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This is a discussion on Manipulating Calories based on your goals? within the Food forums,----- Ok, so I would love to pick your brains about how you eat based on your goals. If you are ...
Ok, so I would love to pick your brains about how you eat based on your goals. If you are lean (say anything below 16% bf) and you are looking to put on muscle (but keep fat gain at a minimum):
1) How much above your maintenance calories do you eat?
2) For how long do you eat this way?
3) When your goal of muscle gain has been achieved (or, let's say you are happy with the amount of muscularity you have), do you generally just start eating at right about maintenace calories and only increase or decrease these if you goal warrants it?
Ok, so I would love to pick your brains about how you eat based on your goals. If you are lean (say anything below 16% bf) and you are looking to put on muscle (but keep fat gain at a minimum):
1) How much above your maintenance calories do you eat?
2) For how long do you eat this way?
3) When your goal of muscle gain has been achieved (or, let's say you are happy with the amount of muscularity you have), do you generally just start eating at right about maintenace calories and only increase or decrease these if you goal warrants it?
Thanks, ladies!
Cat
I am probably not the best to answer this, as for me, it's not so cut and dry.
1) It totally depends on my progress and how fast/slow I am gaining...Personally, I dont think you need more than 2-300 over maintenance. Women don't gain muscle fast, so shoot to gain .5lb a week or so.
2) Until its time to cut This is a question that is VERY personal...I cut when its time for a show but if you don't have a date set to cut, you can go for as long as YOU are comfortable with the gains you are making. Some women don't like getting over a certain BF% or weight...You have to do what you're comfortable with.
3) I have NEVER been satisfied, so I have no answer for this...I think I will always be striving to improve.
I am probably not the best to answer this, as for me, it's not so cut and dry.
1) It totally depends on my progress and how fast/slow I am gaining...Personally, I dont think you need more than 2-300 over maintenance. Women don't gain muscle fast, so shoot to gain .5lb a week or so.
2) Until its time to cut This is a question that is VERY personal...I cut when its time for a show but if you don't have a date set to cut, you can go for as long as YOU are comfortable with the gains you are making. Some women don't like getting over a certain BF% or weight...You have to do what you're comfortable with.
3) I have NEVER been satisfied, so I have no answer for this...I think I will always be striving to improve.
I love that:
1) You are always the first to answer my questions
2) You're avatars always include you and FOOD!!!!! You crack me up, girl!
Thanks for the reply. I have been doing Tom Venuto's Holy Grail nutrition plan for the last 3 months or so now and I have to say, I really like it. It is based on manipulating deficit days and surplus days within a week based on your goals. The premise is that, lets say your goal is muslce gain with minimal fat gain, then you do 3 days at a deficit (about 15% for me) followed by 2 days at a surplus (15%) and back again, with the surplus being made up of mostly added carb sources (even though the deficit days are not super low carb). The trade-off is that while the muscle gain will be slower (since you are not in a surplus 100% of the time, but only 50%), the fat gain will be minimal. For me, this was a good trade off, as eating in a surplus all the time was what probably kept me from successfully adding on some muscle (I was always too worried about gaining back the fat I had worked so hard to lose- just did not make sense to me).
Overall, I like it! I leaned out using it at first, doing 3 days on a deficit, one day at maintenance, and once I got to the leaness I was happy with, I jumped to the 3:2, to add muscle.
But I am always curious to hear what others have done and what kind of progress they have achieved as a result.
I love Tom Venuto! When I first started taking my diet and training seriously, I followed his BFFM program and it changed how I approached things...Keep doing what your doing cause it sounds like it working for ya
I love Tom Venuto! When I first started taking my diet and training seriously, I followed his BFFM program and it changed how I approached things...Keep doing what your doing cause it sounds like it working for ya
ps: I LOVE FOOD!
Yes...Tom Venuto rocks. Not only is his physique amazing (DRUG-FREE!) but he is quite easy on the eyes. He is very gracious and has responded to a lot of my posts on his forum and we have had some good back and forth, discussing programs in detail. He is great. OK, maybe I will start a new religion around him!
Yeah....food is good. But I might not like it as much as you. I don't think I have as many pictures of me and my husband as you have of you and your beloved cheat foods! Those pictures crack me up, girl!!!!!!
Ok, so I would love to pick your brains about how you eat based on your goals. If you are lean (say anything below 16% bf) and you are looking to put on muscle (but keep fat gain at a minimum):
1) How much above your maintenance calories do you eat?
2) For how long do you eat this way?
3) When your goal of muscle gain has been achieved (or, let's say you are happy with the amount of muscularity you have), do you generally just start eating at right about maintenace calories and only increase or decrease these if you goal warrants it?
Thanks, ladies!
Cat
I am bulking right now and shoot for 300-500 calories over. Not an easy task as I am not a big eater to begin with and I feel full all the time...ick! I usually eat around 1800-2000 calories so I'm happy if I get 2300 in. I will eat this way until I start to cut... so I will continue to bulk Nov-Jan and start cutting in Feb.
I'm always looking to improve so it is subjective as to caloric increase/decrease. Just depends on how I look and feel at the time. Obvious decrease when cutting but even after a show and through the summer months I will continue to stay lean. I ususally increase calories Oct-Jan.
__________________ "The dictionary is the only place success comes before work. Hard work is the price we must all pay for success." Vince Lombardi
I am bulking right now and shoot for 300-500 calories over. Not an easy task as I am not a big eater to begin with and I feel full all the time...ick! I usually eat around 1800-2000 calories so I'm happy if I get 2300 in. I will eat this way until I start to cut... so I will continue to bulk Nov-Jan and start cutting in Feb.
I'm always looking to improve so it is subjective as to caloric increase/decrease. Just depends on how I look and feel at the time. Obvious decrease when cutting but even after a show and through the summer months I will continue to stay lean. I ususally increase calories Oct-Jan.
what about for someone like me, who is not necessarily preparing for a show but is looking to put on some more muscle with minimum fat gain? The idea of eating above maintenance for any length of time freaks me out, as I have worked so hard to get lean. But, I guess it is a catch 22 because while i like that I have leaned out, I do not have the muscularity yet that I would like. Ugh!
what about for someone like me, who is not necessarily preparing for a show but is looking to put on some more muscle with minimum fat gain? The idea of eating above maintenance for any length of time freaks me out, as I have worked so hard to get lean. But, I guess it is a catch 22 because while i like that I have leaned out, I do not have the muscularity yet that I would like. Ugh!
Well, the only way to put on muscle(which you already know) is to lift heavy and eat over maintenance. So depending on how much muscle you want would determine how long you would eat over maintenance. I will have bulked for a total of 4 months when I start my cut in February. You're right, it is tough to lose that "leanness"...but it's all mental...cuz you know it will be back! The key to minimal fat gain when bulking is to make sure your diet is still very clean. I still eat the same clean foods I do when I start to cut, just more of them, and only do my cheat once a week still. I do allow myself dairy during my bulk which I don't consume when cutting. Hope this helps
Well, the only way to put on muscle(which you already know) is to lift heavy and eat over maintenance. So depending on how much muscle you want would determine how long you would eat over maintenance. I will have bulked for a total of 4 months when I start my cut in February. You're right, it is tough to lose that "leanness"...but it's all mental...cuz you know it will be back! The key to minimal fat gain when bulking is to make sure your diet is still very clean. I still eat the same clean foods I do when I start to cut, just more of them, and only do my cheat once a week still. I do allow myself dairy during my bulk which I don't consume when cutting. Hope this helps
How much does your weight and or body fat fluctuate when you are cutting vs. bulking? In other words (and this may sound silly) but can you wear the same size pants or do you notice enough of a difference that you might actually go up a size?
How much does your weight and or body fat fluctuate when you are cutting vs. bulking? In other words (and this may sound silly) but can you wear the same size pants or do you notice enough of a difference that you might actually go up a size?
Last year during off season I gained 8 lbs. Body fat probably increased 3-4%. I can wear my same pants however my jeans do get quite snug. I have a tendancy to wear more dresses, skirts and sweats during bulking!
Last year during off season I gained 8 lbs. Body fat probably increased 3-4%. I can wear my same pants however my jeans do get quite snug. I have a tendancy to wear more dresses, skirts and sweats during bulking!
More power to you girl! I can't stand wearing dresses and skirts on a regular basis (course, I live here in the northeast and don't have the nice weather you do!!!!!).
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Manipulating Calories based on your goals?
Re: Manipulating Calories based on your goals?
This is a question that is VERY personal...I cut when its time for a show but if you don't have a date set to cut, you can go for as long as YOU are comfortable with the gains you are making. Some women don't like getting over a certain BF% or weight...You have to do what you're comfortable with. 
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