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how many calories do i need


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Posted by: forum9351

I'm begining to design a meal plan for bulking and gaining muscle mass, but im not sure how many calories i need per day. I know theres an equation for this but i can't find it. Anyways I weight 155 lbs. and I am about 5 ft 9 in.


Posted by: IainDaniel

Any equation is just an estimate


Posted by: JimSnow

Quote:
Originally Posted by forum9351 View Post
I'm begining to design a meal plan for bulking and gaining muscle mass, but im not sure how many calories i need per day. I know theres an equation for this but i can't find it. Anyways I weight 155 lbs. and I am about 5 ft 9 in.
You're gonna have to determine that for yourself. Record your diet - food content and calorie counts. Weight yourself daily and take an average at the end of the week. Monitor bodyfat. Over time you'll figure it out.

Online Calcs aren't even close for me. I find myself pushing the broad variables up, up, and up just to arrive at what I think is a reasonable figure. Kind of a game. LOL

My guess, to date, is that 5'11", 200 - I need 4,500 daily to maintain. But all this is subject to so much.


Posted by: katt

I have to go above the normal also.. my maintenance amount is around 2000 - of good clean food


Posted by: Plutto

Quote:
Originally Posted by forum9351 View Post
I'm begining to design a meal plan for bulking and gaining muscle mass, but im not sure how many calories i need per day. I know theres an equation for this but i can't find it. Anyways I weight 155 lbs. and I am about 5 ft 9 in.
Here's one formula..


Harris-Benedict formula (BMR based on total body weight)


Men:

66 + (13.7 * (weight in pounds/2.2)) + (5* (height in inches * 2.54)) - (6.8 * age in years) = BMR

BMR * AL = Maintenace


Women:

655 + (9.6 * (weight/2.2)) + (1.8 * (height * 2.54)) - (4.7 * age) = BMR

BMR * AL = Maintenace


Basal Metabolic Rate (BMR)
BMR is the sum total of all the energy used for these basic bodily functions(1), not including physical activity.

(1)Breathing, digestion, circulation, temperature regulation, cell construction, and every other metabolic process in your body burns calories.


Activity Level (AL):

Sedentary (1.2) - little or no exercise, desk job
Lightly Active (1.375)- light exercise/sports 1-3 days/wk
Mod. Active (1.55) - moderate exercise/sports 3-5 days/wk
Very Active (1.725)- hard exercise/sports 6-7 days/wk
Extr. Active (1.9) - hard daily exercise/sports & physical job or 2 X day training, marathon, football camp, contest, etc.


Posted by: Plutto

Here is the link to the equation and calculator..

http://www.bmi-calculator.net/bmr-ca...mr-formula.php


Posted by: Plutto

Here is a link to a few more.

http://www.cordianet.com/calculator.htm


Posted by: JimSnow

Quote:
Originally Posted by Plutto View Post
Here's one formula..


Harris-Benedict formula (BMR based on total body weight)


Men:

66 + (13.7 * (weight in pounds/2.2)) + (5* (height in inches * 2.54)) - (6.8 * age in years) = BMR

BMR * AL = Maintenace


Women:

655 + (9.6 * (weight/2.2)) + (1.8 * (height * 2.54)) - (4.7 * age) = BMR

BMR * AL = Maintenace


Basal Metabolic Rate (BMR)
BMR is the sum total of all the energy used for these basic bodily functions(1), not including physical activity.

(1)Breathing, digestion, circulation, temperature regulation, cell construction, and every other metabolic process in your body burns calories.


Activity Level (AL):

Sedentary (1.2) - little or no exercise, desk job
Lightly Active (1.375)- light exercise/sports 1-3 days/wk
Mod. Active (1.55) - moderate exercise/sports 3-5 days/wk
Very Active (1.725)- hard exercise/sports 6-7 days/wk
Extr. Active (1.9) - hard daily exercise/sports & physical job or 2 X day training, marathon, football camp, contest, etc.

Reasonably close for me:

Calculated 3,625 Cals Req'd vs. my estimation of 4,500. It would probably be pretty close if I were not working 10-15hrs. per week OT.


Posted by: ST240

Watch out for those damn equations... If you're like me and you have a super fast metabolism, they're usually short by about 500-1000 calories! What I've found to work is develope a diet, stick with it for month or two, see what kind of gains you're making (or lack thereof) and modify it accordingly until you get it right.


Posted by: JimSnow

Quote:
Originally Posted by ST240 View Post
Watch out for those damn equations... If you're like me and you have a super fast metabolism, they're usually short by about 500-1000 calories! What I've found to work is develope a diet, stick with it for month or two, see what kind of gains you're making (or lack thereof) and modify it accordingly until you get it right.
Good advice.

It takes some time to determine. Chart your weight everyday after waking. It can bounce around a lot. Monitor lift gains... be concerned if they drop. Monitor bodyfat.

Draw new conclusions, adjust repeat. I'm just learning this.


Posted by: Plutto

These "Equations' are meant to be used as "rough guidelines" for the "average" person. No two people are the same so you are gonna have to tweak the number you get, using the formulas, to you. The Katch-McArdle Formula takes into account lean body mass so it's the more accurate one since muscle burns calories by just being there where as fat does not.



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