To lose fat and keep your muscle, eat 300 to 500 calories below maintenance, get 1.6 to 2.2 g of protein per kg of bodyweight, lift weights two to four times a week and walk more. Aim to lose about 0.5 percent of your weight a week (up to 1 percent if you have a lot to lose), and judge progress by weekly averages.
Most people who try to lose weight do not fail because they lack willpower. They fail because the plan asks too much: cut out everything you like, eat almost nothing, train every day. That works for two weeks. Then life happens.
A plan that lasts is boring on purpose. It has four parts.
1. A small, steady calorie deficit
Fat loss happens when you eat a little less energy than you burn, day after day. Aim for about 300 to 500 calories below your maintenance number, which you can work out with the calorie calculator below, or read how many calories you need.
A good pace for most people is about 0.5 percent of bodyweight a week, which is what a 300 to 500 calorie deficit gives you. For someone who weighs 90 kg, that is roughly 0.3 to 0.5 kg a week. If you have a lot to lose, up to 1 percent is still safe. Faster than that, and more of what you lose tends to be muscle and water, and hunger becomes hard to manage.
Slow fat loss is not a weaker version of fast fat loss. It is the version that stays off.
2. Plenty of protein
Protein does two jobs while you diet. It tells your body to hold on to muscle, and it keeps you fuller than the same calories from carbs or fat. When you are losing weight, aim for around 1.6 to 2.2 g per kilogram of bodyweight a day, spread over three or four meals.
Easy sources: eggs, chicken, fish, laban and yoghurt, lean meat, lentils and beans, and a protein shake when you are short.
3. Lift weights, even a little
If you only cut calories, part of the weight you lose is muscle. Strength training two to four times a week tells your body that muscle is still needed. It does not have to be long: three full-body sessions of 45 minutes, built around squats, presses, rows and hinges, is plenty.
Keeping your muscle means you look firmer at the end, you stay stronger, and your daily burn stays higher.
4. Move more outside the gym
The calories you burn walking, standing and doing chores often add up to more than your workouts. A daily step goal is the simplest lever you have. If you average 4,000 steps, try 6,000 for two weeks, then 8,000. Walk after meals, take calls on your feet, park further away.
What to do when the scale stops
Weight does not fall in a straight line. Water, salt, sleep and stress can hide a week of fat loss. Before you change anything:
- Look at the weekly average, not single weigh-ins.
- Check your waist with a tape. It often keeps shrinking when the scale is stuck.
- Be honest about weekends, drinks, oils and sauces. They are where most hidden calories live.
If the weekly average has not moved for two to three weeks, take 100 to 200 calories off, or add 2,000 daily steps. Small changes, then wait.
Take breaks on purpose
After 8 to 12 weeks of dieting, a week or two at maintenance calories helps a lot. Hunger settles, training feels better, and you practise the habit you will need for the rest of your life: eating to keep your new weight.
Sources
- High protein with training during a calorie deficit: Longland et al., 2016
- Nutrition for cutting while keeping muscle: Helms et al., 2014
- How weight changes with a calorie deficit over time: Hall et al., 2011
The takeaway
Eat a little less, eat enough protein, lift a few times a week and walk more. Measure with averages, adjust in small steps, and give it months, not days. Shulah keeps your calorie target, your food, your workouts, your steps and your weight in one app, so you can see all four parts working together.