Click Here to Sign Up for Your Free Anabolic Insider Bodybuilding Magazine Subscription

Calorie Intake for Bodybuilders

How Many Calories for Bodybuilders

 Where Do Different Calories Come From?
 How Do I Maintain the Same Weight but get More Muscular and Less Fat?
 How Do I Lose Bodyweight as Fat and not Muscle?
 How Do I Gain Bodyweight as Muscle and not Fat?
 Calorie Requirements Based on Metabolism
 
 
 

Determining Calorie, Protein, Carbohydrate, and Fat Requirements Based on Metabolism and Weight

1.  Let's use a hypothetical male bodybuilder who weighs 200 lbs. and has a slow metabolic rate.  Now using the chart below, multiply your weight by the number next to your metabolic rate to determine how many calories you need to eat per day:
 

SLOW:  Multiply your weight by 12  MEDIUM:  Multiply your weight by 15  FAST:  Multiply your weight by 18  For example, the hypothetical bodybuilder weighs 200 lbs.  and has a slow metabolic rate, so:  200 x 12 = 2,400 calories.  Thus, his baseline diet will consist of 2,400 calories per day.

2.  Next, we've already decided how important it is for a bodybuilder to eat six times per day, so to determine  how many calories he should eat at each meal, divide his daily caloric requirements by six.
 

For example, the hypothetical bodybuilder needs to eat 2,400 calories a day, so 2,400 divided by 6 = 400 calories per meal.

3.  Now remember a good balance of fuel for bodybuilding and optimal performance is 60% carbohydrates, 30% protein, and 10% fats.  Next, we have to determine how much protein will be eaten at each meal.  To determine this, take the number of calories you need per meal and multiply it by 30%.

To make things a little easier, we need to convert the protein calories into grams.  To convert the 120 calories into grams, just divide it by 4 ( 120 protein calories divided by 4 = 30 grams of protein per meal).

4.  The next step is to figure out how many grams of carbohydrates  should be eaten at each meal.  To determine this, simply double the protein figure from step 3.  Since the ratio of carbohydrates is double (60%) the amount of protein (30%), just multiply the grams of protein by 2.

What we have discovered so far is that our 200 lbs. bodybuilder with a slow metabolic rate needs 6 meals per day, with 400 calories per meal.  Each meal should contain at least 30 grams of protein and 60 grams of carbs.  Since fat is found in virtually every food, the 10% fat will automatically be within the foods that he eats, provided he does not add any fat to his cooking. 

Here is what the diet would look like if we put the food in its proper place:
 

BREAKFAST:	7 egg whites  2 1/2 servings of cream of wheat/ or oatmeal
MID-MORNING:	6 ounces of chicken breast  1 1/4 cups of rice
LUNCH:	6 ounces of turkey breast  One 10 ounce baked potato  1 cup of vegetables (Your choice)
MID-AFTERNOON:	6 ounces tuna  1 1/4 cups of rice
DINNER:	6 ounces of chicken breast  One 10-ounce baked yam  small dinner salad
EVENING:	7 egg whites  2 1/2 servings of cream of wheat/ or oatmeal

Where Do Different Calories Come From?

- 1 gram of fat = 9 calories
- 1 gram of protein = 4 calories
- 1 gram of carbohydrate = 4 calories

How Do I Gain Total Bodyweight only as Muscle and not Fat?

- Add 2 calories per pound of bodyweight to daily calorie intake
- The added calories should be protein and complex carbohydrates (no fat)
- These calories have to be spread as evenly as possible among your 5 or 6 meals you eat each day

How Do I Lose Total Bodyweight only as Fat and not Muscle?

- Subtract 2 calories per pound of bodyweight to daily calorie intake
- Reduced calories should come from the fat in your diet not protein
- This reduction in calories should be applied to all of your meals you eat each day

How Do I Maintain the Same Weight but get More Muscular and Less Fat?

- Your caloric intake on a daily basis should be maintained
- Alter your ratio of nutrient intake so that protein intake is maximized and fat intake is minimized
- Keep in mind what you will do after your meals as to take in only what you will need to use; no more and no less calories