when i say small im talking like 100 calories or even less.
im cruising right now and just trying to nail down what my actual maintenance is. my activity levels are pretty much identical every single week so thats a constant. right now im eating 3,100 which honestly feels kinda high for my body size but my weight is just staying the same basically.
anyway i was listening to the j3 podcast and they mentioned that a tiny shift of like 100 calories in either direction wont actually do anything cause your body just adapts to that small of a change before you ever see the scale move or start growing or whatever.
does that actually sound right to you guys or is it just bro science? just wondering if i should be making bigger jumps or if i should keep trying to fine tune it like i been doing.
bro 100 calories is basically a rounded tablespoon of peanut butter lol. i agree with the podcast tbh, your body is just gonna fidget more or your digestion will slightly adjust. i usually don't even bother tracking unless i’m moving things by 250-300 at least
if you're already at 3100 and not moving, 3200 isnt gonna do much of anything. i used to try and "lean bulk" by adding 50 cals a week and i just wasted like 3 months staying the exact same weight. just bump it up to 3400 and see what happens after two weeks
honestly j3 knows their stuff. its called neat (non-exercise activity thermogenesis). you eat an extra 100 calories and you might just subconsciously tap your foot more or walk faster to the car. id say make a bigger jump if you actually want to see the scale move
3100 feels high? must be nice lol i look at a carb and gain weight. but yeah 100 cals is well within the "margin of error" for tracking anyway. like you can't even be 100% sure your chicken breast is weighed perfectly every single time. i’d go bigger with the jumps for sure
it’s not really bro science, it’s just metabolic adaptation. if you’re trying to find maintenance just stay where you are for another week. if the scale is flat then you found it! but if you wanna grow you gotta push way past that 100 cal mark or you’ll be spinning your wheels forever
100 calories is basically the margin of error on a nutrition label anyway lol. if you're tracking perfectly you still might be off by that much just from how they process the food. go bigger or you'll be guessing forever
i used to do the 100 cal jumps and it drove me crazy. your body just burns it off by walking more or whatever. j3 is right on this one - you gotta give your metabolism a real reason to move. i'd jump at least 250 to see a real trend
if you've been at 3100 for a while and the scale isnt moving then thats literally your maintenance. science says 100 cals isnt enough of a surplus to overcome your bodys natural adaptation. try 3300-3400 for a week and see what happens!
man i feel that. it feels like you're eating a ton but your weight stays the same. honestly just add an extra snack or a bigger scoop of rice and dont overthink it. 100 cals is nothing in the long run
honestly j3 is usually spot on with this stuff. 100 calories is basically the margin of error on a food scale or a slightly longer walk to the car lol. your body is way too good at adapting for that small of a change to move the needle. id go with at least a 250-300 calorie jump if you actually want to see a trend start.
if you’re at 3100 and stable then you found it! but yeah dont waste your time "fine tuning" by 50 or 100 cals. you'll just drive yourself crazy tracking that close. if you want to grow you gotta give the body a real reason to- 100 cals is just an extra apple or something.
lol i spent like two months trying to "find" my maintenance by adding 50 calories a week. i literally just stayed the same weight the whole time. finally got annoyed and added 400 and surprise surprise- the scale finally moved. the "adaptation" thing is real for sure.
it's not even bro science its just thermodynamics and neat (non-exercise activity). if you eat 100 extra calories your body might just make you fidget more or stand up straighter without you even realizing it. you gotta over-ride that "buffer" with a bigger jump.
100 calories is nothing man. if you're stuck at 3100 and want to bulk, go to 3400 and see what happens in two weeks. worst case you gain a tiny bit of water/fat and just pull back.
