How to Set Up a Recomp Diet

Step 1: Set maintenance calories.

Maintenance is an extremely arbitrary term, and will change day-to-day
depending on how active or inactive you’ve been. But for the sake of
simplicity, maintenance will be your caloric starting point.
Use this formula to set your maintenance calories.
Your Bodyweight (in lbs) x [12 to 16] = Maintenance calories
I chose this formula because it’s simple and within about five percent of more
complicated ones.
If you are someone who is sedentary (someone working a desk job, for
example) and not doing much physical exertion aside from the gym, it’s best
to go with the lower end of 12. If you are someone who is extremely active
(for example — you’re a construction worker and you also strength train) go
with the higher range of 16.
Not sure? Play it safe and go with the mid-range of 14.
Ladies — go with the lower end of 12–14.
These are just starting points, and you’ll probably have to adjust your calorie
intake as you recomp.
For example, Brohan, a university student, weighs 170 pounds. He’s just
started lifting and is a bit on the “fluffy” side.
Brohan isn’t completely sedentary throughout the day due to walking around
campus, going out with friends, etc, so we multiply his body weight by 15.
170 x 15 = 2,550
So Brohan needs to consume 2,500 calories (rounded down) to maintain his
current weight of 170 pounds.
Step 2: Set off-day calories.
Subtract 150–200 calories from your maintenance calories.
For Brohan, this would be 2,300 calories.
Step 3: Set the macros.
Even though setting calories gives us a good starting point, to really optimize
your physique, you need to set your macros–protein, fat and carbs.
Training day macros.
Protein — 1 gram per pound of total body weight.
Fat — 25–30 percent of total calories.
Carbs — the calories remaining once protein and fat are set.
Using the example from earlier of Brohan’s 2,500 calorie maintenance, this is
what the math looks like.
Set protein: 170 x 1 = 170 grams per day (680 calories).
Set fat: Daily calories (2,500) x .3 (30%) = 750 calories.
750 / 9 (nine calories per gram of fat) = ~80 grams.
Set carbs:
680+750 = 1,430
2,500 – 1,430 = 1,070
1,070 / 4 (four calories per gram of carbs) = 267.5 (rounded to 270)
So his training day macros look like this.
Calories: 2,500
Protein: 170 grams
Fat: 80 grams
Carbs: 270 grams
Off day macros.
On his off-days, Brohan will reduce carbohydrates by 50 grams, putting him
into a slight calorie deficit. Here’s what his macros look like on off-days.
Calories: 2,300
Protein: 170 grams
Fat: 80 grams
Carbs: 230 grams
Now that we have the diet sorted, there are a few more things we need to
touch on. My OCD won’t let me finish this article without mentioning them.
The Fine Details: Refeeds, Free Meals, Training and Cardio
I want to touch on some additional details that are part of a body
recomposition protocol.
You’re going to have days where you will go out with friends and family and
you need to have a plan for how to manage those situations. (Aka YOLO
control).
Also, I’ve found that some people do actually benefit from knowing that they
will be getting more calories one day of the week, helping with adherence
(which is key when doing something as meticulous as a recomp).
Refeeds
A refeed is normally one day a week where calories are increased, through
carbs, to bring you back up to “maintenance.”
The idea behind refeeds is that it will boost leptin levels and increase your
metabolism (which slows down during an extended calorie deficit) and ends up
helping with long-term fat loss.
However, for the most part you will be at maintenance calories, so refeeds
won’t really be needed. I personally prefer free meals.
Free Meals
A free meal works a lot better than a refeed and can help with adherence.
Instead of focusing on just “refeeding” on carbohydrates, which can be pretty
restrictive, a free meal allows you to enjoy whatever foods you’ve been
craving. It also lets you go out with friends and family without becoming
neurotic over having to track (or pack tupperware).
To have a free meal, hit your allotted macros for the day and have one meal
on top that isn’t tracked. That means you’ll be eating slightly over maintenance
calories on that day.
Make sure to keep the free meal in moderation — one day during the week.
Preferably on a day that you train for better partitioning of the extra calories.
Training
Focus on progressive overload with a heavy focus (no pun intended) on the big
movements– squat, deadlift, bench, military press, chin-ups, etc. As long as
you are improving — lifting more weight or doing more reps   week-to-week–it’s
a safe bet that you’re building muscle.
Cardio
Look, if you don’t want to do cardio, fine. That’s your choice. But from my
experience recomping and with clients, cardio is an awesome tool to have in
your programming at any stage of your physique journey (bulking or cutting)
and should be no different when you’re recomping.
You need to remove this idea of cardio being a necessary evil, and see the
added health benefits as a tool that will get you to your goal faster.
Here are some guidelines for cardio.
– HIIT (High Intensity Interval Training) style cardio should be done a
maximum of 1–2 times a week.
– Try MetCons, Kettlebells, BB complexes, tabata and other workouts to mix
up your HIIT and keep you motivated.
– LISS (Low Intensity Steady State)  style cardio can be done more generously.
We live in an extremely sedentary society, (sit all day at work, sit on the bus
ride home, drive everywhere). Stand instead of sitting, go for walks, just be
more active in general. Don’t think that just because you’re strength training
that this will be enough to keep you healthy. It’s probably not.
How to Make Adjustments to Your Recomp Program
The goal of the recomp is to keep your weight *pretty much* the same while
changes occur in your body composition. Over time you’ll likely be a little
heavier after adding muscle. Inevitably, there will be times when you will lose
and gain weight due to a host of other variables.
Below I’ve detailed how to make adjustments for the changes most likely to
occur.
Losing weight? Increase carb intake by 30–50 grams per day.
Putting on weight and looking softer in the mirror? Reduce carb intake by 30–
50 grams per day.
Putting on weight but looking the same? Leave things as they are.
Putting on weight, looking bigger but also softer? Reduce carb intake by 20–30
grams per day.
Losing weight but looking tighter and leaner? Leave thing as they are.

Pull out your calculator, we are going to do math. Use this formula:

Credits: http://www.bmi-calculator.net/bmr-calculator/bmr-formula.php

Once you know your BMR, calculate it by one of the numbers from below based
on your activity level:
 Credits: http://www.bmi-calculator.net/bmr-calculator/harris-benedict-equation/

Once you have your TDEE, or caloric needs to maintain your current
weight, a good rule of thumb is to set a deficit of roughly 200 calories

Guide to Macro Tracking and

Body Recomposition
Author’s Note: This was an attempt to create the most comprehensive and research-
based guide on macro tracking and body recomposition. Use the table of contents and
“back button” to easily navigate the page. This article will be continually updated as
new research is published. Reading time: 1 hour and 10-40 minutes.

 0.0.1 Key Points:

 1 Introduction
o 1.1 Why Macro Tracking Works:
 2 Step 1: Establish Your Baseline Food Intake
o 2.1 Practical Tips To Tracking Food Intake:
 3 Step 2: Establish Your Baseline Body Weight
o 3.1 How To Weigh-In Properly:
o 3.2 Practical Example:
 4 Step 3: Learn The Basic Nutritional Values Of Foods
o 4.1 Fat:
o 4.2 Protein:
o 4.3 Carbohydrate:
o 4.4 Alcohol:
 5 Step 4: Set A Goal Weight/Body Composition
o 5.1 Estimating Energy Balance Based On Changes In Weight:
o 5.2 Weight Loss (“Cutting/Dieting”) Considerations:
o 5.3 Weight Gain (“Bulking”) Considerations:
 6 Step 5: Determine Your Ideal Calorie and Macronutrient Intakes (With Calculator)
 o 6.1 Calorie Target:
o 6.2 Protein Target:
o 6.3 Fat Target:
o 6.4 Carbohydrate Target:
o 6.5 Macro Calculator:
o 6.6 Putting It All Together (Practical Examples):
 6.6.1 Terms:
o 6.7 Cutting:
o 6.8 Cutting Examples:
o 6.9 Bulking:
o 6.10 Bulking Examples:
 7 Step 6: Making Adjustments
o 7.1 Initial Adjustment For Cutting:
 7.1.1 Novice Lifters/General Public:
 7.1.2 Calculate Your Ideal Weight Loss Target (Estimate Your Body Fat % HERE):
 7.1.3 Advanced Lifters/Athletes:
o 7.2 Further Adjustments For Cutting:
o 7.3 Initial Adjustment For Bulking:
 7.3.1 Novice Resistance Trainee/General Public:
 7.3.2 Intermediate Resistance Trainee:
 7.3.3 Advanced Resistance Trainee:
o 7.4 Further Adjustments For Bulking:
 8 Secondary Considerations (these are less important, but still matter)
o 8.1 Carbohydrate vs. Fat:
o 8.2 Supplements:
o 8.3 Organic vs. Conventional:
o 8.4 Meal (Protein) Timing/Frequency:
o 8.5 Behavioral Considerations:
o 8.6 Sleep:
o 8.7 Exercise:
o 8.8 Stress:
 9 FAQ And Further Reading
o 9.1 Aren’t carbohydrates/sugars/insulin spikes responsible for fat storage?
o 9.2 Does protein quality matter?
o 9.3 Why do you give strict macronutrient ranges for fat and carbohydrate intake?
o 9.4 What about the ketogenic diet?
o 9.5 What if I am on a vegan/vegetarian diet?
o 9.6 What about artificial sweeteners?
o 9.7 Don’t the calorie contents of most foods often differ from the values on the
nutritional label? Does this render macro tracking useless?
 10 Bonus Consideration: Seek progress, not perfection
 11 Infographic Gallery
o
 11.0.1 Share this:

KEY POINTS:
 Why Macro Tracking Works:
 Macronutrients (protein, carbohydrate, and fat) contain calories (4, 4, and 9
calories per gram respectively).
 Changes in body composition/weight depend on energy imbalance; CICO (calories
in:calories out).
 Macro tracking helps you change your body composition/weight over time because
it results in calorie tracking.
 Step 1: Establish Your Baseline Food Intake:
 Habitually journaling what you eat is the essential first step to macro tracking.
 You cannot manage what you cannot measure, thus if you plan to manipulate your
food intake, you must first record your food intake.
 Practical Tips to Tracking Food Intake:
 Beginners can benefit from using a food scale and logging their food intake
immediately/in advance.
 Pictures can help you better estimate calories consumed when eating out.
 Step 2: Establish Your Baseline Body Weight
 Daily weigh-ins are extremely useful.
 Any given weigh-in tells you little about the trend of your body weight over time.
 Weigh-in at least 3x per week (see “weigh-in guidelines” infographic).
 If your weekly average weight is stable over an extended time period (i.e. ≥4
weeks), then you are roughly at “maintenance” calorie intake on average (unless
you’re gaining muscle and losing fat at a similar rate).
 Step 3: Learn The Basic Nutritional Values of Foods
 Fat, carbohydrate, and protein (9, 4, and 4 kcals/gram, respectively) are all
beneficial to consume in some quantity.
 Eating sufficient protein and calories, while progressively strength training,
promotes muscle growth over time.
 Fat:
 Fats may be easy to over-consume given their caloric density.
 It is likely beneficial to consume fatty fish/fish oil regularly.
 Minimize trans fat and processed food consumption.
 See the table in section for good fat sources.
 Protein:
 Meat and dairy products are often good protein sources.
 Protein can suppress hunger and help you lose weight.
 Eating more protein can help mitigate fat gain/improve muscle mass
gain/retention.
 See table in section for good protein sources.
 Carbohydrate:
 Fruits/vegetables are often good sources of carbohydrates.
 Carbohydrates often contain many beneficial vitamins, minerals, and
phytochemicals. This can help prevent nutrient deficiencies.
 See table in section for good carbohydrate sources.
 Alcohol:
 I do not recommend consuming alcohol (7 kcals/gram) regularly (especially not
when dieting), but you can read more on how to do so here.
 Step 4: Set A Goal Weight/Body Composition
 Once you’ve established your average body weight and calorie needs, you can
adjust your energy intake to induce any desired weight loss/gain.
 It may be difficult to assess your energy needs based on changes in body weight.
The “3,500 calorie per pound” guideline is flawed. It is very difficult to quantify
changes in energy balance based on changes weight.
 Changes in energy balance do not seem to contribute much to short-term weight
fluctuations. This is because other bodily tissues are lost/gained with fat mass.
 Energy expenditure changes with diet over time. Luckily, Hall and others created a
mathematical model to better predict body weight changes over time.
 Weight Loss (“Cutting/Dieting”) Considerations:
 Aim to lose between .5 and 1% of your body weight per week.
 You may see a large initial decrease in weight due to glycogen/water loss (in ~2
weeks of dieting). Weight loss should better reflect energy balance once weight
stabilizes.
 Any weekly distribution of energy intake is viable.
 Maintenance weeks (“diet breaks”) in between diet periods can improve long-term
progress and adherence.
 A protein intake of 2.2-3.4 g/kg (1-1.54 g/lb) of body weight should maximize
muscle growth and help reduce hunger.
 Weight Gain (“Bulking”) Considerations:
 Aim to gain between 1-3 pounds (.45-1.36 kg) of body weight per month. Muscle
growth (drug-free) is a very slow process.
 Muscle gain is likely optimized in a caloric surplus, though an aggressive surplus
may lead to excess fat gain.
 Any weekly distribution of energy intake is viable. It is fine to consume more/less
calories on training/non-training days (±200 kcals).
 It is prudent to consume ≥3 g/kg (1.36 g/lb) protein per day when bulking to
minimize fat gain. If this is not possible, then consume closer to 1.76 g/kg (0.80
g/lb) and fewer total calories.
 Avoid over-consuming saturated fat or fructose to prevent visceral fat storage
when bulking.
 Step 5: Determine Your Ideal Calorie And Macronutrient Intakes (With
Calculator)
 See section.
 Putting It All Together (Practical Examples):
 See section.
 Making Adjustments When Needed:
 See section.

Introduction
“Macro tracking” refers to calorie counting with intent to hit specific macronutrient
targets. Macronutrients are the nutritional components of a
diet: protein, carbohydrate, and fat. These macronutrients (and alcohol) contain
calories. One calorie (technically, kilocalorie (kcal)) is the amount of energy required
to heat up 1 kilogram of water by 1 degree Celsius. As such, the calorie is a
measurement unit of heat/energy. Your “maintenance” intake is the calorie amount
that you need to consume to maintain your current body weight. Consuming more/less
than this increases/decreases your bodily energy stores. A change in bodily energy
stores results from an “energy imbalance”. A change in energy stores eventually leads
to a change in body weight.

Why Macro Tracking Works:

Humans are thermodynamic systems, thus changes in body energy stores depend
on energy imbalance. Therefore, if you consume more calories than you burn, you
increase the body’s energy stores and vice versa. Changes in energy over time lead
to gains or losses in weight/body mass. This is because the first law of
thermodynamics ensures that when energy passes into or out of a system, the
system’s internal energy changes in accordance with the law of conservation of energy.
Macro tracking is a viable strategy to manipulate body composition over time because
it necessitates calorie (energy) tracking. However, the skill of reliable macro tracking
takes time to develop and you may struggle in the beginning. This guide should help
you avoid many problems associated with diet setup as a beginner.
Summary:
Changes in bodily energy stores depend on changes in energy balance. To
gain/lose energy (and subsequently, body mass), it is prudent to manipulate
energy intake. Macro tracking helps you do this.

Step 1: Establish Your Baseline

Food Intake
Habitually journaling what you eat is the essential first step to macro tracking. You
cannot manage what you cannot measure, thus if you plan to manipulate your food
intake, you must first record your food intake. I recommend using either
the FitGenie or MyFitnessPal app (learn how to) to log your dietary intake (note:
track macros on these apps, not calories, because they tend to underestimate calorie
intake compared to the value predicted by your macronutrient intake (see here at
10:55)). I suggest logging your food intake regularly for at least 4 weeks before making
significant dietary changes. This habit takes time to establish, but consciously
recording your food intake (for some time) develops requisite dietary self-awareness.
Be sure to really track everything you eat before you conclude that macro tracking
doesn’t work. One review on the topic suggests that memory-based dietary
assessments “bear little relation to actual energy or nutrient consumption”, while
others note that people usually under-report their food intake.
Summary:
It’s helpful to start tracking your food intake for a period of weeks. Take care to
make sure that you track everythingaccurately because people tend to under-
report their food intakes.

Practical Tips To Tracking Food Intake:

It is better to track food as soon as you eat it (or raw, if the food is to be cooked), rather
than at the end of the day, because memory may fail you and immediate logging is
associated with greater weight loss. Further, some find that planning meals ahead of
time avoids the stress of making food selections ad libitum, but ad libitum dieting can
be very effective (for example, subjects who switch to the ketogenic diet often reduce
food intake unconsciously). Anecdotally, some seem to thrive on meal plans, but they
aren’t needed to improve body composition (see some potential benefits to a meal
plan here). Tracking intake works better with a food scale (see here or here),
especially for beginners. You need not use a food scale when eating out, but to
properly assess your caloric intake, you need to know what you ate (food
type) and how much (food weight). It is helpful to weigh your food before you
cook/eat it (when possible) in order to learn what various quantities of any given food
look like (see here). This allows you to estimate your food intake more accurately both
now and in the future (without deliberately tracking intake). When eating out
(see here for tips), taking pictures of your food to track later
can help you better estimate its caloric content. Tracking macros canincrease food
cravings in some individuals, which may be problematic, but I think the benefits of
tracking macros (for at least some time) outweigh any drawbacks.
Summary:
Log your food immediately after (if not prior to) eating it, using a food scale
when possible. Plan meals ahead of time to simplify this process. Taking pictures
of your food may help you better track intake when eating out.

Step 2: Establish Your Baseline

Body Weight
I also recommend establishing the habit of weighing in daily. Again, you can’t manage
what you can’t measure, and weight is the primary (surrogate) measure for tracking
changes in body composition. Self-monitoring weight is alsoassociated
with better weight management. However, note that weight fluctuates considerably on
a daily basis, so do not overreact to an unexpectedly high/low weigh
in. Weight can fluctuate due to differences in stress levels, hydrationstatus, menstrual
cycle phase, bloating, carbohydrate/fiber/sodium/mineral intake, food weight, and
creatine levels. You should therefore establish a weekly or bi-weekly (baseline)
average weight. Compare weekly averages, rather than daily weigh-ins, to ensure that
you notice meaningful weight changes when you alter energy intake. If daily weigh-ins
are impractical, then you should weigh in at least 3 times per week. Though useful, the
scale is not the end-all be-all. I suggest you supplement weigh-ins with progress
pictures (see how-to), because you might look better (if you’ve gained muscle)
despite weighing the same/more.

How To Weigh-In Properly:

To properly weigh-in (tutorial here), use the same scale, wear minimal (or no)
clothing, and weigh in under similar conditions each day (after using the bathroom,
before eating/drinking anything, at roughly the same time). Do not weigh in after
eating/drinking, at random times, or with different scales. True changes in bodily
energy stores (usually) take closer to 1 week to reflect in the scale, so note the trends
in your weekly average weigh-ins and make dietary adjustments accordingly. Once you
have 4 weeks of food intake and weigh-ins recorded, then you can better estimate your
maintenance calorie intake (based on average changes in weight over time).

Practical Example:
See (below) how any given weigh-in can be misleading. The following image is my
daily weigh-in history. This image shows why any one weigh-in says little about the
general trend in weight.
As you can see, looking at 1 week of data (top left) makes it seem as though no
meaningful changes are taking place. Zooming out to 1 month (top right) of weigh-ins,
we begin to see a trend, but there is still tremendous fluctuation between individual
weigh-ins. As we zoom out to 3/6 months (bottom), we see a clear, downward trend in
body weight, but we still see clear peaks and valleys over the weeks. This is why it is
crucial to log weigh-ins daily and over the long-term. With only 2 weigh-ins per week,
you might be severely misled about the general direction of weight change. Similarly, if
you zoom in on any single high weigh-in, you’d neglect the general trend over time.
Meaningful changes in body weight/composition take time to manifest.
Summary:
Daily weigh-ins are extremely useful over time (after learning how to weigh-in
properly). Do not put too much stock into any single weigh-in; mind the trends in
weight over time and supplement with pictures to appropriately gauge progress.
If your weekly average weight is stable over an extended time period (e.g. ≥4
weeks), then you are roughly at “maintenance” calorie intake on average (unless
you’re gaining muscle and losing fat at a similar rate).

Step 3: Learn The Basic Nutritional

Values Of Foods
While establishing your average daily food intake and daily body weight over the
weeks, it is important to learn how to read food labels. To track your macros, you need
to know the calorie and macronutrient contents of various foods, especially if you eat
them frequently. The 3 macronutrients are fats, carbohydrates, and proteins. Fat
contains ~9 calories per gram, while carbohydrate and protein contain ~4 calories per
gram. Fat intake is necessary to ensuresufficient essential fatty acid intake, absorption
of fat-soluble vitamins, slower gastric emptying (which promotes satiety), and proper
endocrine function over time. Protein consumption is necessary to some extent
and beneficial inhigher amounts. The recommended dietary allowance (RDA) for
protein is .8 grams per kilogram (.36 grams per pound) of body weight, however I
recommend consuming more because protein plays a vital role in muscle mass
maintenance when dieting. Muscle gain is optimized by consuming between 1.6-2.2
grams of protein per kilogram(~.73-1 gram protein per pound) of body weight
(determine your optimal protein intake here). Assume you weigh 150 pounds and
want to maintain/gain muscle mass (with progressive strength training), then you
should consume between 109 and 150 grams of protein per day. Carbohydrates are
also needed (in very small amounts, albeit) for bodily function. Further,
carbohydrates help maintain muscle glycogen levels, which aids athletic
performance andmuscular endurance. Additionally, vegetables/fruits are
carbohydrate sources which provide numerous healthbenefits (perhaps due to their
(often) high antioxidant, vitamin, mineral, phytochemical, and polyphenol contents).
Summary:
Fat, carbohydrate, and protein (9, 4, and 4 kcals/gram, respectively) are all
beneficial to consume in some quantity. Eating sufficient protein and calories,
while progressively strength training, promotes muscle growth over time.

Fat:
Some Examples of Healthy Fat Sources
➤Walnuts ➤Cheeses ➤Eggs ➤Fatty Fish
➤Almonds ➤Chia Seeds ➤Avocados ➤(E.g. Salmon,
➤Peanuts ➤Hemp seeds ➤Olive oil ➤Mackerel,
➤Cashews ➤Flax seeds ➤Olives ➤Trout,
➤Sardines ➤Baking Chocolate ➤Dairy Products ➤Or Herring)
Fats are easy to over-consume given their caloric density, thus you should track intake
when consuming fatty foods (such as oils) to ensure that you do not eat more calories
than intended. You may want to consume less than 30% of calories from fat due to its
effects on (post-meal) blood glucose and insulin responses when consumed with
carbohydrates. Additionally, you may want to limit saturated fat intake given its
greater potential for (liver/visceral)fat storage (during overfeeding), compared
to monounsaturated fats, polyunsaturated fats, or medium chain triglycerides (MCTs).
It is likely healthy to supplement fish oil or consume fatty fish (at least 2x per week) to
reap thebenefits of omega 3 (EPA/DHA) consumption (especially considering
its reduced potential for fat storage and potentialto enhance muscle growth).
Lastly, minimize trans fat consumption. Research suggests that eating more trans fats
is associated with higher risk of heart disease, infertility, and diabetes (among
other health detriments), while trans fat consumption is not necessary for bodily
function. As such, you should mostly avoid eating (highly) processed foods,
because processed foods often contain trans fats. Processed foods also have greater
energy availability per calorie (given a lower thermic effect), thus increased potential
to create an energy surplus, thereby resulting in fat storage. Limiting processed food
consumption can also help improve your diet. All considered, it is likely wise to limit
processed food intake.
Summary:
Fats may be easy to over-consume given their caloric density. Saturated fat is
stored (as body fat) more easily than other fats. It is likely beneficial to consume
fatty fish/fish oil regularly. Minimize trans fat and processed food consumption.

Protein:
Some Examples of Good Protein Sources
➤Lean Meats ➤Fish* ➤Egg Whites ➤Protein Powders
➤(E.g. Chicken, ➤(E.g. Flounder, ➤Peanut Flour/ Powder ➤Other protein- enrich
➤Turkey, ➤Tuna, ➤Protein Ice Creams ➤(E.g. Protein Bars,
➤Tilapia, ➤Certain Fatty Fish ➤Greek Yogurt ➤Protein Cookies,
➤Or Shrimp) ➤(E.g. Salmon) ➤Low Fat Dairy Products ➤Or Protein Pastas)
*Moderate fish intake according to these guidelines; 2-3 servings per week is generally
recommended.
Protein sources are highly satiating, thus adding protein to your diet is likely beneficial
for weight loss via hunger reduction, increased thermogenic effect, and decreased
energy efficiency. Additionally, protein helps ensure greater muscle retention (for
equivalent caloric intake) as compared to carbohydrate or fat during weight loss.
Further, eating more protein when “bulking” produces less fat gain despite similar
muscle growth. However, while protein intake permits muscle growth, resistance
training stimulates muscle growth. You won’t grow much muscle by just eating protein
without resistance training.
Summary:
Meat and dairy products are often good protein sources. Protein can suppress
hunger and help you lose weight. Eating more protein can help mitigate fat
gain/improve muscle mass gain/retention.
Carbohydrate:
Some Examples of Nutritious Carbohydrate Sources
➤Bananas ➤Berries ➤Green Leafy Vegetables ➤Brown
➤Brussels Sprouts ➤Carrots ➤Lettuce ➤Grape
➤Potatoes ➤Lentils ➤Celery ➤Kidne
➤Oats ➤Broccoli ➤Peas ➤Chickp
➤Pears ➤Mangoes ➤Green (String) Beans ➤Black
➤Most Vegetables ➤Fruits (Except Avocados) ➤Legumes (Except Peanuts) ➤Bluebe
It may be important to consume a wide variety of carbohydrate sources to ensure that
you meet your micronutrient needs. Micronutrients include calcium, iron, magnesium,
potassium, selenium, sodium, zinc, vitamins A, B6, B12, C, D, E, and K, as well as biotin,
folic acid, niacin, pantothenic acid, riboflavin and thiamin. Eating a widely varied diet
with many of the mentioned foods should help ensure that you consume sufficient
micronutrients. The primary downside to carbohydrate consumption is increased
potential for visceral fat storage if you overfeed (by~ 8% of energy intake) and
consume many (25% of energy intake) calories from fructose (rather than glucose). As
a general guideline, aim to consume less than 50 grams of fructose per day. See high-
fructose foods here.
Summary:
Fruits/vegetables are often good sources of carbohydrates. Carbohydrates tend
to contain many beneficial vitamins, minerals, and phytochemicals. This can
help prevent harmful nutrient deficiencies. Avoid over-consuming fructose to
prevent visceral fat storage when “bulking”.
Alcohol:
I do not recommend consuming alcohol (7 kcals/gram) regularly (especially not when
dieting), because alcohol lacks micronutrients and its consumption may increase
appetite and/or energy intake. You can learn how mitigate alcohol consumption’s ill
effects on body composition here.

Step 4: Set A Goal Weight/Body

Composition
Setting a goal weight and reaching it is associated with successful weight loss
maintenance. Once you’ve established your average body weight and successfully
tracked your macros for multiple weeks, you can adjust your calorie intake to induce
any desired weight loss/gain. However, it may be difficult to assess your energy needs
based on changes in body weight.

Estimating Energy Balance Based On

Changes In Weight:
Researchers once determined that the energy density of adipose tissue is 3,500
kcals/pound, thus many have concluded that a 3,500 calorie reduction should lead to 1
pound of weight loss. The rationale suggests: 1 pound of adipose tissue contains
~3,500 calories, so if you gained a pound of adipose tissue (on average), then you ate
~3,500 calories over maintenance for that time period. If you lost a pound of weight
from exclusively adipose tissue (on average), then you ate ~3,500 calories less than
your maintenance intake.
Unfortunately, this rationale is flawed. Though the scale is useful, changes in energy
balance are difficult to predict based on weight changes alone. This is because fat free
mass (water + protein + glycogen + mineral)/lean body mass(body weight-body fat)
or muscle mass (protein; ~2,135 kcals/pound) is (often, though not necessarily) lost in
concert with fat mass (~4,280 kcals/pound). People can lose bodily organ mass, bone
mass (rarely), connective tissue, body water, and/or glycogen stores (~1,907
kcals/pound) during weight loss. Adipose tissue is ~87% triglyceride, so it actually
contains ~3,725 kcals/pound (rather than 3,500). The rest of adipose tissue
is mostly water. Water (0 calories) can account for ~35–84% of your initial weight
loss. Further, fat free mass can account for ~1/3 of weight loss after 7 months (in the
highly active obese). It is difficult to predict how much lean mass you’ll lose (or gain)
when dieting. Changes in lean mass depend on your diet, physical activity level, body
fat level, sex, and even metabolic health. For example, resistance trainees in this
study gained 4.1 kgs (9.04 lbs) of muscle mass in 12 weeks, despite losing 2.8 kgs (6.17
lbs) of body weight.
Taken together, this means that if you lose ~1.5 pounds (~.68 kgs) of body weight this
week, the composition of this weight loss could be ~35–84% water, 16–73% fat
mass, 0-6.7% muscle mass, and 0-33% glycogen. However, longer term (3-7 months)
weight loss can consist of up to 80–100+% fat mass (with resistance training), or
conversely up to 12.2+% lean mass (with bed rest). Since all bodily tissues (of
varying energy densities) are being gained/lost with changes in body weight, it is
difficult to quantify changes in energy balance based on weight.
Further, metabolic adaptations to dieting involving (perhaps persistent) adaptive
thermogenesis, changes in spontaneous physical activity, altered mitochondrial
efficiency, and hormonal shifts present another dilemma for determining energy
balance. As you lose/gain fat, your body responds by changing hunger levels, food
cravings,movement efficiency, satiety, the thermic effect of feeding, and energy
expenditure. Additionally, weight loss/gain inherently changes your metabolic
rate because a bigger body burns more calories than a smaller one. Many of these
changes promote weight (primarily fat) regain/loss by reducing/increasing energy
expenditure, thus they need be accounted for when setting fitness goals (Note, these
changes are not strong enough to halt weight change; read morehere). Fortunately,
Hall and others created a mathematical model to better predict body weight changes
over time. I will refer to this model throughout the article.
Summary:
Once you’ve established your average body weight and calorie needs, you can
adjust your energy intake to induce any desired weight loss/gain. However, it
may be difficult to assess your energy needs based on changes in body weight.
The “3,500 calorie per pound” guideline is flawed. It is very difficult to quantify
changes in energy balance based on changes in weight. Changes in energy
balance do not seem to contribute much to short-term weight fluctuations. This
is because you lose/gain other bodily tissues with fat mass. Further, energy
expenditure changes with diet over time. Luckily, Hall and others created a
mathematical model to better predict body weight changes over time. I will refer
to this model again.

Weight Loss (“Cutting/Dieting”)

Considerations:
You can use Hall’s model to roughly predict your expected rate of weight loss based on
energy intake, but note that results will vary and dietary adjustments are needed over
time. To lose body fat at the approximate maximal rate (without losing muscle mass),
aim to lose between ~1 and .5 percent of your body weight per week. For somebody
who weighs 150 pounds, this means losing between 1.5 (1%) and .75 (.5%) pounds of
body weight per week. A leaner individual should lose closer to .5 percent of their
body weight per week because the leaner you are, the more likelyyou are to lose
muscle mass when dieting. An overweight individual should lose closer to 1
percent (if strength training; slower weight loss might be better if not) of their body
weight per week because they are less likely to lose muscle mass given a higher body
fat level. The first week or two (~10 days) of dieting will entail more weight loss than
predicted because you also lose water weight (especially if you cut carbohydrates).
Water may account for ~30–60% of the initial weight loss. This water
loss will eventually stabilize if you stick to the diet, then weight loss should proceed
roughly as planned. Again, it is important to track average daily weigh-ins and make
adjustments accordingly over time, as energy expenditure will likely decrease when
dieting. I think it is prudent to wait at least 14 days before making nutritional
adjustments.
Your planned weekly calorie deficit can be achieved with any distribution of
calories throughout the week, so long as the average calorie target is reached. You can
distribute calories however you want to fit your preferences andpromote compliance.
This may entail 5 low calorie days and 2 higher calories days, the inverse, fasting (for
>1 year), 7 days at equal calorie intake, or any other combination of daily intakes so
long as the weekly calorie goal is met (though, fasting for 20+ hours can decrease
anabolic signaling, plus a skewed protein intake results in less muscle protein
synthesis than an even protein distribution; more on this under “secondary
considerations”). It is also fine to take breaks in between periods of
dieting as diet breaks/slower weight loss can lead to better outcomes. You need
notlose all your undesired weight in one continuous diet. Research actually suggests
that planned deviations from your diet can enhance progress, motivation, and
adherence (see more about diet-breaks here or here). Additionally, protein needs
are higher when dieting than when maintaining. In lean resistance trained athletes, a
protein intake of 2.3-3.1 g/kg of lean body mass is most protective against lean mass
losses, but it is difficult to determine your lean body mass. I think a protein intake
of 2.2–3.4 g/kg (1–1.54 g/lb) of body weight should maximize muscle growth and
help reduce hunger.
Summary:
You can roughly predict energy needs with Hall’s model. Aim to lose between .5
and 1% of your body weight per week. You may see a large initial decrease in
weight due to glycogen/water loss (after ~2 weeks of dieting). Weight loss
should better reflect energy balance once weight stabilizes. Any weekly
distribution of energy intake is viable. Maintenance weeks (“diet breaks”) in
between diet periods can improve long-term progress and adherence. A protein
intake of 2.2-3.4 g/kg (1-1.54 g/lb) of body weight should maximize muscle
growth and help reduce hunger.
Weight Gain (“Bulking”) Considerations:
If you want to gain weight and put on muscle mass, then it makes sense to gain ~.5-3
pounds (.23-1.36 kg) of body weight per month while progressively strength training.
You can gain closer to 3 pounds per month as a novice (given greater potential to gain
muscle, even with just “endurance” training), though gain closer to 1 pound per month
as you accrue years of weight lifting experience. If you want to gain muscle and lose fat,
then you should eat in a calorie deficit (or maintenance/slight surplus for a lean
novice) while lifting weights. It is very possible to gain muscle and lose
fat simultaneously (even at a low body fat percentage or in the elderly), especially as
a novice weightlifter. Muscle gain is likely optimized in a caloric surplus because a
higher calorie intake is associated with greater lean body mass gains (and rapid weight
loss impairs protein synthesis (in lean men), as does 10 days of ~20% energy deficit). I
don’t recommend aggressive weight gain unless you are comfortable gaining body fat,
because a faster rate of weight gaindoesn’t induce much faster muscle gain, despite
much greater fat gains (in athletes). I recommend you consume roughly equal calories
each day (±200 kcals) when bulking, but you can eat more calories on training days
and fewer on rest days if you meet your average weekly calorie goal. Just as
your metabolic rate can decrease with weight loss, it can increase with weight gain, so
you may need a higher calorie intake than anticipated to gain weight as planned.
Overfeeding on ≥3 g/kg (1.36 g/lb) protein per day produces less fat gain than an
intake of ≤2.6 g/kg (1.18 g/lb), despite similar muscle growth. This suggests that it is
prudent to consume ≥3 g/kg (1.36 g/lb) protein per day when bulking. If this protein
intake is not feasible, then consume closer to 1.76 g/kg (0.80 g/lb) and fewer total
calories for similar results. Lastly, avoid over-consuming saturated fat or fructose
given their greater potential for visceral fat storage.
Summary:
You can roughly predict energy needs with Hall’s model. Aim to gain between .5-
3 pounds (.23-1.36 kg) of body weight per month. Muscle growth (drug-free) is
a very slow process. A caloric surplus likely optimizes muscle gain, though
an aggressive surplus may lead to excess fat gain. Any weekly distribution of
energy intake is viable. It is prudent to consume ≥3 g/kg (1.36 g/lb) protein per
day when bulking to minimize fat gain. If this is not possible, then consume
closer to 1.76 g/kg (0.80 g/lb) and fewer total calories. Avoid over-consuming
saturated fat or fructose to prevent visceral fat storage when bulking.

Step 5: Determine Your Ideal

Calorie and Macronutrient Intakes
(With Calculator)
Calorie Target:
You determine your maintenance calorie intake by averaging your daily calorie intakes
and weights over time. If you have maintained weight, then the average calorie intake
over that period is approximately your maintenance intake. Keep in mind that your
maintenance calorie intake changes over time with changes in food intake and body
weight. Your maintenance intake will decrease with weight loss and increase slightly
with weight gain. Closely tracking your food intake and weight allows you to notice
these changes and adjust accordingly. You can roughly approximate your energy needs
by entering the relevant information here (note this is an estimate at best).

Protein Target:
Multiply your bodyweight (in pounds) by .73–1.5 (intakes as high as 2 grams per
pound/4.4 grams per kilogram seem safe). This is your ideal range for protein intake if
you exercise. As low as .55 grams per pound may be acceptable if youdo not exercise
(and aren’t elderly), but this will not optimize body composition. If you have a low
maintenance calorie intake, then eating closer to .73 grams/lb may promote better
adherence, and vice-versa if you have a higher maintenance (though much less than
this may compromise muscle growth). It is prudent to avoid increasing protein intake
by too much, too quickly, given some potential for altered kidney function. Protein
consumption is otherwiseunlikely to harm you if you have healthy kidneys. I think it is
prudent to consume as high as 1.5 grams of protein per pound of body weight, because
1.5 grams per pound (3.3 g/kg) seems to inhibit fat storage when overfeeding (as
compared to an intake of 1.2 grams/lb (2.6 g/kg)), without compromising muscle
growth (though only .73-1 gram/lb(1.6-2.2g/kg) (is needed to maximize muscle
growth when maintaining weight/overfeeding). Further, when dieting, it is beneficial
to consume between 1 and 1.4 grams of protein per pound of body weight (2.3-3.1
g/kg) to maximize muscle mass retention.

Fat Target:
Consume 50-160 grams of fat per day on average. Those with lower energy
expenditures can consume closer to 50 grams, while others can consume closer to 160
grams. A fat intake of 15–30% of calories intake should promote proper hormonal
function and dietary adherence if this fat intake also falls between 50 and 160 grams.
Feel free to eat more/less fat or carbohydrate in accordance with your preferences
and/or goals (s0 long as intake of any individual macronutrient remains above the
recommended minimum).

Carbohydrate Target:
Allow the rest of your calories to come from carbohydrate. Any carbohydrate intake
from 40-350 grams is probably fine for most. Athletes may want to consume 4–7
grams per kilogram (1.8-3.18 grams per pound) of bodyweight in carbohydrates.
Consume at least 14 grams of fiber per every 1,000 calories, given fiber’s health
benefits, its association with greater weight losses/appetite reduction, and
its potential to decrease energy intake. Focus on eating morefibrous foods to hit this
fiber goal and reap other associated health benefits. Feel free to eat more/less fat or
carbohydrate in accordance with your preferences and/or goals (so long as intake of
any individual macronutrient remains above the recommended minimum).

Macro Calculator:
ESTIMATE YOUR ENERGY NEEDS HERE (note this is a rough estimate at best).

Calculate Your Macros:

ENTER YOUR ESTIMATED
ENERGY/CALORIE NEEDS
(LIKELY 1200-3500 KCALS/DAY):
ENTER YOUR BODY WEIGHT
IN LBS: (KGS*2.204)
HOW MUCH PROTEIN (GRAMS/LB BODY WEIGHT)?
ENTER A DECIMAL GREATER THAN .5;
I SUGGEST .73-1.5:
WHAT PERCENTAGE OF CALORIES FROM FAT?
ENTER A DECIMAL GREATER THAN .1;
I SUGGEST .15-.3:
DAILY AVERAGE PROTEIN TARGET:
DAILY AVERAGE FAT TARGET:

DAILY AVERAGE CARBOHYDRATE TARGET:

Putting It All Together (Practical

Examples):
The above calculator assigns your average daily macro targets. These should be your
daily macro averages for the week (±20-30g protein or carbohydrate/day; ±10-15g
fat/day). This does not mean that you need to hit these macro targets every day, but at
the end of the week these should be your average macros. For best results, I
recommend consuming most of your macros from many of the protein, fat, and
carbohydrate sources listed in this article (as this should prevent micronutrient
deficiency). Disclaimer: The specifics of my practical examples are merely possible
applications of the information outlined above. Individual results may vary and you
should personalize your approach to fit your needs/preferences.
Terms:
Going forward, when “untrained” refers to the period after ~24 hours post-workout.
When “trained” refers to the period within 24 hours post-workout.

Cutting:
When cutting, feel free to take a 1:1-2 diet:maintenance weeks ratio. This
seems very effective and might allow for better adherence because you won’t need to
worry about weight loss weekly. Note: if taking this approach, you will probably
regain water weight upon beginning the maintenance week. This likely isn’t fat gain,
thus you shouldn’t worry because your weight will stabilize, then you’ll lose this water
rapidly in your next diet week.
A convenient method is to consume roughly your calculated macros 7 days/week
(±20-25 grams of protein/carbohydrate and ±10-15 grams of fat per day). This is a
simple, yet very effective approach.
Another approach entails consuming the same amount of protein daily, but allowing
your carbohydrate, fat, and/or calorie intakes to vary throughout the week. This is at
least as effective as the first option. Typically, this entails eating more calories on
resistance training days and fewer on rest days. For example, if you train 3x per week,
then you might only consume protein and vegetables (low calories) when untrained,
then consume all other calories around your 3 workouts. This might help improve
muscle growth over time because it provides more calories when your muscles can
best use them for recovery/growth, but this is merely speculation. I have not seen
research on this approach. I only recommend this approach to serious resistance
trainees or bodybuilders. In my experience, this works best if you train at least 4x
weekly. Example:
A third viable approach entails fasting for a few (non-consecutive) days and then
eating higher (maintenance) calories for the rest of the week. Alternate day fasting
seems just as effective as linear dieting, though it doesn’t theoretically maximize
muscle growth (see meal timing/frequency section). I think this is an extreme
approach, but it can certainly work, so if you don’t mind fasting for a few days per
week, this allows you to eat normally on non-fasting days. Ideally, do not fast on
resistance training days.
The 5:2 diet is another effective approach. It entails eating very few calories 2x per
week, then eating normally for the remaining 5 days. This approach is not mutually
exclusive from the previous 2, but it differs as you need not prioritize protein intake on
diet days. A setup of 4:3, 3:4, 1:6, 6:1, or any other maintenance:diet ratio can work.
This won’t optimize muscle growth unless you maintain daily protein intake, but it can
work very well.
A final approach is a 2:5 diet setup. This entails eating lower calories 5x per week, then
eating normally for 2 days. This approach works well if you anticipate you’ll overeat on
the weekends. It is likely not optimal for muscle growth, but this can also work.
Summary:
Any weekly distribution of calories can work well for fat loss if you reach your
weekly calorie and macronutrient goals. Scheduling “diet breaks” to interrupt
the diet process may help adherence over time. It is prudent to maintain a stable
protein intake and bias calories around resistance training sessions. Some
prefer higher and lower calorie days within the diet week, but hitting the same
macros daily is effective too.

Cutting Examples:
Let’s assume that your macronutrient targets are 150g protein, 250g carbohydrate,
and 70g fat (2,230 kcals/day). If taking the first approach, you would simply consume
these macronutrient amounts every day (±20 grams of protein/carbohydrate and ±10
grams of fat/day).
If taking the second approach and training 4x per week, you might consume 150g
protein, 30g carbohydrate, and 15g fat when untrained (3 days/week), then consume
150g protein, 415g carbohydrate, and 111g fat (4x/week) when trained. This results in
the same weekly average calorie intake, but biases calories around training sessions.
The 5:2 approach (with protein intake prioritized) might entail 2 days at 120g protein,
20g carbohydrate, and 10g fat when untrained, then 162g protein, 342g carbohydrate,
and 94g fat when trained/on other days. Alternatively, you could fast 2 days/week (0
kcals) and eat more over the rest of the week. Ideally, fasting when untrained, then
consuming 210g protein, 350g carbohydrate, and 98g fat 5 days/week (especially if
you’re resistance training).
In the 2:5 approach, you might consume 150g protein, 30g carbohydrate, and 20g fat 5
days/week, then consume 150g protein, 800g carbohydrate, and 195g fat 2
days/week. This approach would theoretically work best if training infrequently (e.g.
full body workouts 2x/week) or not training. If you tend to overeat ~2x/week anyway,
then this setup may suit you best.
As you can see, these approaches are not mutually exclusive and any weekly
distribution of calories can work. You can reasonably allow ±20-25 grams on
protein/carbohydrate per day and ±10-15 grams of fat per day without drastically
altering results. If you happen to overeat on carbohydrate, then try to under-consume
fat in compensation, and vice-versa. Ideally, try to maintain a relatively constant daily
protein intake (if resistance training, especially).
Summary:
Try to hit your daily macro targets within ±20-25 grams of
protein/carbohydrate and ±10-15 grams of fat per day. Various dietary
approaches can work well. Some examples are outlined above.

Bulking:
I only recommended bulking if you consistently and progressively lift weights. Bulking
without any (resistance training) stimulus for muscle growth only results in undesired
fat gain.
That said, if you’re resistance training, the simple yet effective approach is still to
consume the same macros daily.
The second approach is similarly viable when bulking. This entails eating large calorie
surpluses around resistance training sessions (x days/week) and minor/aggressive
calorie deficits when untrained. The less frequently you train, the larger the
discrepancy in calories between training and rest days. This protocol is
again, theoretically optimal, but perhaps impractical for some. If training infrequently
(e.g. 2x/week), this entails 2 very high calorie days (e.g. 180% of maintenance calorie
needs) and 5 lower calorie rest days (e.g. 68% of maintenance needs; mostly from
protein). If training frequently (e.g. 5x/week), this calls for 5 higher calorie days (e.g.
120% of energy needs) and 2 lower calorie rest days (e.g. 50% of maintenance;
primarily from protein). This might help improve muscle growth over time because it
provides more calories when your muscles can best use them for recovery/growth, but
this is merely speculation. I have not seen research on this approach. Again, I only
recommend this to serious bodybuilders looking to maximize muscle growth. For most
people (especially novice trainees), the former method is more practical and (likely)
similarly effective. Example:

Summary:
I only recommend bulking for resistance trainees. Eating the same macros each
day can work; as can eating fewer calories when untrained and vice versa.

Bulking Examples:
Say your bulking macros are 260g protein, 300g carbohydrate, and 80g fat (2,960
kcals/day). Taking the first approach, you consume roughly these macros (±20-25g
pro/carb; ±10-15g fat) every day, with perhaps slightly higher intakes around training
and slightly lower intakes when untrained (±200 kcals/day).
With the second approach, say you train 5x per week. You would ideally consume
~3,550 kcals/day when trained and ~1,480 kcals/day when untrained. This is best
accomplished by consuming roughly 260g protein, 50g carbohydrate, and 27g fat
when untrained, then eating 260g protein, 400g carbohydrate, and 101g fat when
trained.
Taking the second approach while training 2x/week (with the same macros) entails
consuming ~5,330 kcals/day when trained, and ~2,010 kcals/day when untrained.
This is accomplished by eating 260g protein, 129g carbohydrate, and 50g fat 5x/week
(untrained), then consuming 260g protein, 727g carbohydrate, and 155g fat 2x/week
(when trained).
The latter method can work for any training frequency, but the examples of 2 and
5x/week seem to roughly capture both ends of the calorie cycling spectrum. This can
work if training anywhere from 1 to 6 times per week.
Summary:
The more often you train, the less drastic the differences in your daily macros (if
calorie cycling). If training 0x or 7x per week, then there is no need for calorie
cycling. Examples are outlined above.

Step 6: Making Adjustments

Unfortunately, at some point, hitting your macros will fail to elicit intended results. At
this point, you need further adjustments to spur progress (weight loss/gain). I usually
recommend determining your approximate maintenance intake before making
adjustments, but those extremely anxious to lose fat might benefit from acting more
quickly. I will give general guidelines, but acknowledge that your “maintenance intake”
is a moving target. Maintenance intake is difficult to determine because it changes over
time. Ultimately, an adjustment’s efficacy depends on consuming sufficiently
more/fewer calories than your maintenance, so knowing your approximate
maintenance helps.
If you are okay with gaining some fat in the process of gaining more muscle mass, then
it makes sense to bulk. If you think you need to lose fat, then cut, as you may still
gain/maintain muscle mass with resistance training.
Summary:
Eventually, progress stalls and you need to make adjustments. Knowing your
approximate maintenance calorie needs will improve the efficacy of
adjustments. Bulk if you are okay with gaining some fat in the process of
building muscle. Cut if you want to lose fat and maintain/slightly increase
muscle mass.

Initial Adjustment For Cutting:

Novice Lifters/General Public:
For a novice lifter beginning to resistance train, I recommend eating 0-500 kcals/day
(on average) below maintenance intake. As a novice lifter, you are likely to lose fat and
build muscle simultaneously, thus you should roughly maintain calorie intake to
support muscle growth, while it’s as fast as it’s ever going to be. Even if you do not lose
weight, there’s a good chance that you’ve built muscle and lost fat at a similar rate.
When cutting, generally aim to lose .5-1% of your body weight per week.
The leaner you are, the fewer calories you should cut to elicit this weight loss, and vice-
versa. You can estimate your body fat % here (±~1-3% body fat) to determine how
much weight you should aim to lose/week. You can approximate your appropriate
weight loss target using the calculator below. The suggested calorie reductions should
produce approximately this rate of weight loss.
If you are “athletic”, then don’t cut calories at all.
Cut calories by 100-300/day if you’re “fit”.
Cut 200-400 kcals/day if you are “acceptable”.
Reduce calories by 500/day if you “obese”.
Calculate Your Ideal Weight Loss Target
(Estimate Your Body Fat % HERE):
Ideal Rate of Weekly Weight Loss:
WEIGHT (LBS/KGS)
BODY FAT % (#)
IDEAL WEIGHT LOSS TARGET/WEEK (IN LBS/KGS)

Advanced Lifters/Athletes:
For a more advanced lifter (i.e. you can no longer add weight to most exercises every
1-2 workouts), I recommend cutting 300-1,000 kcals/day on average. Resistance
training should allow you to at least maintain/slightly increase muscle mass
throughout the dieting period.
Again, the leaner you are the fewer calories you should cut. Lose closer ~1% of body
weight per week if you are closer to “obese”, and lose more like .5% if you are closer
to “athletic”.
If you are “athletic”, then reduce calories by 300-400/day.
Cut calories by 400-600/day if you’re “fit”.
Cut 500-800 kcals/day if you are “acceptable”.
Reduce calories by 900-1,000/day if you are “obese”.
These are just general guidelines that tend to produce the desired .5-1% average body
weight loss per week (in my experience). You might need to cut calories by more/less
to begin with, but these numbers should work well for most. Again, the effectiveness of
these recommendations depends on the accuracy of your estimated maintenance
calorie intake. Note: the first week of dieting entails more weight loss, especially if you
cut mostly carbohydrates, so expect an additional 1-3 lbs (.45-1.36 kgs) of water
weight loss early on. Expect that this weight will come back upon returning to
maintenance intake; this is not fat gain.
Summary:
The higher your body fat %, the faster you can lose fat and vice versa. Cut calorie
intake as outlined above (by 0-1,000 kcals/day on average for most), to lose
from .5-1% of your body weight per week. The first week of dieting will entail
water loss, and a week of maintenance will replenish this water weight loss. This
is expected and should not be mistaken for fat gain/loss. It helps to know your
maintenance calorie intake before making adjustments.
Further Adjustments For Cutting:
If you’ve followed the above recommendations and lost .5-1% of body weight for
multiple weeks, but weight loss has stalled before you’ve lost all undesired fat, then I
recommend taking a “diet break” (period of 2-4 weeks at maintenance intake). This
allows you to establish your new baseline maintenance calorie intake, body weight,
and body fat %, while offsetting any metabolic adaptations to dieting. Once you
establish these new baseline values, then see “Initial Adjustments For Cutting” above
and follow directions again.
If you’ve followed the above recommendations for weeks and haven’t lost any weight
(with daily weigh-ins as detailed above), then 1 or more of the following has
happened:
1. Your estimated maintenance intake was higher than your actual maintenance
intake (or your maintenance intake has decreased with your energy intake).
2. You’ve been eating more calories than you think (e.g. perhaps your food logging is
inaccurate).
3. You’ve lost fat while building just as much muscle, and thus haven’t lost weight.
4. You’re retaining water and you’ve lost fat, but water weight has masked this fat
loss. This generally occurs after some initial weight loss.
5. You haven’t been weighing in daily, so you are misled about your average body
weight over time.
If the issue is 1, 2, or both, then you need to reduce calorie intake to elicit weight loss.
You have to be sure you weigh in daily to verify that 5 is not misleading you. If you
suspect case 4 is the issue, then take a diet break and your body weight should
decrease a bit. Reason 3 is not really a problem, but this is likely not the case if you
are truly a advanced lifter. Case 3 is most likely if you made a less aggressive calorie
reduction and have simultaneously progressed well in the gym. If that has happened,
then disregard the scale readings because you’ve likely lost fat despite not losing
weight.
Summary:
There are various reasons why weight loss may not occur (see above). If weight
loss stalls after an extended period of successful weight loss, then take a diet
break. If weight loss never took place, then you likely need to reduce calories to
elicit weight loss, but see above for more nuance.

Initial Adjustment For Bulking:

Novice Resistance Trainee/General Public:
For a lean, novice lifter, I suggest eating 300-400 kcals/day above maintenance intake.
This should produce ~2-3 lbs of weight gain per month, which is roughly as fast as you
can build muscle over the first few months of your lifting career.
Intermediate Resistance Trainee:
As an intermediate trainee (i.e. you can make lifting progress weekly, but not as
quickly as you used to), consume 150-300 kcals/day over maintenance intake to gain
~1-2.5 lbs/month. This rate of weight gain is more appropriate as you become more
advanced and training progress slows over time. Gain weight at a slower rate as it
becomes increasingly difficult to progress from week to week.
Advanced Resistance Trainee:
As an advanced trainee (i.e. you can, perhaps barely, progress from month to month), I
recommend consuming 50-150 kcals/day over maintenance intake to gain ~.4-1
lb/month. Gaining faster than this is more likely to result in excess fat gain, because
muscle growth is extremely slow for an advanced trainee.
Disclaimer: The above recommendations are based on my experience. These
recommendations seem to be in line with the literature cited earlier in the article, but
individual results may vary. Feel free to experiment with other approaches if you
disagree with my recommendations.
Summary:
The ideal rate of weight gain slows down the longer you’ve been lifting weights.
A beginner can gain weight faster than an intermediate or advanced trainee.
Muscle growth is slow over time and likely optimized in a calorie surplus. Gain
~.5-3 lbs (.23-1.36 kgs)/month depending on your training status.

Further Adjustments For Bulking:

If you adjust as instructed above and are not gaining weight quickly enough, then 1 or
more of the following has occurred:
1. Your estimated maintenance intake was lower than your actual maintenance intake
(or, your maintenance intake has increased unexpectedly given a higher calorie
intake).
2. You’ve been eating fewer calories than you think (e.g. perhaps your food logging is
inaccurate).
3. You’ve lost fat while building as much muscle, and thus haven’t gained weight.
4. You haven’t been weighing in daily, so you are misled about your average body
weight over time.
If 1, 2, or 3 is the case, then you’ll need to increase calories to gain weight
appropriately. Weigh in daily to make sure that you know the general trends of your
average weigh-ins over time.
If you adjusted as instructed above and gained weight too quickly (while noting
average trends in daily weight), then you’ll need to reduce calorie intake to gain at the
appropriate rate. Potential reasons for gaining weight too quickly include:
1. You’ve overestimated your maintenance intake and thus consumed too many
calories.
2. You’ve underestimated your calorie intake and consumed too many calories.
3. You’re actually gaining appropriately but you aren’t weighing in daily and thus do
not realize.
Summary:
Be sure to weigh in daily. If you’re not gaining weight quickly enough, then you
likely need to increase calorie intake. If you’re gaining weight too quickly then
you probably need to decrease calorie intake. See above for more nuance.
Secondary Considerations (these
are less important, but still matter)
 Carbohydrate vs. Fat:
Macronutrient ratios do not seem to make much difference for body composition.
Carbohydrate and fat are the body’s primary fuel sources and they can (mostly) be
utilized interchangeably. This means that consuming morecarbohydrate or fat will not
majorly affect body composition/weight loss if protein and calorie intakes are
matched. The only difference between the diets would be bodily
water and glycogen levels (as lower carbohydrate diets will induce water and glycogen
losses).

 Supplements:
Supplements are not necessary, though they may be helpful depending on your goals.
Consider supplements to be a “cherry on top” of your diet and lifestyle; an
afterthought. Not even the best muscle building supplements will improve your
appearance unless paired with proper nutrition and strength training. A protein
supplement can help if you exercise regularly and otherwise struggle to consume
enough protein. Specifically, whey protein supplementation can
help improve recovery from resistance training, as well as body composition, but any
other protein supplement can be effective. Additionally, I recommend supplementing 5
grams of creatine monohydrate per day, as this might
help reduce depression, enhance brain energetics, increase muscle growth, and
improve certain types of athleticperformance. As mentioned, fish oil may be worth
supplementing if you do not consume enough fatty fish (see why under “fat”). It is
advisable to supplement 5-15 grams of collagen/gelatin pre-workout to promote
tissue repair and joint health. Further, consuming ~30 milliliters of vinegar before
meals can improve the post-meal blood glucose response, thus
perhaps improving health. Lastly, I recommend chewing sugar-free gum given
its beneficial effects onappetite, anxiety, concentration, attention, and dental health.
Any other supplement considerations depend on your specific goals. I recommend
using Examine.com to research supplements and their potential uses. I suggest
researching the quality of specific brands/products on Labdoor.com.
Potentially Useful Supplements (See Examine.com):
➤Collagen/Gelatin ➤Sugar-Free Gum ➤Vinegar ➤Protein
➤Multivitamin ➤Caffeine ➤Taurine ➤N-acetylcy
➤Glycine ➤Citrulline Malate ➤Beta-Alanine ➤Vitamin D
➤Uridine ➤CDP-choline ➤Bacopa Monnieri ➤Alpha-GP
➤Pycnogenol ➤Terminalia Arjuna ➤Rhodiola Rosea ➤Ashwagan
➤Blueberries ➤Zinc ➤Magnesium ➤Iron
➤Lavender ➤Curcumin ➤Melatonin ➤Cherries
➤Nitrate ➤Garlic ➤Creatine ➤Fish Oil

 Organic vs. Conventional:

Organic and conventional foods should produce similar health outcomes. Nutritional
contents of organic and conventional crops do not seem to differ much, thus, it
logically holds that they produce similar health/body composition outcomes.

 Meal (Protein) Timing/Frequency:

Eating 3-6 protein feedings per day works well for most people. Eat fewer meals if you
enjoy eating larger meals. Aim for at least 20-40 grams of protein per meal (.4-.6
grams/kg; .18-.27 grams/lb); spread throughout the day (every 3-4 hours and pre-
bed over 4+ meals) to maximize muscle protein synthesis (if desired). If exercising, try
to consume pre and post-workout meals within 4 to 6 hours of each other. Time
restricted feeding (intermittent fasting) is also a viable eating pattern for muscle mass
maintenance, though this may not be optimal as it is not perfectly in line with the
above recommendations. Hitting your total average daily protein and calorie intake is
of utmost importance, regardless of meal timing/frequency.
Try to maintain roughly consistent meal timing and frequency (±1.5 hours). This
promotes improvements in circadian rhythm, better metabolic responses to feeding,
a higher thermic effect of feeding (more calories burned), and more consistent weigh-
ins. Consistent meal timing is also associated with successful weight loss maintenance.
That said, even alternate day fasting (ADF) seems safe and similarly effective for
changing body composition/health (at least in the short term), thus meal timing is of
less importance. A good compromise between ADF and consistent meal times
is alternate day caloric restriction or protein sparing modified fasting (PSMF). This
entails eating very few calories for a few days weekly, though it allows you to maintain
consistent meal timing and frequency. Alternate-day “fasting” (75% energy restriction)
promotes more protein consumption compared to chronic 25% energy restriction,
thus it seems better for lean mass retention. Consequently, an alternate-day PSMF is
theoretically better for body composition, because it promotes much greater protein
consumption than traditional ADF. However, potential drawbacks to the PSMF are risk
of micronutrient deficiency, cold intolerance, dizziness, fatigue, dry skin, and
constipation during the diet.
 Behavioral Considerations:
 Don’t feel guilty about eating “junk food” occasionally. The majority of your diet
should consist of nutritious food sources outlined above, but incorporating your
favorite foods is fine if you aren’t doing so to your health’s detriment. The diet
should be set up to promote long-term adherence. Adopting a flexible mindset is
key tomaintaining long-term dietary success. The flexible mindset is a “gradual
approach to eating, dieting, and weight in which, for example, ‘fattening’ foods are
eaten in limited quantities without feelings of guilt.” Flexible restraintis associated
with lower disinhibition, lower BMI, less frequent/severe binge eating episodes,
lower self-reported energy intake, and a higher probability of successful weight
reduction after 1-year. For example, one study found that specifically restricting
bread in 1 of 2 otherwise identical diet groups decreased adherence and increased
attrition. Therefore, for best results, drop the rigid perspective of being “on or
off” the diet and deeming foods “good or bad”. You must realize that dietary
changes are lifestyle changes and one especially good/bad day should not
drastically alter your long-term eating behavior. It is also fine to take
breaks in between periods of dieting as slower weight loss can
 lead to better outcomes. Research actually suggests that planned deviations from
your diet can enhance progress, motivation, and adherence, rather than interfere.
 Regulate your food environment to promote healthy habits. Only purchase foods
you truly intend to consume. Having lower calorie/no foods on your kitchen
counter is associated with lower weight and BMI, perhaps because having less food
around disincentivizes overconsumption. If the food isn’t around, then you can’t eat
it. I think this speech highlights the power of a great food environment.
 Don’t eat if you aren’t hungry. Eating in hunger’s absence may increase drive to
overeat and loss of control over eating. To that point, eating when not
hungry seems to promote weight gain in young girls. Further, eating without
hunger is associated with excess adiposity (to an even greater degree) in boys.
 Liquid calories are less satiating than those from whole foods, so try not to drink
calories if you want to lose weight, and vice versa. Further, adding calories
(carbohydrate from dextrose or fat from olive oil) to a whey protein beverage does
not seem to increase satiety compared to drinking protein alone. To learn more
about which foods are likely to suppress hunger, see the satiety index or search for
a specific food here.
 Practice mindfulness when eating to reduce energy intake. Eating when rushed
or distracted by other events can lead to overconsumption. Additionally, eating
from a larger bowl or taking larger portions often increases energy intake.
Therefore, consciously taking smaller portions and regulating the environment in
which you eat can help you decrease energy intake, promoting weight loss (or vice
versa if bulking).
 Sleep:
It is crucial to ensure sufficient sleep. Sleep deprivation is
consistently associated with obesity and evidence suggests apartly causal link. Studies
often report increased energy intake and weight gain after acute sleep deprivation.
Additionally, a crossover trial found higher energy intakes and increased abdominal
adiposity in children who slept less. This is plausible since sleep deprivation seems to
increase hunger/appetite, decrease satiety, reduce spontaneous physical activity
levels, increase cravings (for carbohydrate-rich foods), and increase energy dense food
consumption. Further, sleep deprivation can worsen nutrient partitioning,
increasing lean mass loss when dieting. Ensuring sufficient sleep is thus needed to
optimize body composition, and likely health. Read more on sleep here, here,
andhere (1, 2).
 Exercise:
As mentioned above, resistance training is the primary stimulus for
muscle hypertrophy and exercise helps maintainfat-free mass. Staying physically
active is conducive to general health. Walking more often (see more here) and
scheduling exercise can help you move more. There are also many health benefits to
strength training (perhaps even without performance improvements). Physical
activity might help mitigate stress too. Exercise can therefore help with weight
loss/weight-loss maintenance by maintaining lean mass levels, improving health, and
reducing stress.
 Stress:
There are many associations between mental stress/depression/anxiety and weight
gain/obesity. Chronic stress increases your risk for weight (specifically visceral fat)
gain due to brain interactions, increased preference forpalatable foods, and mood-
induced emotional eating. More than 80% of Americans (as of 2013) report being
stressed at work, so this consideration is potentially valid, as the prevalence of
abdominal obesity is increasing every generation. Therefore, those with body
composition goals should manage stress to facilitate weight loss.

FAQ And Further Reading



o This article may answer any other potential concerns about nutrition/weight
loss.
 Aren’t carbohydrates/sugars/insulin
spikes responsible for fat storage?
Briefly, almost certainly not. This article provides a comprehensive answer to the
question.

 Does protein quality matter?

Coming soon.

 Why do you give strict macronutrient

ranges for fat and carbohydrate intake?
These ranges are based on what I think works well for the vast majority of people. The
ranges are very wide for this reason. If your carbohydrate or fat needs fall outside of
my recommended range, this is okay. My recommended range should work for the
majority of people in most cases, but if it doesn’t work for you, then don’t follow my
guidelines. The recommendations are “safe bets”.

 What about the ketogenic diet?

A ketogenic diet restricts carbohydrate intake to under 50 grams per day. The
ketogenic diet is viable, though it likely isn’t superior to any other dietary approach. If
you want to learn more about keto, I refer you to Adam Tzur’s literature review series
on the ketogenic diet. In part 1, his team addresses the pros and cons of the ketogenic
diet for fat loss, muscle gain, and exercise performance. In part 2, they investigate the
risk of bias in ketogenic diet research and conflicts of interest among various
researchers. In part 3, they look into the ketogenic diet’s effects on appetite and
hunger. Overall, it seems that the ketogenic diet results in similar fat loss, greater lean
mass loss, similar or slightly inferior athletic performance, and reduced hunger when
compared to higher carbohydrate diets.
 What if I am on a vegan/vegetarian
diet?
Coming soon.

 What about artificial sweeteners?

Coming soon.

 Don’t the calorie contents of most foods

often differ from the values on the
nutritional label? Does this render
macro tracking useless?
The calorie contents of most foods typically differ from the nutritional information on
the label. As Precision Nutrition points out in this article, any food’s nutritional
composition can differ from the label’s values by up to 50%. Such a large margin of
error is worrying. This means that a food labelled at 150 calories, really has 130-180
calories, and you never know the exact calorie amount. Further, we use calories to
digest our food (the thermic effect of feeding), thus we don’t absorb all calories from
food we eat. Worse, this difference in thermic effect varies from food to food. This adds
a ~10% error to a food’s calorie count. Additionally, the cooking method distorts the
calorie content of a given food, increasing the calorie discrepancy by up to 90%. Even
worse, there is interindividual variability in calorie absorption from foods. Thus,
depending on your gut bacteria, you can absorb more or less calories than another
person from the same exact food. Finally, people are often horrible at estimating
portion sizes. For example, you may easily mistake 2 tablespoons of peanut butter for
1 tablespoon.
Doesn’t this render macro tracking futile? Fortunately, Greg Nuckols addresses these
concerns in this article, and determines that the above is practically irrelevant. In
reality, calorie content variations in various foods balance out, resulting in a lot of
noise, but an accurate average calorie estimation (over time). Luckily, the differences
in thermic effects of various foods do not contribute enough error to make meaningful
differences, and the average thermic effects of food eventually balance out too.
Further, your calorie absorption efficiency remains similar based on your gut bacteria
(assuming you eat the same foods). Additionally, if you use a food scale
(see here or here), human estimation error is mostly avoided. Macro tracking works
over time because even if the last food you ate had 50 calories more than anticipated,
the next 5 foods you eat might have 10 calories less than expected. If not today, then
eventually, your calorie intake tends to reflect your estimates, because food label
errors don’t all skew in the same direction, thus they usually average out. Even if
everything you ate (for 1 month) had more/less calories than you guessed, with daily
weigh-ins, you could notice any changes in average weight and adjust calorie intake
accordingly thereafter.

Bonus Consideration: Seek

progress, not perfection
Reference: http://jamanetwork.com/journals/jama/fullarticle/1900510
In order to sustain fitness success, you’ll need to integrate this nutritional knowledge
into practice. Nutrition can be overwhelming at first. Do not take an “all or nothing”
approach to macro tracking. It takes time to master the basics of tracking food intake,
but the skill proves highly useful for long-term health and body composition
maintenance. Again, you cannot manage what you cannot measure. If you don’t know
what your intake is, then you can’t make reasonable changes to produce reliable
results. That’s why macro tracking is a great first step to reaching your health/fitness
goals. Not every week will be successful, and not every weigh-in will be a new low, but
persistence and consistency over time pays off (by improving quality of life and
psychological health). Establishing proper eating habits and a healthy body weight
often means overhauling your lifestyle. This is certainly a difficult task as only ~20%of
the overweight maintain long-term weight loss. Though weight loss/gain is
challenging, it can be sustained with persistent effort. Habit change doesn’t happen
overnight, nor should you expect it to. Failures will bother you, but never let your
failures convince you to quit. Even if you fail every week for the first year of attempted
weight loss, if you keep trying to improve, then you will eventually succeed. You need
to sustain your dietary habits for the rest of your life, otherwise any health
improvements/weight loss will regress over time. This means that even if it takes you
5 years to establish proper nutrition and lifestyle habits, then you will have another
~30-60 years to benefit from your efforts. You will never be perfect, nor will anybody
else, but luckily you’ll never need to be. Your reaction to imperfection reflects your
long-term results. You won’t succeed if you think, “I’m a failure, I quit”. It is likely
better to think: “I messed up, but if x, y, or z had been different, then I wouldn’t have. I
can correct this error and adjust to ensure that this won’t happen again.” The latter
approach ensures success because you consistently seek improvement. The former
approach ensures failure because it accepts helplessness and weakness. You may be
weak, but you can always be better, and you are never helpless. Think about your
weight loss goals with the long-term in mind and establish a healthy lifestyle for
sustained fitness success. The fitness lifestyle is a marathon; not a sprint.
Uova bollite
Burro d’arachidi
Semi di zucca
Fiocchi di latte
Broccoli
Quinoa
Asparagi (molto poco)
Piselli
Cavolfiore (molto poco)
Avena