How much should I be eating to cut body fat? (Full Breakdown)

Expanding on our recent discussion about calorie needs during bulking, let’s delve into the opposite end of the spectrum and explore how to effectively shed unwanted body fat to achieve your desired lean physique.

WHAT IS CUTTING?

You’ve probably come across the term ‘cutting’ among fitness circles. It refers to a phase in training aimed at reducing body fat through a combination of exercise and dietary adjustments.

This guide aims to equip you with the knowledge needed to cut body fat effectively, primarily by managing your daily calorie intake.

HOW TO LOSE BODY FAT – THE FUNDAMENTALS

Losing body fat boils down to a basic principle: to lower your body fat percentage, you must consume fewer calories than your body expends daily.

Maintaining a calorie deficit is crucial, where the calories burned exceed those consumed. Without this deficit, fat loss won’t occur.

Some individuals resort to extreme measures like cutting out carbohydrates and increasing fat intake, hoping to shed weight rapidly. However, fat is calorie-dense, and without a calorie deficit, weight loss remains elusive.

Aim for a daily calorie deficit of 300-500 calories to lose body fat effectively. This allows for gradual fat loss while preserving hard-earned muscle mass.

If you need to see results despite believing you’re in a deficit, reassess your calorie intake. You may need to increase energy expenditure or decrease food consumption.

Next, let’s explore how to calculate your ideal calorie intake.

EATING FOR FAT LOSS – GETTING STARTED

Begin by determining your maintenance calories, the amount needed to sustain your weight, and body composition.

For this, you’ll require two tools:

1. A calorie tracking app like MyFitnessPal to monitor daily calorie intake.

2. A reliable set of scales to track changes in body weight, providing insights into how calorie intake impacts weight and fat loss progress. 

To determine our maintenance calories, we have two simple options:

Option 1: Fat Loss Calorie Calculator

Utilize our user-friendly fat loss calorie calculator below. Just input your details; it will provide you with the ideal calorie intake for weight maintenance or fat loss.

• Gender: Male/Female
• Age: 25
• Height: 180cm / 5.91 feet
• Weight: 80kg / 176.37 Lbs
• Activity Level:
• Daily Steps: 1000
• Exercise: 1 hour per week

Results:

• Gain Weight: 2700 calories
• Maintain Weight: 2400 calories
• Lose Weight: 1900 calories

The middle column displays the estimated daily calorie intake to maintain your body composition (maintenance calories). We suggest following this intake for two weeks.

Ensure you weigh yourself on days 1 and 14 to track how calorie intake influences your weight.

Option 2: Manual Calorie Monitoring

Alternatively, you can opt for manual calorie monitoring. On the first day, track your calorie intake using a counter. Aim to consume the same number of calories daily for two weeks.

Once again, monitor your weight on days 1 and 14 to observe the correlation between calorie consumption and weight changes.

Remember, there’s no universal starting point, as everyone’s calorie needs vary based on height, body composition, age, gender, and occupation. The key is to establish a starting point and adjust accordingly.

After completing the 2-week observation period, it’s time to take action based on the results:

Adjusting Calorie Intake

If your weight increases during the monitoring period, it indicates a calorie surplus. To address this, gradually decrease your calorie intake by 200 weekly until your weight stabilizes.

Conversely, if you lose weight, it suggests a calorie deficit. In this case, gradually increase your calorie intake by 200 each week until your weight remains steady.

Once your weight stabilizes, take note of your daily calorie intake, as this represents your maintenance calories. Now, let’s proceed to the next step.

Calculating for Fat Loss

Let’s consider an example where our calorie calculator determined that we need to consume 2625 calories per day to maintain weight. Over two weeks, sticking to this calorie intake maintained our weight.

Aim for a calorie deficit of 300-500 calories daily to achieve fat loss. Thus, our target would be 2125 calories daily for fat loss (a 500-calorie deficit).

Distributing MacronutrientsProtein for Fat Loss

Research suggests consuming between 1.8 and 2.4 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight during fat loss. Let’s opt for 2.1 grams per kilogram:

75 kg × 2.1 g = 158 grams of protein

Since each gram of protein provides four calories, this equals 632 calories from protein.

Fat Intake

During a cutting phase, it’s advised to derive 20-25% of total calories from fat. Let’s choose 25%:

2125 × 0.25 = 532 calories from fat

With nine calories per gram of fat, the individual should consume approximately 59 grams daily.

Determining the required daily carbohydrate intake is essential for a balanced diet. Here’s how to calculate it:

Calculating Carbohydrate Intake

Start with your total daily calorie goal, which is 2125.

Deduct the calories from protein (632) and fat (532) from the total calorie goal.

This leaves us with 961 calories allocated to carbohydrates.

Converting Calories to Grams

As there are four calories per gram of carbohydrates, divide the total (961) by 4.

This calculation yields approximately 240 grams of carbohydrates per day.

Final Macronutrient Breakdown

Total Calories: 2125

Protein: 158 grams

Fat: 59 grams

Carbohydrates: 240 grams

By following this breakdown, you can ensure a balanced macronutrient intake to support your nutritional needs.

How much weight Should I be losing?

• Understanding Fat Loss

It takes a deficit of 3500 calories to lose one pound of fat.

A weekly deficit of 500 calories can result in losing about one pound per week (around 0.45kg).

• Targeted Weight Loss

Aim to lose around 0.5-1% of your weight each week.

Initially, expect higher losses at the beginning of your fat loss journey, gradually tapering off over the next month.

• Adjusting Caloric Intake

If there’s no fat loss after a week, consider reducing calorie intake by an extra 200.

Monitor your progress over the following week, and if needed, decrease calories by an additional 200.

• Individual Variations

Keep in mind that everyone’s body responds differently to fat loss efforts.

Focus on your progress rather than comparing yourself to others.

The key is to keep moving forward and consistently progress toward your fat loss goals.

Fat Burning Foods: What should I eat?

We can then calculate the grams of carbohydrates needed to fulfill this calorie requirement.

To ensure effective fat loss, consuming nutrient-rich foods that provide essential vitamins for health and support weight loss is crucial. Here’s a list of foods you should consider adding to your diet:

 Protein Sources

• Chicken
• Turkey
• Fish (Cod, tuna, salmon)
• Lean cuts of red meat
• Low-fat yogurt
• Eggs
• Cottage cheese
• Lean pork

 Carbohydrate Options

• Brown rice
• White rice
• Sweet potato
• White potato
• Whole wheat pasta
• Whole grain bread
• Oats
• Various fruits
• Legumes like beans and chickpeas

 Healthy Fats

• Nuts
• Eggs
• Olive oil
• Nut butters
• Avocado
• Lean cuts of red meat

Supplements

While no magic solution for fat loss exists, certain supplements can support your efforts. Here’s a brief overview:

1. Caffeine: A simple cup of coffee can provide a boost.

2. Green Tea Extract: Known for its potential fat-burning properties.

3. L-Carnitine: This may aid in weight loss.

4. Protein Powder: Helps meet protein needs conveniently.

5. BCAA’s: Branched-chain amino acids for muscle preservation during fat loss.

Additionally, consider creatine, which, though not a direct fat-loss supplement, can assist in various ways. 

Fat Loss Tips

Here are some practical tips to help you stay on track with your fitness goals:

Prioritize Fruit and Vegetables

• Ensure you get enough nutrients by incorporating plenty of fruits and vegetables.
• A varied diet ensures you get all the vitamins your body needs to function correctly.

 Maintain Intensity in Your Workouts

• Even during a cutting phase, aim to keep lifting heavy weights to preserve the muscle you’ve worked hard to build.
• While you may lift less due to reduced calorie intake, maintaining intensity is vital.

 Don’t Eliminate All Carbohydrates

• Cutting out all carbs isn’t recommended, as your body needs them for energy and proper function.
• Lack of carbohydrates can affect your workout performance and lead to muscle breakdown for energy.

 Be Mindful of Cardio

• Initially, focus on calorie deficit and weight training for fat loss rather than excessive cardio.
• Introduce cardio if you hit a plateau or struggle with calorie intake, but prioritize weight training and nutrition.

Pick a sustainable diet.

Remember, finding the right balance and sticking to a sustainable routine is vital to achieving your fitness goals.

Consider choosing a diet plan that you can maintain in the long run. Sustainability is often overlooked but crucial for success during your cutting phase.

Ensure your diet and exercise routines are sustainable to prevent quitting prematurely. Keep your workouts and meals diverse to avoid monotony and increase adherence.

While various weight loss methods are promoted, like avoiding carbs after 8 PM or doing fasted cardio in the morning, they may not fit your lifestyle. It’s crucial to choose strategies that work for you instead of unthinkingly following trends.

How to Burn Fat Without Losing Muscle Mass

When aiming to reduce body fat, preserving the muscle you’ve worked hard to build is crucial. Building muscle takes time and effort, so it’s essential to maintain it in the fat-loss process.

To safeguard your muscle mass during a fat-loss phase, it’s important not to lose weight too rapidly. Aim for a gradual weight loss of about 0.5-1% per week. Losing weight too quickly could mean losing muscle along with fat. If you notice rapid weight loss, try increasing your calorie intake slightly until you achieve a more sustainable rate of fat loss.

Another critical aspect is your workout routine. Contrary to popular belief, you don’t necessarily need to increase the number of reps or sets per exercise during a fat-loss phase. Instead, focus on maintaining heavy lifting to preserve muscle mass. Lighter weights may not provide enough stimulus to maintain muscle size and strength.

Incorporate heavy sets (3-10 reps) and moderate sets (8-18 reps) into your workouts for optimal muscle retention and fat burning.

Conclusion

In conclusion, achieving fat loss while retaining muscle requires commitment and consistency. While having a well-designed training plan is essential, maintaining a calorie deficit is paramount for fat loss. Remember, you don’t have to meticulously count calories to create a deficit. Explore alternative methods, such as mindful eating, to achieve your fat loss goals without needing calorie tracking.