The Essential Guide to Nutrition for Men
Strong Men Don’t Run on Trash
Average fuel builds average men—and average men are unhealthy, tired, and weak. If you want to be the man who carries his family, commands respect, and stays sharp into old age, you can’t eat like the herd. Strong men know food is more than calories—it’s the foundation of muscle, health, and longevity. You don’t get one without the other.
1) Calories: The Starting Poin
Body composition is built on two pillars: training and nutrition.
As a general guideline, most men should aim to reach a healthy body-fat range of about 8–15%. To get there, use small, time-boxed deficits (8–12 weeks), then return to maintenance. Later in life, carrying a little extra fat is not the worst thing—as long as you remain healthy—because it can provide a buffer against illness and frailty.
If you’re already thin, chasing a weight class for sport, or trying to maximize strength, that’s when a surplus makes sense. But for most men, trimming fat first and then living at maintenance is the smarter path.
Research: Longland 2016; Pasiakos 2013.
2) Protein Is King
Protein is non-negotiable.
0.7–1 g per pound of bodyweight per day.
Split it across meals if you want, but here’s the truth: your body can handle more in one sitting than most people think. You can eat 100 grams of protein in one meal and your body will still use it. The key is hitting your total daily protein goal.
Protein builds muscle, supports hormones, helps you recover, and keeps you full. Miss it, and you’re leaving gains on the table.
Research: Morton 2018; Macnaughton 2016; Kim 2016.
3) Fats and Carbs: Adjustable Levers
Once protein is locked in, fats and carbs are your adjustable levers.
Fats: Don’t drop below 20–25% of daily calories.
Carbs: Place them around your workouts—fuel before, replenish after.
Fats near training: Keep lower before workouts to digest faster.
There’s no perfect ratio. What matters is sticking to protein, calories, and performance.
Research: Thomas et al. 2016; Morton 2018.
4) Hydration: Critical to Performance
Hydration is one of the biggest performance factors men overlook. Even mild dehydration cuts into strength, endurance, and focus.
Roughly 100 ounces (3 liters) per day is a good baseline.
More if you’re larger, sweat heavily, or train in the heat.
Research: Sawka 2007; Cheuvront & Kenefick 2014.
5) Electrolytes
For most men, your diet already covers sodium, potassium, and magnesium.
Normal training: A balanced diet is enough.
High sweat / endurance: Add electrolytes (LMNT, Nuun, or a pinch of sea salt in water).
Research: Sawka 2007.
6) Supplements That Actually Work
Skip the hype and stick with what’s proven:
Creatine Monohydrate (5 g/day): Builds strength, muscle, and protects the brain.
Caffeine (200–400 mg pre-workout): Boosts strength, focus, and endurance.
Beta-Alanine (3–6 g/day): Helps with high-rep, high-intensity training.
Citrulline Malate (6–8 g pre-workout): Improves blood flow and endurance.
Research: Kreider 2017; Grgic 2019; Hobson 2012; Chappell 2018.
7) Sugar and Processed Foods
Sugar itself is not the enemy. What matters is total calories.
Research shows when calories and protein are controlled, the level of “processing” doesn’t change fat loss or muscle gain (Sacks 2009; Johnston 2014; Hall & Guo 2017).
So here’s the deal: a sandwich made with sliced bread isn’t a problem. Living off chips, soda, and fast food is without keeping an eye on your calories is.
Research: Hall & Guo 2017; Sacks 2009; Johnston 2014; Hall 2019; Fazzino 2019; Monteiro 2019.
8) Alcohol: Formaldehyde’s Ugly Stepsister
Alcohol is poison. When you drink, your body metabolizes it into acetaldehyde—the chemical cousin of formaldehyde. Enough said.
It also:
Wrecks sleep.
Blunts recovery.
Adds empty calories.
Can you enjoy it occasionally? Sure. But don’t kid yourself—it slows your progress every time you drink it.
Research: White 2017; Parr 2014; Roehrs & Roth 2001.
9) Know Your Numbers: BMR and Daily Calories
If you want to nail nutrition, you need to know how many calories you burn. That starts with your Basal Metabolic Rate (BMR)—the calories your body needs at rest.
General calculator (good for most men): NIH Body Weight Planner
More accurate for muscular men: TDEE Calculator (Katch-McArdle option)
If you’re not losing fat, you’re eating too much. If you’re not gaining muscle in a surplus, you’re eating too little.
Research: Mifflin 1990; Cunningham 1980; Frankenfield 2005.
10) Waist-to-Height Ratio: A Simple Health Marker
BMI doesn’t work for men who lift. A better measure is waist-to-height ratio.
Measure your waist at the navel.
Divide by your height.
Men should aim for 0.4–0.5.
Research shows this predicts health risks better than BMI.
Research: Ashwell 2012; Ashwell & Gibson 2016.
The Brotherhood Nutrition Checklist
Use small calorie deficits until you reach ~8–15% body fat, then maintain
Protein: 0.7–1 g per pound of bodyweight daily
Keep fats above 20–25% of calories, time carbs around training
Hydrate: ~100 oz/day, more if training hard or in heat
Electrolytes only when needed
Use proven supplements: creatine, caffeine, beta-alanine, citrulline
Sugar isn’t the devil—calories matter most
Ultra-processed foods can drive overeating—control them
Alcohol = acetaldehyde (toxic). Minimize it
Know your numbers: BMR, daily calories, and waist-to-height ratio
References
Calories / Body Comp
Longland TM et al. Am J Clin Nutr. 2016.
Pasiakos SM et al. FASEB J. 2013.
Protein
Morton RW et al. Br J Sports Med. 2018.
Macnaughton LS et al. Physiol Rep. 2016.
Kim IY et al. Nutrients. 2016.
Fats & Carbs / Timing
Thomas DT et al. J Acad Nutr Diet. 2016.
Morton RW et al. Br J Sports Med. 2018.
Hydration & Electrolytes
Sawka MN et al. Med Sci Sports Exerc. 2007.
Cheuvront SN, Kenefick RW. Compr Physiol. 2014.
Supplements
Kreider RB et al. J Int Soc Sports Nutr. 2017.
Grgic J et al. J Int Soc Sports Nutr. 2019.
Hobson RM et al. Amino Acids. 2012.
Chappell AJ et al. J Strength Cond Res. 2018.
Processed Foods & Sugar
Hall KD, Guo J. Gastroenterology. 2017.
Sacks FM et al. NEJM. 2009.
Johnston BC et al. JAMA. 2014.
Hall KD et al. Cell Metab. 2019.
Fazzino TL et al. Obesity. 2019.
Monteiro CA et al. Public Health Nutr. 2019.
Alcohol
White AM et al. Alcohol Res Curr Rev. 2017.
Parr EB et al. PLoS One. 2014.
Roehrs T, Roth T. Alcohol Res Health. 2001.
BMR / TDEE
Mifflin MD et al. Am J Clin Nutr. 1990.
Cunningham JJ. Am J Clin Nutr. 1980.
Frankenfield D et al. J Am Diet Assoc. 2005.
Waist-to-Height Ratio
Ashwell M et al. Obes Rev. 2012.
Ashwell M, Gibson S. BMJ Open. 2016.
