The 1:10 Rule: My Guide to Effective Fat Loss and Protein Balance

I have referenced the 1:10 ratio several times throughout my blog. In simple terms, it means for every 10 calories consumed, you should incorporate at least 1 gram of protein associated with those calories. Additionally, in order to optimize fat loss when trying to lose weight, you should consume roughly 1g of protein per pound of body weight. This is based on the precedence that you are also consistently training resistance in some way during your fitness journey.

While studies vary—some suggesting as low as 0.75 grams and others up to 1.25 grams per pound—a balanced and practical approach I have stuck with and succeeded with is 1 gram of protein per pound of body weight.

While a simple strategy, it is a highly effective tool in figuring out how to build your diet in order to maximize fat loss. In a hypothetical scenario, let’s use a male who is 20 years old, 6 feet tall, and weighs 200 pounds. That means this individual should consume about 2000 calories daily and 200g of protein. Plus or minus 250 calories or so, these values set up this person for effective fat loss. If you plug your values into a Total Daily Energy Expenditure (TDEE) calculator (see link below), you will realize the 1:10 rule generally follows the TDEE calculations used for a calorie deficit. 

One misconception about this rule is that every single food item consumed must strictly comply with this 1:10 rule. This is not true—instead, your entire daily consumption should accumulate to this value. For example, let’s say I am eating lunch. If I want to consume a serving of cooked white rice, which has 205 calories and 4g of protein for every 158g. I can definitely eat this item as long as I pair it with other foods that have a better 1:10 ratio in favor of the protein in order to balance things out. Along with the rice, I consume one serving of broccoli (50 calories, 4g of protein per 148g) and two servings of grilled chicken breasts (240 calories, 52g of protein). Overall, the meal comes out to 495 calories and 60 grams of protein and, therefore, follows the 1:10 protein-to-calorie ratio. In this meal, I built in foods with a lower protein ratio with foods with a higher protein ratio to balance them out. If I repeat this process for 2-3 meals a day, I will hit my protein goals and am within my calorie limits, with some extra buffer room for any other foods I desire. 

While this may seem somewhat intuitive in nature if you are building a balanced meal, this strategy has really helped me build a healthy relationship with food. I have flexibility with my diet and enjoy unhealthier treats while still losing weight. For example, sometimes, my family enjoys going out at night for ice cream. Knowing that at 9pm, I will be consuming 300 calories in ice cream with minimal protein, I will opt for choosing food items earlier in the day with a better protein ratio or remove a food item with a worse protein ratio. For example, as seen in my post of my typical day of eating, I will remove a serving or two of carbohydrates from lunch or dinner, which will still help me stay within 2000 calories and 200 grams of protein. Every day, I can incorporate unhealthier foods  in moderation) that I am craving while staying on top of my diet.

Here is a slide show of everything I ate for a day when I got ice cream with my family. Note that this was a rest day from lifting weights at the gym, so my calories were a little lower than a more active day, and I was not incorporating my typical daily eating routine. I weighed around 185 lbs during this day and ended up still being in a calorie deficit even with the ice cream.

Food Breakdown:

-1st meal: Eggs (mainly egg whites), Turkey, and Cheese. 600 Calories, 65g of Protein

-2nd Meal: Ground Chicken Salad With Cheese. 500 Calories, 60g of protein

-Snack: Protein Shake. 130 calories, 24g of protein

-3rd Meal: BBQ Chicken, Onion, and Cilantro Taco: 300 Calories, 35 g of protein

-Desert: Soft Serve Ice Cream: ~350 calories.

Total Macronutrients: ~1880 calories, ~185 g of protein

While I don’t recommend completely substituting healthy carbohydrates like rice or beans with ice cream or pastries, in moderation, one swap a day has had tremendous psychological benefits for me. Using this strategy has prevented me from binge eating loads of unhealthy food at times and enabled me to consistently progress and have a healthy relationship with food in general. 

That basically summarizes the 1:10 protein-to-calorie ratio that I still use to this day to make sure I am optimizing fat loss and hitting my protein goals to maximize muscle anabolism. 

Let me know your thoughts down below in the comment section, and stay tuned for future posts!