Time to try to lose some body fat. I don’t desire “six-pack abs”, per se, but it is time to counteract the effects of “Dunlap’s disease” (where one’s belly done laps over the belt). I have been less concerned about being eucaloric over my last couple of training cycles, so my body fat has crept up a bit. I chose “cut phase” in the title, rather than “diet” or “weight-loss program” or some other phrase, because it is more suitable to my intents.
“Diet” is a frequently misused term. It is most commonly associated with a temporary plan to lose weight. (“Weight loss” is another phrase I prefer not to use—we are trying to lose fat while conserving muscle, after all. Overall, we may see no appreciable change in body weight or even a weight gain as we improve our body composition.) “Diet”, however, refers simply to our eating habits—be they by culture (e.g., “Mediterranean diet”) or by choice (e.g., “Weight Watchers”, “Paleo”, or “Ketogenic”). Our diet should remain consistent—albeit healthy–over time. Fat loss comes from adjusting a eucaloric diet (intake = expenditure) or hypercaloric diet (intake > expenditure) to a hypocaloric diet (intake < expenditure). It is as simple as that. A hypocaloric diet will result in fat loss—the magnitude of loss and the rate of loss will be dependent upon the extent to which calories are in a deficit. Fat loss is refined by the nature and timing of what we eat.
Bodybuilders and athletes in a cutting phase are meticulous in their diets. “Meal prep” and “nutrient timing” are among the terms one will often here. Personally, I am not as interested in the level of effort it would require for me to pursue such levels of leanness. I am interested in cutting fat while maintaining muscle mass over the course of the next several months.
To begin, one needs a rough estimate of the calories required to maintain bodyweight. There are a number of different ways to determine this. One of the most popular formulas for calculating one’s basal metabolic rate (BMR; the calories required of the body at rest) is the Harris-Benedict equation–for males: 66.500 + (13.750 x weight in kg) + (5.003 x height in cm) – (6.755 x age in years); for females: 655.100 + (9.563 x weight in kg) + (1.850 x height in cm) – (4.676 x age in years). Using this, at my current weight, my BMR is approximately 2,143 kcal. Activity would need to be calculated on top of this to determine the total daily energy expenditure (TDEE).
A simple Google search of “calorie calculator” will yield several simple calculators. Bodybuilding.com has an easy one. Using this, my estimated TDEE is roughly 3,214 kcal. Others have me as high as 3,900 kcal (much too high). MyPlate, the calorie tracker I use estimates my maintenance calories at 3,129 kcal. To lose 1 lb a week, I would need to cut this by 500 kcal per day (3,500 kcal per week). To lose 2 lb, I would need to cut my calories by 1,000 kcal per day. To lose 2 lb per week, then, my starting target is approximately 2,129-2,214 kcal (according to MyPlate and Bodybuilding.com, respectively). From here, I can tweak my calories to lose my target fat weight.
Dr. Mike Israetel, at Renaissance Periodization, suggests that 50% of fat loss is dependent upon caloric balance. The next 30% is macro (carbohydrate, protein, and fat) balance. High carb-low fat v. high fat-low carb is up to debate. In my opinion (and in that of many others), carb intake should reflect exercise activity level.
For carbohydrate intake, I prefer to use the following as a gauge: non-exercise days, <0.5g per lb body weight; light workout days (<1 hour per day), 1.0g per lb body weight; moderate workout days (1.5-2 hours per day), 1.5g per lb body weight; hard workout days (>2.5 hours total per day), 2.0g per lb body weight.
For protein, I prefer to keep it really simple. A safe gauge for protein consumption (especially for those who lift weights and participate in intensive exercise) is 1g per lb body weight. For most, eating an American diet (non-vegetarian), this is quite easy.
Fats can make up the balance of caloric intake. The advice of a low-fat diet for fat loss seems to have gone by the wayside. Fat helps with satiety—the sense of fullness—which helps us eat less overall. Inclusion of some healthy fat (e.g., olive oil, avocado, coconut oil, etc.) in the dieter’s diet can assist with fat loss—as long as the dieter remains hypocaloric.
To start, my typical daily food intake includes:
Pre-Breakfast—
Coffee with 1T coconut oil (120 kcal) and IT organic, unsalted, range-fed butter (102 kcal)
Breakfast—
Omelete (2 egg whites, 1 large whole egg, 2 cups Kale (wilted in 1T olive oil)—310 kcal)
Lunch—
Spinach salad with tuna (can) and yogurt bleu cheese dressing (174 kcal)
Snack (pre-workout)—
Low-carb meal replacement shake (Champion Nutrition, Low Carb Ultramet) (230 kcal)
Dinner—
Baked chicken breast (8 oz) with barbeque sauce and cole slaw (526 kcal)
Other snacks—
Apple (80 kcal)
Dark chocolate, 0.5 oz (100 kcal)
Oatmeal with Chia seeds and Almond milk (240 kcal)
Pint of beer, 5% ABV (200 kcal)
2067 kcal (158 g protein, 135 g carbs, 84 g fat)–protein can be higher and fats a bit lower. This level of carbs works well for me.
This is far from perfect, but with my work, detailed planned and timed meals are quite difficult. Teaching a 4-hour block during the week makes eating several quality meals difficult. This plan is within my caloric goals and macro balance. This is 80% of the challenge. If I can avoid additional snacking, the pounds should start coming off. Time will tell. I’ll track here from time to time (but I will forego photos until, perhaps, post-success).
Good luck to those who are joining me on this journey.
Be your best today; be better tomorrow.
Carpe momento!