Update on Figuring out my maintenance calories before jumping into 1st bulk.

[oilfeildtrash]

Just wanted to update and share what I have been doing to get some feedback on if I am fucking up or not. sorry If i ramble a bit, just want to make sure I cover everything as this is new territory for me. So I Dont want to miss any details.

I have been instructed by some of you fine gentlemen on here to just eat normally for a week or two and track whatever I eat to calculate the average maintenance calories before starting my very first bulk..
However mentally It was easier for me to just pick a calorie range and try and eat the same amount of calories for 2 weeks and see what happens with my weight. So I admit i was basically kinda doing the reverse of what was instructed..
I figure it should still work out in the end and what's important is that we have some actual numbers to go off of.
Now as you can see from the numbers below i still failed at eating a consistent set # of calories everyday so in the end i actually DID do what I was told

My hunger fluctuates alot depending in activity. Oddly enough the more I eat the more I WANT to Eat.. so I was scared of getting myself Into a slippery slope. Lol
With that said I think I did fairly well getting back into tracking calories and trying to stay within 2,700-2,900 range I felt my maintenance was somewhere around there.

But take a look at the numbers down below and see for yourself! Let me know how i did and what I should do next!


DAY - WEIGHT- CALORIES
MON- 186.2lbs - 2,610 calories
TUES- 184.2lbs - 2,927 calories
WED- 184.8lbs - 2,700 calories
THURS- 184.0lbs - 2,935 calories
FRI- 184.6lbs - 2,999 calories
SAT- 184.0lbs - 2,550 calories
SUN- 182.6lbs - 2,800 calories
MON- 184.2lbs - 2,498 calories
TUES- 183.2lbs - To be determined...

I know this isn't two weeks of data however I had off of work today and my gf isn't home to distract me to give her attention so I have the time NOW lol
But if you guys wish to see more data for better feedback I can continue tracking and can make another post at a later time.

Anyways. MATH TIME... If I understand the math correctly that @CJ explained.
I add up all of the calories then divide it by the total number of days. This would effectively provide me with the maintenance calories.

WEIGHT
So I added up my weigh-ins, got a total of

1,657.8lbs ÷9(#of days) = 184.2lbs Average

CALORIES
total cals 22,019 ÷ 8 days = 2,752 Average cals

If my math is correct with the data provided,
To maintain my weight of 184.2 lbs I need to eat 2,752 calories per day.. yes?

Let me know your thoughts. Do I need more data/more time to get a more accurate base point? Or should I go ahead and add more calories this week?

SELF REFLECTION:
Some struggles I am having is keeping those calories the same everyday. I know daily activity levels can impact hunger alot. i get frustrated that the total daily calories fluctuate so much. Hopefully that will come with time and discipline.
I'm also finding it hard to make my self eat when I don't feel like eating because then it's less calories I get to eat when I DO feel like eating. so even though I'm not in a surplus right now I can tell that's going to be the toughest part with being consistent with this whole bulking thing. There's nothing worse then wanting a little snack before bed and not having those extra calories to spare. It's like a big fear of mine almost. Lol
anyways I am excited to hear your guys feedback!

 

[CJ]

Just wanted to update and share what I have been doing to get some feedback on if I am fucking up or not. sorry If i ramble a bit, just want to make sure I cover everything as this is new territory for me. So I Dont want to miss any details.

I have been instructed by some of you fine gentlemen on here to just eat normally for a week or two and track whatever I eat to calculate the average maintenance calories before starting my very first bulk..
However mentally It was easier for me to just pick a calorie range and try and eat the same amount of calories for 2 weeks and see what happens with my weight. So I admit i was basically kinda doing the reverse of what was instructed..
I figure it should still work out in the end and what's important is that we have some actual numbers to go off of.
Now as you can see from the numbers below i still failed at eating a consistent set # of calories everyday so in the end i actually DID do what I was told

My hunger fluctuates alot depending in activity. Oddly enough the more I eat the more I WANT to Eat.. so I was scared of getting myself Into a slippery slope. Lol
With that said I think I did fairly well getting back into tracking calories and trying to stay within 2,700-2,900 range I felt my maintenance was somewhere around there.

But take a look at the numbers down below and see for yourself! Let me know how i did and what I should do next!


DAY - WEIGHT- CALORIES
MON- 186.2lbs - 2,610 calories
TUES- 184.2lbs - 2,927 calories
WED- 184.8lbs - 2,700 calories
THURS- 184.0lbs - 2,935 calories
FRI- 184.6lbs - 2,999 calories
SAT- 184.0lbs - 2,550 calories
SUN- 182.6lbs - 2,800 calories
MON- 184.2lbs - 2,498 calories
TUES- 183.2lbs - To be determined...

I know this isn't two weeks of data however I had off of work today and my gf isn't home to distract me to give her attention so I have the time NOW lol
But if you guys wish to see more data for better feedback I can continue tracking and can make another post at a later time.

Anyways. MATH TIME... If I understand the math correctly that @CJ explained.
I add up all of the calories then divide it by the total number of days. This would effectively provide me with the maintenance calories.

WEIGHT
So I added up my weigh-ins, got a total of

1,657.8lbs ÷9(#of days) = 184.2lbs Average

CALORIES
total cals 22,019 ÷ 8 days = 2,752 Average cals

If my math is correct with the data provided,
To maintain my weight of 184.2 lbs I need to eat 2,752 calories per day.. yes?

Yes, that's about the ballpark average of your maintence.

Let me know your thoughts. Do I need more data/more time to get a more accurate base point? Or should I go ahead and add more calories this week?

The 2750 is a good starting point. It's not set in stone, no number is, as our activity level and metabolism fluctuate and adjust. So go ahead and start there, adjust accordingly, as needed.

SELF REFLECTION:
Some struggles I am having is keeping those calories the same everyday. I know daily activity levels can impact hunger alot. i get frustrated that the total daily calories fluctuate so much. Hopefully that will come with time and discipline.

A moderate amount of fluctuation is fine, just don't get silly. If you have 3000 calorie and 2500 calorie days, no problem. Just don't have 4500 calorie and 1000 calorie days.

I'm also finding it hard to make my self eat when I don't feel like eating because then it's less calories I get to eat when I DO feel like eating. so even though I'm not in a surplus right now I can tell that's going to be the toughest part with being consistent with this whole bulking thing. There's nothing worse then wanting a little snack before bed and not having those extra calories to spare. It's like a big fear of mine almost. Lol
anyways I am excited to hear your guys feedback!

So save some calores for a before bed snack. Some have disrupted sleep oof they eat too much before bed, so if that happens, dial it back a little

 

[oilfeildtrash]

The 2750 is a good starting point. It's not set in stone, no number is, as our activity level and metabolism fluctuate and adjust. So go ahead and start there, adjust accordingly, as needed.

Alright so using 2,750 as my starting point. How many calories should I add from here moving forward?

Yes, that's about the ballpark average of your maintence.

A moderate amount of fluctuation is fine, just don't get silly. If you have 3000 calorie and 2500 calorie days, no problem. Just don't have 4500 calorie and 1000 calorie days.

So in a nutshell at the end of the week as long as I am above maintenence I will still be in a bulk and build muscle? Even if there's a day I only hit maintenance or even if it's below maintenence for a day it's not a big deal as long as my average overall weekly calories are still in a surplus?

 

[CJ]

Alright so using 2,750 as my starting point. How many calories should I add from here moving forward?

I'd go with 3,000

So in a nutshell at the end of the week as long as I am above maintenence I will still be in a bulk and build muscle?

Yes, but the further away from the baseline target, the more likely you are to gain unwanted fat. Don't have crazy 5,000 calorie days, don't have really low 1,000 calorie days either. Try to stay in the 2500-3250 range.

Even if there's a day I only hit maintenance or even if it's below maintenence for a day it's not a big deal as long as my average overall weekly calories are still in a surplus?

No, because our bodies don't reset at midnight. Your body will also easily pull a few extra calories from bodyfat stores, that's the point of bodyfat, stored energy. All day long, we're both storing and burning bodyfat, it even happens at the same time.

 

[oilfeildtrash]

I'd go with 3,000

Awsome I think that's a good sweet spot for me.

Yes, but the further away from the baseline target, the more likely you are to gain unwanted fat. Don't have crazy 5,000 calorie days, don't have really low 1,000 calorie days either. Try to stay in the 2500-3250 range.

Ah!!!!! Okay yes that makes sense. Damn that really put it into perspective.

No, because our bodies don't reset at midnight. Your body will also easily pull a few extra calories from bodyfat stores, that's the point of bodyfat, stored energy. All day long, we're both storing and burning bodyfat, it even happens at the same time.

I actually did not know that it happens at the same time. Lol But thank you for dumbing this down for me.
It helps me alot when i know WHY something is done the way it is done. I can then navigate through it better and avoid silly mistakes.
So again I appreciate you taking the time to answer basic questions. I just have to triple check myself and maybe hear it from others to know I am seeing the picture clearly.
Anyways thank you!

 

[CJ]

Awsome I think that's a good sweet spot for me.

Ah!!!!! Okay yes that makes sense. Damn that really put it into perspective.

I actually did not know that it happens at the same time. Lol But thank you for dumbing this down for me.
It helps me alot when i know WHY something is done the way it is done. I can then navigate through it better and avoid silly mistakes.
So again I appreciate you taking the time to answer basic questions. I just have to triple check myself and maybe hear it from others to know I am seeing the picture clearly.
Anyways thank you!

I wish that I was in your position. I start my gain phase in two weeks, but my maintenance calories are 4200.

 

[oilfeildtrash]

I wish that I was in your position. I start my gain phase in two weeks, but my maintenance calories are 4200.

I would happily trade places with you. 4200 calories is your MAINTENANCE? for fuck sake. That sounds glorious!

 

[CJ]

I would happily trade places with you. 4200 calories is your MAINTENANCE? for fuck sake. That sounds glorious!

It's not, it's just a different set of problems.

 

[oilfeildtrash]

It's not, it's just a different set of problems.

In curious How much do you weigh?

 

[CJ]

In curious How much do you weigh?

196

 

[TODAY]

I would happily trade places with you. 4200 calories is your MAINTENANCE? for fuck sake. That sounds glorious!

It ain't all it's cracked up to be.

Trying to cram in 4k calories of clean food every day for months on end is exhausting for both mind and digestive system.

 

[CJ]

It ain't all it's cracked up to be.

Trying to cram in 4k calories of clean food every day for months on end is exhausting for both mind and digestive system.

And I've actually started to blow out my waist, without even being a big guy. The space between my abs has doubled in size.

My body also fights back, often can't digest all the food. Sometimes I'll have solid food and oil/fat in my stool, so those calories don't even count. I suffered through eating it, and don't even get the benefits.

 

[TODAY]

And I've actually started to blow out my waist, without even being a big guy. The space between my abs has doubled in size.

My body also fights back, often can't digest all the food. Sometimes I'll have solid food and oil/fat in my stool, so those calories don't even count. I suffered through eating it, and don't even get the benefits.

Same.

On my last bulk, I tried to maintain the basic structure of my maintenance diet, I.E: almost entirely whole grain, fruit, lean protein, and shitloads of veggies. I was averaging 75-80g of fiber per day for roughly 8 weeks.

I was pooping 3-6x/day and was CONSTANTLY bloated.

The farts were so heinous that my wife threatened to move to a hotel.

It was deeply unpleasant for all involved.

 

[Yano]

Same.

On my last bulk, I tried to maintain the basic structure of my maintenance diet, I.E: almost entirely whole grain, fruit, lean protein, and shitloads of veggies. I was averaging 75-80g of fiber per day for roughly 8 weeks.

I was pooping 3-6x/day and was CONSTANTLY bloated.

The farts were so heinous that my wife threatened to move to a hotel.

It was deeply unpleasant for all involved.

The gas omg ,., i've had the dog get up and leave the room ,,, its fucking horrendous.

 

[CJ]

Same.

On my last bulk, I tried to maintain the basic structure of my maintenance diet, I.E: almost entirely whole grain, fruit, lean protein, and shitloads of veggies. I was averaging 75-80g of fiber per day for roughly 8 weeks.

I was pooping 3-6x/day and was CONSTANTLY bloated.

The farts were so heinous that my wife threatened to move to a hotel.

It was deeply unpleasant for all involved.

Pretty much.

I have no idea how I'm going to do this. It's going to have to be higher fats than I'd like, simply because of the carb bloat. I can't eat 750+ g of carbs every day.

 

[TODAY]

Pretty much.

I have no idea how I'm going to do this. It's going to have to be higher fats than I'd like, simply because of the carb bloat. I can't eat 750+ g of carbs every day.

Sugar and fat, my guy.

PB&Js on white bread saved that bulk (and probably my marriage)

 

[Yano]

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[CJ]

Sugar and fat, my guy.

PB&Js on white bread saved that bulk (and probably my marriage)

I still have it etched in my brain, shit in leads to shit out. I need to get over it. Fruit juices wouldn't be a bad thing, either.

 

[TODAY]

I still have it etched in my brain, shit in leads to shit out. I need to get over it. Fruit juices wouldn't be a bad thing, either.

Orthorexia is more common than most people seem to think.

 

[CJ]

Sugar and fat, my guy.

PB&Js on white bread saved that bulk (and probably my marriage)

I do completely understand, though, that it's just simply getting carbon chains into our body to break the bonds to ultimately get pyruvate, ATP, etc.., and that carbs vs fats doesn't really matter all that much.