# Caloric intake and Macros tracking with Body Weight Planer **URL:** \ **Category:** Nutrition Q&A \[Moderated\]\ **Created:** [May 11, 2022, 5:22pm UTC](https://forum.barbellmedicine.com/t/caloric-intake-and-macros-tracking-with-body-weight-planer/12408 "2022-05-11T17:22:05Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 10\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Joshua\_Swashbuckle](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex001/user_avatar/forum.barbellmedicine.com/joshua_swashbuckle/32/790_2.png) [@Joshua\_Swashbuckle](https://forum.barbellmedicine.com/u/Joshua_Swashbuckle)\ **Post date:** [May 11, 2022, 5:22pm UTC](https://forum.barbellmedicine.com/t/caloric-intake-and-macros-tracking-with-body-weight-planer/12408/1 "2022-05-11T17:22:05Z")
Hello since started to track my nutrition some Weeks ago and used the NIDDK Body Weight Planer I have 2 or 3 questions. I want to build muscle and strength and lose about 5-8 kg of weight. Often times it is talked about a slight calorie surplus or deficit… I get that but you are talking about 150-200 Calories and I cannot really figure out how I am supposed to narrow it down so much. Since the parameters are something like: A little bit active, active, very active, extremely active and so on … So I ride my bike every day for some ~30 km and I work 6-8 hours a day as a Farrier (Blacksmith, Horseshoer as you like) and do my weightlifting on 3-4 days/week. So I would guess I am very active… but am I ? 😄 and even if… how could I be sure that 150-200 isnt too much/to little since the parameters seem so vague? I probably just have to do it for 3 month and ask my scale? And the other thing would be… with my tracking app I target about 3130 kcal/day which I sometimes hit and sometimes I am a wee bit over or under it. But I find it very difficult to meet my Carb goals and often times (always?!) overshoot my fat goal (Protein is almost always in the 1.6-2.2 range) is that a big problem as long as my cals are good AND the fats are mostly unsatureted? Thanks for this awesome Forum. ---
**Author:** ![Jordan\_Feigenbaum](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex001/user_avatar/forum.barbellmedicine.com/jordan_feigenbaum/32/1315_2.png) [@Jordan\_Feigenbaum](https://forum.barbellmedicine.com/u/Jordan_Feigenbaum)\ **Post date:** [May 12, 2022, 3:26pm UTC](https://forum.barbellmedicine.com/t/caloric-intake-and-macros-tracking-with-body-weight-planer/12408/2 "2022-05-12T15:26:09Z")
Joshua, I think our two most recent podcasts may be helpful. As far as your questions go: 1. I think you (and most others) should use an activity modifier between 1.7 to 1.8 in the NIH BW planner. 2. You’ll be able to determine your energy balance with reasonable precision over a month or so. 3. We would recommend most of your carbohydrates come from fruits, vegetables, whole grains, beans, etc. and fats from unsaturated sources, yes. In a surplus, you’ll likely be able to consume foods with added sugars, saturated fat, etc. in moderation. -Jordan ---
**Author:** ![servo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/49beb7/32.png) [@servo](https://forum.barbellmedicine.com/u/servo)\ **Post date:** [May 22, 2022, 3:24pm UTC](https://forum.barbellmedicine.com/t/caloric-intake-and-macros-tracking-with-body-weight-planer/12408/3 "2022-05-22T15:24:14Z")
Is the 1.35-1.55 modifier to estimate maintenance or deficit calories? I ask because I recall in an earlier podcast, 1.6 was given as a reasonable estimate for maintenance calories. Thank you in advance. ---
**Author:** ![Jordan\_Feigenbaum](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex001/user_avatar/forum.barbellmedicine.com/jordan_feigenbaum/32/1315_2.png) [@Jordan\_Feigenbaum](https://forum.barbellmedicine.com/u/Jordan_Feigenbaum)\ **Post date:** [May 22, 2022, 4:32pm UTC](https://forum.barbellmedicine.com/t/caloric-intake-and-macros-tracking-with-body-weight-planer/12408/4 "2022-05-22T16:32:21Z")
> [@servo](#): > > Is the 1.35-1.55 modifier to estimate maintenance or deficit calories? I ask because I recall in an earlier podcast, 1.6 was given as a reasonable estimate for maintenance calories. Thank you in advance. Deficit, maintenance, or surplus. I don’t think I’ve ever recommended 1.6 for a specific energy balance situation for others. If I did, that could use more nuance. ---
**Author:** ![servo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/49beb7/32.png) [@servo](https://forum.barbellmedicine.com/u/servo)\ **Post date:** [May 25, 2022, 1:56am UTC](https://forum.barbellmedicine.com/t/caloric-intake-and-macros-tracking-with-body-weight-planer/12408/5 "2022-05-25T01:56:08Z")
Thank you for updating. I was referring to podcast episode 151 (~24:50 to 26:50). Good discussion between you and Dr. Pontzer re: NIH calculator. ---
**Author:** ![Jordan\_Feigenbaum](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex001/user_avatar/forum.barbellmedicine.com/jordan_feigenbaum/32/1315_2.png) [@Jordan\_Feigenbaum](https://forum.barbellmedicine.com/u/Jordan_Feigenbaum)\ **Post date:** [May 25, 2022, 2:48pm UTC](https://forum.barbellmedicine.com/t/caloric-intake-and-macros-tracking-with-body-weight-planer/12408/6 "2022-05-25T14:48:37Z")
> [@servo](#): > > Thank you for updating. I was referring to podcast episode 151 (~24:50 to 26:50). Good discussion between you and Dr. Pontzer re: NIH calculator. Yes, he recommended people choosing between 1.35 and 1.55 and I’d agree with that. ---
**Author:** ![servo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/49beb7/32.png) [@servo](https://forum.barbellmedicine.com/u/servo)\ **Post date:** [May 25, 2022, 9:47pm UTC](https://forum.barbellmedicine.com/t/caloric-intake-and-macros-tracking-with-body-weight-planer/12408/7 "2022-05-25T21:47:00Z")
Thank you. At around 26:25 he mentioned 1.7-1.8. I thought your recommendation a minute earlier was light to moderate, which I thought equated to 1.6-1.7. Anywho, that’s why I asked and thank you for answering. Enjoying many of these podcasts. Please know your work is very much appreciated. ---
**Author:** ![Jordan\_Feigenbaum](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex001/user_avatar/forum.barbellmedicine.com/jordan_feigenbaum/32/1315_2.png) [@Jordan\_Feigenbaum](https://forum.barbellmedicine.com/u/Jordan_Feigenbaum)\ **Post date:** [May 26, 2022, 3:33pm UTC](https://forum.barbellmedicine.com/t/caloric-intake-and-macros-tracking-with-body-weight-planer/12408/8 "2022-05-26T15:33:21Z")
> [@servo](#): > > Thank you. At around 26:25 he mentioned 1.7-1.8. I thought your recommendation a minute earlier was light to moderate, which I thought equated to 1.6-1.7. Anywho, that’s why I asked and thank you for answering. Enjoying many of these podcasts. Please know your work is very much appreciated. Sorry, yes the light to moderate multipliers are 1.7 to 1.8 in that calculator. In the calculator I built it was 1.35 to 1.55. So for clarity, I would use 1.7 to 1.8 in the NIH BW planner. ---
**Author:** ![servo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/49beb7/32.png) [@servo](https://forum.barbellmedicine.com/u/servo)\ **Post date:** [May 27, 2022, 11:25pm UTC](https://forum.barbellmedicine.com/t/caloric-intake-and-macros-tracking-with-body-weight-planer/12408/9 "2022-05-27T23:25:57Z")
Thank you. Is the calculator you built available on the website or app? ---
**Author:** ![Jordan\_Feigenbaum](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex001/user_avatar/forum.barbellmedicine.com/jordan_feigenbaum/32/1315_2.png) [@Jordan\_Feigenbaum](https://forum.barbellmedicine.com/u/Jordan_Feigenbaum)\ **Post date:** [May 29, 2022, 9:25pm UTC](https://forum.barbellmedicine.com/t/caloric-intake-and-macros-tracking-with-body-weight-planer/12408/10 "2022-05-29T21:25:45Z")
> [@servo](#): > > Thank you. Is the calculator you built available on the website or app? Not yet, but we’re working on it.