[Lost Dog]

Originally Posted by stingo

So if I list myself as moderately active (using 1.5), and enter in my stats - an online calculator gives me a bmr of 2182, and caloric needs of 3273. so I'd need about 2800 calories right?

That's a good starting point.

I usually pick my activity level based on my non-exercise activity, which is embarrassingly close to sedentary. Then I manually figure my exercise calories for the whole week, add them up and divide my 7. Still not exact, but either method is a starting point from where you can adjust up or down.

This second method also allows you to feel more comfortable using the more food on workout days method of eating, if you want to do that. On lifting days, for example, you might want a protein shake just before and/or after lifting. You can figure that in to those calories.

I think higher cal and carb meals are better after a workout, anyway, so by eating at a lower number on off days, and allowing a higher number on workout days, you can still lose fat and pay a bit more attention to post-workout nutrition without feeling like you have to cut calories at other meals/snacks.

BTW, Lou Schuler (NROL's author) is obese by BMI standards. I've met him. He's pretty trim, just muscular. I'm overweight on BMI. I currently striving for obesity...