// DISCLAIMER & OVERVIEW
Before we dive into the details, let's get the most important piece of information out of the way: I am not a doctor, dietitian, or medical professional, and this is absolutely not medical advice. This plan is simply a reflection of what works for me, my body, and my lifestyle. Every body is different, so what feels right for me might not be the right fit for you. My maintenance calories are around 2,600.
I’ve found that a high-protein approach is what makes me feel my best. Eating a lot of protein keeps my strength up during workouts, keeps me full, and helps me recomp - it's simply what feels good and delivers results for me.
To balance my goals with real life, my approach is divided into two distinct setups:
Also, I would like to note that I am extremely active (working out 5 times a week, averaging 15,000 steps a day for over a year) and drink a lot of caffeine.
I don’t track calories from seasoning, mainly because I pan-fry, air-fry, or oven bake using minimal oil. My meals are Asian-inspired and Mediterranean-inspired, I love the flavours I can mimick seasoning is where I make my food enjoyable without adding unnecessary calories.
Here is how I approach cooking and flavor:
By relying on dry spices, fermented pastes, and low-calorie sauces rather than heavy fats, I get all the taste and satisfaction while keeping my macro targets completely locked in.
This deficit is tough, no doubt about it. I don’t run this year-round; instead, I strategically roll it out during specific windows. For e.g., when I'm getting back into my routine/shape after a trip.
Because my maintenance baseline hovers right around 2,600 calories, cutting down to this level puts me in a near 800-calorie deficit. I only run it in a 2-3-week block is all it takes to get me right back to where I want to be quickly.
During this aggressive phase, my training philosophy does not change. I stay just as active and work out just as hard. The biggest trap you can fall into during an aggressive cut is moving less, and doing less. If you reduce your daily activity too much, your base maintenance calories will drop, as well, reducing the purpose of the aggressive deficit.
I follow this structure 5 days a week during weekdays. Beyond the physical results, keeping my baseline meals this clean helps me stay incredibly sharp and focused throughout the workday.
To balance this out, I build in 2 cheat days per week: Wednesday (higher volume of my usual foods), Friday night, and Saturday. Structuring it this way gives me a chance to replenish my glycogen stores right before my heaviest workout sessions. And no, I absolutely do not track calories when I cheat over the weekend, so I can enjoy the food and reset. It also gives me flexibility to enjoy my personal life, making sure I can stick to this long term.