I am a bit lost on the number of calories I need...

[BallZach]

Being that I have only been eating like this for 3 months, I am somewhat new to the vegan world. You can tell by my physique that years of burgers and pizza took their toll. I have lost 40lbs since I became a vegan and I am not sure what I should do.

 

For the first month I lost close to 5lbs a week, shedding the second 20lbs over the next two months. I was eating around 2000 calories a day. I Didn't feel hungry at all because I ate all the time. Now I have started lifting and I am lost.... I don't know what or how much I should eat. I make sure I get around 100grams of protein a day. I am a guy that can gain and loose wight very quickly.

 

I think I have a decent foundation under all the fat. I have not been doing cardio because I didn't know if I should seeing as how I am still loosing weight naturally and my ultimate goal is to get bigger.

 

Right now I am a slender 249lbs. LOL

[Zack]

Do you want to be losing weight?

[BallZach]

I was hopping that I could loose fat while building muscles. I thought that maybe there was a secret number of cals that I could eat that would help me do this.

[RawVgn]

Why even worry about how many calories? If your losing weight and want to keep losing, then your eating the right amount for now. If you get to the weight you want and are still losing, start increasing the calories. The scale tells you if your running a calorie deficit or excess.

 

Be careful of eating lots of protein: it'll acidify your body and eventually can lead to kidney problems, bone loss, and so on. If you eat enough calories for your activity level, it is almost impossible to eat insufficient protein. I guarantee you have never, and never will, meet a person who eats enough overall calories, regardless of what they are, who is protein deficient-though you meet people who eat too much protein every day. Try not to eat more than 10% of total calories from protein or fat, and you will be on a better dietary path.

[blabbate]

Be careful of eating lots of protein: it'll acidify your body and eventually can lead to kidney problems, bone loss, and so on.

Ugh. Do we all need to get into this again? There are no studies showing that high-protein diets cause problems in people with normal kidney functions or bone loss in people without vitamin deficiencies (or the elderly). Period.

 

If you eat enough calories for your activity level, it is almost impossible to eat insufficient protein. I guarantee you have never, and never will, meet a person who eats enough overall calories, regardless of what they are, who is protein deficient-though you meet people who eat too much protein every day. Try not to eat more than 10% of total calories from protein or fat, and you will be on a better dietary path.

Protein needs vary depending on goals and activity. 10% was not enough for me to gain muscle. 25% to 30% is. The OP might find the same true for him. He should try a variety of diets and see what works best. 8/1/1, high-protein, whatever.

[Fallen_Horse]

Protein needs vary depending on goals and activity. 10% was not enough for me to gain muscle. 25% to 30% is. The OP might find the same true for him. He should try a variety of diets and see what works best. 8/1/1, high-protein, whatever.

Correct

[BallZach]

Why even worry about how many calories? If your losing weight and want to keep losing, then your eating the right amount for now. If you get to the weight you want and are still losing, start increasing the calories. The scale tells you if your running a calorie deficit or excess.

 

OK, That makes sense. I will just keep doing what I am doing. If I feel like I am getting to light, I will add some cals.