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I eat a low-carb diet and do HIIT every day to lose body fat and
gain muscle. A dietitian said to eat more protein and carbs and
incorporate rest days and strength training into my routine.

Rachel Hosie Apr 13, 2022, 8:29 PM

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Adding rice to a meal of chicken and veggies would help Puteri hit her fitness goals, dietitian Nichola Ludlam-
Raine said.
OLOS/Shutterstock

A 34-year-old woman submitted an average day of eating to be reviewed for

Insider's Nutrition Clinic.

She told Insider she wants to lose fat and gain muscle, and she works out daily.

A dietitian said she should eat more protein and fiber, and do less HIIT.

If you'd like to have your diet reviewed by an expert, fill out this form. 

The advice in this article isn't a substitute for a professional medical diagnosis or
treatment.

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Puteri, 34, submitted her eating routine for Insider's Nutrition Clinic, where qualified
dietitians offer advice on readers' eating habits.

She told Insider her goals are to reduce her body fat percentage and gain muscle.

Puteri, who asked that we use only her first name, said she works out every day,
usually doing HIIT or tabata and a five-kilometer run or rope skipping for 30 minutes,
early morning or late evening. She works a 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. desk job and takes a day
off only when she doesn't have time to exercise.

Puteri said she lost weight during the pandemic — at first she crash dieted and lost
about 20 pounds in eight months, but now she tries to eat a low-carb, high-protein
diet, she said.

H O M ENichola
Dietitian PA G E Ludlam-Raine said it's great to be active, but she recommends
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Puteri takes more rest days.

She suggests keeping two days a week for walks and replacing HIIT with strength
training, using progressive overload: "Rest and recovery is essential for muscle
growth," Ludlam-Raine said.

Since we know crash dieting isn't the best way forward, eating more protein and fiber
can help you lose fat and build muscle, she said.

Puteri has yogurt, fruit, and granola for breakfast

Puteri has Greek yogurt with fruit and granola for breakfast.
Unsplash / Peter Hershey

Puteri said she starts her day drinking warm water with apple cider vinegar and
psyllium husk powder, followed by an iced Americano.
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On the way to work, she said she eats Greek yogurt with fruit and homemade nutty
granola.

Protein is key for building muscle. Ludlam-Raine recommends a minimum of 75

grams a day for Puteri — and Greek yogurt is a fantastic source. A 150- to 200-gram
serving should give you 15 to 20 grams of protein, she said, but you could also add 1/2
scoop of protein powder for an extra boost.

"Having a variety of fruit and veg is key for good gut health, which supports our
immune system," she said. "The homemade granola sounds great — by including
nuts you're helping to boost the protein and healthy fats, too."

Puteri has chicken for lunch

For lunch, Puteri said she eats leftover chicken, such as curried chicken with eggplant
or turmeric chicken with French beans, sometimes with scrambled eggs and
tomatoes on the side. She has an apple with peanut butter as an afternoon snack.

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Ludlam-Raine said this is a great high-protein lunch, but Puteri could add more
variety to her diet by trying other lean protein sources such as turkey or fish, or plant-
based sources like beans or lentils for more fiber.

"Adding a slice of whole-meal bread or some whole-grain rice or crackers would give
you some slow-release energy and help with your body's absorption of protein," she
said.

Puteri eats protein and vegetables for dinner

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Puteri eats chicken and vegetables, but may benefit from eating more carbs.
Getty

Puteri cooks dinner for her family, usually pasta or rice with chicken, fish, or beef and
vegetables, but she only eats the protein and vegetables.

Ludlam-Raine said eating lots of veggies is great but including some carbs in her
meals would actually help Puteri hit her fitness goals.

"It's possible to increase muscle mass and lose body fat by consuming carbohydrates
alongside your meals and this can also be beneficial to replenish your glycogen stores
that will be depleted after your workouts," she said, recommending higher-fiber carbs
like brown rice, whole wheat pasta, or quinoa and mixed grains.

Puteri occasionally snacks on cake

Puteri occasionally has a donut, slice of carrot cake, or flourless chocolate cake, she
said.

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Ludlam-Raine said it's good that she includes treats in her diet, but she could benefit
from eating some higher-protein snacks such as yogurt, low-fat cheese and oatcakes,
or hummus and chopped vegetables.

Puteri aims to drink two to three cups of water a day and sometimes has a post-
workout protein shake, but said she usually forgets.

Ludlam-Raine said Puteri should drink more water, at least six to eight cups a day,
and more when exercising regularly. Look at the color of your urine to check whether
you're dehydrated: "If it's dark yellow, you need to drink more!" she said.

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