How many calories do you eat per day?

[NY Muscle]

Re: Article from recent Testosterone Magazine...Lee Priest:

T: If you lost sixteen pounds last week, a good chunk of that must be water.

Priest: Nearly always is. Whenever I start dieting, I'm going from eating whatever I want to oatmeal, and my taste buds hate it. The first week I'm just picking at food, so I'm not getting more than 2000 calories per day. I go from 6000-7000 calories down to 2000. I'll have a whole plate of chicken breasts in front of me and I'll eat only a half a chicken breast, then pick at the vegetables.

My metabolism increases from the cardio, though, and I get to the point where my hunger pains get worse. So by the second or third week, I eat whatever is put in front of me; I get really hungry. The first week, I can't stand the taste so I'm barely eating.

T: How much cardio per day are you doing right now while dieting?

Priest: Only 40 minutes per day.

T: Do you increase it as you get closer to the contest?

Priest: Depends upon how I look and how I feel. This time I don't need to do as much because I'm not as heavy, but normally the weight just falls off me quick. I'll work up to an hour of cardio. People say I must do too much because I come down in weight so much.

i talk to Lee on a semi regular basis

2-3 hrs of cardio b4 a show is NOT umcommin for him
trust me on this one.

 

[Debu]

See, this is why I get soooo darn confused and don't know what to do...the majority on this board say don't waster your time doing cardio, eat clean and lift heavy...and now this? I don't want to waste time doing all that cardio if I don't have to but if I do I don't want to waste time dieting and not getting the results since I'm not doing enough cardio! ARGGGHHHH! I'll just keep spinning my wheels get'n nowhere

 

[muskles]

i'm just barely starting to get to know how my body handles food and exercise... but i'm beginning to get the concept of "everyone is different. do what works for you".

i think you have to decide on a plan of attack and stick to it for 2 or 3 months, and then make small adjustments as you learn what's working and not working. i think a good goal is to adjust your routine and diet so that you lose 2lbs / week or gain 2lbs / week (depending on the goal) after your body adjusts to a new routine which would take a few weeks before you could judge it accurately. i haven't exactly reached that goal yet, but i'm still tweaking to try and get the ratios down that will work for me.

right now i'm doing keto diet w/ 35% fat - 60% protein - 5% carbs keeping cals around 1100, but i'm also on an anavar to prevent muscle breakdown. i'm going to stick with this for a few more weeks, and then re-access.

 

[NY Muscle]

right now i'm doing keto diet w/ 35% fat - 60% protein - 5% carbs keeping cals around 1100, but i'm also on an anavar to prevent muscle breakdown. i'm going to stick with this for a few more weeks, and then re-access.

whoa hold up
bad choice...35% fat? you do know if you followed the diet to the "t" youd be doing 70% fat and 30% protein, i can see you adjusting ratios to your liking but to cut down fat intake in 1/2? you most likely will hit a wall with your fat loss if you dont eat enough fat on a CKD. take my word on this one, increase the fat, ive done this diet many times and put my clients on the diet too, the ones who dont lose the weight are usually the women who are literally genetically predisposed to be afriad of fat lol

and the anavar wont help much at all, it cant hurt but you will still lose some LBM.

 

[Gladiola]

See, this is why I get soooo darn confused and don't know what to do...the majority on this board say don't waster your time doing cardio, eat clean and lift heavy...and now this? I don't want to waste time doing all that cardio if I don't have to

Don't get discouraged! I agree with Muskles that it's good to pick a plan of attack, stick to it for 2-3 mos & then reassess as needed.

I've also heard New@ say that cardio is like drawing out the big guns... do it when you've exhausted other possibilities. Get as lean as you can on diet & then add in the cardio.

BUT - Important - you DO still need cardio to keep your heart & lungs healthy (unless you do enough circuit lifting to get your HR up and KEEP it up in the training zone). So it's never a 'waste of time'. Plus it does usually give a nice endorphin rush & of course can be lots of fun if you're biking or rollerblading outdoors.

 

[new@gettinbig]

Gladiola said it exactly!! I increase my cardio as i get closer to a show...when I want to get a lot leaner...you can do A LOT w/ diet and heavy training alone...if you are consistent and are eating clean...it can be done...kick in the cardio when you reall need it...not at the begining of your diet.

 

[gymrat]

some good info on this thread....thanks

 

[katalista]

SheHuLK - Glad to hear someone else uses FItDay. I track my micro on there and get an average of 40-50% protein, 30-40% carbs, and about 20% fat (mostly non-saturated). This site has been very helpful and efficient, not to mention free.

Here's the part I don't get: I am only getting 1000-1200 calories a day. From everything I've heard, this is wrong. But when I add cals, I gain weight (fat, not LM). I feel fine on this amount, so what gives? Why is this sooo wrong?

 

[Temple]

Katalista - I guess the question would be do you look the way you want to and is your body responding the way that you want it to on that number of calories? If it is then it is not wrong.

 

[Debu]

Spatts - that's what my BF wants me to do, keep eating but do cardio. And I'm definitely NOT getting ready for the 'O, lol just leaning out for the summer that's why I am confused I suppose.

Gladiola - thanks for the encouragement! I have been "practicing" dieting, lol, meaning I"m rotating my carbs but if I want a protein bar I have it, plus a weekend meal out Saturday night.

New@ - I SWEAR you have a GIFT to look that good at the Arnolds without a single MINUTE of cardio! But then we do have totally different body types. I'm short and stalky and you are long and lean.

I think it might be easier to grow 6 inches taller than lose 10obs of fat!