Approximately how much calories do you eat a day?

Triathlon Forum
21

A friend ask me approximately how much calories a day I eat since Im burning at least 750calories per session in my IM 70.3 build and told her that probably around 2500cals a day. She then proceeded to ask me if my weight has been “stuck” in the same number in the scale and she is actually pretty correct. She told me that if I want to lower down my weight that I would eat more at around 4000 calories. I cant imagine eating that much. Im already having a challenging time eating the 2500 cals I eat everyday I dont know where and when I can eat that extra 1500calories. So what does you daily calorie/meal intake look like? I hate to admit but I do need to lose a few more pounds but I dont want to eat lesser as I am in the middle of building for my 70.3

You know, quantifying the number of calories you consume is mostly meaningless unless you know the number of calories you expend. It seems like you have an idea of your exercising output, so go to the doctor and have them measure your resting contribution. You can estimate it from several available formulas, but indirect calorimetry is the best available method. You’ll have to make up something, like, “I feel tired all the time” in order for insurance to pay for it though.

22

1.78m (5ft 10)
83kg

If I eat more than 1500 calories I gain fat. I know it’s not normal. I’m working through it.

I do a heck of a lot of fasting and am in the middle of Ranadan as well (food only at 5:30pm onwards)

23

4-6000kcal most days. More towards 6000 on double/triple threshold session days and more towards 4000 on easy days.

Typical day:

M1: 60g of serial with 30g of whey 80 with milk (and jam/honey for double/triple days)

M2: 100g oatmeal, 30g whey 80, 50g of raisins, 1 banana, 40g nuts, some berries, salt, cinnamon and milk.

M3: 200g pasta/rice/couscous with 3 eggs and veggies

M4: 100g oatmeal, 30g whey 80, 50g of raisins, 1 banana, 40g nuts, some berries, salt, cinnamon and milk.

M5: 1kg potatoes/sweet potatoes with 125g of Salomon. Approximately 300g of beans and veggies + mushroom on top of that

In addition sports drink during sessions, post workout fruit and/or protein shake, in between snacks if I’m approaching -30 in training peaks (but then I know it is time to let go of the gas too).

191cm
82kg
17hours/week over the last year, 21hours/week last 3 months.

Hope this helps.

PS: yes, I weigh my food. I am a freak

I used to do this same thing (quite a long time ago) until I got to the point where I could pretty accurately eyeball the caloric contribution of pretty much everything I was eating. If you’re a little off, it all averages out as long as you’re not consistently high or consistently low.

Edit: the shocking reality is that most people have absolutely no idea what a given portion of food accounts for, calorically. I think that partially (in addition to the present abundance of food) accounts for the staggering obesity problem, as well as why people trying to lose weight continually fail so miserably.

24

4,000 to 6,000 calories is insane and ridiculous. I find it impossible to eat over 3,000. That’s binging eating for me. I’m usually around 2,000. If I’m consistently eating 2,500 or more I’ll gain weight. I’m 174 cm and 66kg. I lost about 24 lbs this offseason. I don’t think I got faster running, but I’ve improved significantly on climbs.

25

It most certainly is not. A fit person of average build and weight, say 6’ and 180 lbs, will need about 2000 - 2500 calories per day to maintain their health and weight - on days that they do no training. Add just a simple 56mi bike ride and you need an additional 2000 calories. Another 400-500 calories if you swim 1.2 miles before biking, and if you run also…well you need to add some more. 4-6K is a good ballpark figure.

If you just putter about while training, or just do one thing per day then you don’t need 4-6K. Or if you are merely exercising to lose weight, then the calorie intake would be less. But if you are training to get stronger, 4-6k is in the ballpark.

26

You know, quantifying the number of calories you consume is mostly meaningless unless you know the number of calories you expend. It seems like you have an idea of your exercising output, so go to the doctor and have them measure your resting contribution. You can estimate it from several available formulas, but indirect calorimetry is the best available method. You’ll have to make us something, like, “I feel tired all the time” in order for insurance to pay for it though.

Totally agree that indirect calorimetry is the only way to really know - even our best equations have a standard deviation of +/- 1000 kcals. But, in most hospitals, you’ll have to be a burn victim to get it. Not really fake-able.

More likely to find it offered by a university performance lab or sports dietitian.

27

Dude, your body is screaming at you to eat more. So eat more. Lost 95 pounds of fat and have kept it off. :slight_smile: Awesome-sauce

28

Now, as pretty much a pure runner training for Marathon distance, I would guess 2800-3200 per day and fairly thin.

When I was really training for IM, 2x/day, 6-7 days per week, I was routinely eating 4-5,000 per day. People at work made fun of me, but I couldn’t eat enough…

My food intake has always been dictated by my activity level. If I am training like crazy, I am really hungry. If I am sedentary, then my hunger tapers way off. It’s a nice life skill to have.

29

You know, quantifying the number of calories you consume is mostly meaningless unless you know the number of calories you expend. It seems like you have an idea of your exercising output, so go to the doctor and have them measure your resting contribution. You can estimate it from several available formulas, but indirect calorimetry is the best available method. You’ll have to make us something, like, “I feel tired all the time” in order for insurance to pay for it though.

Totally agree that indirect calorimetry is the only way to really know - even our best equations have a standard deviation of +/- 1000 kcals. But, in most hospitals, you’ll have to be a burn victim to get it. Not really fake-able.

More likely to find it offered by a university performance lab or sports dietitian.

My mom had it done at the local hospital. I’m pretty sure the doctor just instructed her to say she felt weak and tired all the time. But she was also pre-diabetic at the time, so that may have influenced the go-ahead. Your doctor would know how to get something like that approved.

Edit: but it’s a great suggestion about checking with universities. I just had a DXA analysis of body composition and bone density performed as part of a research project with one of IU’s physical therapy investigators. And I got a $50 gift certificate for it. A couple phone calls to research departments might be well worth everyone’s time, for a number of different assessments.

30

1.78m (5ft 10)
83kg

If I eat more than 1500 calories I gain fat. I know it’s not normal. I’m working through it.

I do a heck of a lot of fasting and am in the middle of Ranadan as well (food only at 5:30pm onwards)

Are you gaining fat or is your weight going back to normal as your glycogen stores are replenished? How are you measuring fat gain?

31

1.78m (5ft 10)
83kg

If I eat more than 1500 calories I gain fat. I know it’s not normal. I’m working through it.

I do a heck of a lot of fasting and am in the middle of Ranadan as well (food only at 5:30pm onwards)

Are you gaining fat or is your weight going back to normal as your glycogen stores are replenished? How are you measuring fat gain?

I used to think it was just glycogen or water extension. So I went low carb to test it. At 2k calories, my weight slowly increased each week.

I know there is a heck of a load of variables with calories but roughly for me 2k is too much. If I run for an hour a few times a week, I don’t don’t gain anything

32

1.78m (5ft 10)
83kg

If I eat more than 1500 calories I gain fat. I know it’s not normal. I’m working through it.

I do a heck of a lot of fasting and am in the middle of Ranadan as well (food only at 5:30pm onwards)

Are you gaining fat or is your weight going back to normal as your glycogen stores are replenished? How are you measuring fat gain?

I used to think it was just glycogen or water extension. So I went low carb to test it. At 2k calories, my weight slowly increased each week.

I know there is a heck of a load of variables with calories but roughly for me 2k is too much. If I run for an hour a few times a week, I don’t don’t gain anything

Are you basically sedentary?
I ask because you mention ‘if’ you run an hour a few times a week, whereas I assume that most people here talking about eating 4000kcals per day are training for 90 minutes or more per day, every day.

It is possible that your BMR is lower than 2000, but I don’t buy it when people say that they train for hours per day and eat 1000kcals and don’t lose weight (or just keel over due to lack of energy!)

33

Approximately too many.

34

1.78m (5ft 10)
83kg

If I eat more than 1500 calories I gain fat. I know it’s not normal. I’m working through it.

I do a heck of a lot of fasting and am in the middle of Ranadan as well (food only at 5:30pm onwards)

Are you gaining fat or is your weight going back to normal as your glycogen stores are replenished? How are you measuring fat gain?

I used to think it was just glycogen or water extension. So I went low carb to test it. At 2k calories, my weight slowly increased each week.

I know there is a heck of a load of variables with calories but roughly for me 2k is too much. If I run for an hour a few times a week, I don’t don’t gain anything

Are you basically sedentary?
I ask because you mention ‘if’ you run an hour a few times a week, whereas I assume that most people here talking about eating 4000kcals per day are training for 90 minutes or more per day, every day.

It is possible that your BMR is lower than 2000, but I don’t buy it when people say that they train for hours per day and eat 1000kcals and don’t lose weight (or just keel over due to lack of energy!)

I can send you my input and output if you want. I record almost down to the gram quite anal.

On average I’m 1k under per day and don’t lose weight. Average 1400 ish calories training 8 hours a week

35

What constitutes “training”? 1400 is lower than most people’s BMR.

36

1.78m (5ft 10)
83kg

If I eat more than 1500 calories I gain fat. I know it’s not normal. I’m working through it.

I do a heck of a lot of fasting and am in the middle of Ranadan as well (food only at 5:30pm onwards)

Are you gaining fat or is your weight going back to normal as your glycogen stores are replenished? How are you measuring fat gain?

I used to think it was just glycogen or water extension. So I went low carb to test it. At 2k calories, my weight slowly increased each week.

I know there is a heck of a load of variables with calories but roughly for me 2k is too much. If I run for an hour a few times a week, I don’t don’t gain anything

So using a generic calculator, your RMR should be around 2000 calories per day (with some expected smallish margins for error +/- 200 calories or so). That’s not including regular daily activity or all the training. You either have EXTREMELY low muscle mass, a metabolic disorder, or you’re recording your intake wrong.

I’m 100% sure you’ll ignore this though.

37

1.78m (5ft 10)
83kg

If I eat more than 1500 calories I gain fat. I know it’s not normal. I’m working through it.

I do a heck of a lot of fasting and am in the middle of Ranadan as well (food only at 5:30pm onwards)

Are you gaining fat or is your weight going back to normal as your glycogen stores are replenished? How are you measuring fat gain?

I used to think it was just glycogen or water extension. So I went low carb to test it. At 2k calories, my weight slowly increased each week.

I know there is a heck of a load of variables with calories but roughly for me 2k is too much. If I run for an hour a few times a week, I don’t don’t gain anything

Are you basically sedentary?
I ask because you mention ‘if’ you run an hour a few times a week, whereas I assume that most people here talking about eating 4000kcals per day are training for 90 minutes or more per day, every day.

It is possible that your BMR is lower than 2000, but I don’t buy it when people say that they train for hours per day and eat 1000kcals and don’t lose weight (or just keel over due to lack of energy!)

I can send you my input and output if you want. I record almost down to the gram quite anal.

On average I’m 1k under per day and don’t lose weight. Average 1400 ish calories training 8 hours a week

Could you give an example day of what you eat? Do you include oil, butter, sauces, drinks etc in your calories?

If you have ever watched Secret Eaters, you’ll forgive my skepticism! Lots of people there claim to eat 1500Kcals per day, but actually eat 5000+!

38

1 kg of spuds? LOL - that’s some serious taters!
question - are you married or have kids? - Personally i find it difficult to stick to any strict regimen while also being in charge of feeding the rest of the family (need to make them all happy or at least not mad at me)

4-6000kcal most days. More towards 6000 on double/triple threshold session days and more towards 4000 on easy days.

Typical day:

M1: 60g of serial with 30g of whey 80 with milk (and jam/honey for double/triple days)

M2: 100g oatmeal, 30g whey 80, 50g of raisins, 1 banana, 40g nuts, some berries, salt, cinnamon and milk.

M3: 200g pasta/rice/couscous with 3 eggs and veggies

M4: 100g oatmeal, 30g whey 80, 50g of raisins, 1 banana, 40g nuts, some berries, salt, cinnamon and milk.

M5: 1kg potatoes/sweet potatoes with 125g of Salomon. Approximately 300g of beans and veggies + mushroom on top of that

In addition sports drink during sessions, post workout fruit and/or protein shake, in between snacks if I’m approaching -30 in training peaks (but then I know it is time to let go of the gas too).

191cm
82kg
17hours/week over the last year, 21hours/week last 3 months.

Hope this helps.

PS: yes, I weigh my food. I am a freak

39

Exactly.

Some people do in fact need to increase their caloric intake to lose weight but that is because their BMR is so suppressed, they need to get it back up.

Slight restriction usually works well for many.

A key would be to find why your BMR is, then add activity and see what your daily caloric needs are.

She’s not wrong at all, but I think for you specifically you need more information before that statement can hold validity.

40

No kids, only a GF who knows I’m a freak and is ok with it. When we are on family trips I always take charge of the kitchen. I try to opt for healthy/low cal versions of sexy meals. Lasagne with light cheese (10% fat and no one has noticed yet), veggie burgers with a shade darker bread, low cal tortillas, pizza on cauliflower (and it was a winner!) etc. But I guess it is different doing it for 10 days vs doing it every single day. At the same time I don’t think an “unhealthy” dinner needs to spoil anything if you are able to plan the rest of the days accordingly. Hell, eating a bit extra after a massive session probably gives you some extra gains :wink: