My current "maintenance" caloric intake is around 2000 kcal. It is recommended to reduce that by 10-25% for fat loss, so with a 15-20% restriction that comes to 1600-1700 kcal/day.
Now, I don't wanna lose muscle, which is inevitable on a low-calorie diet if one doesn't exercise. So I'm gonna exercise.
Strength training is the only thing that's truly recommended - you gotta build some muscle in order not to lose any.
This is the program I will adhere to. Three times a week. It might look easy but believe me, if you're out of shape like me, the first few weeks you won't be able to go through 2 repeats at once, let alone the prescribed 3.But once you start seeing progress, it's so worth it.
On my days off from strength training, I will be doing 30 minutes of light (veeeery light) jogging (currently I'm so out of shape, I can't jog for 1 minute at once, so that will include more walking than jogging for the first few weeks).
Also, I will allow for 1 rest day per week.
The ideal macronutrient proportions are apparently something like this: 45% calories from protein, 35% calories from fat, 20% calories from carbs.
So I'll try to stick to those proportions, and will increase protein intake.
E.g. here's an overview of a proper day's meals:
- Breakfast: 2 hard-boiled eggs, cup of yoghurt
- Snack: Orange
- Lunch: 200g of lean beef/turkey/chicken, 1.5 cup of green veggies, 1/2 cup of boiled beans or lentils (very good in terms of fiber and minerals), 1 carrot, 2 spoons of olive oil
- Snack: Apple
- Dinner: 100g of cottage cheese, ~30g of almonds
This comes down to approx. 1700 kcal with 130g protein, 70g fat and 120 g carb. 1g of protein or carb is approx 4 kcal, while 1g of fat is 9 kcal, I'm not sure if you're aware.
I will vary the fruits and vegetables and the type of meat I'm eating, as well as the way I cook it, but this will basically be my diet framework.
Btw, I'm a sucker for bread, pasta, potatoes, rice and bananas. All the starchy foods (even beans to some extent, but they're good for you). I could happily eat only those for the rest of my life and I wouldn't miss a thing. I would kill for potato chips, and I can eat bread by itself. It's crazy. They're the #1 reason I'm fat in the first place. So that's what I'm cutting off completely. I already cut off sugar a couple of months ago and don't miss it. Hopefully I'll feel the same about starches in a while.
Now tell me your plan!
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