Your calorie and protein numbers in 5 minutes. Grab a calculator, fill these in once, and you'll know exactly what to eat to lose fat.
1. Maintenance calories
Men: 10 × weight (kg) + 6.25 × height (cm) − 5 × age + 5
Women: 10 × weight (kg) + 6.25 × height (cm) − 5 × age − 161
Multiply the result by your activity level: 1.2 desk job · 1.375 light · 1.55 moderate · 1.725 very active. Not sure? Pick the lower one.
Pounds to kg: divide by 2.2. Inches to cm: multiply by 2.54.
2. Fat-loss calories
Maintenance × 0.8. Don't go under 1,500 kcal (men) or 1,200 kcal (women).
Example: 25-year-old man, 178 cm, 80 kg, moderately active. BMR = 1,793. Maintenance = 1,793 × 1.55 = 2,779. Fat-loss target = about 2,220 kcal a day.
3. Protein
0.8 g per lb of goal weight (1.8 g per kg). Goal 150 lb → 120 g protein a day.
4. Build every plate the same way
- A palm-plus of protein
- A fist of carbs
- Half the plate vegetables
- A thumb of fat
5. Easy high-protein foods
- Chicken breast, cooked, 100 g: ~31 g protein
- Canned tuna, 1 can: ~25 g
- Lean beef, cooked, 100 g: ~26 g
- Cottage cheese, 1 cup: ~25 g
- Whey protein, 1 scoop: ~24 g
- Shrimp, cooked, 100 g: ~24 g
- 0% Greek yogurt, 170 g: ~17 g
- Firm tofu, 150 g: ~25 g
6. Check it weekly, not daily
Weigh yourself every morning, but only compare 7-day averages. Aim to lose 0.5–1% of your bodyweight per week.
Want the full plan? The 8-Week Lean Cut gives you a 4-day gym plan, progression rules and weekly check-ins. Get it with Lean Kitchen and the tracker in the Lean Cut Bundle.
Educational content, not medical advice. Check with a doctor before changing your diet or training.