As with exercise, the best diet is the one you like; because the one you like is the one you’ll stick with. I discuss basic diet approaches in more detail in my eBook, so here I’ll keep it simple.
- Establish a caloric deficit. This means eating fewer calories than you expend, and that means tracking your meals. The deficit doesn’t have to be huge, just consistent.
- Prioritize protein. “Protein” is derived from a Greek word meaning “most important.” Because it is.
That’s pretty much it. If you don’t want to calculate a deficit, you can simply base your calories/macros on your target weight. To do that, simply multiply your target weight by 10. If your target is 200 pounds, that’s 2000 calories. Start with 1 gram of protein per pound of body weight, and fill in the difference with carbs and fats.
- 200g protein = 800 calories
- 100g carb = 400 calories
- 100g fat = 900 calories
- TOTAL: 2100 calories/day
This isn’t the super-sciencey way to crunch the numbers, and your exercise program, general activity level, and goals may require more/fewer calories or a change in the overall ratio. But this will get most people in the ballpark.
Do you have to weigh and measure all your food and count/track calories and macros forever? No. Once you’ve done it for a week, two weeks, a month, you will intuitively know what’s on your plate. But if you’ve never done it, you need to – you will probably be surprised by what you’re eating as opposed to what you think you’re eating.
Last but not least, it’s OK to monitor yourself by stepping on the scale now and then, but the mirror is better. Keep going till you like what you see.
Thanks for reading,
Dan
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