When It Comes To Losing Body Fat

When it comes to dieting to lose body fat, there’s no substitute for hard work. Believe me, I really wish this were not the case. Unfortunately, however, you must burn more calories than you ingest every day to lose that stubborn body fat.

Low-fat diets, high-fat, carefully watching your fat intake, or paying close attention to the glycemic index in your foods—it doesn’t matter. When the day is done, you must burn more calories than you eat. It doesn’t even matter if all the food you eat is healthy, non-junk food, or “clean,” it’s total must be lower than your maintenance level.
As I always say, “God puts a price-tag on everything.” If you’ve accumulated some body fat and desperately want to get rid of it, you are going to have to pay the price. The price may be spending more time sweating on a treadmill, feeling hungry on occasion, or both. Whatever method you choose, there will be some pain involved. I would be lying to you if I told you any differently.
Anyone who tells you differently is just flat-out misleading you! I firmly believe it is our desire to discover some painless alternative that we mistakenly believe is “somewhere out there” which prevents us from dieting the way we must in order to accomplish our goal of losing body fat. There are several ways to burn more calories than you eat. You can add more cardiovascular work to your training regimen, simply eat less food throughout the day, or even do a combination of more cardiovascular training and eating less food. So, let’s quit looking for a magic solution when comes to losing body fat and get to the work !

Eating to Lose Body Fat

One pound of body fat contains about 3,500 stored calories. You must reduce your caloric intake by 3,500 calories a week to lose one pound per week or increase your activity level to burn 3,500 extra calories per week. You must either eat fewer calories or burn more calories by increasing your activity level, or a combination of both—it’s that simple.
But don't expect getting lean, ripped, or shredded to be so easy. The first few days on a diet, you may lose several pounds. That's because your body takes the easy way out when it needs energy. It uses up your stored carbohydrate (glycogen).
Carbohydrates contain a relatively large amount of water. When you begin a diet, you can lose a lot of fluid—but no fat. You have a weight loss that only lasts until your next drink of water. Your body does other things to preserve body fat. When it has used up its carbohydrate stores, it will shift your metabolism into a slower rate. You will discover you are moving more slowly and have less energy because you have used up your carbohydrate (quick energy) stores. Our bodies have been conditioned, over time, to guard against famine and will do almost anything to conserve fat. If weight loss is not done properly, too much precious muscle mass will be lost. But, if you are persistent, as a last resort, your body will begin to use its fat stores for energy. Don’t look too long for easy answers when trying to lose body fat. You are going to have to “pay a price” if you are truly committed to getting lean. There are no fancy pain-free diets or state-of-the-art supplements that are going to do the bulk of the work for you. Don’t try to fool yourself. Don’t set yourself up for failure and disappointment.
If you want to lose excess body fat, the bottom line is you have to eat fewer calories than you burn each day. There are several ways to burn more calories than you eat. You can add more cardiovascular work to your training regimen. You can also simply eat less food throughout the day. You can even do a combination of these two strategies by doing more cardiovascular training and eating less food. How quickly you will shred that body fat will depend on how much of a deficit you create between the calories you consume and the calories you burn on a daily basis—and for how long you wish to go through the sacrifice and pain it takes to train and/or diet this way.
Although my advice doesn’t make the fat loss process a whole lot easier, it should make the process more simple. Without being distracted by constantly searching for unrealistic, quick-fix solutions, or super-duper supplements, you can now focus on the task in front of you, get to work, and achieve the results you truly desire.

The “Bulking Up” Strategy For Packing On Muscle Mass

Is it better to bulk up for added muscle growth, or stay lean all year around? Unfortunately, this is an area where there are no definitive answers. One school of thought is that if you consistently ingest high-quality protein and train heavily and efficiently, it is not necessary to put on excess weight to gain muscle. The additional body fat does not pack on more muscle. The more fat you put on, the harder you need to work to melt it off when you want to get lean or get ready for a bodybuilding contest. This way of thinking advises you to stay within 10 -15 pounds of lean weight or your shredded contest condition. I, myself, agree with this thought process. Heavy training, adequate recuperation, and consistently eating high-quality protein is what builds rock-solid muscle mass—not excess body fat. The only things extra food and excess body fat can do for you is prevent your body from ever using precious muscle as an energy source, give you the feeling you have more energy and can train heavier in the gym.

 Those are some decent benefits, mind you, but if you are dedicated to be the best bodybuilder you can be, you can get the same benefits by eating smaller,
well-balanced meals consistently throughout the day and becoming more
focused and mentally tough when you’re in the gym.
While I feel certain about my contradicting philosophy, others feel that if you limit the amount of weight you can gain, you will also limit the amount of muscle you can gain in the process.
If you do decide to bulk up, be sure not to get too far away from contest shape.The longer body fat stays on your body the harder it will be to take it off later. If you get behind schedule and need to drastically reduce your calorie intake to be ready for your contest in time, you will undoubtedly sacrifice a lot of precious muscle in the process. This will negate the very reason why you bulked up in the first place! If you are a drug-free bodybuilder, you do not have any chemicals to help you save muscle. You’ll need to use intelligence and discipline. Whether or not you are a competitive bodybuilder, ultimately you will need to decide how much body fat you are comfortable carrying. It may not be worth it to feel "sloppy" most of the year just to display more muscle on that one day of the contest. A good rule of thumb when it comes to eating in the off-season is "eat to gain muscle." Do not eat to get fat or eat to stay lean. Consistently feed yourself high quality protein for muscle growth and enough carbohydrates to keep you feeling your strongest. After prioritizing those needs, consume as much fat as you feel comfortable eating.

"Danger" Too Much Eating Protein

Is eating too much protein dangerous? Many experts will tell you that eating too much protein will cause damage to your kidney. Obviously, by the large amount of protein I’ve been eating consistently every single day throughout my bodybuilding career, I either don’t believe this is true or I am willing to take the risk in order to reach my ambitious bodybuilding goals.

Do I think, regardless of what the experts say, you should ingest a large amount of protein like I choose to do? I can’t make that decision for you. I can, however, share with you the reason why I do despite some people’s warnings. The people that I trust to give me accurate information tell me there are no scientific studies to back up those doom-and-gloom claims. They have theorized that the experts have come to their conclusion because the kidneys play a major role in the synthesizing of protein. Thus, if they are forced to do more work than the average person, they are at a greater risk to suffer damage.
I, myself, haven’t had any problems (at least, any that I am aware of). I always make sure I do the things doctors recommend to help your body digest the protein like drinking a lot of water.
I am certain, however, that I have built a significant amount of muscle mass every single year that I’ve been training. I attribute much of that to consistently eating high-quality protein day after day, week after week, month after month, and year after year.
I firmly believe my body is able to assimilate most of the 400 grams I eat every day. There are studies that suggest the hard training athletes can efficiently assimilate up to a whopping 72 grams of protein at a time. That’s far more than the old “multiply your body weight in kilograms times 1.5” formula!
I choose to take my chances, but to be perfectly honest, I am not a doctor or claim to be a medical expert. I don’t know anything about the effects of “excess” protein for certain. You’ll need to make the decision of exactly how much protein to eat for yourself.

Foods That Burn Fat { Non-Vegetarian }

Chicken Breast (and Turkey Breast) : Chicken and turkey are probably the number one most popular protein sources among bodybuilders and fat loss seekers. Remove the skin and get the light meat found in the breasts. The thighs are higher in fat and calories. Naturally, your poultry should be broiled, grilled, or roasted and not fried. Also, we’re talking about the real bird here, not the sliced lunch meat you find at deli’s or pre-packed in supermarkets. Lunch meats are processed proteins. Some nutritionists call them “fabricated foods” because they are made from a mix and poured into a mold before being cooked and wrapped. While these are acceptable occasionally, don’t make them a staple in your regular daily diet. Lunch meats are loaded with sodium, preservatives, binders, fillers and other nasty chemicals that you don’t want floating around in your body!
Egg whites : The name of the game in fat-burning, muscle-building nutrition is to eat a lean protein with every meal. With zero fat, egg whites are as lean as lean proteins get. Egg whites are right up there with chicken breasts as one of the top three lean proteins of choice for losing fat and gaining muscle. Eggs are a super-high quality protein. The problem with whole eggs is the high fat and calorie content. Fortunately, 100% of the fat is in the yolk, while the protein is split evenly between the yolk and the white. This doesn’t mean you have to throw out all your yolks, but it does mean you should limit your yolks. I’d recommend one yolk for every six whites you eat. Just crack them open, and separate the yolk from the white using the edge of the shell. Or, even easier, simply use “Egg Beaters” or another packaged egg white product. There must be hundreds of ways to make eggs, so use your imagination: Omelets, frittatas, scrambled, fried (in nonstick spray), over easy, sunny side up, hard-boiled or any other way you like them, use egg whites liberally!
Fish and shellfish : Many people complain about the lack of variety in a bodybuilding-style fat-burning diet, which typically has you eating egg whites, tuna and chicken day in, day out. What most people don’t eat enough of is fish and seafood. By using different types of fish and shellfish as protein sources, you can add an incredible amount of variety a well as getting those valuable good fats. Here is just a partial list of fish to consider: salmon, tuna, haddock, flounder, mackerel, trout, snapper, sea bass, swordfish, mahi mahi, perch, orange roughy, sole, Halibut, herring cod and catfish. As with other meats, eat your fish baked, grilled or broiled and avoid fatty, high calorie sauces and butter. Most fish are very low in fat and high in protein. Some fish, such as salmon, mackerel, sardines, herring and trout, are high in fat. However, because fish is so high in Omega 3 fatty acids, these fish can and should be used liberally. Shellfish have many of the benefits that fish have and it can add some variety to your diet if you’re getting bored of egg whites and chicken. This category includes shrimp, crab, lobster, mussels, etc. By the way, when you’re eating in restaurants, fish is a great choice, as long as you make sure there are no hidden bad fats or extra calories.
Lean red meat : Bodybuilders are quite famous for loving their red meat. Many bodybuilders believe that red meat helps muscle growth, and there may be much truth in that statement. Red meat is high in protein, B-12, iron and creatine. The problem with most cuts of red meat is the high fat content. However, not all cuts of red meat are the same. It’s a mistake to label the entire red meat category as a no-no because of high fat content. If you carefully choose the leanest cuts possible and keep your portion sizes small, red meat can be a great addition to a fat burning program. For example, a 6 oz serving of lean, trimmed top round steak has only 9 grams of fat, while a 6 oz of untrimmed porterhouse has 37 grams of fat (and the 18 oz porterhouse you’re often served in a steak house has over 100 grams of fat!)

Foods That Burn Fat { Vegetarian }

This recommended list of “fat-burning foods,” also known in the Burn the Fat, Feed the Muscle (BFFM) program as “the terrific twelve,” might be the most valuable resource you’ve ever laid your hands on. Although the possible variety is your food choices is nearly infinite, these twelve are the staple foods that should make up the foundation of your program. Variety is important, but these are the foods you can’t go wrong with and the ones you’ll keep coming back to time after time.
1. Oatmeal : If I could only choose one source of complex, starchy carbohydrates for a fat loss program, this would be it! Oatmeal is the one carbohydrate food that virtually 100% of all bodybuilders and fitness models eat on a daily basis. What makes it so great? Well, although it’s a starchy carbohydrate, oatmeal has a nice balance between carbs, protein and good fat. A half a cup contains 3 grams of fat, 27 grams of carbs and 5 grams of protein. The low glycemic index, combined with the presence of protein and fat makes oatmeal a very slowly released carb – exactly what you’re looking for when you want to get lean. Make sure you choose the all-natural oats; either old-fashioned oats (such as Quaker) or the quick oats. Stay away from the sweetened and or flavored oatmeal packets. Oatmeal is delicious with natural (sugar free) applesauce and cinnamon. Or, try some crushed walnuts or flax seeds in your morning oats, which will give your “porridge” a nice crunchy texture while adding those desirable “good fats” we all need. For a complete meal, try a couple scoops of Vanilla Praline flavored protein powder in your oatmeal. If you get tired of oatmeal, there are plenty of other cooked whole grain cereals in the “oatmeal family.” Look in your local health food store (or a gourmet supermarket) for barley, wheat, titricale, rye, oat bran and flax cereals (or a multi grain combination of the above).
2. Yams (and sweet potatoes) :  Right behind oatmeal, yams (and sweet potatoes) are probably my second favorite starchy carbohydrate. Flavorful, all-natural, low in calories, and packed with nutrients and antioxidants like beta-carotene, it’s no wonder yams are a favorite carbohydrate among bodybuilders, fitness competitors and health-seekers alike. According to Brian , science editor for FLEX magazine, “Bodybuilders use yams when cutting body fat because they are low on the glycemic index. Waxy white potatoes (boilers) are high on the glycemic index, so they make an excellent postworkout meal, but nothing compares with a yam the rest of the time.” Although the glycemic index is a secondary factor when making carb choices on the BFFM program, if you’re carb sensitive or if you’re on a very strict diet (like a contest diet), then the glycemic index should be given more weight in your choices. Yams are one of the best. Sweet potatoes are not exactly the same thing as yams (they’re slightly higher on the glycemic index), but they’re otherwise similar, which also makes them good choices for fat burning diets. You can identify a yam by its darker orange color, pointier ends and unusual sizes/shapes. Combine a yam with a green veggie, a chicken breast, lean red meat or fish, and you’ve got yourself a perfect fat burning, muscle building, metabolism boosting meal.
3. Potatoes (white or red) : Potatoes have earned an undeserved reputation as a food to avoid on a fat loss program. But think about it; Potatoes meet every criteria of a great carbohydrate: potatoes are a complex carb. They are all-natural. They contain fiber, vitamins and minerals. They are filling. They are low in calories. So why do people avoid them? One reason is because they confuse a dry potato with a loaded potato. Smother a potato with butter, sour cream and bacon bits and then you’ve got yourself a fattening, calorie-dense ensemble. Eat it dry or top it with Butter sprinkles, salsa or your favorite low fat, low calorie topping and you can’t go wrong. Another reason people might avoid the potato is because they are using the glycemic index as their primary gauge for choosing carbohydrates. Potatoes are high on the glycemic index, which means they are absorbed as blood sugar very rapidly. What most people don’t realize however, is that when you eat your potato as a whole meal with your favorite lean protein, the glycemic index of the entire meal is much lower. Most people also don’t realize that some white potatoes are higher in the GI than others. Baking potatoes are higher in amylose, a slow releasing starch, so the glycemic index is lower. Russet potatoes are also moderate on the GI. Waxy potatoes or boilers are high GI foods. If you’re extremely carb sensitive or hypoglycemic, then you might want to eat more yams than white potatoes, but generally speaking, white potatoes make a superb addition to almost any fat burning diet. I personally eat white potatoes right up until the day of a bodybuilding contest and I have no difficulty reaching 3-4% body fat.
4. Brown Rice : Brown rice is another staple food of bodybuilders and you often see the “muscled ones” chowing down platefuls of rice, both in season and out of season (in smaller quantities during the “cutting-up” season). Prior to contests, bodybuilders sometimes reduce the amount of rice (starchy carbs) and add in more green veggies (fibrous carbs), but rice is a solid year round staple, as long as you keep your calories in check. Obviously, this means avoiding fried rice or other rice dishes that have added fat and calories. Steamed or boiled rice is the way to go. Of the many types of rice, slow-cooked brown rice or basmati rice are your number one choices. Instant (pre-cooked) rice is fine when you’re in a crunch for time, but the instant rice digests much more quickly and is processed in the body more like a simple carbohydrate. The same goes for white rice, especially the sweet variety that’s usually served in Chinese and Asian restaurants (including sushi rolls). White rice is the processed version of brown rice. Although it’s still technically a starchy complex carbohydrate, the white rice burns faster and has been stripped of much of its nutritional value. When you’re on a very strict fat loss diet, stick with the slow cooking brown rice for best results.
5. 100% whole wheat and whole grain products : The “baseline diet” can and should contain a wide variety of bread products with one condition: They must be made from 100% whole grains (and the label must say, “100% whole wheat” or “100% whole grain” as the first ingredient). White bread and anything made out of white flour is not allowed in any quantity on this program (except the occasional planned “cheat meal”). If you’re particularly carb-sensitive, then bread – even the whole wheat variety – is one of the first things to go. A small handful of people – usually one in 200, depending on what source you listen to – have sensitivity to the gluten in the wheat. Gluten is a protein found in wheat products and, much like lactose intolerance from dairy products, gluten intolerance can cause digestive difficulties and bloating in certain individuals. Most competitive bodybuilders drop out all the pasta and bread products for the 12-16 week dieting period before a contest, then usually put them back in for off-season maintenance. On very strict fat loss diets, wheat and bread products are usually eliminated completely. Generally speaking, however, 100% whole wheat and other whole grains are perfectly acceptable additions to a healthy diet for long term body composition control, it just depends on how “strict” you want or need to be with your nutrition.
6. Green fibrous vegetables (broccoli, green beans, asparagus, lettuce, etc) :  Fibrous carbs are your number one choice for fat burning carbohydrates. Green vegetables, also known as fibrous carbs, hardly contain any calories (they have a low calorie density). It’s virtually impossible to overeat green vegetables. Eat them liberally and eat more of them late in the day. A diet of green vegetables combined with lean proteins is one of the best methods of getting lean as quickly as possible.
7. Fresh Fruit : Whole fruits are a fantastic, healthy food suitable for nearly any fat loss program. Although there are some “guru’s” in the bodybuilding industry who claim, “fruit is fattening,” this statement is somewhat misleading. It’s true that a diet of mostly complex carbohydrate will give you better results than a diet of mostly simple carbohydrates, but that’s not the same thing as saying “fruit is fattening.” Although fruits are simple carbohydrates, they are natural simple carbohydrates. Most fruits are low in calories, low in carbohydrate grams (compared to starches) and high in fiber. Some fruits such as raisins are extremely calorie dense and best avoided when you’re on a strict fat loss program and your calorie allotment is small. Fruits like apples, peaches, grapefruits, and oranges, at only 60-80 calories apiece (or less), are a great addition to almost any nutritional plan. Just make sure the majority of your carbohydrates are of the complex type. An all-fruit or mostly fruit diet won’t be as effective for fat loss as one that is mostly green fibrous carbohydrates with lean protein.
8. Skim milk & nonfat dairy products : “Dairy products” cover an entire category of foods including milk, cheese, yogurt, sugar free frozen yogurt, and cottage cheese. To make it on the BFFM “approved” list, a dairy product must be labeled “fat-free,” “skim,” or 1% lowfat. Whole milk dairy products are not allowed, as they are high in fat. Even 2% low fat milk is still 37.5% fat by calories.
Dairy products are a “combination food” – they contain carbohydrates and proteins. Because the protein found in dairy products is high quality, complete protein, a high protein dairy product can count as an exchange for a protein food. For example, you could have non-fat cottage cheese as a protein instead of a serving of lean meat. Non-fat cheese can also boost the protein content of a meal. Yogurt tends to have less protein than cottage cheese, so a single container of yogurt wouldn’t count as a full protein serving. In fact, yogurt would count more as a simple carbohydrate exchange than a protein (although, you could mix in a scoop of protein powder into your yogurt to make it “high-protein yogurt).

Importance of Protein

Protein is the most important nutrient for building muscle. Without enough high quality protein, you are not going to grow at the rate you deserve to grow—and I don’t care how hard you train in the gym! It is important for you to maintain a balance in the positive flow of nitrogen on a consistent basis. By this, I mean you absolutely must consume more nitrogen than you excrete. You need to keep your body in a positive protein accrual environment. If you happen to be excreting more nitrogen than you consume, it doesn’t matter. I have discovered, like many other bodybuilders, the more protein I consume the bigger and stronger I get. 

-: How Much Protein Should I Eat To Build Muscle? :-
How much is the “right” amount of protein to eat each day, you ask? 100 grams? 250 grams? 500 grams? You will need to experiment to determine what the proper amount of protein is that will keep you in a positive protein accrual environment. Bodybuilders should start with a gram to a gram-and-a-half per pound of body weight - and move upwards from there. Many experts estimate this is how much the average hard-training bodybuilder needs per day. My only suggestion would be, if your body can efficiently use more, then by all means, give it more and build more muscle! There is also a very old, outdated, and conservative method of determining the “proper” amount of protein you should ingest. Unfortunately, too many bodybuilders hold on tightly to this theory. I don't believe there is any way possible this cookie cutter rule can apply to everyone—especially every single hard-training bodybuilder. This method suggests that you multiply your body weight in kilograms times 1.5 to figure the grams of protein to consume daily (divide your weight in pounds by 2.2 to determine how much you weigh in kilograms).
The only reason I even include this guideline is because 9 out of 10 people in the bodybuilding world are going to tell you this the “right” amount of protein—not a single gram more! If you ingest any more protein than that, they warn, you are going to damage your kidneys. I suggest you shouldn’t be so conservative about your protein consumption—especially if you want to make the most use of your hard training and pack on some serious, rock-solid muscle mass! But, If you do try this widely accepted formula, be sure to experiment upwards from there. If you are able to handle more than that amount efficiently, you will probably gain more muscle. One thing you don’t want to do is rob yourself of even one more ounce of precious muscle! I calculate my total should be 177 grams a day.” I recommend determining the amount of protein you should eat a little differently. Instead of figuring out the total grams of protein you can efficiently digest in the entire DAY—determine how much you can efficiently digest every two hours. Why? If you eat your daily total, let’s say, of 300 grams of protein in four meals as opposed to eight, the efficiency of how your body digests that protein would differ, wouldn’t it?
If you take those 300 grams of protein and divide that total by four meals, that would equal 75 grams per meal. Those 300 grams of protein divided by eight meals equals 37.5 grams per meal. Obviously, your body will have a much easier time digesting the 37.5 grams per meal than it would 75 grams. You are eating the very same amount of protein for the entire day—but are creating a big difference in the efficiency of its digestion and utilization. Your body would have a much easier time using the protein to help build muscle if it was spaced out evenly throughout the day.
Let me ask you a question: Are you confused about the amount of protein some experts in the bodybuilding community are recommending? You really should be more concerned with consistently eating more frequent, high-protein meals and properly spacing them throughout your day. The average meal replacement contains about 40 grams of protein. Even those people who don’t think the human body can assimilate large amounts of protein will agree that it can digest 40 grams every two to three hours, right?
Every two to three hours creates what I call a “Protein Consumption Window of Opportunity.” The more of these opportunities you take advantage of, the more you will augment your efforts in the gym. The more you consume high quality protein during these windows—regardless of the amount of protein in that “window” or daily total of protein you think your body needs—the more muscle you will build. The key to successfully building muscle is eating smaller, more frequent meals throughout the day. Instead of worrying about that often-debated daily total of protein, break it down into two-hour to three-hour increments. Do the math. The guy who eats eight meals as opposed to four meals a day has twice as many “Protein Consumption Windows of Opportunity” to take advantage of. Four a day, times seven days a week, equals 28 more “windows.” Every month that’s 112 more and every year the total grows to an incredible 1,344 more “Protein Consumption Windows of Opportunity” that are used. All other factors being the same (which they never are, but play along for the sake of this explanation), who do you think will build more muscle over the course of that year?

A Quick Nutrition Mathematics Review

Before calculating the percentages of each of the macronutrients (protein, carbohydrates, and fat) make up of your total food intake, you must know the calorie conversion of each of them. A calorie is a unit to state the heat content of food. In simple terms, what energy is needed to “burn up” that type of food. 
     -: Calorie Conversion :- 
One calorie of protein is equal to 4 grams.
One calorie of carbohydrate is equal to 4 grams.
One calorie of fat is equal to 9 grams.

If you want 55 percent of the 2,500 calories you’ve allowed yourself for the day to come from protein, simply multiply 2,500 by .55. That means 1,375 of your 2,500 calories would come from protein. If you divide those 1,375 calories by 4 (the amount of grams one calorie of protein is equal to), you’ll determine that you need 343.75 grams of protein every day.
If you eat eight meals a day and feel you should distribute protein evenly throughout the day, each of those eight meals would consist of about 43 grams.
If you want 30 percent of the 2,500 calories you’ve allowed yourself for the day to come from carbohydrates, multiply 2,500 by .30. Which means 750 of your 2,500 calories would come from carbohydrates. If you divide those 750 calories by 4 (the amount of grams one calorie of carbohydrate is equal to), you’ll determine that you need 187.5 grams of carbohydrates every day.
If you eat eight meals a day and feel you should distribute your carbohydrates evenly throughout the day, each of those eight meals would consist of about 25 grams.
If you want 15 percent of the 2,500 calories you’ve allowed yourself for the day to come from fat, multiply 2,500 by .15. Which means 375 of your 2,500 calories would come from fat. If you divide those 375 calories by 9 (the amount of grams one calorie of fat is equal to), you’ll determine that you need about 42 grams of fat every day.
If you eat eight meals a day and feel you should distribute your fat evenly throughout the day, each of those eight meals would consist of about 5 grams. Notice the totals of 42 grams of protein, 25 grams of carbohydrates, and 5 grams of fat that we determined each meal will consist of are very close to the nutritional breakdown of a typical meal replacement.
You can check your work by adding the amount of calories you have determined for each of the macronutrients are equal to the daily total of calories for the day in this manner:
Total protein (55%) = 1,375
Total carbohydrates (30%) = 750
Total fat (15%) = 375                   
Total calories for the day = 2,500 

Eating To Build Muscle Mass

 

When eating to gain muscle, the best (and the simplest) advice I have ever received was, “Don’t eat to get fat. Don’t eat to stay lean. Eat to grow!” Many bodybuilders are confused when it comes to eating the right amount of food necessary to build quality muscle. I suggest starting with the number that you’ve calculated with the Harris-Benedict equation then make adjustments from there.

You often hear about bodybuilders who eat up to 10,000 calories a day. That’s a lot of food! At my body weight, my calories normally range from 3,000 to 4,000 calories a day.

You want to make determining the amount of calories you should eat to build muscle and maintain low body fat levels even easier? Just pick a number for your total daily calorie intake like 2,000, 2,500, or 3,000. Then, divide those calories into around 55 percent protein, 30 percent carbohydrates, and 15 percent fat. Use that as a starting point and make adjustments from there.