Personalizing your diet
The two levers that matter — total calories and total protein — and how to adjust them by goal without overthinking it.
1 min read
Written & reviewed by Ricardo Tapia·Last updated
Base diets sit around 2,100 kcal. The two levers that matter: total calories and total protein.
Adjust by goal
- Lose fat (>65 kg): keep the plan, train as written, walk 8–10k steps.
- Lose fat (<65 kg): drop each food amount ~10%.
- Gain muscle: keep the plan; if you don't gain weight in 2 weeks, add ~10%.
Golden rule: if you're progressing, change nothing. No progress after 2 weeks → adjust 5–10%.
Sources & references
- Helms ER, Aragon AA, Fitschen PJ. Evidence-based recommendations for natural bodybuilding contest preparation: nutrition and supplementation. J Int Soc Sports Nutr. 2014;11:20.
- Aragon AA, Schoenfeld BJ. Nutrient timing revisited: is there a post-exercise anabolic window? J Int Soc Sports Nutr. 2013;10:5.
Educational content only. Not medical advice — consult a professional for your situation.