So we all know consistency with diet, training and sleep are key to long term progress...But who here actually takes the time to count calories whether on maintenance, bulk or cut??
I have always prided myself on discipline. I eat clean 95% of the time...as i get older i eat fewer and fewer cheat meals. I have fine tuned my diet over the years with the help of @Funnyman and i have ACTUALLY followed through and done what he has suggested. I don't tend to step on the scales much as i go by the mirror. I keep abs 12 month of the year and i would guess my BF sits around 12%. I eat 6 times and about 3000 cals per day and keep track of protein (200 grams per day) but i eyeball carbs and fat. Recently i noticed my face was getting a little thin (not helped by age) and i was seeing striations in my quads and calves. I got on the scales and found out i had dropped 3-4 lbs. And not on purpose...i was a little confused.
So having a little extra time in quarantine i got a food scale and down loaded myfitnesspal (it was by under armour and free) and tracked cals for a week...It was fascinating that little choices were having a big impact. My cals were actually fluctuating between 2700 and 3200 per day...and not because i was skipping meals. It was little things like if i put a berries vs a banana in my evening smoothy, had 30g vs 40g of nuts, if i had a carrot instead of 1/2 avocado with my rice and chicken. 120 vs 150g of rice or 4 vs 5oz of chicken (look almost identical on plate).
For the past 2 months i have been weighing all my food, and tracking macros and cals. it actually takes very little time and It has made me realize that to be consistent this is a must. I have regained the 3-4 lbs, look a little fuller, just as lean, getting a better pump and have more energy during my training. With this new learning i am confident i can bet @Sorbate at our informal "fittest by 50" contest.
Moral of the story...if you want to bulk and not flow over...how can you not track that you are getting exactly 100 or 200 cals extra per day. Or cutting not dropping cals too fast and losing hard earned muscle???
Who tracks macros and counts cals accurately and consistency?
I have always prided myself on discipline. I eat clean 95% of the time...as i get older i eat fewer and fewer cheat meals. I have fine tuned my diet over the years with the help of @Funnyman and i have ACTUALLY followed through and done what he has suggested. I don't tend to step on the scales much as i go by the mirror. I keep abs 12 month of the year and i would guess my BF sits around 12%. I eat 6 times and about 3000 cals per day and keep track of protein (200 grams per day) but i eyeball carbs and fat. Recently i noticed my face was getting a little thin (not helped by age) and i was seeing striations in my quads and calves. I got on the scales and found out i had dropped 3-4 lbs. And not on purpose...i was a little confused.
So having a little extra time in quarantine i got a food scale and down loaded myfitnesspal (it was by under armour and free) and tracked cals for a week...It was fascinating that little choices were having a big impact. My cals were actually fluctuating between 2700 and 3200 per day...and not because i was skipping meals. It was little things like if i put a berries vs a banana in my evening smoothy, had 30g vs 40g of nuts, if i had a carrot instead of 1/2 avocado with my rice and chicken. 120 vs 150g of rice or 4 vs 5oz of chicken (look almost identical on plate).
For the past 2 months i have been weighing all my food, and tracking macros and cals. it actually takes very little time and It has made me realize that to be consistent this is a must. I have regained the 3-4 lbs, look a little fuller, just as lean, getting a better pump and have more energy during my training. With this new learning i am confident i can bet @Sorbate at our informal "fittest by 50" contest.
Moral of the story...if you want to bulk and not flow over...how can you not track that you are getting exactly 100 or 200 cals extra per day. Or cutting not dropping cals too fast and losing hard earned muscle???
Who tracks macros and counts cals accurately and consistency?