would say there is some muscle as I have been lifting for a little bit but I'd bet BF % is still fairly high)

I work out 5-6 times per week, I warm up/cardio for roughly 25 -30 mins before hitting weights. This consists of Running & circuits with dumbbell exercises (one after another to keep my HR up). I try to rest only 60 sec between sets to keep the intensity level up.

Additional activity info, I have an hour long commute and sit at a desk for work mostly. I do get up and walk around and in between offices but still mostly seditary (although with workout I still get around 10K steps). I do have two young children so when I do finally get home I am fairly active with them before bed.

Looking for baseline maintenance calorie intake and I can adjust from.

Appreciate your help in advance.

[Tucane]

Try eating 2400 calories, should be a good starting point assuming you're going to cut.

[skear61]

Thanks, so would that be -500 or is it more?

[Tommy W.]

I'd start at 2000. By the time you miscount calories you'll most likely be at about 2300. Review after a month and make adjustments

[skear61]

Are you assuming that I am cutting as well? I was looking for a maintenance number to start rather than cutting goal. 2000 seems low for a maintenance as the various BMR calculators had me at 2000 for base BMR

[Tommy W.]

Are you assuming that I am cutting as well? I was looking for a maintenance number to start rather than cutting goal. 2000 seems low for a maintenance as the various BMR calculators had me at 2000 for base BMR

Nobody can give you an accurate number as there are too many factors. As with any calorie calculation you just have to start somewhere that sounds logical and go from there. Your BMR will be less than 2000 BTW.

[skear61]

Alright then, can you still clarifying if your 2000 -2300 was a deficit then or maintenance ?

[Tommy W.]

Alright then, can you still clarifying if your 2000 -2300 was a deficit then or maintenance ?

2000 caloies for fat loss as a starting point.

[Myfitfriend]

As others have said try the mid 2000’s and monitor your weight. Adjust the calories then to either increase or lower weight loss.

Oh and track calories. Most estimate and are way off