Daily Calorie Intake

chiliconparmi

Hey,

I was looking at a diet online and it said to lose weight I should only eat 1200 calories a day. However I checked the RDA online and it says I should eat 2000 a day. Which is it, how do I know how many calories I can eat each day. Also does anyone have a diet plan they use that they find works well.

I’m 6ft male weighing 16 1/2 stone.
Im starting back in the gym soon and want to lose some fat before doing some serious weight training. I will also be doing a lot of cardio.

Thanks
Chili



I've just seen something else online saying I need to eat 1800 calories, this is too confusing

Serafijn

Hey there,

For your size and weight, on 1200 calories per day you would probably waste away! Have a look here for info on how to calculate your daily calorie intake. Also have a read through the stickies for info on healthy eating.

In terms of diet plans, personally I'm a fan of Weight Watchers and similar, where you are given a daily points allowance and spend them on your foods. It gets you into the habit of choosing lower calorie, less fatty options since you know you have to make your points last all day!

If this isn't your thing, you can always do up your own plan based on your calorie intake. Get yourself one of those calorie-counter books (saw one the other day, little A7 size book for about 5 euro) and start tracking what you're eating, to see just how much you're taking in currently. Then start posting in the Food Diary forum, so if you go off the rails people will give you a kick in the backside to get you back on track! :P

Good luck

chiliconparmi

thanks Serafijn, that link helped a lot

EileenG

1200 calories a day is a joke for someone of your size.

As a general rule, about 11-12 calories per pound is a good level for dieting. For most people, around 13 calories per pound is close to their maintenance (the level at which they don't change weight).

If you know your bodyfat percentage, then about 14 calories per pound of lean mass is a good cutting level.

Personally, I think that most people eat way too much refined and processed carbs. If you cut out the sugar, cakes and biscuits, and replace some of your bread and pasta with green vegetables and lean protein, you'll lower your calories and improve your diet without actually eating less food.

rubadub

chiliconparmi wrote: »

Im starting back in the gym soon and want to lose some fat before doing some serious weight training. I will also be doing a lot of cardio.

Do the serious weight training NOW! Get your bodyfat measured in the gym with a calipers, if they bring out some standon or handheld device seriously do not even bother getting it done, they are worse than useless. It should be a calipers which gently pinches you and gives fat readings. Also get measurements all over your body, and take photos.

If you are lifting while overweight and just starting out then you can build muscle while losing fat at the same time. I remained a constant 12.5stone or so for ages, but I was losing fat and dropping jean sizes all the time. Now I am not big/muscly at all, muscle is far more dense than fat so at the same weight you can take up less room. If I just watched my weight I would have been disheartened. "weightwatchers" is an oxymoron, you cannot see weight, you see FAT, it should be called fatwatchers, but that hasn't go the same ring to it!;)

It is a common misconception that you should lose fat before doing weights. Weights are ideal for people your size, doing high impact cardio can damage your joints. Since you are big you are in effect already lifting weights all day long. A lot of the weight you are carrying is muscle you have already built, you should have more muscle mass than a guy your size at his ideal weight. So it would be a shame to lose all this muscle. Building and maintaining muscle uses up lots of calories. Even on your days off you will be using calories building the new muscle. Then once built you use energy just keeping it. And you will be stronger and look better once the fat is gone.

If you got to be overweight I would guess that like myself you like your food. I am not at a stage where I am just really maintaining the little muscle I built, my metabolism is raised so I get away with eating what I want, and drinking like a fish.

Get lifting, avoid weights machines, and stick to big compound lifts, squats, deadlift, military press, dips, chinups, pullups, benchpress, pushups.

Check out
www.exrx.net
www.stronglifts.com