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Performance Plate Starter
A food-first starting point for training clients: daily calories, protein, fat and carbs, how to split them across meals and training, and a short list of simple, easy-to-digest staple foods.
Daily targets
Staple foods
Simple, easy-to-digest foods to build meals around. Macros per example serving are calculated from USDA FoodData Central values (per 100 g); the serving sizes are our own examples. Click an ID to see the USDA record.
| Food | Example serving | kcal | Protein | Carbs | Fat | Fiber | USDA ID |
|---|
How the numbers are worked out
- Maintenance calories: the Mifflin-St Jeor equation estimates resting energy use (BMR), multiplied by the activity factor you pick. It's an estimate. Adjust after 2–3 weeks of real bodyweight data.
- Goal adjustment: fat loss −20% of maintenance, lean gain +10%, mass gain +15% (inside the 10–20% surplus suggested for building muscle). Simple rule-of-thumb check: −500 kcal for fat loss, +200–300 for a lean gain, +500 for mass.
- Expected pace: when gaining, about 0.25–0.5% of bodyweight a week; when cutting, about 0.5–1% a week. Faster loss puts more muscle at risk.
- Protein: 1–1.5 g per lb of bodyweight. The default is 1 g/lb (about 2.2 g/kg), around the intake where research stops finding extra muscle gains. When cutting, Auto moves to 1.4 g/lb (about 3.1 g/kg), the top of the range suggested for keeping muscle in a calorie deficit.
- Fat: 0.3–0.5 g per lb. Carbs fill the remaining calories (4 kcal per gram), with 40–50% of them in the meals before and after training.
- Fiber: 14 g per 1,000 kcal. Meals: 4–6 a day, each with 20–40 g of protein, about 3–4 hours apart.
Simple daily habits
- Sleep 7–9 hours.
- Take a 10-minute walk after meals.
- Weigh in daily and judge progress by the weekly average, not single days.
Food-first approach similar in spirit to the easily digestible, nutrient-dense approach popularized by Stan Efferding; not affiliated.
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Research behind this tool
Summaries are in our own words. Links go to the original papers; no author or journal endorses Trainer App Stack.
- The Mifflin-St Jeor equation used here to estimate resting calories from weight, height, age and sex. Mifflin et al. 1990, Am J Clin Nutr
- About 1.4–2.0 g of protein per kg a day covers most people who exercise; 2.3–3.1 g/kg may help keep muscle in a calorie deficit; aim for 20–40 g per meal every 3–4 hours. Jäger et al. 2017, ISSN position stand on protein, JISSN · CC BY 4.0, summarized
- Across 49 trials, extra muscle gains leveled off around 1.6 g/kg a day, and the authors suggested about 2.2 g/kg to cover nearly everyone. That's close to our 1 g/lb default. Morton et al. 2018, Br J Sports Med
- For building muscle, a calorie surplus of about 10–20% and a gain of about 0.25–0.5% of bodyweight a week. Iraki et al. 2019, Sports · CC BY 4.0, ranges used in the calculator
- When cutting, losing about 0.5–1% of bodyweight a week helps keep muscle, with fat around 15–30% of calories. Helms et al. 2014, JISSN · CC BY 4.0, ranges used in the calculator
- Fat loss comes down to a sustained calorie deficit, and many diet styles work about equally well, so a simple food-first plan is a fine starting point. Aragon et al. 2017, ISSN position stand on diets, JISSN · CC BY 4.0, summarized
- The general adult protein RDA is 0.8 g/kg, while strength athletes are commonly advised about 1.2–1.7 g/kg. Human Nutrition 2020 Edition, University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa · CC BY 4.0, summarized
- Source of every food value in the staple foods table. Each food links to its USDA record by ID. USDA FoodData Central · U.S. government data
Not medical advice. This starter is general fitness and nutrition education. It doesn't diagnose or treat anything. Talk to a doctor or registered dietitian before changing your diet if you have a medical condition, take medication, are pregnant, or are under 18.