Nutrition for getting lean: what should you look out for?

Your nutrition while getting lean decides whether your body burns fat or breaks down muscle during a calorie deficit. Training provides the stimulus, but what's on your plate makes the difference between getting tight and defined, or simply getting lighter and softer. This article goes deeper into the nutrition side of getting lean and follows on from the complete guide to getting lean. Here you'll read what to look out for with protein, carbs, fat and timing — and how to keep it doable alongside a busy, active life.

Protein intake while getting lean

Protein is non-negotiable when you're getting lean. It protects muscle while you're in a calorie deficit, keeps you full at moments when you're simply eating fewer calories, and has a higher thermic effect than carbs or fat — your body uses relatively more energy to process it. A guideline of 1.8 to 2.2 grams of protein per kilo of body weight per day is a good starting point for most people while getting lean.

Spread that protein intake over three to five moments in the day instead of concentrating it in one big meal. That works better for keeping muscle and gives a steadier feeling of fullness throughout the day — exactly what you need when your calories are already limited. For more inspiration for high-protein meals that go beyond chicken breast and rice, check out our high-protein recipes.

The quality of your protein sources matters too. Complete protein sources such as chicken, fish, eggs, quark and low-fat dairy provide all the essential amino acids your body needs to keep muscle. Plant-based protein sources such as legumes and tofu can be a perfectly good part of your nutrition while getting lean, but often need a bit more variety to reach the same total protein intake. If you combine animal and plant-based sources, it's easiest to build a varied eating pattern you can stick to.

Carbs and fat: don't cut them out completely

Carbs and fat often get an undeserved bad name when you're getting lean, but cutting them out completely backfires. Carbs provide the energy to keep training hard, and that training stimulus is exactly what gives your body a reason to hold on to muscle. Cut your carbs too drastically and your training performance drops — and with it the signal to your body to spare muscle.

If you still choose to keep your carbs on the lower side, do it in a controlled way — with meals that are calculated for it, so your protein intake stays up. Take a look at our low-carb meals or, if you want to go stricter, the keto meals.

Fat needs a lower limit to keep hormonal processes on track, which in turn indirectly affects muscle retention and recovery. A guideline of 0.8 to 1 gram of fat per kilo of body weight per day is a safe base for most people. You divide the rest of your calories between protein and carbs, based on your training schedule. Want to know how to turn this into a concrete plan with an example day? Read get lean nutrition plan.

Nutrition timing around your training

Your total daily amount of calories and macros matters more than the exact time you eat, but timing isn't unimportant. A carb-rich snack just before training gives you the energy to train hard. A high-protein meal within a few hours after training supports recovery and muscle protein synthesis — the process your body uses to build and maintain muscle.

Outside those two moments, the most important rule is consistency. A fixed rhythm of meals throughout the day keeps your energy level steadier and stops you ending the day with a large part of your calories and protein still left to eat.

If you train on an empty stomach in the morning, that's not a problem in itself — as long as your total daily intake is in order. It is smart, though, to pay extra attention to your protein and carb intake straight after training in that case, because your body has then had to wait longer for new building blocks and energy. Listen to how your body responds to different timing strategies and stick with what works best for you in terms of energy and recovery, instead of following a rigid schedule that doesn't fit your daily rhythm.

Ready-made options for busy people getting lean

Knowing how much protein, carbs and fat you need is one thing — getting that exactly onto your plate three to five times a day is another, while work, sport and the rest of your life still have to happen. Ready-made sport meals bridge exactly that gap: every meal is already calculated for your macros, put together to be high in protein, frozen straight after cooking and delivered to you quickly.

If you want to keep a grip on your nutrition without putting together every meal yourself, the collection sport meals for getting lean is a sensible choice — good food without the hassle, even on the days when your schedule is full.