How large should a calorie deficit be to lose fat?

A calorie deficit of 300-500 calories below your calorie needs should be sufficient. A larger deficit risks losing muscle mass as well and can slow your metabolism, as the body enters a sort of 'survival mode' on low-calorie diets.

How do you calculate your daily calorie needs?

First calculate your basal metabolic rate (BMR) using Mifflin's formula: for women, (10 x weight in kg) + (6.25 x height in cm) - (5 x age) - 161; for men the same but + 5. Then multiply the BMR by the activity factor (PAL) that matches your daily activity level.

How many calories does each macronutrient provide?

One gram of carbohydrate provides 4 calories, one gram of protein provides 4 calories and one gram of fat provides 9 calories.

How can you avoid losing muscle mass while losing weight?

Eat enough calories (a deficit of 300-500 calories), eat enough protein, lift weights using progressive overload, eat enough healthy fat for hormone regulation and cell structures, and choose HIIT as your cardio.

How much fish is recommended per week?

It is recommended to eat 300-450 g of pure fish per week, of which 200 g should be fatty fish. If you eat little fish, an omega-3 supplement is wise; the recommendation is at least 250 mg EPA/DHA daily.

What can you do if protein powder makes you bloated?

It may be the lactose you are reacting to. In that case you should choose a protein powder based on protein isolate, which is protein in concentrated form, completely free of lactose.

Diet Plan: How to Eat Your Way Down in Body Fat Percentage in a Healthy Way! | Hardworkout Magazine

Key takeaways

- People who train a lot should aim for 1.6-2.2 g of protein per kilo of body weight daily, which is higher than the general dietary recommendations.

- A calorie deficit of 300-500 calories below daily energy needs is enough to reduce body fat without triggering muscle loss.

- Daily calorie needs can be estimated by calculating basal metabolic rate with the Mifflin-St Jeor equation and multiplying it by an activity factor (PAL) between 1.2 and 2.4.

- Building muscle through regular strength training raises resting metabolic rate, so you can eat more while maintaining the same weight.

Do you find it difficult to know what to eat to lose weight/body fat? To lose weight without losing muscle mass, it is important not to eat too little and to get enough protein.

Starving yourself to lose weight is therefore not a good solution and is not sustainable in the long run. You also risk slowing down your metabolism, and you may end up with more kilos than you started with.

How much protein do you need when you train a lot?

Someone who trains a lot will have a higher protein requirement than the [general recommendations](https://www.helsedirektoratet.no/rapporter/referanseverdier-for-energi-og-naeringsstoffer/anbefalinger-om-energi-og-naeringsstoffer-ved-planlegging-av-kosthold/energigivende-naeringsstoffer). If you train a lot, you should aim for about 1.6-2.2 g of protein/kg of body weight daily.

How big should the calorie deficit be?

When your goal is to lose weight/body fat percentage, you need to maintain a small calorie deficit, and how many calories one needs varies from person to person. You can read more about how to calculate your calorie needs further down in the article.

The calorie deficit should not be too large, as you risk losing muscle mass as well, which can be counterproductive by slowing down your metabolism. The body enters a sort of "survival mode" with low-calorie diets.

Why do diet apps suggest too few calories?

Several diet apps have features where you can input your current weight and your target weight, and based on the time frame you enter, the app will suggest how much you can eat per day. Often, these apps recommend 1000-1400 calories daily, which is of course far too little for an adult.

A calorie deficit of 300-500 calories below your calorie needs should be sufficient. Think long-term dietary changes rather than quick fixes.

![healthy diet](https://hardworkout.no/wp-content/uploads/2019/10/Webp.net-resizeimage-5-1.jpg)

Choose Nutrient-Dense Foods Most of the Time

It is also important to choose good foods with high nutritional value as the main part of your diet, and preferably cook the food from scratch, so you know what it contains and can adjust the amount based on your needs.

Proteins are important for preserving muscle mass and for building larger muscles. Choose lean protein sources such as chicken, turkey, lean beef, game meat, low-fat dairy products, fish, and eggs.

Carbohydrates provide energy for both the brain and muscles; preferably choose slow carbohydrates that will give a more stable blood sugar level, which is better for digestion and provides a longer feeling of fullness. Choose carbohydrate sources such as whole grain rice and pasta, whole grain bread, oats, legumes, vegetables, sweet potatoes, etc.

Fast carbohydrates can, however, be good to have immediately after training to quickly replenish empty glycogen stores. For example, fruits, nuts, and berries, preferably in combination with some protein.

Fats are important for hormone regulation and as an energy reserve; choose healthy fat sources such as plant oils, avocados, fish, nuts, and seeds.

A healthy and varied diet also leads to an adequate intake of vitamins and minerals that the body needs to function optimally.

How many meals should you eat per day?

How many meals you should eat per day depends entirely on your preferences. However, several small and frequent meals will often keep blood sugar levels more stable, helping you avoid overeating and making poor food choices.

If you want to reduce body fat percentage, it may be wise to reduce carbohydrate intake while maintaining a moderate intake of fats and possibly increasing protein intake if you are not consuming enough of it.

It may be beneficial to consume the majority of carbohydrates in connection with training and activities, so you have enough energy for your workouts and can replenish glycogen stores afterward. The body will also use fat as an energy source if there are insufficient carbohydrates available.

To avoid losing muscle mass

So to avoid losing muscle mass when you lose weight, you should keep these things in mind:

- Eat enough calories – Don't go for quick fixes, as they yield poor results in the long run. Aim for a calorie deficit of 300-500 calories below your daily needs.

- Eat enough protein – Proteins are the most important for preserving and building muscle mass, so always make sure to get enough, especially when you are trying to lose weight. Otherwise, you will also lose muscle mass in the process.

Lift weights – Strength training is also important for preserving/increasing muscle mass. This doesn't mean you should set up a strict training regime with several hours of training every day, as that will also just deplete muscle mass and energy levels.

Follow the same training program you would otherwise do, and use progressive overload to maintain progress. - Eat enough fat – Some believe that it is the fat in the diet that makes them gain weight, but it is not that simple. Weight gain occurs with a higher calorie intake than calorie expenditure, not from a specific food item. Fat is important for both hormone regulation and cell structures, both of which are important for preserving muscle mass. So eat fat, but choose healthy and good sources of fat.

Choose HIIT as cardio – There is almost nothing more effective for fat burning than HIIT (High-Intensity Interval Training). This is relatively short interval training with high intensity, which increases fat burning for a long time after the workout. Usually, co

Example of a HIIT session can be found [here](https://hardworkout.no/hiit-trening-for-styrke-og-kondisjon/).

Read also: [Sleep deprivation can halt weight loss and muscle growth](https://hardworkout.no/sovnmangel-kan-sette-en-stopper-for-vektreduksjon-og-muskelvekst/)

![strength training burning](https://hardworkout.no/wp-content/uploads/2019/04/AdobeStock221409743.jpeg)

Meal plan for those who want to reduce body fat percentage

This meal plan is approximately 2300 calories per day, but you can adjust the calories based on your energy needs. All recipes include nutritional content for the entire recipe and per food item, so you can adjust the amounts yourself.

Since the goal of this meal plan is to reduce fat mass, it has a high protein content, a moderate to low carbohydrate content, and a bit more (healthy) fat.

For the best possible effect, it is also wise to follow a training plan and combine both strength and cardio training.

For example this: [Get in your best shape in 3 months with this training program!](https://hardworkout.no/kom-i-din-beste-form-pa-3-maneder-med-dette-treningsprogrammet/)

Monday

For breakfast, there will be protein- and fiber-rich chia pudding with cottage cheese and yogurt, topped with cherries.

For lunch, there will be an omelet with cheese, ham, and potatoes. The combination of protein sources gives the dish high protein quality and is both filling and tasty.

For dinner, there will be a nutritious stir-fry with healthy fatty acids and proteins from salmon, fiber-rich whole grain noodles, and plenty of vegetables.

The snack will be a simple protein shake and a banana. Feel free to have this right after training, as the protein stimulates muscle growth and the banana provides quick carbohydrates and magnesium, which will help with recovery time.

- Breakfast: [Chia pudding with vanilla and cherries](https://hardworkout.no/chiagrot-med-vanilje-og-kirsebaer/)

- Lunch: [Farmers omelet with cheese and ham](https://hardworkout.no/proteinbombe-bondeomelett-med-ost-og-skinke/)

- Dinner: [Salmon stir-fry with teriyaki sauce and whole grain noodles](https://hardworkout.no/laksewok-med-teriyakisaus-og-fullkornsnudler/)

- Snack: Protein shake (40 g protein powder + water) and 1 medium banana.

Total: 2283 calories.

![](https://hardworkout.no/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/Mandag.jpeg)

Tuesday

For breakfast, there will be protein- and fiber-rich chia pudding with cottage cheese and yogurt, topped with cherries.

For lunch, there will be an omelet with cheese, ham, and potatoes. The combination of protein sources gives the dish high protein quality and is both filling and tasty.

For dinner, there will be a fiber-rich barley salad with sweet potato, spinach, and lean chicken meat.

- Breakfast: [Chia pudding with vanilla and cherries](https://hardworkout.no/chiagrot-med-vanilje-og-kirsebaer/)

- Lunch: [Farmers omelet with cheese and ham](https://hardworkout.no/proteinbombe-bondeomelett-med-ost-og-skinke/)