Protein, carbs, and fats.
There’s so much information about macronutrients out there.
Some good, some bad.
It always depends on your situation and what you are trying to achieve.
In this article I talk about how you could split your macros if you are trying to build a lean body.
First of all, there are two things you need to really focus on.
Your total caloric requirements and your protein.
If you have those in check, you can split your carbs and fats however you want, but more on that later.
Let’s assume someone is a 180 cm tall, 40 year old male, and you weigh 90 kg.
He wants to drop 10 kg.
He works an office job and exercises three times a week for 30 minutes.
His caloric expenditure is roughly 2600 kcal a day.
He needs to be in a caloric deficit to lose weight and get lean so he caps his calories at 2100 kcal.
Now we know his caloric requirements (use the Mifflin st. Jeor equation to calculate your own requirements).
Let’s move on to protein.
Ideally you want to consume high amounts of protein as it will allow you to feel full when you are in deficit.
And it will help you retain your muscles.
Target 1.5 - 2 g per kg of body weight.
So continuing our example case study, he should consume between 135 and 180 g protein a day.
Examples of good protein sources are eggs, chicken, lean beef, fish, beans, lentils, tofu, whey…
Eat any combination of those and you will end up with x amount of calories.
Let’s say our case study eats six eggs, three chicken breasts, and a steak ≈ 180 g of protein, which could add up to 1200 kcal.
(Note: This estimate includes the calories from both the protein and the small amounts of fat naturally present in these protein sources.)
The remaining 1380 kcal he can split between carbs and fats.
It doesn’t really matter which of the two.
It depends on personal preference, how your body reacts and how you feel.
I would recommend getting a little bit of both.
A little bit of fat is important for hormone production, brain function, and joint lubrication.
But the more active you are, the more I would focus on carbs.
You have to try what feels right for you, but prioritize whole, one ingredient items over processed foods.
Think boiled potatoes instead of french fries.
Olive oil instead of deep fried mozzarella sticks…
You get the point.
Adopting this approach starts your journey to build your lean body.
Expect to feel stronger, more energetic, and look good in the mirror.
And most importantly you’ll feel much better in your own body.
This approach requires you to count your calories which can be annoying in the long term.
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