In this article
Training consistency is frequently limited by nutrition rather than by programming. This article sets out the framework Housed coaching staff apply with members: energy balance, protein, and timing, in that order of priority.
Principle one: energy balance determines direction
Fat loss requires an energy intake below expenditure. Muscle gain requires an intake above it. Maintenance sits between the two. Every subsequent consideration in this article is detail layered on that foundation, which is why it should be established before anything else is adjusted.
Step one - estimate basal metabolic rate:
- Men - ten multiplied by weight in kilograms, plus 6.25 multiplied by height in centimetres, minus five multiplied by age, plus five
- Women - ten multiplied by weight in kilograms, plus 6.25 multiplied by height in centimetres, minus five multiplied by age, minus 161
Step two - apply an activity multiplier:
- Sedentary, desk-based work - multiply by 1.2
- Light activity, training one to three days per week - multiply by 1.375
- Moderate, training three to five days per week - multiply by 1.55
- Very active, training six to seven days per week - multiply by 1.725
- Training twice daily - multiply by 1.9
Step three - adjust for objective:
- Fat loss - subtract 300 to 500 calories
- Muscle gain - add 200 to 300 calories
- Maintenance - no adjustment
These formulas produce a starting estimate rather than a precise figure. Bodyweight response should be tracked across two to three weeks and the intake adjusted accordingly.
Principle two: protein intake
Protein is the macronutrient with the greatest bearing on body composition. It supports the retention of lean mass during a deficit, supports its development during a surplus, and contributes to satiety more than carbohydrate or fat.
Targets, per kilogram of bodyweight:
- Fat loss - 2.0 to 2.4g
- Muscle gain - 1.6 to 2.2g
- Maintenance - 1.6 to 1.8g
A seventy-kilogram individual training for muscle gain would target approximately 140g daily, distributed across four to five meals at twenty-eight to thirty-five grams each.
Common sources:
- Chicken breast - approximately 31g per 100g
- Salmon - approximately 25g per 100g
- Whey protein - approximately 24g per 30g serving
- Eggs - approximately 13g each
- Greek yoghurt - approximately 10g per 100g
- Lentils - approximately 9g per 100g
Principle three: timing
Protein timing:
- Total daily intake is more significant than distribution
- The post-training window is considerably wider than the thirty-minute guidance once commonly cited
- Even distribution across the day is the practical recommendation
Carbohydrate timing:
- One to two hours before training
- Within approximately two hours afterwards
- Most relevant where training occurs twice daily
Objective one: fat loss with lean mass retention
Retaining lean mass during a deficit depends primarily on keeping the deficit moderate and protein intake high. Aggressive deficits produce rapid initial results and are difficult to sustain.
Structure:
- A deficit of 300 to 500 calories below maintenance
- Protein at 2.2 to 2.4g per kilogram
- Carbohydrate at 2.0 to 3.0g per kilogram
- Fat at 0.8 to 1.0g per kilogram
A sample day for a seventy-kilogram individual, approximately 1,800 calories:
- Breakfast - three scrambled eggs, spinach, wholegrain toast, half an avocado
- Mid-morning - Greek yoghurt with berries
- Lunch - grilled chicken breast, one cup cooked quinoa, mixed vegetables, olive oil
- Pre-training - a banana and a small serving of almonds
- Post-training - a whey protein serving and an apple
- Dinner - salmon, sweet potato, broccoli and carrots
Supporting practices:
- Four to five meals daily for satiety
- Twenty-five to thirty grams of fibre daily
- Three or more litres of fluid daily
- One higher-carbohydrate day per week
Objective two: lean muscle gain
Developing lean mass without substantial fat gain requires a modest surplus maintained consistently rather than an aggressive one maintained briefly.
Structure:
- A surplus of 200 to 300 calories above maintenance
- Protein at 1.6 to 2.2g per kilogram
- Carbohydrate at 4.0 to 6.0g per kilogram
- Fat at 0.8 to 1.2g per kilogram
A sample day for a seventy-five-kilogram individual, approximately 2,900 calories:
- Breakfast - oats, protein powder, banana, peanut butter
- Mid-morning - Greek yoghurt, granola, honey
- Lunch - lean beef, brown rice, mixed vegetables, olive oil
- Pre-training - white rice and chicken breast
- Post-training - a protein serving with white rice
- Dinner - steak, sweet potato, asparagus
Supporting practices:
- Maintain the surplus consistently, including on non-training days
- Thirty to forty grams of protein per meal, four to five times daily
- Carbohydrate before and after training
- A target of approximately 0.25 to 0.5kg gain per week
Objective three: performance and endurance
For group training, event preparation and endurance work, carbohydrate becomes the primary consideration rather than a secondary one.
Structure:
- Protein at 1.6 to 1.8g per kilogram
- Carbohydrate at 5.0 to 8.0g per kilogram as the primary fuel source
- Fat at 1.0 to 1.2g per kilogram
For sessions exceeding ninety minutes:
- Thirty to sixty grams of carbohydrate per hour
- Electrolytes including sodium, potassium and magnesium
- Five hundred to 1,000ml of fluid per hour
Supplements
Well supported in the research literature:
- Protein powder - a convenient means of meeting a daily target
- Creatine monohydrate - five grams daily, among the most extensively studied supplements for strength and power output
- Caffeine - three to six milligrams per kilogram, thirty to sixty minutes before training
Moderately supported:
- Omega-3
- Vitamin D, particularly through winter
- Magnesium
Limited or mixed evidence:
- Beta-alanine
- Citrulline malate
- Branched-chain amino acids, where total daily protein is already adequate
Not recommended:
- Thermogenic products, which lack quality evidence for meaningful results
- Testosterone-boosting products, which lack quality evidence in individuals with normal levels
- Proprietary blends that do not disclose individual doses
Four common errors
Excessive deficits
Large deficits are difficult to sustain and are typically accompanied by loss of lean mass alongside fat. A moderate deficit combined with high protein intake produces better outcomes across any meaningful timeframe.
Carbohydrate avoidance
Training at intensity on very low carbohydrate intake typically results in reduced session quality. Intake should be matched to training frequency and volume rather than restricted as a default.
Absence of meal preparation
Preparing meals ad hoc is the most common cause of inconsistency. Preparing three to four days of food twice weekly resolves the majority of it.
All-or-nothing approaches
A single meal outside the plan does not materially affect a week. A predominantly whole-food approach with allowance for flexibility is more sustainable, and sustainability is the determining factor.
A four-week implementation plan
Week one - measurement:
- Record all intake
- Estimate maintenance calories
- Establish current protein intake
Week two - structure:
- Set macronutrient targets against the objective
- Plan three days of meals
- Introduce protein supplementation if required to meet the target
Week three - consistency:
- Meet targets on five to seven days
- Establish a meal preparation routine
- Record bodyweight and measurements
Week four - refinement:
- Adjust intake against recorded response
- Refine meal timing
- Retain the practices that proved sustainable
Summary
Nutrition is a practised skill rather than a fixed prescription. Any approach requires sufficient time to produce measurable data before it is judged. The most effective plan is the one that can be sustained over the period required to reach the objective.
