How do i figure out my maintence level in Cal?

C

chuffy01

New Member
Ive been training off an on for a few years now but have never really looked at my nutrition side of things as well as i should've. (bad i know). Ive just eaten more when training. Since im starting my HST program soon, im going to get serious with the food. Ive never counted calories or anything before since i have been able to get what i want and not get fat etc. How do i figure out my base maintence levels and the amount of cal i will need to exceed it by to gain mass??
Currently 6'0 and 81kg (178lbs) with 10.5% b.f
Any help would be much appreciated
 
do you want the easy way or the hard way?

Basiclaly, you can x your bodyweight by 12-15kcal, and that will put you within reason. THen you can try it for awhile, and if you bodyweight climbs or reduces over the course of time (not daily measures but weekly) then it can be adjusted back or forwards.

Or you can use the likes of the cunninghame equation to establish the basal metabolic rate and that would give you a BMR of (81-BF*2.2 + 500 or basically 2100kcal) then from there, you have to work out how many calories you burn for living. Thats the harder bit, you can either estimate once again by trial and error or you can go around and take note of everything you do everyday for about a fortnihgt, and write it down, then get some activity factors off the web and put them against it.

Total energy expenditure = BMR + daily activity (for everything, sleeping, showering, sex etc) + Thermic effect of food. So by the time you have measured your BMR + daily activity, add about 10-15% onto it and it will give you your approximately maitenance level :)
thats about it really. Nothing is perfect.
 
are there any actual metabolic tests, rather than formulas, that measure various aspects of metabolism, given that different people have different BMR's (i'm assuming there is BMR variance within a given BF value)
 
There is a handheld RMR (indirect) device available for purchase (but not many will buy it at 1500US$) so tere are places available. biogem\

they have a list of available sites. But, it doesnt make much difference in the end, because the equations are all pretty good within reason. The main problem with any estimation (evne this rmr machine) is activity levels, and you cant measure them accurately. Even the best method for working out energy expenditure in a population is too innaccurate in individuals to work (doubly labeled water, or stable isotopic deuterium and oxygen18 - I thinK)
So basically it still boils down to trial and error
 
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