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Calorie intake.. Is there a limit?

Qonix

Qonix

Member
Right now I'm cutting.. My way to do it is to start from your actual "bulking" calorie intake (let's say 3000) and drop it by 200. Then when you stop losing weight/bf, drop another 200 and so on.. Same the cutting to bulking phase.
I do like that because I believe our metabolism has the ability to "plateau".. If you drop too much or keep for too long a certain calorie intake, your body will get it as "maintainance". That's why I don't believe in TDEE calculators ect.. They can work the first time, but after that guideline, it's in your hands.

But here's the question. Is there a limit (especially for cutting) in dropping your kcals? Usually I need to decrease my kcal intake every 2 weeks. I'm actually at 1900 (started to cut at 2800) and I would be scared to go down at 1500!
 
This video sums it up pretty well what can happen if you drop too low for too long.

There is no real limit per say as PSMF would be the bare minimum, and that is very low and not suggested for a very long period of time because it can have some serious health issues on such low calories for prolonged periods of time, and also hormonal/health issues.

NEAT, activity, volume, cardio, height/weight these are factors to consider for the individual and their meatbolism on how much food they can handle to get shredded. Everyone will be different.



[video=youtube;QHHzie6XRGk]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QHHzie6XRGk[/video]
 
The Solution said:
This video sums it up pretty well what can happen if you drop too low for too long. There is no real limit per say as PSMF would be the bare minimum, and that is very low and not suggested for a very long period of time because it can have some serious health issues on such low calories for prolonged periods of time, and also hormonal/health issues. NEAT, activity, volume, cardio, height/weight these are factors to consider for the individual and their meatbolism on how much food they can handle to get shredded. Everyone will be different. Invalid Link Removed
Click to expand...

^^^^^this!

Plus there's the age old adage that if you drop too low the body hits "starvation" mode and hangs on to everything instead of burning it.
 
This video is great. This is something I'm looking to experiment with. Over the past 18 months I have lost about 45 pounds, which is slow - but I didn't modify my diet hardly at all. Now that I am cleaning it up a little, I am beginning to realize that even when I eat cleaner, I don't lose weight as predictably as I would expect even at 1800 calories/day. I'm 240 pounds - so this is well below what one would expect. I am realizing that I have some metabolic damage to address, but I wonder how much exercise plays a part in this.

Everyone gives so much credit and focus to diet - but I think the exercise is an equally important factor. In my case, I am hypothesizing that if I become more consistent with my cardio/HIIT workouts, and increase my calories, I may be able to maintain my current weight while resetting my metabolism at a much higher rate. Not sure if anyone has any thoughts on this.
 
Metabolic damage... the BigFoot of the nutrition world.
 
HIT4ME said:
This video is great. This is something I'm looking to experiment with. Over the past 18 months I have lost about 45 pounds, which is slow - but I didn't modify my diet hardly at all. Now that I am cleaning it up a little, I am beginning to realize that even when I eat cleaner, I don't lose weight as predictably as I would expect even at 1800 calories/day. I'm 240 pounds - so this is well below what one would expect. I am realizing that I have some metabolic damage to address, but I wonder how much exercise plays a part in this.

Everyone gives so much credit and focus to diet - but I think the exercise is an equally important factor. In my case, I am hypothesizing that if I become more consistent with my cardio/HIIT workouts, and increase my calories, I may be able to maintain my current weight while resetting my metabolism at a much higher rate. Not sure if anyone has any thoughts on this.
Click to expand...

1800 at 240 is just downright silly.
 
I'm basically already doing as he says..
its just weird because there are weeks where I don't even lose 0.1lbs while I'm losing bf! And for sure I'm not recomping at 1900kcals
 
JudoJosh said:
Metabolic damage... the BigFoot of the nutrition world.
Click to expand...

I take this to mean that you don't believe this exists? I have been of this mentality myself up until recently, and now I am starting to question. My initial thoughts on why I wasn't losing weight were centered more around my lack of a strict diet, and thoughts that I was eating more than I thought I was eating and not burning as many calories as I thought. It always seemed to me that the law of thermodynamics is the over-whelming factor in this case, and I still hold onto that.

What I can say is that my eating over the past year has fell into a couple of patterns. The most prevalent pattern is similar to intermittent fasting. I can wake up in the morning, have a coffee and go until 5 without eating anything. When I'm at work, I often just don't care about eating. Then I may come home and grab something to eat, have dinner a few hours later, maybe some small snack, and go to sleep. In the course of 5-6 hours I may eat 2200-2500 calories in this scenario, not always clean calories either.

The second pattern is essentially the same, but I may grab a power bar or protein shake at a convenience store and some water or a no-calorie drink. Sometimes beef jerky instead of the protein bar. This normally means I won't snack when I get home and will have dinner and a small snack after dinner. Even if my dinner is 1500 calories in this case (which it is probably half that 50% of the time), and I have a 600 calorie snack (which I don't), I MAY hit 2600 calories in this scenario.

The other pattern, when I have cash and am on top of things, is that I eat chicken, egg whites, broccoli, spinach and yogurt in 5-6 meals throughout the day and then have dinner when I get home. My 5 meals throughout the day I have calculated to be about 1250 calories and have about 150 grams of protein or more. Again, in all reality, most of the time I may have 750 calories after this in dinner, but even that is really just a rough estimate. Most of the time dinner is more chicken, some rice, and a vegetable. Sometimes, I eat out for dinner if time doesn't allow me to cook. Probably a couple times a week. Even when I eat out, 50% of the time I get something relatively healthy and shoot for chicken, rice and veggies. Maybe 1X/week I get Chinese food because I am out of time and it is quick, cheap and easy.

As you can see, realistically I am probably as low as 1800 calories some days, and maybe go as high as 2800 if I OVER estimate things by quite a bit. At 240, even if I figure 12 calories/pound I should be taking in over 2800 calories.

What are your thoughts on this JudoJosh? Am I just underestimating my calorie deficit? Or is there something else at play?
 
I think science is over powering reality here. Ive gone multiple days eating under 2000 cals with no adverse sides, no loss of mass, etc.....
 
If I'm going to yet in a few weeks to reduce body fat.. It this correct

203lb at 28.2% body fat.. Works out at 147 lean muscle..

Maintanence would be 203*12 cals = 2346

At cal deficit would be 1946?

This seems a bit low?

What do you guys think
 
Syanide said:
If I'm going to yet in a few weeks to reduce body fat.. It this correct

203lb at 28.2% body fat.. Works out at 147 lean muscle..

Maintanence would be 203*12 cals = 2346

At cal deficit would be 1946?

This seems a bit low?

What do you guys think
Click to expand...

Try this calculator out:

Invalid Link Removed

Without knowing your activity level and metabolism its hard to speculate on your maintenance needs.
 
RegisterJr said:
Try this calculator out:

Without knowing your activity level and metabolism its hard to speculate on your maintenance needs.
Click to expand...

I'm 6ft tall train 4 times a week and superset do following twice a week
1) shoulders / biceps / traps / stomach and legs
2) chest / triceps / back / stomach and front legs

Fat is mainly on stomach
 
Syanide said:
Missed off age 45

Tdee comes back as 2561 so must be about right
Click to expand...

That sounds a little better.

I don't think any male that lifts should be eating <2K calories for any reason. Do you have the option of adding a little cardio in and just drop a couple hundred cals, and see what happens?
 
I could add some cardio I've got bad asthma so cannot add a lot.

I'll probable drop to 2200 and see how it goes
 
Syanide said:
I'm 6ft tall train 4 times a week and superset do following twice a week
1) shoulders / biceps / traps / stomach and legs
2) chest / triceps / back / stomach and front legs

Fat is mainly on stomach
Click to expand...

Calcs are too generic. i would set an intake and see how you react. Monitor for 2-3 weeks then make changes
Start Kcals high (not low) and then lower. The more you can lose on the better and also helps your metabolism as a whole.

Start around 2300-2400ish and then slowly chip away with some kcals, add in a cardio session here or there (with asthma) try to keep it to LISS Only i grew up with asthma so i know how it is. Your diet will play the role here

many males have to get under 2k cals to get to a very low level of bodyfat, for some they do not due to being metabolic gifted and having a fast metabolism, some have to suffer pretty bad and get around 1600ish to get lean.
 
The Solution said:
Calcs are too generic. i would set an intake and see how you react. Monitor for 2-3 weeks then make changes
Start Kcals high (not low) and then lower. The more you can lose on the better and also helps your metabolism as a whole.

Start around 2300-2400ish and then slowly chip away with some kcals, add in a cardio session here or there (with asthma) try to keep it to LISS Only i grew up with asthma so i know how it is. Your diet will play the role here

many males have to get under 2k cals to get to a very low level of bodyfat, for some they do not due to being metabolic gifted and having a fast metabolism, some have to suffer pretty bad and get around 1600ish to get lean.
Click to expand...

my metabolism is sloooooow... im def in the 1800 range for weight reduction
 
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