Over the last few months we have been working very hard to ensure that the daveynutrition website is your one-stop-shop for the most up-to-date, evidence-based nutrition information, customisable meal plans, delicious recipes and nutrition support to help you to achieve your goals, whatever they may be. Every member of the daveynutrition website is extremely valued and your queries and feedback are welcomed. Any feedback is reviewed, taken on board and where possible, changes are continuously made to the website based on this feedback to ensure it is as user-friendly, functional and enjoyable as possible.
Based on your questions and feedback we have put together answers to the top 3 most commonly asked questions on daveynutrition. The top 3 questions are:
- I want to lose weight but maintain lean muscle mass – what options should I choose on the calculator?
- I have figured out what calories and macronutrients suit my needs on the calculator but I am not sure what meal plan to choose.
- Should I adjust my calorie intake for days I am not exercising?
Q1: I want to lose weight but maintain lean muscle mass – what options should I choose on the calculator?
Fat loss occurs when a person consumes less calories than they use in day to day living and through physical activity – this is known as a ‘calorie deficit’. In terms of losing some body fat and maintaining muscle mass it is important to ensure whilst you are in a calorie deficit, you also have enough energy for your workouts and to facilitate optimal recovery. Consuming enough protein to maintain the muscle mass that you currently have is also an extremely important factor in this scenario.
In this instance, if you are calculating your requirements using the Performance Nutrition Calculator we would recommend choosing the ‘body recomposition 10%’ (which creates a 10% calorie deficit) or the ‘fat loss – moderate calorie deficit 15%’ ( which creates a 15% calorie deficit) option under the ‘Your Goal’ drop-down box. Choosing one of these options will allow you to lose fat in a healthy, sustainable manner if you follow your calorie and macronutrients and provided all other lifestyle factors are monitored and factored into your journey. Other critical lifestyle factors include physical activity, sleep, stress, menstrual cycle and adherence to your plan. For more information regarding sustainable fat loss check out Solving the Fat Loss Puzzle, How to Lose Weight in a Healthy, Sustainable Manner which is a two-part series.
As mentioned, consuming a higher protein intake will help to ensure that you maintain any muscle mass. To ensure you consume enough protein we recommend using the slider for protein intake under ‘customise macros’ and selecting an intake of ~2g of protein per kg of bodyweight. Our Protein, Your Questions Answered blog answers all of the most commonly asked questions regarding protein intake.
You can also choose the number of meals you would like to consume per day in the final drop-down box entitled ‘Meals/Day’ on the calculator and this will be based purely on personal preference.
When you have calculated your requirements you are ready to select a meal plan to suit your needs. How to choose the right meal plan for you is outlined below.
Q2. I have figured out what calories and macronutrients suit my needs on the calculator but I am not sure what meal plan to choose.
Once the calculator has provided you with your energy and macronutrient requirements for your goal you can check out these specific Meal Plans and select one based on your calorie target and your goal. For example, the calculator may provide you with the following:
Calorie intake: 2368kcal
Protein: 158g
Carbohydrates: 217g
Fat: 96g
Based off these requirements a person could opt to try any of the following meal plans:
- The Maintainer (Female)
- The Veggie Plan (Female)
- 2300 Calorie Training Plan
- The Meal Prepper (Female)
Another option would be to choose the high protein 3 day 2400 calorie plan and simply remove a 100kcal snack or similar to bring the calories down slightly.
All of the meal plans are entirely customisable for each individual and can be edited to suit different training schedules and lifestyles. Meal plans can be filtered by preference on the meal plan page using the drop down box entitled ‘search by meal plan’. This will allow you to filter meal plans based on different intensities of exercise, vegetarian, vegan and weight management. We are continuously adding more meal plans and filters to the site so you will see this page regularly updated.
Please note that the meal plans should be used as a guide only and within the context of regular physical activity. This blog covers how to use the meal plans and make them your own!
Q3. Should I adjust my calorie intake for days I am not exercising?
We recommend that, for the most part,calorie intake for exercise and non-exercise days remain the same. However, calories should be based on training, exercise and goal demands. If you exercise and your goal is maintenance (ie. keeping your current weight the same) then you will need to increase your calories to achieve calorie balance. We do recommend that carbohydrate intake be lower on non-exercise days compared to exercise days. This is to ensure that there is sufficient energy available for exercise. Carbohydrate is the primary fuel source for the body for exercise and more will be utilised on exercise days. Therefore, you will notice on meal plans that total carbohydrate is lower on some days compared to others. If a lower carbohydrate day on the meal plan coincides with an exercise day for you, you can simply edit the meal plan and select a higher-carbohydrate day to suit your schedule This can be achieved by saving your preferred meal plan at the bottom of the meal plan page and selecting it under ‘My account’ and ‘My Plans’.
When meal plans are saved here you can edit any meal plan to suit your schedule. To do this, click on ‘Columns and Groups’ at the bottom of the meal plan and drag the days of week to alter the meal plan accordingly. You may also notice that fat intake is slightly higher on non-exercise days and protein intake will stay the same, for the most part.
On your saved meal plan you can also add or remove items, print the meal plan and see your shopping list.
Our How To page has detailed videos explaining how best to use the website and various features. The FAQ page contains many commonly asked questions and further information regarding the website. However, if your query is not answered on these pages please do not hesitate to contact us by emailing expertsupport@daveynutrition.com or by filling out the contact form on this page.