Bigger Leaner Stronger: The Simple Science of Building the Ultimate Male Body

by Michael Matthews

CALCULATING YOUR CUTTING DIET When you cut, you will first calculate a starting point and adjust as needed. Here’s where you start: • 1.2 grams of protein per pound of body weight per day, • 1 gram of carbs per pound of body weight per day, and • 0.2 grams of fat per pound of body weight per day. For a 200-pound male, it would look like this: • 240 grams of protein per day, • 200 grams of carbs per day, and • 40 grams of fat per day, This would be about 2,120 calories per day, which is a good starting point for a 200-pound guy looking to lose weight. If you’re over 25 percent body fat, your formula is slightly different: • 0.8 grams of protein per pound of body weight per day, • 0.6 grams of carbs per pound of body weight per day, and • 0.3 grams of fat per pound of body weight per day. For a 250-pound guy, it would look like this: • 200 grams of protein per day, • 150 grams of carbs per day, and • 80 grams of fat per day. This also comes to about 2,120 calories per day, which is where a 250-pound man with a body fat percentage greater than 25 percent would want to start. (Remember that the more body fat you have to lose, the larger of a deficit you can safely place yourself in.) If you’re extremely obese—over 30 percent body fat—then I recommend that you work out your BMR as discussed earlier in this book and do the following: 1. Multiply it by 1.2. This will be your daily calorie intake. 2. Get 40 percent of those calories from protein, 30 percent from carbohydrates, and...