By now it should be clear:

1. what one’s body composition should ideally be;
2. what one’s current body composition is;
3. what one’s actual calorie requirements are;
4. what is the breakdown of macronutrients that the initial diet should have.

Now, if on the one hand, by comparing the data in point 1 with that in point 2, one should be able to understand whether one should give one’s diet an anabolic or catabolic direction, on the other hand, by considering the data in points 3 and 4, one will have a valid starting point (the initial diet) from which to move towards anabolism or catabolism, depending on one’s needs. So one can move on to structuring the diets.I have spoken of diets (in the plural) rather than dieting (in the singular) because the path to one’s goals will inevitably involve stages, each of which will have its own dietary characteristics. In addition to the initial diet, in fact, it is possible to distinguish, for each of the two phases (metabolic restoration/anabolism and catabolism), a target (conclusive) diet and an indefinite number of transitional diets. Added to these is the stabilisation diet, aimed at consolidating changes in body composition.

The initial diet

  We will start by outlining the characteristics that the diet with which one should begin should have. However, it should be noted that the characteristics suggested here are to be understood as a startingpoint for those who have never followed a diet protocol. If, on the other hand, one has already followed one in the past from which one has obtained information (feedback), then one can more effectively refer to this information to plan the characteristics of the initial diet. If, for example, one knows that one’s physique can tolerate more or less carbohydrate than is suggested here, without adversely affecting body composition or recovery, then one can use this information, rather than the guidelines given here, to set the carbohydrate amount.

Quantitative characteristics

  As far as the quantitative characteristics are concerned, it is a matter of identifying one’s correct calorie needs, always considering one’s post-workout recovery needs. As already seen, the best way of analysing one’s calorie needs is to keep a food diary for at least a week. By recording your body weight just before and just after writing it down and eating as you are used to doing during the analysis period, you will be able to get an indication of the relationship between the amount of calories consumed during the observation window and the calories you actually need. More specifically, if the body weight had increased, then the calories consumed would be in excess; if, on the contrary, it had decreased, then they would be in deficit; if, finally, the weight had remained about the same, then the calories consumed would be equal to one’s needs. In parallel with the food diary method (or beforehand, if one believes that one’s habitual diet is very inadequate for one’s real needs), one can use formulas for estimating one’s calorie requirements. One can estimate calorie requirements relative to basal metabolism with the Katch and McArdle equation or the Mifflin equation. The two methods are mentioned below. With regard to the Katch and McArdle equation, it is necessary to calculate the weight of fat mass beforehand, from which one can then easily derive that of lean mass. It is through the latter that one can finally estimate the calorie requirements relative to basal metabolism with the Katch and McArdle equation. To calculate fat mass weight:

FM = Fat mass percentage × Body weight in kilograms : 100

FM stands for Fat Mass, expressed in kilograms. Lean mass, on the other hand, is calculated in this way:

FFM = Body weight – Fat mass weight (kg)

FFM stands for Fat Free Mass, or lean mass, always expressed in kilograms. Finally, the Katch and McArdle formula:

Basal metabolism requirement = 370 + 21.6 × Amount of lean mass (kg)

As far as the Mifflin equation is concerned, here is the formula for calculation in women:

Requirement =161 + 10 × Body weight (kg) + 6.25 × Height (cm) – 5 × Age (years)

And the one for men:

Needs = 5 + 10 × Body weight (kg) + 6.25 × Height (cm) – 5 × Age (years)

Once you have estimated your basal metabolic requirement, you should use the Schofield coefficient that best suits your PAL in order to obtain an estimate of your total calorie requirement. Below are the Schofield coefficients:

Sex	PAL	Coefficient
Men	Lightweight	1,3
	Lightweight	1,6
	Moderate	1,7
	Heavy	2,1
	Very heavy	2,4
Women	Lightweight	1,3
	Lightweight	1,5
	Moderate	1,6
	Heavy	1,9
	Very heavy	2,2

And the formula for calculating total calorie requirements:

Total calorie requirement = Basal metabolic requirement × PAL coefficient 

Quality characteristics

  As for qualitative characteristics, of all the macronutrients, carbohydrates require special attention during the process of identifying their optimal quantity. Indeed, as will be recalled from the above, carbohydrates are the main motor of the endocrine pancreas, which, by secreting insulin, regulates the body’s metabolic state. Whether one is anabolic or catabolic, therefore, depends largely on how many (and which) carbohydrates one consumes. Now, as we have already discovered, the search for the carbohydrate set point involves establishing a starting point from which to reduce (in the context of a catabolic diet) or increase (in an anabolic diet) the average daily carbohydrate intake in order to find the most suitable intake for optimal recovery and for a similarly optimal change in body composition in relation to one’s goals. Whether the intake should be reduced to the bare minimum to ensure optimum recovery for one’s physique, or increased to seek weight gain, the suggested starting point for the average committed athlete is 100g/day. The diet to start with should therefore include this amount of carbohydrates. As far as the other macronutrients are concerned, protein should be adjusted according to the type of effort required by the training being undertaken. Normally, the suggested protein intake is as follows:

• 0.8g/kg body weight per day for sedentary people;
• 1.2g/kg body weight per day for volume athletes (e.g. medium to long distance runners);
• 1.4g/kg body weight per day for intensity athletes who do not require large muscle masses (e.g. sprinters or gymnasts);
• 1.8g/kg body weight per day for intensity athletes requiring significant muscle mass (e.g. powerlifters);
• 2.2g/kg of body weight per day for athletes who need to increase muscle mass, regardless of the discipline they practise (the most classic example is the bodybuilder, but often many athletes of many other disciplines express the same need, although they do not make it the core of their practice).

The remaining calorie requirement should come from fat, with the recommendation never to go below 20% of the total calories derived from this source. If the accounts do not add up and the calculations to find the correct protein intake show that the calories from fat are less than 20% of the total, the protein should be reduced by the necessary amount.