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Thread: Calories and Macros for Dummies

  1. #1
    Join Date
    Sep 2019
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    Default Calories and Macros for Dummies

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    I'm a 41 yo male, 5'9" and 230 lbs. I've lifted for years but I've only been "training" for a little over 18 months. I have LP'd twice and my numbers are as follows (all 5RM's): Squat-385, Press-195, Bench Press-255, DL-440. I gained approximately 35 lbs in the past 18 months and my numbers went up considerably. I have a strength goal of squatting 400, pressing 200, benching 300 and deadlifting 500.

    I currently lift on a split (approximately 50-60 min in length per workout):
    Day 1: Intensity BP/Volume Press
    Day 2: Intensity DL/Volume Squat
    Day 3: Rest
    Day 4: Intensity P/Volume BP
    Day 5: Intensity Squat/Volume DL
    Day 6 & 7 : Rest
    (Intensity = 5RM on all four lifts. Volume Presses = 5x5@90%, Volume Squat = 3x5@85%, Volume DL = 1" Deficit DL 2x5@80% of DL)

    Sometimes, because of only being able to sleep 6 or 7 hours, I'll rest an additional day before doing the next workout to help with recovery. My numbers are going up weekly at the moment.

    I'm know I'm fluffier than I need to be and have recently discovered that I have high cholesterol (261), elevated blood pressure (pre-hypertensive: mid-to-upper 130's over high 80's/low 90's), low testosterone (232) and am having a sleep study done for sleep apnea (#gettingoldsucks). I've always said that I would adjust my eating and start incorporating some energy system training (sled pushes and pulls) once I reached my strength goals. I feel that I'm close enough to those numbers to begin incorporating some sled work for general health purposes, but I also know that unless I get a reign on my eating that I'm setting myself up for some serious heart issues (oh yeah...I also have a family history of heart disease).

    I don't trust the online calculators to estimate my caloric needs; nor do I trust my ability to assess whether I'm "active" or "moderately active", or however they try to classify it. My question is: How many calories do I need to continue training without continuing down this path to "fatsville"? And if I'm getting around 220 gr of protein/day, what about the other macros?

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Aug 2013
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    Phoenix, AZ
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    Default

    How many calories are you eating now? What are your macros now?

  3. #3
    Join Date
    Sep 2019
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    I THINK I'm getting in the neighborhood of 3300, give or take, and I've really only focused on getting enough protein (200+g/day). I've never weighed or counted calories or macros. I probably need to for a few weeks.

  4. #4
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    Aug 2013
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    You are going to need to. Protein is useless if you aren't eating enough carbohydrates

  5. #5
    Join Date
    Nov 2020
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    This dude sounds JUST like me and my goals, and problems! I am eating Keto, with 200g protein, 230g fat, 40g carbs daily for 3200 cal/day. I am very apprehensive to gain weight because I've lost so much (450lb at my heaviest and 220lb at my lightest) and worked so hard to do so, gaining even 20lbs back scares me. I am currently 240lbs., 35years old 5'11''.

  6. #6
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    Aug 2013
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    starting strength coach development program
    Quote Originally Posted by jmdilly72 View Post
    This dude sounds JUST like me and my goals, and problems! I am eating Keto, with 200g protein, 230g fat, 40g carbs daily for 3200 cal/day. I am very apprehensive to gain weight because I've lost so much (450lb at my heaviest and 220lb at my lightest) and worked so hard to do so, gaining even 20lbs back scares me. I am currently 240lbs., 35years old 5'11''.
    Do you really think that eating 300 g/d carbs and 150 g/d fat instead of this silly, and likely inconsistent, 40 g/d carbohydrate is going to get you fat despite being the same number of calories?

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