Calorie intake question

[lstatum1s]

I've been in a calorie deficit for a while now with pretty good results, but lately my weight has stalled and I am ALWAYS hungry, with strength stalling as well. Stats are 245lb, bf 19-21%, work out 5 days a week (strength train for 45 min/20 min cardio). I am eating about 2400 calories a day-220g p, 200g carb, 80g fat (most from good oils/nuts). Some people say that's not enough cals while some have said it is plenty. What are your thoughts on this matter? Thanks in advance.

 

[JG93]

More Cals less carbs.
Trying carb cycling.
Figure out you base metabolic rate your TDEE (total daily expenditure) and go from there.
iifym.com

 

[lstatum1s]

Thanks, I've been researching that for the past few days. I went low carb for about 6 weeks not too long ago and lost some fat but my life sucked in the gym.

 

[john.patterson]

Everyone's resting metabolic rate is different. 2400 may sound low to some, while it may sound high to others. Everyone is different. As far as the advice above, I don't think you need to lower your carbs just yet. I feel the same way when my carbs are low, my performance sucks.

What I would recommend doing is to take a short break from dieting, or add a refeed meal/day once every two to three weeks. It sounds like you've been in a deficit for a while, and your body is fighting you. I think a carb refeed would be a good way to keep the scale moving - one step backward, two steps forward.

For a refeed day I would lower fats to about 40-50g, and bump carbs up about 70-80g for starters. This is how I go about refeeds personally, but others will have different opinions. Having a refeed day every few weeks always helps when I plateau. The extra carbs help with gym performance and can increase leptin levels to reduce your hunger and keep the weight loss coming.

How's your training? Are you doing any cardio?

 

[fakeazzrock]

I agree with john.patterson in that you may have been doing a deficit for too long. Your body knows what it wants and even people on shows like the Biggest Loser don't sustain those diets for extended periods of time and they're near deathly fat. I'd do as he says or of that's too hard, just simply up your calories a few hundred and keep the same macro percentages for a few weeks. Sometimes it's hard or too expensive to follow certain plans. I tried a 4000 cal diet 50%/30%/20% protein/carb/fat. I also eat mostly organic. I couldn't afford about $200+ for my diet plus feed my wife and 2 kids every week. So I had to cut to 40/40/20. But I think you need to find a way to increase and throw your body off for a bit.

I'd also consider a good HR monitor and getting a metabolic test for about $100-150. Knowing things like your VO2max and resting metabolic rate would be helpful overall. Then knowing how many calories you burn during and post workout. Maybe the right number is 2400, but if you're boring 600 and only taking in the 2400 then you're not really getting 2400. Make sense?

 

[JG93]

Look, as for the carbs... Eat a good carb loaded meal before the gym.
The rest of the day, try not to smash on carbs to much.
You don't really have to think about it that much.
Carbs make us much better in the gym, yes..
But use them for just that.

 

[lstatum1s]

Everyone's resting metabolic rate is different. 2400 may sound low to some, while it may sound high to others. Everyone is different. As far as the advice above, I don't think you need to lower your carbs just yet. I feel the same way when my carbs are low, my performance sucks.

What I would recommend doing is to take a short break from dieting, or add a refeed meal/day once every two to three weeks. It sounds like you've been in a deficit for a while, and your body is fighting you. I think a carb refeed would be a good way to keep the scale moving - one step backward, two steps forward.

For a refeed day I would lower fats to about 40-50g, and bump carbs up about 70-80g for starters. This is how I go about refeeds personally, but others will have different opinions. Having a refeed day every few weeks always helps when I plateau. The extra carbs help with gym performance and can increase leptin levels to reduce your hunger and keep the weight loss coming.

How's your training? Are you doing any cardio?

Right now I am training each body part twice a week, then doing about 15-20 min cardio at the end of my workout. I think getting off my diet and upping my calories for a little sounds like something I might try, from what I read it will up my metabolism if I do it the right way. Thanks for sharing that with me

 

[lstatum1s]

I agree with john.patterson in that you may have been doing a deficit for too long. Your body knows what it wants and even people on shows like the Biggest Loser don't sustain those diets for extended periods of time and they're near deathly fat. I'd do as he says or of that's too hard, just simply up your calories a few hundred and keep the same macro percentages for a few weeks. Sometimes it's hard or too expensive to follow certain plans. I tried a 4000 cal diet 50%/30%/20% protein/carb/fat. I also eat mostly organic. I couldn't afford about $200+ for my diet plus feed my wife and 2 kids every week. So I had to cut to 40/40/20. But I think you need to find a way to increase and throw your body off for a bit.

I'd also consider a good HR monitor and getting a metabolic test for about $100-150. Knowing things like your VO2max and resting metabolic rate would be helpful overall. Then knowing how many calories you burn during and post workout. Maybe the right number is 2400, but if you're boring 600 and only taking in the 2400 then you're not really getting 2400. Make sense?

Ya thanks that makes sense too. I might look into get a metabolic test, I didn't realize that was even a thing. But first I will try upping my calories to spike my metabolism and give it a few weeks then reassess from there.

 

[ntornado]

Thanks, I've been researching that for the past few days. I went low carb for about 6 weeks not too long ago and lost some fat but my life sucked in the gym.

Out of curiosity, when you went low carb - did you raise you fats?

 

[lstatum1s]

Out of curiosity, when you went low carb - did you raise you fats?

Yes I did, went keto.

 

[exrugger]

Do fasted morning cardio and don't eat after 8pm, make sure the bulk of the carbs you take in are complex and avoid processed foods/sugars. I wouldn't mess with the macros too much, I weigh 222 right now and am down about 8 lbs in 5-6 weeks and I use my fitness pal to count everything- without any exercise my limit is about 1760 calories/day, with cardio and weights it's about 2300. I think it depends on your metabolism, how much your looking to lose, and how many calories you burn per day. Days I don't do cardio or gym I cut calories, days I work out I try to get a few more to offset the difference.