The secret of the calorie balance

Muscle building, fat loss, just keeping your figure … each of us has a certain calorie requirement that we have to cover. Protein, fat, and carbohydrates help us get it. But healthy sports nutrition also needs to be planned, because even if we eat “clean” and consume too large a surplus of calories, the body will create a reserve. On the other hand, we risk hunger pangs and the dreaded yo-yo effect if we show too high a calorie deficit. Both should be avoided in order to optimally shape his muscle building or his diet phase with the accompanying fat loss.

How is my calorie expenditure made up?

In the calorie balance a distinction is made between the basal metabolic rate, the performance metabolic rate and the total metabolic rate. The basal metabolic rate is the amount of calories that we consume when we are resting, i.e. if we would just sit on the couch all day. The performance turnover is made up of the calories that you need to perform optimally. So if you do a lot of sport, for example, you need more calories than someone who just walks slowly. Basal metabolic rate and performance metabolic rate together then result in the total metabolic rate, which is always individual.

How do I determine my total metabolic rate for the calorie requirement?

There are now calorie calculators on the Internet that come up to the individual value quite well. However, if you want to be very precise, you have to keep minutes. To do this, you write down exactly what you eat over a period of several weeks and count the calories. We recommend the Kaloma tool, which can be downloaded for free. If you neither gain nor lose weight, you have precisely determined your individual total needs.

Fat loss – what do I have to adjust for the calorie balance?

The proverb “You are what you eat” is exactly what it is. You should adjust your diet based on your goals. Here we only go into the calorie requirement . To start fat loss, you should reduce your total requirement by 300-500kcal. Of course, more brings more, but not in the long run! If you reduce your calorie intake too much, you risk the famous yo-yo effect. Your metabolism is slowed down and food cravings occur. Another point is that your body will see your hard-earned muscles as suppliers of energy, not the fat stores! That’s because the body wants to survive, no matter what the cost. He does not need muscles for this, as they only represent unnecessary energy guzzlers. Fat reserves, which can ensure survival in emergency situations, do. High-quality protein powder, such as Triple Whey from Frey Nutrition, Designer Whey from ESN, Honest Whey + from Blackline 2.0 or Plantein Duo from Profuel support you significantly, as protein has a satiating effect. So you can do it too!

Calorie balance for muscle building – calorie excess with care!

If you want to build a house, you need building materials! In order to build muscle, therefore, a calorie surplus must be achieved. This should be 300-500kcal higher than the basic requirement. Sure, in order to gain mass you could get in a lot more, but this would only end up in unnecessary fat reserves, which have to be laboriously slimmed down again afterwards. Again, you should always remember that we all want to have sustainable success. Products that help to achieve a high quality plus are the so-called weight gainers. But supplements like ELF Energycakes, Instant Oats or maltodextrin from Blackline 2.0 are also worth gold here!

Now that you know what to do do, the Gymnative team wishes good luck in realizing your goals! If you have any questions, please feel free to contact us at any time.