Pile on the Carbs Start with a base of 20% – if that sounds low, there’s space to build on it.That might equate to roughly 500kcal, depending on your size. Fill in Your Fats You need to derive at least 20% of your calories from fats in order to maintain your hormone levels, says St Pierre.So if you weigh 160lb that’s 160g of protein, or 40g per meal with two 20g snacks. The oft-cited target of 1g of protein per pound of bodyweight is the gold standard.

Prioritise Protein You’ve heard it before, but it bears repeating: spreading your protein intake evenly throughout the day is crucial for maintaining muscle mass.So, if you weigh 160lb, that’s 2,400kcal per day. Set Your Calories If you want to maintain your current bodyweight but add strength and muscle mass, your total daily caloric goal should be about 15 times your bodyweight in pounds.Use this guide to ensure that the fuel you fill up on is fit for purpose. You don’t need to follow this to the letter to see results, but adjusting your intake of proteins, fats and carbs will reap rewards when you’re back in the gym, no gains lost. This involves a little bit of maths for a whole lot of progress. Unprocessed fats from whole foods lower inflammation, protect hormone balance, support joint health and improve immunity, so you’ll never have to miss a workout. We don’t just mean those derived from plants like avocado and nuts, or from oily fish, but also those found in less obvious suspects such as egg yolks, grass-fed beef, pork and organ meats. (Don’t worry, we’ll translate the science into delicious meals later.) To strengthen your entire body and support lasting change, you need to eat a range of nutrients, says St Pierre. But the big surprise is how quickly it piles back on again. Some crash diets slash entire food groups as a way to shock your system into weight loss. But far more importantly, you will do so without weakening your body in the process. Will you lose fat on this programme? Absolutely. “Without sufficient macronutrients and micronutrients, you won’t be able to recover adequately or perform at your peak.”Īnd that kind of strength will benefit not just your workouts, but your focus on work, your mental resilience and everything in between. “Diet is a key piece of rebuilding strength,” says Brian St Pierre of Precision Nutrition. So, for men who are serious about getting in shape, there are plenty of reasons to eat smarter: raising your immune system, elevating your energy, boosting endurance and getting stronger – particularly if recent events have necessitated a gym hiatus. After a week spent starving, you might be lighter, but only because your fat-to-muscle ratio has tipped the wrong way. Many weight-loss plans target dense muscle over fat mass, because it produces a bigger shift on the scales. You’ve heard that muscle weighs more than fat. For effective home workouts, uplifting stories, easy recipes and advice you can trust, subscribe to Men’s Health UK today

Bigger leaner stronger meal plan pdf