[Deedsie]

Hi, I am just starting back training. I am going to do the strong lifts 5x5 program. Though I may squat 3x8 instead of 5x5!

I am 178 cm (5"9) and I weigh 83.5kg. I am carrying a lot of fat at the moment that I would like to burn off first. And then build myself back up with muscle mass. I would like to trim myself down to 77kg before I start building myself back up to a fat free, toned, fit and healthy 82kg.

I think I calculated my daily calorie requirements as 4000 cals per day. Should I be consuming say 3500 cals if I want to gradually remove the fat layer? Calorie deficit.

Has anyone any advice for this approach to training?

[gerryg80]

Originally Posted by Deedsie

Hi, I am just starting back training. I am going to do the strong lifts 5x5 program. Though I may squat 3x8 instead of 5x5!

I am 178 cm (5"9) and I weigh 83.5kg. I am carrying a lot of fat at the moment that I would like to burn off first. And then build myself back up with muscle mass. I would like to trim myself down to 77kg before I start building myself back up to a fat free, toned, fit and healthy 82kg.

I think I calculated my daily calorie requirements as 4000 cals per day. Should I be consuming say 3500 cals if I want to gradually remove the fat layer? Calorie deficit.

Has anyone any advice for this approach to training?

Requirments of 4000 cals per day !!!! Wow. That seems very high. The average is uaually around 1800 to 2200 for a guy. Have a read of the stickies in the Health & Fitness forum, theres some good info in there in regards to calculating your daily calorie count etc

[Deedsie]

Originally Posted by gerryg80

Requirments of 4000 cals per day !!!! Wow. That seems very high. The average is uaually around 1800 to 2200 for a guy. Have a read of the stickies in the Health & Fitness forum, theres some good info in there in regards to calculating your daily calorie count etc

Ya, i might have made an error there! I think I calculated that last year when I was planning to put on a lot of weight. I'll try to recalculate it now! Yes I got it arseways. It says I should be consuming 1969 cals per day for fat loss?

[Hanley]

4,000 sounds WAY too high.

[Deedsie]

Originally Posted by Hanley

4,000 sounds WAY too high.

Does 1969 sound more accurate? I cycle at the weekend, can I up the calorie intake on a cycling day?

[banshee_bones]

I read the OPs post and sorry but are you Male or Female?

[Deedsie]

Originally Posted by banshee_bones

I read the OPs post and sorry but are you Male or Female?

I am male?

[gerryg80]

Originally Posted by Deedsie

Hi, I am just starting back training. I am going to do the strong lifts 5x5 program. Though I may squat 3x8 instead of 5x5!

I am 178 cm (5"9) and I weigh 83.5kg. I am carrying a lot of fat at the moment that I would like to burn off first. And then build myself back up with muscle mass. I would like to trim myself down to 77kg before I start building myself back up to a fat free, toned, fit and healthy 82kg.

I think I calculated my daily calorie requirements as 4000 cals per day. Should I be consuming say 3500 cals if I want to gradually remove the fat layer? Calorie deficit.

Has anyone any advice for this approach to training?

In my opinion you could be doing things back to front. If I was you and i wanted to be toned at 82kg from a fat 83.5, id up my calorie intake and start primarily lifting heavy weights for a maybe 3/4 months. Put on some muscle get my weight up to around 86/87 and then cut my weight to 82.

[Deedsie]

Originally Posted by gerryg80

In my opinion you could be doing things back to front. If I was you and i wanted to be toned at 82kg from a fat 83.5, id up my calorie intake and start primarily lifting heavy weights for a maybe 3/4 months. Put on some muscle get my weight up to around 86/87 and then cut my weight to 82.

I understand what you are saying... But I have tried it that way before a few times. I just end up losing interest. I would like to lose weight to see if I could get back running and then build myself back up. I think the excess weight I am carrying is causing injuries! I have had trouble with my Achilles tendons for two years now

[gerryg80]

Originally Posted by Deedsie

I understand what you are saying... But I have tried it that way before a few times. I just end up losing interest. I would like to lose weight to see if I could get back running and then build myself back up. I think the excess weight I am carrying is causing injuries! I have had trouble with my Achilles tendons for two years now

As usual the take home points from this forum are

1) Clean up your diet
2) Work Hard

i.e. there is no magic wand and its not going to happen over night for you

You seem to know that you need a calorie deficit to lose weight, and guess what its really that simple.

In regards to your issue regarding your Achilles tendons, u should prob stay from running as the impact might not be helping. U mentioned you cycled, rowing/swimming would also be good.

[Mack_1111]

I'm male & the same height as you, I'm looking to loose 1-2lbs per week and I reckon I should be on 1400 cal/day (worked out on my fitness pal app). Add maybe 300 more on training days.

[Hanley]

Originally Posted by Mack_1111

I'm male & the same height as you, I'm looking to loose 1-2lbs per week and I reckon I should be on 1400 cal/day (worked out on my fitness pal app). Add maybe 300 more on training days.

Unless you've about 5 foot tall, and <55kg, that is also wrong.

[Hanley]

Originally Posted by Deedsie

Does 1969 sound more accurate? I cycle at the weekend, can I up the calorie intake on a cycling day?

Verging on the lower side of typical recommendations if anything.

1,850 - 2,250 is a good starting range. Closer to the latter if highly active.

[Mack_1111]

Originally Posted by Hanley

1,850 - 2,250 is a good starting range. Closer to the latter if highly active.

Sweet!

[Deedsie]

Does anyone here have a recommendation for a website to calculate daily calories based on diet? As in calories in a bowl of porridge!