Originally Posted by ectomorpheus

I calculated my macro nutrients and they came out to

2600 55/30/15 im 6'0 179 pounds.

71 grams of carbs each meal

52 grams of protein

9 grams of fat each meal.

What i want to know is even though im lying around should i still be consuming 71 grams of carbs at each sitting. I plan on slowing cutting down till i reach 2000 cal.

Originally Posted by Emma-Leigh

Ok - firstly: Why have you just picked '2000 cals' as a figure that you are going to 'cut your calories too'? You shouldn't just decrease cals to a random calorie figure... You should see what you NEED - so simply decrease ~10% from your maintainence intake and then WAIT to see how you respond (give it 2-3 weeks). If you are not happy, take some more calories off and then wait again. Don't just continue to drop calories unless you need too.

Also - Do you know your BF%? Because that will effect how much you need.... Your activites will also alter the level of calories you need (not just your carb level). eg: Say you are 179 pounds and ~15% BF and working out 4 x a week - it means your requirements will be vastly different for someone who is 179 pounds, 25% BF and working out 2 x a week.

Secondly: Say you do need that many carbs - Just because you require that over the course of the day does not mean you have to split it evenly between each meal. Your protein should be ~equal for each meal but you can load your carbs around your workouts and at times when you are most active (eg: usually earlier in the day). That way you know it is being used for energy when it is needed.

Then, on the days you are not doing anything, you can change your diet if you wish - eg: decrease your carbs and leave everything else the same (and so your cals decrease too) or increase your fats (so you cals stay the same)...

Originally Posted by ectomorpheus

i did not pick 2000 cal.

Originally Posted by Emma-Leigh

Then who picked 2000 cals? Why did you say this:



Then load more of your carbs around early in the day (and around your gym workouts).


How did you calculate your RMR if you do not know your bf%?

Originally Posted by ectomorpheus

i used the harris bennedict formula

Originally Posted by Emma-Leigh

Ok - Well that is your first problem then... That formula is not considered a good way to calculate calorie requirements anymore. It is flawed - the tests where done at the begining of last century under then than ideal conditions -so it can grossly mis-calculate calorie requirements.

Also, because they do not take into account your lean mass it doesn't corralate to what you need! Fat id lazy, so when you calculate your metabolic rate of TOTAL weight - you feed your fat cells.

So you need to find out your BF% so you can workout just how much your body requires.

If you can't get to a gym (and some calipers) or if you do not have access to something like www.getdunked.com then try www.mybodycomp.com . It is an online calculator that is somewhat accurate for most people (well, it is one of the better ones anyway)...

Once you have your BF% then you should use some of a somewhat more accurate formula (one that uses lean mass) to calculate your requirements.

Originally Posted by ectomorpheus

Once i find out my BF% then what formula should i use? I plan on using the mybodycomp.com site.

Originally Posted by Emma-Leigh

If you are moderately active (gym 3-6 times a week, relatively active in your daily life) then I use one of two ways to give a rough indication of 'maintainence'.. Of course, these will only give you a rough estimate and you need to factor in things like your genetics, the accuracy of your BF% calculation, your total activity and your physiological state (eg: age, hormone levels or if your metabolism has slowed due to long term dieting)....

But I do it via:

1. Macros per lean mass:
2g carbs per pound lean mass
1.5g protein per pound lean mass
0.4g fats per pound lean mass
TOTAL CALS = (carbs x 4) + (protein x 4) + (fats x 9)

2. Total calories intake:
Basal Metabolic rate ~ [21 x lean mass (kg)] + 400
Then add in activity factor ~ 1.5 x BMR
That gives you a rough total cals and then you devide that into your required macros.

Originally Posted by ectomorpheus

I weigh about 178 pounds and 6'0 ft tall.

Originally Posted by ectomorpheus

my bodyfat level is 24.42%

lean body mass is 61.49kg which is 135 pounds of lean mass
fat mass is 19.87
bodymass index(BMI) is 24.33
RMR=1698cals a day

Originally Posted by Emma-Leigh

Ok - ignoring the fact that you posted you are:

in this thread only a few days ago (which means tha you either just lost 23 pounds, or you put in the wrong numbers....)...



Anyway -

This bit looks about right -
[21 x (135/2.2)] + 400 = 1688
(which is close enough to their calculation of 1698)

But this:
Lifestyle calories = 339??
What do you do all day? Lie in bed and hold your breath?!!

If you workout at the gym at least 3-4 times a week and if you get up and move around to a certain degree your activity factor will be at least 1.3 - which is ~2200 cals. Personally, I would think that 1.4 would be a better representation of most people (~ 2360 cals).

If you ARE 6'0 and 155 pounds (135 lean mass + 19.8 fat mass) and 25% BF then you really don't want to drop your cals low so you just drop a lot of weight - you will just become skinny-fat and look worse. You would be better to do a 'recomposition' which means you sit at about maintainence calories and then eat clean and train hard.

But that is just my opinion.

Originally Posted by ectomorpheus

I didn't post any typos. i said in the other thread that i was 178 pounds. SO i should stay eat around 2360 cals?

Originally Posted by Emma-Leigh

Sorry - my bad... I thought that, in your above message, the fat mass that was quoted from your calculations was in pounds (not kilograms).

So 135 pounds + 19.8kg (or, 43 pounds) = 178.

Anyway - yes. I would start eating around 2400 cals. Just to see if this is about maintainence (it should be). If your weight increases then it indicates it is a little high... If you lose weight - then it is lower than your maintainence.

Then, you can either choose to sit at about maintainence (and focus on clean eating and a good weights routine) or, you could then decrease to ~2200 cals (10% less than maintainence) and then stay there.

In terms of your macronutrients - You might also find that your insulin sensitivity is rather poor (having a BF% of 25% and being male) so you might benefit from a higher fat intake.

So, for 2300-2400 cals, something like this to start:
200g protein (~33%)
60g fats (~23%)
250g carbs (with 70g in your PWO shake) (~42%)

and then decrease to 2100-2200 cals at:
200g protein (~35%)
60g fat (~25%)
200g carbs (with 70g in your PWO shake) (~35%)

After a few weeks.

Originally Posted by Emma-Leigh

But this:
Lifestyle calories = 339??
What do you do all day? Lie in bed and hold your breath?!!
.