Maintenance Calories... what are yours?

[JSully]

Simple question.. I'm just curious to what everone's maintenance calories are here.

If you could add in you height and weight that would be great...

My maintenance calories right now are 3000-3300.. I'm 275lbs @ 6'..



Your turn!

[falconpark77]

I have never looked into that....usually I take 3 g of carbs per pound bw and 1 g of protein....when on cutting just cut 15% carbs from my diet and makes adjustments what the mirror and pics tell....

[Off Road]

My maintenance calories are around 3300. I'm 5'-10"ish and 230 lbs.

[james_w8lifter]

Unfortunately it seems mine are around 3800-4000. I feel like I'm eating all damn day just to maintain, much less bulk. I'm at 6'1", 211lbs...

[Allen Cress]

During the off season mine are around 4500-5000 at 5'10" and weighing 210-215lbs.

If you are reading this thread make sure you don't just start eating the calories listed because someone is the same height and weight as you. Maintenance calories are very indivdual based on ones Metabolic rate.

[Guido]

Sully, I'm surprised your maintenance cals are so low.

Mine are about 3,100 but I'm only about 210-212lbs at 5'9.

[Sean S]

6'1" 285 lbs.

I'm probably in the mid-4000's for maintenance at least. I'm a bit surprised JSully can maintain on that little, but I guess it just demonstrates how metabolic rate can differ even if people are around the same size.

[JSully]

If you are reading this thread make sure you don't just start eating the calories listed because someone is the same height and weight as you. Maintenance calories are very indivdual based on ones Metabolic rate.

I completely agree.. I was just curious as to what some of the others' maintenance levels were here..

Sully, I'm surprised your maintenance cals are so low.

Yeah dude.. and that's after years of building LBM up.. I've always been that fat kid that overeats.. problem is, I'm that fat kid because I don't have to eat very much to overeat. When I first got into the game I think my maintenance was in the low 2000s.. Meh, at least I can eat a decent amount now before blowing up, but when I want to really cut weight and drop down to 2200-2500 cals I get hungry super fast!! It's a shame my hunger isn't as slow as my metabo.. lulz

[vdizenzo]

4300 calories. This is a great thread. It should really get some people thinking about what they actually put into their bodies. Unfortunately, I find people often only track their cals for a day or two and get tired of it. The only way to really know is to keep track for at least a few weeks. I also love to hear people say I eat 7000 calories a day. Sure maybe someone might eat that much in a day, but it's highly doubtful they eat 7000 calories everyday. When I bulk I go 6000 and it feels like I never leave the kitchen table.

[tom183]

3900-4000. Im 6'2 and 223lbs.

[ELmx479]

I am 5'11 @ 200lbs and need at least 3000 during the winter months and 3500-3800 during the summer months to maintain my weight.

[fpr]

Do you guys make up your meal plans ahead of time or do you just track the calories/protein content as the day progresses?

For a couple weeks I would count the calories as the day progressed, didn't work, by 10pm I was usually like crap, I have 400+ more calories to squeeze in and 50g+ protein... yeah, I don't plan well

[fpr]

I read in a book that you just take your BW x 10 and that will give you your maintenance calories -- I'm sure that's not correct cause that would mean I only need 2400 calories (I'm guessing you add to that if you're going to be expending calories through weightlifting???)

[teeroy]

I have the metabolism of a snail and am currently at around 2,100/day. Just over a year ago before I started weightlifting I was at 1,800 so the good news if I've increased my metabolism but it feels like I barely eat to hit 2,100.

[Alyion]

About 3200ish

6'2 216

3x gym, and 2x cardio

[LuNa]

3000 calories but that was when i was lot more acive. Im 6' and 220 lbs.

[Joe Black]

My metabolism is so friggin slow I reckon that they could use me as soem type of freak experiment lol.

I am averaging 2,000 calories a day and am pretty active (3-5 hours cardio, 2-3 hours weights) and I am pretty close to maintaining now! Current weight = 183ish @ 17% BF.

[Daniel Roberts]

4500 296lbs 6'6" leanish.

That's to maintain and that's dropped massively in the last 10yrs - I'd be taking more than that in to maintain a weight of 240lbs.

Any of the more experienced guys on here notice things slowing down once you're in your thirties and older?

[NolanPower]

I'm 5'10 210lbs and my maintenance is a shade over 4,000

[JSully]

Do you guys make up your meal plans ahead of time or do you just track the calories/protein content as the day progresses?

For a couple weeks I would count the calories as the day progressed, didn't work, by 10pm I was usually like crap, I have 400+ more calories to squeeze in and 50g+ protein... yeah, I don't plan well

I used to make up my meal plan ahead of time but don't too often anymore. I know that I'll have either a shake with olive oil or eggs for breakfast.. cheese and pepperoni for a snack and a choice of a few things for lunch.. typically I'll eat my breakfast, snacks, lunch then put my calories in to see where I'm at for dinner and what kind of macros I need. Then I'll form my dinner around that.. sometimes I'll still plan out my whole day, like on carbups so I know exactly how many macros and what not, that way I can have junkfood with it still fitting perfectly..

I read in a book that you just take your BW x 10 and that will give you your maintenance calories -- I'm sure that's not correct cause that would mean I only need 2400 calories (I'm guessing you add to that if you're going to be expending calories through weightlifting???)

no, there is no baseline multiplier to find maintenance. I suppose you could use said multiplier and eat at that for a week and if you've lost weight, you would add calories to maintain and if you've gained weight you would decrease calories to maintain.. When figuring in my maintenance calories, typically I do it on a deload week that way I have a very little expenditure and can add a couple hundred calories once I start training and doing cardio again..

I have the metabolism of a snail and am currently at around 2,100/day. Just over a year ago before I started weightlifting I was at 1,800 so the good news if I've increased my metabolism but it feels like I barely eat to hit 2,100.

My metabolism is so friggin slow I reckon that they could use me as soem type of freak experiment lol.

I am averaging 2,000 calories a day and am pretty active (3-5 hours cardio, 2-3 hours weights) and I am pretty close to maintaining now! Current weight = 183ish @ 17% BF.

I know this all too well as I used to be the same, which is why my maintenance is only 3000/day at 275lbs.. just gain about 40lbs of LBM ad you'll increase your metabo so you aren't starving all day, lol..

[Guido]

I read in a book that you just take your BW x 10 and that will give you your maintenance calories -- I'm sure that's not correct cause that would mean I only need 2400 calories (I'm guessing you add to that if you're going to be expending calories through weightlifting???)

That book was way wrong. 10xBW would not be nearly enough, especially for a hard training, active individual.

Really, you just need to go on fitday.com or thedailyplate.com and input everything you eat for a good 2 weeks. See how much weight you gain or lose and adjust from there (make sure to weigh yourself at the same time each time you do it). After that you should be able to figure out where your maintenance is and what types of foods will put you over the edge calorie-wise. Since I generally eat almost the same things each day it's easy for me to know when I'm getting more or less calories than my maintenance over the course of a day. I also weigh myself every time I am at the gym (4 times a week) so I can always tell if I'm losing or gaining.

[Alyion]

Sounds like the bwx10 was the basal rate as per the Harris Benedict Equation, as i've always heard bwx10 then the activity modifier on top of that.

As useless as this statement probably is, Everyone i've ever known tends to float around bwx15 (provided they lift weights and go the gym 3-5 times a week)

but ymmv.

[Unholy]

5' 11" 215 3200 maintenance.

I have gotten to 195lbs cutting on 2750 before.

[cphafner]

5' 11" 215 3200 maintenance.

I have gotten to 195lbs cutting on 2750 before.

I'm right around here too today. Currently bulking just under 4k.

[Astreocclu]

Im on a cut right now and im eaitng like 2300 calories a day (i subtracted portion size never actually counted calories)...and im not actually dropping weight on the scale. I think i am very slowly losing body fat while very slowly getting muscle though...which is great. im 5.11 242 :O