Getting started in any endeavor is oftentimes the hardest part. This certainly holds true in bodybuilding. New bodybuilders are almost always more confused than they are confident. Even with the overabundance of information available on various websites and on social media, most beginners will walk away with more questions than answers, especially regarding nutrition.
When you first begin training, it becomes almost immediately apparent that you will need to eat well if you’re going to reach your goals. But how much protein should you be eating each day? Should you be eating high carb and low fat? Some say that you should be eating twice as many calories from carbohydrates as protein. Others suggest a more balanced ratio. What worked for me was to start by consuming the same amount of calories from each macronutrient. This formula will get many of you pretty damn far. How many total calories will you need each day to support your metabolism and fuel the addition of new muscle tissue? Don’t worry because I am going to make it incredibly simple for you. Follow the easy steps outlined below and you will be on your way to a sensible, balanced diet that will help you get started...and then some. All you need to know is your body weight.
When you first begin training, it becomes almost immediately apparent that you will need to eat well if you’re going to reach your goals. But how much protein should you be eating each day? Should you be eating high carb and low fat? Some say that you should be eating twice as many calories from carbohydrates as protein. Others suggest a more balanced ratio. What worked for me was to start by consuming the same amount of calories from each macronutrient. This formula will get many of you pretty damn far. How many total calories will you need each day to support your metabolism and fuel the addition of new muscle tissue? Don’t worry because I am going to make it incredibly simple for you. Follow the easy steps outlined below and you will be on your way to a sensible, balanced diet that will help you get started...and then some. All you need to know is your body weight.
Protein
First, we’re going to calculate the number of grams of protein you should be consuming each day, using myself as an example. Most athletes and trainers will agree that the correct amount of protein to consume on a daily basis should be somewhere between 1-1.5g of protein per pound of body weight. Let’s go with 1.25g of protein per pound of body weight. At a body weight of 260 pounds, I would have to consume 325g (260 lb x 1.25g) of protein daily. And because protein has 4 calories per gram, that would mean that I would be consuming 1300 calories (325g x 4 calories) daily from protein.Carbohydrates and Fats
Next, we’re going to determine the amount of carbohydrates and fats we should be consuming each day. Carbohydrates, like proteins, contain 4 calories per gram. Since we are aiming for the same amount of nutrition from each macro, I will also be taking in 1300 calories per day from carbohydrates, or 325g of carbohydrates daily. Fats contain 9 calories per gram. If I’m looking for 1300 calories per day from fats, that would mean I would have to ingest 144g (1300 calories/9 calories) of fats daily.Calories
Lastly, we’re going to check our total calorie intake against a BMR (basal metabolic rate) calculator for athletes. Your BMR is the number of calories you need to consume each day to maintain your current size. Using the BMR calculator here https://www.muscleandstrength.com/tools/bmr-calculator and indicating that I am moderately active and exercising 3-5 days each week, my BMR is 3651 calories daily. Based on the calculations above, I should be consuming 3900 calories (1300 calories from each macronutrient) each day as part of a sane diet geared toward gaining quality mass. I have an extra 250 calories each day to allocate toward gaining size—PERFECT.Review
- Body weight x 1.25 = protein requirement in grams/day
- Grams protein/day x 4 calories per gram = total daily calories from protein
- Grams and calories per day of protein = grams and calories per day of carbs
- Total daily calories from protein divided by 9 = grams per day of fat
- Add up calories from each macro (answer from #2 above x 3) for total daily calorie intake
- Check calculated daily calorie intake against BMR calculator for athletes
- Calculated daily calorie intake should be slightly higher than calculated BMR
