What formula is everyone using to calculate their caloric requiremnets. I am about 253 @ around 15%BF when I followed the formula in the Dont Diet article I came up with 3000cals. I felt like I wasnt eating enough at this amount of cals. Ive bumped it up to 3900 still following Dont Diet principles and added 3 HIT session per week. My goals are gaining LBM and losing BF. Appreciate any feebcack on what im doing or other formulas for calculating cals.
Hey, Gabe. It’s just a trial and error kinda thing. You make an educated guess, give it a go, and adjust up or down. Keeping a food log is the only way you’re going to be able to dial in the number precisely.
Myself, for purposes of cutting, for a guy, I like to use a multiplier of 12 times LBM for daily caloric intake. So the number I came up with, 2,580, is quite a bit more conservative than the number you came up with. That number should be adjusted up or down based on age and activity level.
Gabe, clarify one thing for me, are you cutting or bulking? And have you been keeping a food log?
Im trying to lose a moderate amount of BF while gaining a moderate amount of BF. I dont keep a food log but i eat the same thing every day. As I said about 3900 cals 50%P,30F,20% carbs. My day looks like this
Meal1-40gram protein blend, water, 5EFA tabs
Meal2- 8oz chicken, 8oz sweet potato, 1 scoop whey
Meal3-8ozsteak, 1 scoop whey, 1 cup broccoli, 5EFAs
Meal4- 2cans tuna, 2tblsp hummus
Meal5- post workout Lean Mass matrix 40 g P 40 g C
Meal 6- 7oz salmon, 1 cup broccoli
Meal 7- 40 gram protein blend 5 EFA tabs
Berardi has a ‘Massive Eating’ calculator on his site you can try out.
http://www.johnberardi.com/updates/july262002/na_masscalculator.htm
Gabe, I feel it’s possible to lose a moderate amount of BF while preserving the majority of your LBM. Unless you’re quite the physiologist and highly tuned into your body, it’s unlikely you can lose fat while gaining muscle. There’s a phrase, “Don’t try to chase two rabbits. You’ll only end up losing both of them.”
So let me pick. Cutting. Reducing BF would be my number one priority at 15%. What’s happening with the scale? Do you weigh and measure upon rising? If the number is dropping slowly, you nailed the number. If it’s not dropping, you need to adjust your caloric intake downwards slightly.
Good food choices, by the way!!!
Why? Why not TT? I think it can be done, and others do too. And even some people like Alessi and Poiquin.
You should check out Marc McDougal’s thread in the Pics section entitled “Progress” or something like that. I think it is very very possible if everything is “dialed in right” using your terminology.
Greekdawg, yes, I think it’s possible, and yes, I know it’s been done. And I’ve read Timbo’s exhaustive thread(s) on the subject. It’s all in the preface, “Unless you’re quite the physiologist and highly tuned into your body.”
I’m sure Alessi, Poliquin and McDougal ARE tuned into their bodies and ARE quite the physiologists. Who here wouldn’t want to put on muscle and drop fat at the same time? Has it been done? Absolutely. Easy to accomplish? Not without a lot of precision. Guess I’m just a keep-it-simple kinda person. Maybe I’m just a SIMPLE person. 
Okay, Greekdawg, it’s your turn. (grin) How would you recommend Gabe achieve his goals?
Me and T-T are having a “discussion” and in attempt to not hijack this thread I will start a new thread with my reply to T-T.
I am about the same body weight and % as you 255@ ~14%, I am following don?t diet and taking in 3250 a day now, and just vary carbs depending on the workout I did. When I first started Don?t Diet 4 weeks ago I was at 262@16% eating 4500 calories a day. Just play around and see where it brings you, everyones different.