How many calories do I need?

[getaway]

All these online calculators want body fat % to give an estimate of how many cals a day I should be eating. Any formulas or effective calculators I can use that don't require BF? Thanks

[westside24]

so then go get your body fat measured at the gym, the doctor, or you can do it somehow with a roped tape measure, I just dont know how. google it.

[LiftGirl]

If you're currently maintaining your weight (not gaining or losing) then you are eating your maintenance calories now. You simply need to track what you're eating for several days, and viola! you know how many cals you need for maintenance. To lose weight, eat under maintenance; to gain eat over maintenance.

This method will be way more accurate than any online calculator.

[DarkLord]

In my honest personal opinion, I don't count calories. If you are getting a balanced diet of five six small meals a day your body will respond. Excess tends to be stored as fat and is wasted through your body.

[Maxgain]

Originally Posted by DarkLord

In my honest personal opinion, I don't count calories. If you are getting a balanced diet of five six small meals a day your body will respond. Excess tends to be stored as fat and is wasted through your body.

or as muscle which is the whole idea behing bulking

[westside24]

Originally Posted by DarkLord

In my honest personal opinion, I don't count calories. If you are getting a balanced diet of five six small meals a day your body will respond. Excess tends to be stored as fat and is wasted through your body.

I agree with the Dark Lord... I myself also wing it, I make sure I get 5-6 meals not including my protiend-creatine-powerade shakes before and after workout. I make sure I eat alot, plain n simple.

[getaway]

I used the harrison benedict formula. 2900 cals for 1lb gain a week.

[westside24]

Originally Posted by getaway

I used the harrison benedict formula. 2900 cals for 1lb gain a week.

that should be a nice slow bulk, Like V stated in some other thread... That'll help keep off alot of fat. It will be a pain to measure your calories out everyday though, good luck

[fitplanet]

Measuring out your calories for bulking or losing is absolutely necessary. I know its a pain but you HAVE to do it. This is such an overlooked aspect of training.

[westside24]

it is not absolutely necessary. Alot of people just have a good guesstimate, and they do well.

[antfreeeee]

get your bf measured at your local gym, im sure theyll be happy to do it.

if you lived near me i would do it for you!

[westside24]

Originally Posted by antfreeeee

get your bf measured at your local gym, im sure theyll be happy to do it.

if you lived near me i would do it for you!

Who Me?

[fitplanet]

the problem with a good guesstimate is that its exactly what it is.. a guesstimate. there is such a fine line between losing weight and gaining weight .. just a couple hundred calories. you eat a sandwich and don't realize how much everything in that sandwich adds up to. or right before bed eat a few crackers or a couple cookies... bam you just tilted for losing to gaining.

[Klide]

Fitplanet is 100% correct. You HAVE to count calories in order to maximize your intended results. How can you determine if you are getting the appropriate amount of calories if you don't know how much your body requires. Guesstimating is a waste of time... and in my opinion for the lazy. Counting calories is not difficult, as a matter of fact it is quite easy. The problem is this, when you count your calories you see the number in front of you and you have a choice of either hitting that number or going over it. To count calories is to fully commit to achieving maximum results. Anything else and you are merely going through the motions.

[sooner_ed]

Originally Posted by Klide

Fitplanet is 100% correct. You HAVE to count calories in order to maximize your intended results. How can you determine if you are getting the appropriate amount of calories if you don't know how much your body requires. Guesstimating is a waste of time... and in my opinion for the lazy. Counting calories is not difficult, as a matter of fact it is quite easy. The problem is this, when you count your calories you see the number in front of you and you have a choice of either hitting that number or going over it. To count calories is to fully commit to achieving maximum results. Anything else and you are merely going through the motions.

Wow. We seem to be back to this all or nothing mindset this forum was at a few years ago.

Counting calories is not necessary for losing weight. I will agree that it is necessary in order to maximize your intended results. What people need to understand is that there are many people on this forum, that while wanting to do certain things, do not feel the need to maximize everything they do.

And just because people "guesstimate" does not mean they are lazy. You should pick your words a little better. It simply means they have other things to do with their time that they feel is more important. Although losing weight may be important to them, you have no clue what may be even more important to them.

I lost 63 pounds without counting one single calorie. Would you like to tell me that I simply went through the motions? I went from 221 to 158 in six months. Again, did I simply just go through the motions? If I did, then I would submit to you that counting calories is not necessary to lose weight.

I would agree that counting calories can be a good thing for some people. But you should not categorize everyone and determine they are lazy for not doing so.

While I respect your opinion, again, please choose your words more carefully next time.