What another secret to designing a fat loss diet that preserves muscle while shredding pounds. In this episode of QuickWits, we break down the key components of a well-designed fat loss plan, including the calorie deficit, protein intake, strength training and recovery. We're going to walk you through a hypothetical client's journey, complete with the numbers, and discover the power of using a special trick. Instead of strict targets that can really trip people up, there's a special approach we like to take that makes it more accessible and more sustainable, so you can adjust your plan as your metabolism adapts. Tune into today's QuickWits to gain the knowledge you need to create a sustainable, effective fat loss protocol tailored to your goals and preferences. Welcome to the Whits and Weights podcast. I'm your host, philip Pape, and this twice a week podcast is dedicated to helping you achieve physical self-mastery by getting stronger, optimizing your nutrition and upgrading your body composition. We'll uncover science-backed strategies for movement, metabolism, muscle and mindset, with a skeptical eye on the fitness industry, so you can look and feel your absolute best. Let's dive right in In our second companion, quickwits, to answer one of the two research questions posed by Dr Bill Campbell in his Body by Science Research Review. I am today answering the question about what is more important fats or carbs in a fat loss phase? If you didn't catch Monday's QuickWits, where I talked about ab development, go check that out. Either way, by listening to this episode you have the opportunity to get the March issue of Body by Science completely free. Dr Bill Campbell has given me permission to share that with my email list. If you're not already on the list, all you have to do is click the link in my show notes or go to witsandweightscom slash bonus and I'll be sending that out to you very soon. If you're listening to this episode a week later or months later or whenever, and it's past that point, join the list anyway and then reply to the welcome email and say hey, philip, I joined this to get the free issue of the research review by Bill Campbell. Where is it? I will definitely send it to you, no problem. The question we're answering today is what is your approach to prescribing fat and carbohydrate macros for clients in a fat loss phase? And again, just like on Monday's QuickWits, I am going to read my answer verbatim. So today's QuickWits is a little longer than usual, but it's going to be quite comprehensive. So here we go. A well-designed fat loss diet will create a consistent calorie deficit to lose weight as fat while preserving muscle. Number one a caloric intake below maintenance calories produces a negative energy balance. Maintenance calories will continuously shift throughout the fat loss phase but is not so severe as to accelerate muscle loss. Number two enough protein to avoid muscle loss. Bonus higher protein increases satiety and requires more energy to process than fats and carbs. Fat and carbs are flexible and determined based on calories and protein. Number three strength training for progressive overload with sufficient stimulus to maintain muscle mass. And number four sufficient recovery, sleep, self-care, movement, etc. To minimize chronic stress, hunger, low energy and both physical and mental fatigue.

Imagine a hypothetical client body weight of 200 pounds or 91 kilograms, desired fat loss of 20 pounds or 9 kilograms and maintenance calories of 2600 calories. We start with the calorie target based on the rate of loss as a percentage of body weight per week, percent BW per week. Assume a typical fat loss phase of 8 to 16 weeks and an evidence-based rate of loss of 0.25 to 1% body weight per week. The chosen rate of loss depends on the client's ability to adhere to the resulting calorie intake. We don't want a client desperately white-knuckling it at 1200 calories when 1600 will extend the diet but feel more doable. By starting with the rate, we can forecast the duration and leave room for quote-unquote life, travel, refeeds, diet breaks to reach the target. Most people do well around 0.5 to 0.75% body weight per week Enough calories to balance adherence and time between low and slow and quick but dicey. We can always change the rate of loss mid-diet or take a break at maintenance.

Get ready for some math. The rate of loss if we assume 0.75% body weight per week, that's moderately aggressive times 200 pounds, that's 1.5 pounds per week. The duration, if you want a 20 pound loss based on the one and a half pounds a week, is going to take 13 weeks. So we want to allow for 14 to 16 weeks. The calorie deficit based on one and a half pounds per week times 3500 calories per pound, divided by seven days for the week, is going to be 750 calories a day. And then the calories themselves are the 2600 maintenance calories minus the 750 deficit. That leaves you with 1,850 calories of intake every day. Calories will need to be adjusted. We prefer weekly to follow metabolic adaptation. The goal is to maintain the deficit, which means calories will float. Not adjusting intake to your changing metabolism is one of the biggest reasons for a weight loss plateau. The solution is to dynamically track your current maintenance based on intake and trend weight, not formulas or wearables, so that you can increase or decrease your calories and keep the same deficit. As we get into the specifics of the diet plan, we remember that we calculated our dieting calories to be set at 1,850 calories, at least initially.

Macros, macro targets or minimums. One method is to hit exact targets. While it's often a game for someone who enjoys the challenge, others find it mentally taxing. Another method is to use minimums for greater flexibility without compromising progress. Thanks, dr Eric Helms. Our clients use a food logging app, macro Factor, that presents targets, but we coach them to aim for minimums to reduce stress as they go about their meal planning and food selection, giving them wide latitude to be successful. Consistent, not perfect, compliance is enough for progress.

Protein four calories per gram. The first protein, or the first macro, is protein. We recommend an evidence-based range of 0.7 to one gram per pound, that's, 1.6 to 2.2 grams per kilogram of target body weight, choosing a number that aligns with preferences, like are you a big meat eater? So if we do the math, protein equals one gram per pound times 180 pounds target body weight. Remember we have a 200 pound person who wants to lose 20 pounds. 180 grams times four calories per gram gives you 720 calories. So we have either 180 grams of protein or we can think of it as 720 calories of protein.

Fat nine calories per gram. The next macro is fat. We recommend setting fat to a percentage of calories based on the client's history and preferences. Start with 30% of calories and then adjust. For example, a client with a history of keto slash low carb might prefer closer to 35 to 40%, resulting in very low carbs, whereas a petite female who likes lean protein sources might only need 20 to 25% fat. At lower calories, the fat percentage is often lower to accommodate proteins and carbs. Fat equals. So we're assuming 25% here.

25% times the 1,850 calories available is 463 calories. Dividing that by nine calories per gram gets you 51 grams. So we have either 51 grams of fat or 463 calories of fat. Same thing Carbs four calories per gram. Carbs are allocated the remaining calories. So carbs are going to be, in this case, 1850 calories, minus the 720 from protein, minus the 463 from fat, leaving you with 667 calories. If we divide that by four calories per gram, we get 167 grams.

Now if you get sticker shock at how low those carbs are, 167 grams might seem low to you. It might not if you're a keto or low carb dieter. This is your opportunity to lower the fat to as low as, say, 20% and in unique cases less than that, or even lower the protein to between 0.7 and 0.9 grams per pound. There is no wrong amount of fat or carbs, only what best serves the individual's goals, preferences, lifestyle, biofeedback and training and performance. Many clients do fine within any fats or carbs will do.

Approach after protein is met to hit calories Final protocol here is the final protocol using minimums and targets Protein minimum 130 grams with a target of 180 grams. Fat minimum 40 grams with a target of 50 grams. Carbs minimum 100 grams with a target of 170 grams. Eat whatever you want for the remainder up to 1850 calories. This is a quote. Unquote balanced diet about 40% protein, 25% fat and 35% carbs by calories, where neither fat nor carbs are too low.

Many people find that energy, mood, performance and hormones can be negatively impacted when one or the other is too low. Experiment a moderate high carb diet is advantageous for building muscle during a calorie surplus. However, carbs tend to be lower during fat loss, and fats must be at a minimum for health. One rule of thumb is 0.25 grams per pound. Low carbs can result in nutrient gaps and effect training performance, which is already limited by the lower calories. If clients prefer low carb less than 100 grams, we help them compare biofeedback, energy recovery, mood and performance between both approaches. They discover for themselves what works best with their body rather than making assumptions.

Use a food logging app If you would rather use an app that calculates all this for you. Our clients and I personally use Macro Factor from Stronger by Science, which dynamically adjusts weekly targets to your metabolism. You can try Macro Factor for free by entering code WITSENWAITS. All one word WITSENWAITS. All right, so there is the answer the contribution that I gave to the second question in Bill Campbell's body by science review, the March 2024, 2024 issue.

And again, if you want that issue for free, I'm gonna send you the entire PDF. I have Dr Campbell's permission to do that. You know, subscription necessary. All you have to do is join my Insiders list for free at the link in the show notes or go to witsenweightscom slash free. And, as always, I will see you next time. Stay strong. Thank you for tuning in to another episode of Wits and Weights. If you found value in today's episode and know someone else who's looking to level up there with some weights, please take a moment to share this episode with them and make sure to hit the follow button in your podcast platform right now to catch the next episode. Until then, stay strong.