? about BMR and dieting for LBM

[Mojo Rising]

Well I was at writing my diet for this summer. I know my BMR now comes the problem of figuring out my calories for the days I workout, do cardio and dont train. If I take all the days of the week add up the caloric amout I have eaten and subtract how much I burn should i have a positive amount of calories or negative?

I was thinking you want to be in a negative since a lb of fatis roughly 3500 calories... but someone told me you eat to burn fat and build muscle... being in a negative amount will lose you muscle? Whats everyone think on this?

 

[Crowler]

I am confused by the title. Dieting for lean body mass.

What do you mean by this.

 

[Mojo Rising]

Title

When i said dieting for lbm... i guess that was a bad title. Im not doing a show, so i want to keep as much LBM as possible. Im also using my LBM to determine how much calories i ingest.

 

[xcelbeyond]

"For me" if I follow BMR based on workout days (for ED), I end up losing muscle. Right now I'm down to 170-174 lb range and eating ~2,450 calories - losing fat and still managing to hold onto "most" muscle.

Again, I believe it's VERY different if all you're trying to do is "cut up" for the summer vs getting ready for a comp.

xcel

 

[Mojo Rising]

Show vs summer

I know what you mean thats why i was asking. Im done bulking and its cut up time. At 0% bf my lbm is right at 190. I figured my BMR to be at 2400. On workout days Im taking in around 2800 on non workout days 2400. But with cardio and workouts maybe my 2800 isnt enough? Its workign so far but i dont want to lose muscle ya know. Ill check out my bf in another weekand see what happens. I figured some people would have opinions on a deficit on calories or not.

 

[Crowler]

How many calories were you taking in while bulking and how much weight were you gaining per week?

 

[homonunculus]

Physics

Mojo,

You must have a caloric deficit to lose body fat. This follows from the laws of thermodynamics.

If you expend 3000 kcal in a day (BMR, activity, thermic effect of exercise / activity, thermic effect of feeding, themogenic supp.'s, etc.) and you only consume 2500 kcal, the other 500 kcals cannot be produced out of thin air. Over the short term, they will come from glycogen, hopefully not muscle protein, and hopefully mainly from body fat stores. Over the course of time, glycogen with vary throughout the day, hopefully you hold on to muscle mass (eat enough protein and wt. train) and gradually you will reduce your body fat stores and get leaner.

The caloric deficit must occur. There are guys I've talked to who I presume are using T3, GH, thermo's, and perhaps increasing their training volume (and caloric expenditure) when dieting who say they "eat up" for a show, but in this case, if they are getting leaner, there must be a caloric deficit: calories in < calories out.

A good rule of thumb I use is 15 kcal / lb of body weight for an average 12-15%BF (male) as caloric exenditure given normal activity levels. Start with caloric intake less than this (~12 kcal / lb), and then monitor body fat %, strength (indicates muscle mass to a certain degree) and the mirror to see if you're losing muscle too fast and to ensure that you're losing body fat. Remember that cardio, thermos, T3, and style of wt. training, etc. will all effect expenditure.

Hope this helps!

-Randy

 

[xcelbeyond]

Very good points Randy!

While my calories appear high for my weight, amount of energy expended is HIGH. Wylde had me go from one 45-min cardio session every 3 days to 2 45-min sessions ED!

The process has been much slower for me now than in the past, but changes are definately happening and are noticeable.

If you read my post thanking wyldeone, you notice he also has me on "minimum" supplements - LOL

xcel

 

[Mojo Rising]

Sounds good

I agree with the burn more than eat etc.. but doesnt hurt to check around. Thanks for the info.. good read

 

[homonunculus]

Re: Sounds good

I agree with the burn more than eat etc.. but doesnt hurt to check around. Thanks for the info.. good read

No problemo, Brutha.

-R

P.S. Imagine if it were actually the other way around - I can see myself at McDonald's slamming my supersized milk shake, reminding myself that this is what it takes to get lean. Push it, man, push it!!!! LOL