The Right Amount of Calories?

Question
I have a question about how many calories I should have in a day.

I'm currently in college, studying Dance. I'm 22, male, 6'1, and 175 lbs. I'm active 5 days a week, with an average of about 9 hours a day either in the studio dancing or working out.

I've looked all over and it seems like I should be having around 3500 calories a day. Is that right? There are so many different opinions out there, and it's hard to know for sure.

Any feedback will be greatly appreciated! Thanks!

Answer
I would say that during the week your caloric needs are probably higher than 3500- I would lean more to 4000. On less active days, 3000- to 3500 would probably be okay, but with the amount of activity you are getting you are safer going a little higher than to go too low.

I would suggest doing an experiment- try eating 4000 for one week and keep track of how you feel- then cut to 3800 then to 3500.

As a dancer your body is your instrument, it is incredibly important for you to be extremely aware of yourself and what effect things have on your body. Journal your experiment for the three weeks- pay attention to feeling of heaviness or light-headedness, as well as your energy level and strength. This will let you know what your ideal calorie intake level is.

Hope this helps
Lela

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