Nutrition
Maintenance calories, calories by goal, protein, fat and carb targets, best foods, sample South Asian days for bulking and cutting, meal timing, fasting, hydration and supplements.
Eat about 1.6–2.2 g of protein per kg of bodyweight daily, set calories by goal, and keep most food whole and minimally processed. Calories decide weight change; protein and training decide how much of that change is muscle rather than fat.
Step 1: estimate maintenance calories
Quick estimate: bodyweight (kg) × 30–33 for a man training 3–5×/week with a desk job; × 35–38 for a manual job. Example: 80 kg × 32 ≈ 2,560 kcal. This is only a starting point: weigh yourself daily for 2 weeks and adjust, because the weekly average is the truth. Plan › Targets in the app calculates this from your job and activity.
Step 2: set calories by goal
| Goal | Calories | Target rate of change | Who it suits |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lean bulk | Maintenance + 200–300 kcal | +0.25–0.5% bodyweight/week | Leaner men wanting size |
| Cut | Maintenance − 300–500 kcal | −0.5–1% bodyweight/week | Higher body fat, or before an event |
| Recomposition | Maintenance or −100–200 kcal | Weight stable, waist down, strength up | Beginners and people returning to training |
| Contest prep (advanced) | Gradual cuts to −500–750 kcal | −0.5–1%/week for 16–24 weeks | Physique competitors only |
Step 3: macros
- Protein: 1.6–2.2 g/kg (80 kg man ≈ 130–175 g). On a cut, aim for the top end. Spread it over 3–5 meals of 30–50 g.
- Fat: 0.6–1 g/kg (≈ 50–80 g). Avoid very low-fat diets long-term; in studies, men on low-fat diets had somewhat lower testosterone.
- Carbs: the rest of your calories. They fuel training; put more around workouts.
- Fibre: 30 g+ a day (the UK recommendation). Fruit and veg: at least 5 portions.
Example, 80 kg man, lean bulk at 2,800 kcal: 160 g protein (640 kcal) + 80 g fat (720 kcal) + 360 g carbs (1,440 kcal).
Best food choices
| Protein | Carbs | Fats | Veg & fruit |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chicken breast or thigh, lean lamb or beef mince, eggs, egg whites, fish (salmon, mackerel, tuna, cod), prawns, Greek yogurt, skyr, paneer, cottage cheese, whey | Rice (basmati, brown), oats, potatoes, sweet potato, chapati, wholemeal bread, pasta, idli, dosa, quinoa, fruit | Olive oil, ghee (small amounts), nuts, seeds, avocado, oily fish, eggs, peanut butter | Spinach, broccoli, peppers, onions, okra, beans, lentils, banana, berries, apples |
Lentils, chickpeas, rajma and dal are part protein, part carb: great for fibre, but lower in protein per calorie than meat, eggs or dairy. The app's Plan › Recipes has 120 high-protein recipes with exact numbers.
Sample day: lean bulk, about 2,800 kcal and 165 g protein (halal, South Asian friendly)
| Meal | Food | Protein (approx.) |
|---|---|---|
| Breakfast | 80 g oats with milk, 1 banana, 4-egg omelette with onion and chilli | ~40 g |
| Lunch | 200 g grilled chicken tikka, 250 g cooked basmati rice, cucumber raita, salad | ~50 g |
| Pre-workout | 2 chapati with peanut butter, or 3 idli with sambar | ~15 g |
| Post-workout | Whey shake (30 g) + fruit | ~25 g |
| Dinner | Fish curry (150 g salmon or mackerel), 200 g rice or 2 chapati, stir-fried vegetables | ~35 g |
| Before bed (optional) | 200 g Greek yogurt or skyr with nuts | ~20 g |
Sample day: cut, about 2,100 kcal and 175 g protein
| Meal | Food | Protein (approx.) |
|---|---|---|
| Breakfast | 3 whole eggs + 150 g egg whites, 1 slice wholemeal toast, tomatoes | ~40 g |
| Lunch | 200 g tandoori chicken breast, 150 g rice, large salad with lemon | ~55 g |
| Snack | 250 g skyr or Greek yogurt with berries | ~25 g |
| Dinner | 200 g grilled fish or lean lamb keema with peas, 1 chapati, sautéed spinach | ~45 g |
| Snack | Whey shake in water | ~25 g |
Cutting tips: fill half the plate with vegetables, measure cooking oil (1 tbsp ≈ 120 kcal), swap sugary drinks for water or zero-calorie drinks, and watch fried snacks, sweets and takeaways, which add calories fastest.
Meal timing
- Total daily calories and protein matter most; timing is fine-tuning.
- Eat a carb + protein meal 1–3 hours before training, and protein within about 2 hours after.
- Ramadan or other fasting: eat a protein-rich suhoor (eggs, yogurt, oats) and split iftar into two meals; train lightly just before iftar or normally 1–2 hours after it. Keep volume a bit lower and protect sleep.
Hydration
A common rule of thumb is about 35 ml per kg of bodyweight daily (≈ 2.8 L for 80 kg), plus extra for training and hot weather. For reference, EFSA's adequate total water intake for men is 2.5 L a day, including water from food. Pale-yellow urine is a simple sign you are drinking enough.
Supplements: what's worth it
| Supplement | Dose | Evidence | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Creatine monohydrate | 3–5 g daily, any time | Strong | The most researched supplement for strength and muscle; considered safe for healthy people |
| Whey or plant protein | 20–40 g as needed | Strong (it's food) | Convenience only; use it if your diet can't hit your protein target |
| Vitamin D | 10 µg (400 IU) daily, October to March | Strong for deficiency | This is the UK government's advice for everyone in autumn and winter. Don't exceed 100 µg a day |
| Caffeine | 3–6 mg/kg, 30–60 min pre-workout | Strong | Avoid within about 8 hours of bed. Not advised in pregnancy or for people sensitive to it |
| Omega-3 (fish oil) | 1–2 g EPA + DHA | Mixed | Mainly if you eat little oily fish |
| Multivitamin | 1 a day | Weak | Insurance for a poor diet, not a replacement for food |
Skip: BCAAs (no benefit when protein intake is adequate), "test boosters", fat burners and anything promising rapid gains. Anabolic steroids and SARMs carry serious heart, liver and hormonal risks and are not covered here. Check halal certification on whey and capsules (some capsules use gelatin).
Evidence behind this chapter
- Morton et al. (2018), protein supplementation meta-analysis, British Journal of Sports Medicine
- Helms, Aragon & Fitschen (2014), natural bodybuilding contest preparation, Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition
- Whittaker & Wu (2021), low-fat diets and testosterone in men, Journal of Steroid Biochemistry and Molecular Biology
- NHS: Vitamin D (advice for autumn and winter)
- EFSA (2010), dietary reference values for water
- Kreider et al. (2017), ISSN position stand on creatine
- Guest et al. (2021), ISSN position stand on caffeine
- Gardiner et al. (2023), caffeine timing and sleep meta-analysis, Sleep Medicine Reviews
- SACN (2015), Carbohydrates and Health
Fact-checked and updated 2026-10-26. General education, not medical advice.