Macros and MMA training


(Trish) #1

Scenario: 44-y-o male 5’10" 175 wants to lose about 8 to 10 pounds of “love handle” fat. TEE is calculated at about 1800. Goes to gym 3 to 4 times a week for 90 to 120 minutes of thai kickboxing / MMA style workout/sparring. Literally loses up to 7 pounds scale weight from before to after workout so serious workout (water/glycogen weight). Research shows the workout burns about 1000 calories. Question is : since he’s now burning well over 3000 calories that day (TEE + workout + regular days work etc) should he be eating an additional 1000 calories or stay eating around 2000 even on workout days? Thanks for any input.


(Stan Brooks) #2

I would take a wait and see approach. Stay on your current diet and if it increase only if you feel you need to.


(Trish) #3

Thing is there are several people at his gym who are doing keto and they are all asking me if they should eat more to match the calories burned since they burn so much. Most don’t really have a lot or any weight to lose except for the purpose of “making weight” for a fight. Then of course there’s the question of carbing before or after such a heavy workout.


(Stan Brooks) #4

Well with Keto carbing is out. I would tell those people eat until you are full and don’t worry about the calories.


(Trish) #5

Some people even with keto will have some carbs pre workout knowing they will burn it right off though. It just seems like 1000 or more calories is a huge deficit. Alternatively, eating another 1000 calories worth of fat also seems like an awful lot of fat.


(Jack Brien) #6

I’m flexible and don’t worry too much. If your hungry, eat more, but you should be able to train in a fasted state and not even be particularly hungry after. Also, weigh yourself everyday with bf% and see if there’s a trend. Also, don’t forget your salty water :wink:


(Trish) #7

This is for my other half and I’m trying to get it all sorted as he’s not fully on board (likes his potatoes too much), so I’m trying to get it all figured out so as to be able to have him do a routine or regimen whereby I can say “this is what you need to do” plain and simple and hopefully have him follow it. I on the other hand am KCKO at 28 pounds down in 10 weeks and about 50 to go (48, F, 5’4", 180). Been doing so much reading…so much to learn lol.


(Ken) #8

What you really should do is check out the Keto subforum over on Bodybuilding.com. In the stickys it will explain the principles of CKD and TKD. It’s a subforum of the regular Nutrition forum. The principles for limited Carb intake for metabolic purposes when training has been known for quite some time.


(Trish) #9

Awesome! Heading there now, thanks.