Estimating your TDEE
The average number of calories you expend per day is called your total daily energy expenditure (TDEE). To estimate it, it's easiest to use a TDEE calculator such as:
https://mytdee.com/
Keep in mind this number is only an estimate. What your real TDEE is can be found out by monitoring your weight and calorie intake over time.
In order to maintain weight eat the amount of calories of your TDEE.
In order to gain weight add a moderate amount of calories to your TDEE, for example 300 calories.
In order to lose weight subtract a moderate amount of calories from your TDEE, for example 500 calories.
Adjust your intake based on what happens on the scale over time, for example one or two weeks. Keep in mind that your weight will fluctuate daily. This fluctuation can be up to several pounds. In order to minimise fluctuations weigh yourself first thing in the morning after visiting the toilet.
If you’d like to minimise weight fluctuations further consider tracking your weight with a moving 7 day average (a.k.a. rolling average) or a weekly average. How to calculate a weekly average or rolling average can be found on Google.
Suggested rate of weight gain and loss
Losing weight too fast can result in muscle loss while gaining weight too fast can result in excessive fat gain. In order to avoid muscle loss and excessive fat gain, here are some suggestions.
Suggested rate of weight gain for an average beginning 170 pound lifter: 2 to 3 pounds per month.
Smaller people and people who have been lifting longer tend to do better with slower rates of weight gain, say 1 to 2 pounds per month.
Suggested rate of weight loss for an average beginning 200 pound lifter: 1 to 2 pounds per week.
Leaner and more advanced lifters often do better on slower rates of weight loss, for example 1 to 1.5 pounds per week.
Keep in mind that the above numbers are merely suggestions. What the ideal rate is depends on the individual and his/her preferences.
Macronutrient Intake
Ensure that your intake of macronutrients meets sufficiency (as defined below), with remaining macronutrient composition of the diet being largely a function of personal preference.
Protein minimum: ~0.8 grams per pound of bodyweight (or target/ideal weight in the obese).
(0.6 gram protein per lb is a good minimum for many general lifters at maintenance or surplus calories, for optimal body building purposes and during energy deficit 0.8 gram per lb likely provides some additional benefits.)
Fat minimum: ~0.4 grams per pound of bodyweight (or target/ideal weight in the obese).
Remaining caloric budget: whatever mix of macronutrients you prefer and/or allows you to perform and feel well. Some people do better on a higher carb intakes while other people do better on moderate or lower carb intakes. It is not necessary to set a specific numbers for each macro, what matters is that the total calories, minimum fat and protein are achieved.
Macro Percentages
Do not use macro percentages (for example 40/40/20). Your body does not care about percentages, it has minimum requirements.
Meal Frequency
General recommendation is to eat 3 to 6 protein containing meals spread over the day.
Some people get good results on lower meal frequencies but these are probably not optimal for gaining muscle.
Food quality and health
Your diet should contain enough macronutrients, micronutrients and fiber.
General recommendation for fiber:
Average male: 38 gram per day
Average female: 25 gram per day
As a general guideline for sugars try to keep
added sugars limited to 10% of total calories or less. The sugars that are naturally present in whole fruits, vegetables and dairy do not fall under this rule, you can be much more liberal with those.
Eating
predominantly whole and minimally processed foods is generally a good idea. This doesn't mean that processed foods always have to be avoided. Processed foods can be part of a healthy diet. Focus on getting enough macronutrients, micronutrients and fiber.
In order to get an idea of your micronutrient intake you can use the website
www.cronometer.com. Keep in mind that it's not absolutely necessary to reach 100% of each micronutrient every day.
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