Stewstews
Small Fry
Hi all, would welcome some input - hopeful some answers here might help out others also.
I have spent 12 months just trying to bulk up, and although conscious of the quality of food and protein content, and have not really focused on the volume of my food. This change will come online in the new year (not now - no chance of being "good" over xmas/new years). Getting myself prepared for it now however, and am researching food plan options now (e.g. CKD).
But first step is to work out my daily calorie requirements, BMR etc. There seem to be various methods to calculate this. Most accurate I suspect would be to catalogue everything I do and eat and track changes to my weight/body composition. But I'd like a starting point, from which I can adjust cals up or down depending on how my body responds.
Anyone care to critique the below methods for me??
Katch McArdle BMR
(Free calculator here Katch-Mcardle BMR Calculator)
Based on my last DEXA scan (~73kg and 17.41 bf%), I get a BMR of 1,672.28.
Based upon an activity factor of 1.6 (slightly more than moderately active), I have a real metabolic rate of 2675.
Online calculator comparison - Harris-Benedict / Mifflin
As a comparison, I entered my age, weight and height and activity factor into the following BMR & RMR Calculator and got:
BMR of 2713
RMR of 2609
Not 100% clear on the difference between the two, but they're close.
DEXA Scan Recommendation
Not sure how they calculate it (DEXA was with Bodyscan), but it gives me a RMR of 1816 + 300 for "Daily Activities" = 2179. So I am calling this my "real" metabolic rate, without considering exercise. So I need to build that on for my maintenance cals allowing for exercise.
Using this (Activity Calculator) to establish what cals I spent in exercise weekly as an estimate:
Bball 40 mins = 389 cals
1.5hr gym session = 329 cals
Cycling = 219 cals / per 30 mins
I would thus average say 390 cals of exercise, 4 times a week.
Under the DEXA Scan I should be at daily maintenance 2569 for exercise days. And a lower 2179 for non-exercise days. Or 2401 averaged over a week.
Which to use??
I have 2675 vs. 2713 vs. 2569 / 2179 or 2401...
I'm inclined to believe the DEXA in some respects, as has accurate representation of my body, but it is a fair bit lower given the non-exercise days implication.
I assume with the other BMR's using activity factors etc, that is an average amount over a week. i.e. I could drop the maintenance cals on non-exercise days by say 300, but catch these up on exercise days.
Anyway welcome any input!!
I have spent 12 months just trying to bulk up, and although conscious of the quality of food and protein content, and have not really focused on the volume of my food. This change will come online in the new year (not now - no chance of being "good" over xmas/new years). Getting myself prepared for it now however, and am researching food plan options now (e.g. CKD).
But first step is to work out my daily calorie requirements, BMR etc. There seem to be various methods to calculate this. Most accurate I suspect would be to catalogue everything I do and eat and track changes to my weight/body composition. But I'd like a starting point, from which I can adjust cals up or down depending on how my body responds.
Anyone care to critique the below methods for me??
Katch McArdle BMR
(Free calculator here Katch-Mcardle BMR Calculator)
Based on my last DEXA scan (~73kg and 17.41 bf%), I get a BMR of 1,672.28.
Based upon an activity factor of 1.6 (slightly more than moderately active), I have a real metabolic rate of 2675.
Online calculator comparison - Harris-Benedict / Mifflin
As a comparison, I entered my age, weight and height and activity factor into the following BMR & RMR Calculator and got:
BMR of 2713
RMR of 2609
Not 100% clear on the difference between the two, but they're close.
DEXA Scan Recommendation
Not sure how they calculate it (DEXA was with Bodyscan), but it gives me a RMR of 1816 + 300 for "Daily Activities" = 2179. So I am calling this my "real" metabolic rate, without considering exercise. So I need to build that on for my maintenance cals allowing for exercise.
Using this (Activity Calculator) to establish what cals I spent in exercise weekly as an estimate:
Bball 40 mins = 389 cals
1.5hr gym session = 329 cals
Cycling = 219 cals / per 30 mins
I would thus average say 390 cals of exercise, 4 times a week.
Under the DEXA Scan I should be at daily maintenance 2569 for exercise days. And a lower 2179 for non-exercise days. Or 2401 averaged over a week.
Which to use??
I have 2675 vs. 2713 vs. 2569 / 2179 or 2401...
I'm inclined to believe the DEXA in some respects, as has accurate representation of my body, but it is a fair bit lower given the non-exercise days implication.
I assume with the other BMR's using activity factors etc, that is an average amount over a week. i.e. I could drop the maintenance cals on non-exercise days by say 300, but catch these up on exercise days.
Anyway welcome any input!!