To lose fat while preserving muscle mass, it is advisable to aim for a slow and moderate weight loss rate of 0.5 to 0.7% of body weight per week (which generally corresponds to a daily caloric deficit of less than 500 kcal), rather than attempting to lose weight as quickly as possible.

noli's read

Jeff Nippard's recommendation is firmly rooted in scientific research on body recomposition. His advice to limit the daily caloric deficit to less than 500 kcal is directly supported by a 2022 meta-analysis by Murphy and Koehler (Scandinavian Journal of Medicine & Science in Sports). This study, which compiles 38 publications on resistance training in an energy deficit, demonstrates that restrictions of more than 500 kcal per day compromise muscle mass retention. Furthermore, randomized controlled trials (RCTs), such as the one by Garthe and his team in 2011 (International Journal of Sport Nutrition and Exercise Metabolism), confirm that a slow rate of weight loss (0.7% per week) preserves muscle better than a rapid rate (1.4%). The only nuance to add concerns the starting level: individuals with a high initial body fat percentage sometimes tolerate a more significant deficit initially without immediate muscle loss. The creator's reasoning is therefore particularly accurate and rigorous, translating complex energy concepts into simple and sound lifestyle advice.

the sources

1. 1Hall KD, Heymsfield SB, Kemnitz JW, et al. 2012
2. 2Rolls BJ 2009