Question for Brian
I'm 16 years old and 120 lbs. I've been exercising (gym, weights, abdominal exercises, running) every day for the past four months or so. and I have noticed a change in my stomach and legs.
I have calculated my Resting Metabolic Rate on several websites and many place it anywhere from 1300 to 1350. However, when I go to calculate my recommended caloric intake based on my daily activities, it reaches about 1800.
This is a significant difference. I want to continue to gain muscle, so I don't know if eating my RMR will allow that, since that is like the minimum
number of calories to survive.
I do not want to jump into 1800 calories a day, as that may cause
significant weight gain since I am eating currently about 1390 calories a
day.
So which amount should I eat? The 1300 or the 1800 to gain muscle?
BC: Excellent question for anyone to ask let alone a 16 year old - most people would just eat more and hope it works!
At first I'm guessing your a guy because more guys write about gaining muscle and if so anything under 2,000 calories for a male is very low - but at 120lbs I'm thinking maybe your a girl - if your a girl most women are in that range of 1400 so that sounds right.
If your calories are too low slowly build them up and use the scale and bodyfat measurements as your guide - but yes, too low and regardless you could gain more bodyfat if you have been straving yourself.
Slowly make your changes and keep track of what you are doing. It does require 3500 calories a week - which means 500 additional calories a day to gain a pound of muscle.
- Brian
