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Guideline numbers for training and nutrition at a glance
The numbers I start with in coaching. Each topic links to the article that derives the value. They are starting points, not laws: whether they fit you shows in your progress after three to four weeks.
| Topic | Guideline | Good to know |
|---|---|---|
| Protein | 2.0 g per kg of body weight | With strength training, for building and dieting alike. With significant overweight, calculate from your goal weight. |
| Fat | 0.9 g per kg of body weight | At least 20% of calories. Carbs fill the rest. |
| Deficit | about 20% below total expenditure | Never below your basal rate. |
| Pace when dieting | 0.5 to 1% per week | Muscle and performance are well preserved in this range. |
| Surplus when building | about 10% above total expenditure | At 2,000 to 3,000 kcal that is 200 to 300 kcal a day. |
| Pace when building | 0.25 to 0.5% per week | Beginners toward the upper end, advanced lifters toward the lower end. |
| Body recomposition | about 10% deficit, 2 g protein per kg | Works mainly for beginners and after a longer break. |
| Intensity | RIR 0 to 2 | For most sets. Not every set has to go to failure. |
| Adding weight | 1 to 2.5 kg | When all sets reach the top of the rep range, clean, at RIR 0 to 2, in two sessions in a row. |
| Creatine | 3 to 5 g a day | A loading phase only makes it faster. |
| Deload | about half the volume, one week | As needed or planned in advance, not mandatory. |
| Ending a diet | raise calories over 3 to 4 weeks | Recalculate maintenance with your new weight. |
Your own numbers
The table describes the average. The calculator turns the values into numbers for your weight, your daily life and your goal.