Maintenance Calories

[crazyqueet]

So I am wanting to lose a little of my body fat and start to build strength and gain a little muscle. 

I was suggested that I do maintenance calories instead of trying to eat at a surplus.

How many calories do I know is my maintenance level? 

I tried looking on the IIFYM website and that is just confusing to me with all the macros and stuff. 

It told me there that my TDEE was 1844, BMR 1398.

Macros were 119 g protein , 60 fat, 138 carbs, 23 fiber. Carbs seem a little high to me. 

So does that mean I need to eat at about 1800 calories a day?? I haven't started tracking my food yet but that seems like a lot to eat. I know I'm barely eating what I am now b/c most of the time I'm not hungry and then based on what time I get up. 

My workout routine is the following:

Monday: chest and triceps

Wednesday: back and biceps

Friday: Shoulder and Legs

Saturday: Abs and Glutes.

I do a small cardio workout (25-30 min) on Tues and Thurs. Sometimes in addition to my lifting days but not always. 

Any tips and suggestions as far as calorie wise?? Any workout tips ??

[Dominique · Accepted solution]

As a Fitbit user, your maintenance calories should be the calories it says you burn, assuming you’re wearing it 24/7. These calories should be more accurate than those given by calculators, which rely on standard activity levels ("sedentary", "lightly active" etc.).

Now, your Fitbit may be over- or underestimating your energy expenditure, but even if it’s the case, it should be by a constant factor. If you know (based on your experience from logging your intake) it overestimates calories burned by 15%, just eat 15% less calories than the number it gives you.

As to your workouts, make sure there’s some progression built in: over time (not necessarily from session to session), you need to progressively increase the load, by lifting heavier weights for the same amounts of reps, or the same weight for more reps etc. If you keep doing the same exercises at the same intensity (same weights, same number of reps & sets), your body will adapt to the load presented and no longer have an incentive to become stronger. Keep a log of what you’re doing (an old-fashioned notebook is just fine)!

[crazyqueet]

It's been awhile since I've logged my food intake. If I do, I usually log on MyFitnessPal. I haven't tried on the Fitbit app just yet. I got to get back into measuring my food and tracking. 

Yeah I know to build muscle that I can't keep doing the same weights. I have no problem with my legs. Just my arms that seem to don't want to grow it seems lol. Probably just my impatient self expecting change too soon...

[Dominique]

It’s possible to link the MyFitnessPal and Fitbit apps (both ways), so you could continue/resume logging your intake in MFP and get calories burned from Fitbit, and get intake calories from MFP in Fitbit.

Building muscle is a very slow process, especially for women, and older guys like me. Some say it’s like watching grass grow, or paint dry.

We know it’s not possible to "spot-reduce" fat. However, the good news with muscle is you can "spot-grow" them: if you want to grow your arms, do a lot of isolation exercises that focus on arm muscles. 

[Daves_Not_Here]

You seem like you're doing so many things right, I'm reluctant to offer ideas.  Maybe you should be coaching us!

Agreeing with @Dominique - increasing load will build muscle.  I believe you should "fail" every workout, meaning you can't finish your last sets.

If Fitbit sets your TDEE at 1,844, I'd shoot for that to start and adjust if necessary.  (Fitbit's TDEE for me has been amazingly accurate).  If your appetite is too low to eat 1,844 calories, I'm thinking you could add some high glycemic carbs to increase it.  

[emili]

I would follow the advice Dominique gave.. look at your least active day's calorie burn. Then look at two more. Take the average of those three days. That will give you a pretty good idea of what your base metabolic burn rate is. you will know that at minimum every day you should eat that. if you are more active, increase your intake. however...  for muscle gain you should be at a surplus,  to lose fat you have to be in a deficit..and this is my opinion..  if there is extra fat on the body, then although strength will be gained, it may be difficult to see the actual muscle gain (the lines). the body will for sure measure smaller and clothes will look and feel better. All I can tell from your picture is that you have a lovely smile..Just thought I would throw in an unsolicited opinion :).