Help on calorie intake

[BIG-N-Brazil]

My stats
26
230
BF% if i had to guess about 25%
Workout 1 1/2 hour 6 days a week. with 20 min cardio 4 days a week.

Im trying to cut down and finally getting started eating right and tracking all my calories. My maitnence calories say 3404.

Today's intake

2,578cal 88.1 fat 180.car 251.5 pro.

I know the protein is low but i am at work for 28 days at a time and do the best i can. I am asking do i need to up my protien and just take the cals that come with it or does this look good... Thanks in advance

[BIG-N-Brazil]

forgot I am 6'

[BIG-N-Brazil]

Guess everyones out on friday night...Wish i was..

[stallion_1]

if you wanna lose weight, you have to consume less calories than what you burn. but, id keep the protein high

[BIG-N-Brazil]

Yeah i was just didn't know if i was to low or high or what. THanks

[stallion_1]

usually you have to eat 1 gram of protein per pound, but make sure to drink a lot of water as protein might **** up your kidneys.

[BIG-N-Brazil]

Yeah thats all i drink now. Only water... So u think the cal's are good.

[BIG-N-Brazil]

When i am home i can get it to a t. But here its kinda hard.. Do the best i can.

[stallion_1]

well yea cos if ur maintenance calory intake(just to maintain ur weight) is 3400, anything lower will cause you to lose weight. so if you consume around 2400, u will lose weight. also cardio is for losing weight, lifting weights is for building muscle. if you want to cut right now id focus more on the cardio.

[BIG-N-Brazil]

Thanks i agree but i am still gonna life. i want to loose as little muscle as i can. Thanks for your help. I am just now starting to eat as clean as i can and i have lost 14 pounds in 4 weeks. Maybe eating clean i will be able to shead some BF and keep some muscle tone.

[Phate]

well yea cos if ur maintenance calory intake(just to maintain ur weight) is 3400, anything lower will cause you to lose weight. so if you consume around 2400, u will lose weight. also cardio is for losing weight, lifting weights is for building muscle. if you want to cut right now id focus more on the cardio.

not true, heavy lifting has been shown to raise the metabolism for up to 24 hours after completion

[BIG-N-Brazil]

Im not giving up weights anyway.... Got a few pm saying u were tha man on this subject.

[AdamGH]

not true, heavy lifting has been shown to raise the metabolism for up to 24 hours after completion

or longer protein synthesis from repair and maintaining of lean muscle mass.

[Phate]

Im not giving up weights anyway.... Got a few pm saying u were tha man on this subject.

me??

[stallion_1]

im not giving up weights anyway.... Got a few pm saying u were tha man on this subject.

no one is saying you should give up the weights, what im trying to say is when you cut you should increase your cardio as this burns more fat than weightlifting

[BIG-N-Brazil]

me??

Yep...

[stallion_1]

me??

i doubt it.

[stallion_1]

U mean u got a pm by someone saying that phate is the man.?

[BIG-N-Brazil]

To ask about dieting...

[Phate]

no one is saying you should give up the weights, what im trying to say is when you cut you should increase your cardio as this burns more fat than weightlifting

oh okay, well i agree with that, i've always prefered to give my body alot of food, even cutting, and just use lots of cardio to burn fat, this has several advantages over restricting calories

1) increases metabolism instead of lowering it
2) gives your body food to help with muscle growth and recovery
3) allows for consumption of more nutrients via natural food
4) increased energy and workout intensity

[BIG-N-Brazil]

So should i up my cals and get the protein i need and just do lots more cardio. I am a big guy and i don't want to loose say the size i have. Just need to loose some gut. I just need to know whats best.

[stallion_1]

so should i up my cals and get the protein i need and just do lots more cardio. I am a big guy and i don't want to loose say the size i have. Just need to loose some gut. I just need to know whats best.

this is exactly why people use cutting steroids because they help preserve muscle while on a low cal diet. Dont increase calories, just increase ur protein.

[Phate]

i would do it like this, JMO though

eat around 2800-2900cal broken down into 45%pro 35% carb 20%fat

up your cardio to 45min 5-6days a week and do 2 days of HIIT training and the others low intensity cardio

for HIIT training i would use a stairstepper, elliptical or stationary bike and do this
5minutes warm up
1min at 40-50% of max effort
30sec at 85-90% max effort
1min at 40-50% of max effort
30sec at 85-90% max effort
continue that for 15-20 minutes or until you can't go any more
then cool down for 5 minutes

low intensity will burn more calories from fat but will also burn less total calories as the intensity isn't as high as HIIT

HIIT training will burn a lower percentage of calories from fat, though not by much, i think the study i read said 10-12% max, but will burn many more calories total and will increase metabolism for up to 24 hours after cardio, this is called the afterburn effect, where you burn extra calories because of an increase in metabolic output

the low intensity should be done on an empty stomach in the morning if possible but the HIIT shouldn't as it can cause you to go catabolic



post your diet and i'll critique it

[BIG-N-Brazil]

Thats gonna be hard to do but i will see. I am stuck on a rig in Brazil and customs took my protein powder because the seal was broken. But i can try to get a better ratio. Thanks for the imput.

[Phate]

then just do what you can, keep the diet as clean as possible and wait till you are in better conditions to really get strict with it

[BIG-N-Brazil]

Thanks Phate and everyone.


My morning starts at 5pm so there is no eggs to eat while at work. So bare with me. I know i can make it better just cant make it perfect.


5pm 1 cup white rice. 10 oz chicken breast

8pm 1 pack tuna steaks....170 cals 33g pro 7g car

10pm Banana

1130 10oz lean steak 1 1/2 white rice.

2am 5 low sodium crackers

4am 2 tbl spoons peanut butter

6am Workout

8am Tuna 130 cals 22g pro....

Phat I know u are against white rice but bread is really my only other option for carbs out here. Sometime potatoes but this is Brazil they dont eat much potatoes...

[Rugger02]

i doubt it.

I don't doubt it, and I hope you were joking.

So should i up my cals and get the protein i need and just do lots more cardio. I am a big guy and i don't want to loose say the size i have. Just need to loose some gut. I just need to know whats best.

I was kinda in the same boat. I'm big. Very Strong. Lots of muscles. Just a bit of unwanted fat. Just picture us bringing out the best of our muscles and losing the fat, right?
Eat a clean diet, Yours looks fine for this stage in the game.
Work your ass off in cardio and at the gym, but stick with it. Before I tried dieting and if I didn't see results like immediately I gave up and was no better off than before.
Just stick with what you're doing and mentally prepare yourself for the lifestyle change that it's gonna take. It's not east but the feeling that you get knowing you accomplished your goals is way better than whatever temporary pleasures your old way of life offered you. Stick with it bro and good things will happen.

[BIG-N-Brazil]

When i was home this time i lost good weight because i had more control.... I work 28days then home 28 days so i got to get it figured out when i am here to at least maintain ya know

[BIG-N-Brazil]

I don't doubt it, and I hope you were joking.



I was kinda in the same boat. I'm big. Very Strong. Lots of muscles. Just a bit of unwanted fat. Just picture us bringing out the best of our muscles and losing the fat, right?
Eat a clean diet, Yours looks fine for this stage in the game.
Work your ass off in cardio and at the gym, but stick with it. Before I tried dieting and if I didn't see results like immediately I gave up and was no better off than before.
Just stick with what you're doing and mentally prepare yourself for the lifestyle change that it's gonna take. It's not east but the feeling that you get knowing you accomplished your goals is way better than whatever temporary pleasures your old way of life offered you. Stick with it bro and good things will happen.

Yeah i know what u mean. But i just started and i feel so accomplished already. I was so doumb before. It really helps I started using fitday and i control my intake much better. OOh and i only drink water now too. I can see myself sticking with it just gotta figure it out when i am here. Wish i was home all the time now...

[BIG-N-Brazil]

Been working out for a few years just never knew diet was so important till i joined here.

[Phate]

Thanks Phate and everyone.


My morning starts at 5pm so there is no eggs to eat while at work. So bare with me. I know i can make it better just cant make it perfect.


5pm 1 cup white rice. 10 oz chicken breast

8pm 1 pack tuna steaks....170 cals 33g pro 7g car

10pm Banana
add protein, you should always have protein at every meal
1130 10oz lean steak 1 1/2 white rice.

2am 5 low sodium crackers
scrap the crackers and get some veges and some protein, tuna is gonna be your best friend
4am 2 tbl spoons peanut butter
switch the veges and protein from the last meal with this one, you need carbs before your workout
6am Workout

8am Tuna 130 cals 22g pro....
carbs here, carbs will ALWAYS store as glycogen before being stored as fat, go ahead and get some carbs in with that protein, and double the protein
Phat I know u are against white rice but bread is really my only other option for carbs out here. Sometime potatoes but this is Brazil they dont eat much potatoes...

k bro, i'll go my best with it

here are good carbs sources

all bran or fiber one cereal
sweet potatoes
oatmeal
grits if you have too
bean and most legumes like lentils and barley
veges


do your best bro and at least you will maintain and get your body primed for when you are back on land

[BIG-N-Brazil]

For real thanks for all the help. I really appreciate it.... Im just gonna do what i can here and make the best of it. Makes me even more excited to get home.lol well that and some booty.lol

[Phate]

For real thanks for all the help. I really appreciate it.... Im just gonna do what i can here and make the best of it. Makes me even more excited to get home.lol well that and some booty.lol

sex is great cardio man, jump on it, lol

[stallion_1]

Now that sex is mentioned, since ur in brazil why not bang some women down there, i hear theyre muy caliente.....

[BIG-N-Brazil]

OOh that they are. I spend only 4 days of the 28 on land. I am out on the rig mostly. But Brazil has got to have the most beautiful and "Friendly" women than anywhere else in the world i have been.

[BIG-N-Brazil]

I deff recomend for any guy to make a trip at least once to Rio...Just bring someone with you. Can get a lil sketchy late at night.lol But deff worth the time and money.