Yea, aside from red meat, the main source of saturated fat for me is milk (for daily protein shakes and for oatmeal a few times a week). I could switch to low fat, but losing some of the fat from the milk will have the opposite effect of what I need...which is to get more calories since my issue is not getting enough. I can't win!

Keep the protein and fats the same if you can, and just lower carbs. If you lower carbs to 150g on non-workout days for example, would that be enough to keep you in a slight surplus on non-workout days? It would take your total calories to 2210.

My BMR at rest is 1700, so that would put me in a surplus of 500. Is that considered slight? Or should I lower the carbs even more?

My BMR at rest is 1700, so that would put me in a surplus of 500. Is that considered slight? Or should I lower the carbs even more?

You don't want to calculate your deficit off of BMR - you need your TDEE (Total Daily Energy Expenditure). This is a common mistake many people make. BMR is the bare minimum calories your body needs just to survive. TDEE takes into account exercise and other activities. If you go below 1700 calories without the use of drugs, your body will go into survival mode and slow your metabolism and slow all fat burning. It will also shut down your testosterone levels and you will lose muscle and fat concurrently.

 

There are plenty of TDEE calculators on the Internet. Your TDEE is probably around 2500 - 2800 calories. A good cutting calorie target would then be either 2000 or 2300 calories a day not 1700 or less. You calculate and adjust your macros based on these daily calorie targets not 1700 calories.

 

John

I'm sorry but I'm getting confused. I thought TDEE was the same thing as BMR in motion?

Yes. BMR in motion and TDEE are the same. Sorry for the confusion.

 

Scott has pointed out the best way to achieve your goal in relation to your BMR in motion. I prefer to use the term "TDEE"

 

John

OK thank you. In that case I'm still confused about your overall response. I know that on workout days I need to be above my BMR in motion/TDEE. However, I was asking in what way I should lower my macros during my non-workout days during which I can consume fewer calories (as long as I'm above my BMR at rest). Scott said I can lower my carbs while keeping protein and fat the same...this would take me down to 2200, which is 500 above my BMR at rest. Is this not correct?  

 

Also I'm confused why you mentioned a cutting calorie target...my goal is to gain muscle not lose weight (the only weight I'd like to lose is a little bit around my stomach). Thanks!

 

OK thank you. In that case I'm still confused about your overall response. I know that on workout days I need to be above my BMR in motion/TDEE. However, I was asking in what way I should lower my macros during my non-workout days during which I can consume fewer calories (as long as I'm above my BMR at rest). Scott said I can lower my carbs while keeping protein and fat the same...this would take me down to 2200, which is 500 above my BMR at rest. Is this not correct?  

 

Also I'm confused why you mentioned a cutting calorie target...my goal is to gain muscle not lose weight (the only weight I'd like to lose is a little bit around my stomach). Thanks!

 

Remember the suggestion I was giving you was for your rest days. Not your workout days. Like John said, you need to be in a surplus everyday, but obviously to achieve your surplus on a rest day, you won't need as many calories.

 

Hence why you should aim for 2600 calories on workout days and more like 2200-2400 on rest days.

 

Does that make sense? Maybe try it for a week or two and gauge your results? Trial and error is the best way to go about it 😊 

Yea that makes sense. That's what I was trying to confirm with you guys...that on rest days I can lower my calories as long as I'm above my BMR at rest, while on workout days I need to be above my BMR in motion. Since my BMR at rest is 1700, I think going all the way to the higher end of that range (2400) may be a little much, so I'll start out with going for 2200.