Follow up, energy deficit-muscle growth:

[bvonrod]

Not trying to be cumbersome to the forum, if I should've posted this under the original thread, let me know. To follow up a bit though. In determining energy surplus or deficit, one's BMR must first be established, correct? After which how much, depending on the goal of muscle gain or fat loss, should caloric intake be increased or decreased? Secondly, would it make sense to increase intake on training days and decrease on non-training days? Thanks.

 

[The Creator]

Yes BMR should first be established. However, you have to add in how active the individual is on a regular and consistent basis by determining lifestyle. This you will add to BMR and there are calculations to do this. That number will be a maintenance number at which you will have an energy balance that is equal between in and out. From there, you either decrease or increase depending if the goal is weight loss or weight gain. No it does not really make sense to increase intake on training days and decrease on non-training days. You should always look to average your goal number of calories at the end of the week without really off days in between.

 

[CJU]

^the creator said all that really needs to be said. eating in a surplus on training days and deficit on off days doesnt make sense. you won't get anywhere with that! choose one goal and focus on it- gain muscle or lose fat. you can't have both at the same time unfortunatly. unless you get your BMR spot on and i mean SPOT on. then you can gain muscle without gaining fat, thus decreasing your bodyfat % but not the actual amount of body fat.