A 41-year-old man said learning two simple diet tips helped him build a more muscular, lean physique in less than a year.
Alec Knebeg, who works for a bank in London, told Business Insider that he's been going to the gym for years but didn't give much thought to his nutrition until recently.
"I had never been somebody to count calories or thought about it and how much of an impact that can have," he said.
Under the guidance of Adam Enaz, a dietitian and personal trainer specializing in men's fitness transformations, Knebeg cleaned up his diet.
Two changes to his diet made the biggest difference in his results: sticking to a calorie deficit to burn fat and hitting a protein goal each day to help his muscles recover.
Over the past eight months, the diet tweaks helped Knebeg get better muscle definition by burning fat while building strength and lean mass in the gym.
"Aesthetically, there's a clear difference," he said.
A calorie deficit is crucial for burning fat
It's a common misconception that losing weight, burning fat, or building muscle has to involve extreme effort, Enaz said.
"People have this idea that to get fit, you need to run loads or eat low carb," he told BI.
Changing your body is more about simple but consistent changes over time.
To lose body fat, you need to be in a calorie deficit, which means burning more energy than you eat.
Knebeg said he initially set a goal of about 1,800 calories a day, which meant measuring portion sizes and being mindful of his daily food intake.
"Before, if I was having granola, I'd just free pour and fill the whole bowl," he said. "The eyes are bigger than the belly, and it's so easy to consume far more than you realize."
He found lower-calorie versions of his staple foods, such as swapping almond milk for dairy.
Knebeg also made some trade-offs to continue enjoying things that matter to him, such as going to restaurants, by cutting calories elsewhere.
"If I know I am eating out for dinner that day, I will reduce calories in my other meals to allow more to be used eating out," he said.
After hitting his fat-loss goal, Knebeg increased his calories to 2,275 a day. This slight increase is key to building muscle while minimizing fat.
"When men are trying to gain muscle, they think they need to eat as many calories as they can," Enaz said. "The calorie excess is not that much more."
A protein goal helps fuel muscle growth and stave off cravings
Knebeg's other major goal is to eat about 142 grams of protein a day.
Recent evidence suggests that an optimal amount of protein is 1.5 grams per kilogram of body weight, or 0.7 grams per pound, to maximize strength gains. The International Society of Sports Nutrition recommends between having 1.4 to 2 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight. More protein may help reduce cravings on a diet.
Hitting that goal doesn't have to involve chugging raw eggs after each workout or loading up on supplements in every meal.
"There's a lot of bro science in the fitness community, particularly when it comes to men," Enaz said.
Knebeg said he included more fish in his diet since it's a good source of protein and nutrients without many calories. He also ate more eggs and started snacking on roasted chickpeas, which are also high in fiber.
Both fiber and protein can increase satiety, which can help you stay full for longer after eating.
Knebeg rounds out his diet with protein supplements for convenience when he needs a quick, lower-calorie boost to meet his goal.
"If I'm falling short on calories, usually one scoop of protein shake will get me where I need to be," he said.
