Tailoring Your Diet to Your Fitness Goals: A Comprehensive Guide
7 minute read time / 872 words
At Your Coach, we understand that nutrition plays a crucial role in meeting your fitness goals, whether it's gaining muscle, losing weight, enhancing performance, or simply leading a healthier lifestyle. This article will guide you through different goal categories, suggest macro splits to meet those goals, and introduce you to methods for calculating your Basal Metabolic Rate (BMR) and macro needs.
Remember, there is no one-size-fits-all approach to nutrition. It’s about finding what works for you, your body, and your goals. At Your Coach, we’re dedicated to supporting you on this journey, offering personalized advice and motivation every step of the way.
Weight Gain
- Macro Split: Typically, 25-30% protein, 50-60% carbohydrates, and 20-25% fats.
- Diet Type: High-Calorie or High-Carb Diet.
- Purpose: To build muscle, you need a calorie surplus. Emphasize healthy, nutrient-dense foods and enough protein to support muscle growth.
- Calculating BMR and Macros: Use the Harris-Benedict Equation to determine your daily calorie needs and adjust your intake to create a surplus. tape measure wrapped up
Weight Loss
- Macro Split: Commonly, 30-35% protein, 40-45% carbohydrates, and 25-30% fats.
- Diet Type: Caloric Deficit or Low-Carb Diet.
- Purpose: Focus on creating a calorie deficit while maintaining a balanced diet rich in nutrients. Higher protein intake supports muscle retention during weight loss.
- Calculating BMR and Macros: The Mifflin-St Jeor Equation is a reliable method to estimate calorie needs. Create a deficit by consuming fewer calories than you burn.
Strength
- Macro Split: Around 30% protein, 40% carbohydrates, and 30% fats.
- Diet Type: Balanced Diet.
- Purpose: Adequate protein for muscle repair and growth, carbs for energy, and fats for hormone production.
- Calculating BMR and Macros: Use an online macro calculator that factors in your level of physical activity.
Cardio
- Macro Split: Approximately 20% protein, 60% carbohydrates, and 20% fats.
- Diet Type: Carb-Focused Diet.
- Purpose: Carbs are the primary fuel for endurance activities, so a higher carb intake is beneficial.
- Calculating BMR and Macros: Adjust your macro split based on the intensity and duration of your cardio sessions.
Lifestyle
- Macro Split: A general guideline is 25% protein, 50% carbohydrates, and 25% fats.
- Diet Type: Mediterranean Diet.
- Purpose: Emphasizes whole foods, lean proteins, healthy fats, and an abundance of fruits and vegetables for overall well-being.
- Calculating BMR and Macros: The Total Daily Energy Expenditure (TDEE) calculator can help you determine your maintenance calories.
You may have also heard some trending diets and have no clue on what they are or if they'd be right for you, take a look below at some of the ones we feel its worth explaining and if they'd be for you. At Your Coach we always recommend working with a qualified nutritionist on a plan that is best for you and your needs but we also understand that sometimes you just want to try something.
Ketogenic (Keto) Diet
This high-fat, low-carb diet has continued to be popular. It focuses on drastically reducing carbohydrate intake and replacing it with fat, which puts the body into a metabolic state called ketosis. It’s been particularly popular for weight loss and managing certain medical conditions.
More information about Keto can be found on the Diet Doctor website.
Plant-Based and Vegan Diets
With a growing focus on sustainability and animal welfare, as well as health, plant-based diets have seen a surge in popularity. These diets are based on fruits, vegetables, grains, nuts, and seeds, excluding all animal products.
Visit the NHS website for more information on vegan and vegetarian diets.
Mediterranean Diet
Consistently ranked as one of the healthiest diets, the Mediterranean diet is rich in fruits, vegetables, whole grains, olive oil, and fish. It’s known for its benefits in reducing the risk of heart disease and promoting overall longevity.
More on the meditarranean diet can be found at Mayo Clinic.
Intermittent Fasting
While not a diet in the traditional sense, intermittent fasting (including the 16:8 method and the 5:2 diet) involves cycles of eating and fasting. It’s been popular for weight loss and is also believed to have various health benefits.
There's a useful Intermittent Fasting 101 Beginners Guide on the Healthline site.
Paleo Diet
The Paleo diet, which emphasizes foods that might have been eaten during the Paleolithic era, remains popular. It typically includes lean meats, fish, fruits, vegetables, nuts, and seeds and excludes dairy, grains, and processed foods.
More Paleo Diet information can be found on MedicalNewsToday.
80:20 Diet
The 80:20 diet is more of a dietary approach than a strict diet. It's based on eating healthy, nutrient-rich foods 80% of the time and allowing for more flexibility and indulgence in the remaining 20%. It’s popular for its balanced and sustainable approach to eating.
Whole30
The Whole30 diet is a 30-day program that eliminates sugar, alcohol, grains, legumes, soy, and dairy from the diet. It’s often used as a reset to pinpoint food intolerances and improve eating habits.
Flexitarian Diet
This is a plant-based diet that allows for occasional meat and animal products. It’s become popular for those looking to reduce their meat consumption without completely eliminating it.