Do I eat enough calories?

[Dan...]

Do you know of Alan Aragon? He is basically the nutrition guru over at bb.com.

This is a good read he linked back in July 2011:

http://weightology.net/weightologyweekly/?page_id=319

Here is where he linked it:

http://forum.bodybuilding.com/showth...es+weight+gain

Post #29.

Also, if I wanted to I could find some absolutely ridiculous write-ups on bb.com. I recommended reading the stickies, not just general information posted by anyone. If you gave me time and access to medical library archives I could probably find studies suggesting cigarettes are an appropriate treatment for lung cancer.

Again though, you are getting results and enjoy your approach. In the end that is all that really matters and I wasn't trying to call you out on what you are doing or anything, just providing information to the OP.

[KiengKoopa]

If you are looking to get stronger, you've got to lift, increase your calories, and rest. Unless you are new to lifting, it is very hard to gain muscle and lose fat at the same time. The good (or bad) news is that losing fat is easier than gaining muscle. You can minimize the fat gains by eaiting 300-500 calories over your maintenance calories. It doesn't have to be all whole grains, lean beef, etc. If you need to get that extra 500 calories in, eat a couple slices of pizza but dont go way beyond that 500 surplus, at this point, more is NOT better.

[Dan...]

If you are looking to get stronger, you've got to lift, increase your calories, and rest. Unless you are new to lifting, it is very hard to gain muscle and lose fat at the same time. The good (or bad) news is that losing fat is easier than gaining muscle. You can minimize the fat gains by eaiting 300-500 calories over your maintenance calories. It doesn't have to be all whole grains, lean beef, etc. If you need to get that extra 500 calories in, eat a couple slices of pizza but dont go way beyond that 500 surplus, at this point, more is NOT better.

This advice is 100% correct.

Its cals in vs cals out, whether you are trying to add lean mass or cut fat. People that subscribe to myths that are not supported by science are just making it more complicated than it needs to be.

[DIB42]

I don't know if anyone suggested it, but there are plenty of meal replacement shakes that are high in protein, low in carbs and fat, and have plenty of calories, start adding those to your diet and you should be fine.. 15 and 6"2, you need to eat... I was 5"11 and scrawny at 15, started adding protein shakes and etc, bulked up very nicely.....

then turned 21 started drinking, got fat by 30.....

moral of the story . . . Its fun to drink

[AnthonyJunior]

so how much should I be eating in calories

with these stats

6'2 153 15 years old 1-3 hours exercise daily

[THE REED]

Well since protein intake doesnt seem to matter and complex carbs for energy is meaningless, and high doses of sugar really doesnt do anything.

Just eat 7 snickers bars a day.... That should be right around 2000 calories a day.... Its delicious fast and cheap.

[Dan...]

Well since protein intake doesnt seem to matter and complex carbs for energy is meaningless, and high doses of sugar really doesnt do anything.

Just eat 7 snickers bars a day.... That should be right around 2000 calories a day.... Its delicious fast and cheap.

Protein intake is extremely important. A decent rule of thumb is one gram per pound of lean body mass. Its also important to get your fats in, you should be shooting for at least 0.4 grams per pound of bodyweight.

Once you have hit these two targets your total calorie intake is really the only important thing. If you have the necessary fats and protein, it won't make a difference to your body composition whether your extra calories come from lean protein sources such as chicken breast or snickers bars. Just eat what you want/enjoy and make sure you meet your protein and fat requirements while staying within your calorie restriction (whatever that is set at).

The above is my advice. I would advise you to go and do your own research though. As you can see me and Reed disagree strongly with what each other says on the topic and its a topic on which a lot of people disagree on. Its definitely best to investigate it yourself and make a judgement. I have recommended the stickied threads on the nutrition section of bb.com as a pretty current and comprehensive source.

[mathed]

Im 15 years old 6"2 153 lbs and I workout 40 minutes in morning (running , rope skipping, sprints, pushups sit ups , planks and 90 minutes of class 4 days a week 2 of those days are sparring days. Friday 40 minutes workout morning and 60 min class. saturday and sunday. about an hour workout.

I started counting calories and came up about 1900-2200 a day.. my trainer said he was shocked and said i should go 3100-3400. Do you guys think he is correct or am i eating enough?

You're 15 first off.......you have a REALLY high metabolism as it is. 2500 calories is average if you want to maintain your current weight and you do moderate activity (partially sedentary with occasional physical activity). If you are putting in good cardiac efforts, you will lose weight on a consistent basis with the amount of calories that you are taking in. I'd bump it up to closer to 3000 calories er day and wait 3 weeks or so to see if you are gaining weight or not. Take in more carbs from fruits and complex carbs like brown rice or grains.



Here is a list of foods to consider:

http://www.livestrong.com/article/27...ydrates-foods/

Fruits

Fruits are high in water content, fiber, vitamins and they have virtually no fat at all. Fruits packed with complex carbohydrates include apricots, oranges, plums, pears, grapefruits and prunes.
Vegetables

Vegetables are high in water, low in fat, have multiple vitamins and minerals, and most varieties are complex carbs. Broccoli, cauliflower, spinach, turnip greens, eggplant, potatoes, yams, corn, carrots, onions, all types of lettuce, celery, cucumbers, cabbage, artichokes and asparagus are all examples of these.
Legumes

Legumes are oftentimes called pulses. These are characterized by seeds that have an exterior pod surrounding them. Beans are a type of legume that is a complex carbohydrate. Specific examples include lentils, kidney beans, black beans, peas, garbanzo beans, soy beans and pinto beans.
Miscellaneous

Dill pickles are made from cucumbers and they are complex carbs. Soy milk made from soy beans is a complex carb and dairy products like low-fat yogurt and skim milk are also complex carbs.

**************************************

That'll keep you energized through the workouts. If you want to build mass, you need more fat in your diet plus proteins. 0.5 g of protein per lb of body weight and I guess a good breakdown of intake would be: 70% carbs, 20% protein, 10% natural fats (from nuts and leaner meats)

[jadavill587]

First off if you are looking gain lean muscle mass you need to up your calorie intake. For building muscle I would eat about:
19-24 calories/ lb
1g protein/ lb
2.5-3g carbs/ lb
.6-.8g fat/ lb (foods like avocado, nuts, peanut butter, etc)

For carbs stick to complex carbs - whole and natural foods

After workouts i would recommend about 24g of protein and 70-90g of carbs with high glycemic index (gatorade, dextrose, etc..)

[jadavill587]

When you eat honey, your body can quickly convert it to glucose. Quick production of glucose results in a ****e in blood sugar. Your pancreas responds to this ****e by flooding your bloodstream with insulin to move glucose into your cells for use as energy. The faster your pancreas releases insulin, the more likely it is to release too much insulin, which could lead to excess insulin and hypoglycemia. Of course, glucose not used right away as energy is stored as fat for later energy use. That's why eating too much of any type of sugar can lead to weight gain

http://www.livestrong.com/article/46...insulin-****e/

First off the author of this article is a holistic nutritionist with no PhD's just a graduate.

"Of course, glucose not used right away as energy is stored as fat for later energy use. That's why eating too much of any type of sugar can lead to weight gain."
I think this is meant for people who do not work out, from what I read looks like the OP works out plenty and no one is suggesting him to eat too much sugar (too much of anything can be a bad thing)

maybe a better source:
"..The authors based this theory on the fact that some people (about 25% of population) are insulin resistant, contition in which the pancreas oversecretes insulin to maintain normal blood levels of glucose...This overoversecretion theoretically causes carbs to be converted to stored body fat. While this may be true for a sedentary population, it's just not the same case with athletes and other active people. ...you are already keeping your insulin levels in line...excerise makes muscle cells more sensative to insulin. For glucose to enter muscle cells, it has to have help from insulin..insulin gets to the outer surface of the cell , it acts like a key...the cell opens and lets glucose in for use as fuel." - Susan Kleiner, PhD (Power Eating)