ur aim is to lose fat, multiply your current bodyweight by 10, 11 or 12 — again, 10 if you have a slow metabolism, 11 for a moderate metabolism and 12 for a fast metabolismUse this as a starting point; you may need to adjust your caloric intake by 50–100 calories per day if you plateau and have trouble achieving your desired goals. This formula also works nicely as a starting point for bodybuilders who want to calculate their varying caloric needs over the course of a year. Precontest bodybuilders would multiply their desired bodyweight by 10, 11 or 12, according to their metabolism. Off-season bodybuilders would multiply their current or desired weight by any number from 13 to 18, depending on how fast their metabolism is and how lean they want to stay in the off-season. This formula works equally well for both men and women. THE MACRONUTRIENT MIXAfter figuring your daily caloric needs, you’ll want to figure out how many grams of protein, carbohydrate and fat you should take in per day. Roughly 30%–35% of your calories should come from protein, 50%–60% from carbohydrate and 10%–15% from fat. Each gram of protein or carbohydrate is equal to 4 calories, while each gram of fat has 9 calories. Ration your calories somewhat equally throughout 5–6 meals or more per day. Higher-calorie postworkout meals are a good idea. Although I won’t discuss vitamins and minerals in detail, I do recommend that everyone take some type of multivitamin or mineral pack every day. This supplementation provides daily insurance and eliminates the worry of meeting required needs for general health and recovery. PROTEINProtein is essential for the repair and growth of muscle tissue. The amino acids derived from proteins form the building blocks of all cells in the human body. Without protein, your organs, hair, nails, immune system and every other bodily system wouldn’t survive. Bodybuilders need to take in enou...
