Sport How many calories should I be taking in?

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How many calories should I consume a day if I'm trying to cut? I'm 15 years old, 5'11" and 157 lbs. My BMR is about 1844. I workout about 3 times a week, and run HIIT cardio on the off days. I usually consume around 1600 to 1800 calories a day, with mostly protein followed by carbs and good fats. Should I continue to consume this many calories (1600-1800), or a different amount? Thanks.
 
Lifting three times a week and assuming HIIT done another three, I'd say that makes you very active.

BMR * 1.8 = 1844cals * 1.8 = 3319.2cals to maintain weight. Substract 500 = 2819.2 to lose 1lb/wk.
 
I would not cut at such a young age. Just focus on good, big lifts and try and build as nice as a base as you could. Just my opinion.
 
Oh, I'm way below that. Does it matter that much that I'm eating that little, should I try to eat more? I don't want to lose muscle with fat. And I only run cardio 2 times a week because I take the weekend off. However, I'm often moving around in my free time, either just walking or running.

Really stroutman81? I didn't think it mattered that much. I want to cut to lose some lbs and hopefully work on my six pack.
 
BMR means calories burned without doing anything throughout the day. If you move at all you're gonna burn more than that so ya you need to increase your calorie intake. Analyze what you eat now and reduce by about five hundred and you should be good.

Use to get a round about of how many your are currently eating. I take in about 2500 and am cutting and I hardly do any cardio.
 
1800 is definitely too low. I agree with Cynic. The reason you think you are lower is because your body has "shut down" it's fat-burning since you are eating such few calories throughout the day. A 90 pound girl would probably lose weight eating that many calories.

As far as stroutman's comment, it doesn't really matter, it's pretty safe to lose excess fat at pretty much any age, but I think I see his underlying principle. By looking at your height/weight, you aren't fat. Take advantage of this time when your body is still growing and you will get big. A 140 pound guy with a six pack isn't impressive, but a guy who is a little fatter with big pecs and muscular shoulders is.

Anyway, good luck.
 
Alright, I'll increase my calorie intake to say 2500, is that good? And I do not intend to cut for long, I just want to go down a few more pounds and then I'll start bulking. Thanks so far.
 
Also, what I forgot to mention in the previous post is that tonymcclellan said that I should take what I eat now and reduce it by 500 calories- and currently I eat about 1800-1900 because that keeps me full for about the entire day. I dont usually hunger for anything more. Should I consume more calories even though I'm full most of the time at this amount of 1800-1900 per day?
 
right now, your starving yourself with that few of calories. Once you start eating more, you will hunger more. Believe me...I used to eat like 1400 calories, when i started letting myself eat more, i hungered more, and was able to eat more. Your energy may not be low now, but in a few weeks your energy will start to run out, and you will notice a different eating more calories.
 
Alright, I'll attempt to eat more calories, like around the lines of 2000-2300 per day. What should my prot/carb/fat ratio be? I aim for 40/40/20 but I usually end up eating a little more percentage of carbs.
 
FakeWings said:
Alright, I'll increase my calorie intake to say 2500, is that good? And I do not intend to cut for long, I just want to go down a few more pounds and then I'll start bulking. Thanks so far.

Yes, vary it between 2500 and 2800.
 
kevbo said:
1800 is definitely too low. I agree with Cynic. The reason you think you are lower is because your body has "shut down" it's fat-burning since you are eating such few calories throughout the day. A 90 pound girl would probably lose weight eating that many calories.

As far as stroutman's comment, it doesn't really matter, it's pretty safe to lose excess fat at pretty much any age, but I think I see his underlying principle. By looking at your height/weight, you aren't fat. Take advantage of this time when your body is still growing and you will get big. A 140 pound guy with a six pack isn't impressive, but a guy who is a little fatter with big pecs and muscular shoulders is.

Anyway, good luck.

Exactly, don't go screwing with your metabolism at such a young age unless you have a weight problem, which you obviously don't. Take advantage of your youth and train to grow.
 
From What Ive Learned In Recent Years Your Best Bet Is To Bulk, Then Cut.. But Thats My Opinion... When Your 15 Your Matabalism's Going To BE Extremely High Anyway
 
There is no set number that leads to bulking for everyone. You must find your breakeven caloric intake where you are neither growing or losing...and start adding clean calories from there. I went up from my breakeven point by 20% increments until I started to get the results I desired. When bulking, I take anywhere from 3800 to 4500.
 
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