Powerlifting Diet Plan: Protein Calculator & Pro Tips

The best powerlifting diet is one that prioritizes protein intake and consuming an adequate amount of calories. Once that's in place, you'll fill in the rest with carbs and fats.

To start, let's get your daily protein target quickly. You can just fill out our calculator:

With that done, I'll guide you through calculating your calorie, carb, and fat needs. Plus, getting enough protein isn't easy, so I'll share delicious protein-rich dishes from experienced powerlifters.

I also gathered invaluable diet tips and common mistakes from my powerlifting friends to help you navigate your nutritional journey more effectively. 

When it comes to powerlifting, regardless of intensity, nutrition is a vital part of accomplishing your goals. Dietary protein is essential for building muscle and staying lean but is not the only factor to consider. 

Lisa Richards, Nutritionist at the Candida Diet

How To Plan Your Powerlifting Diet

Now that you have your protein numbers, here's a macronutrient breakdown for powerlifters to aim for:

• Protein intake should be around 1 gram per pound of body weight per day.
• Carbohydrate intake should be around 2-3 grams per pound of body weight per day.
• Fat intake should be about 0.4 to 0.7 grams per pound of body weight per day.
• Calorie intake can be estimated by multiplying your BMR (basal metabolic rate) by activity level.

Here's the process to plan the right powerlifting diet:

1. Calculate your calorie requirements
2. Calculate your macronutrient requirements
3. Add in your favorite nutrient-dense foods
4. Check out the favorite foods of other powerlifters
5. Plan 4-6 meals per day
6. Add in supplements

Both as a competitor and coach, I’ve implemented successful diet strategies to keep myself and my athletes progressing. Let me share what I’ve learned with you (and if you'd prefer to download a PDF, that's an option too)!

Calorie Requirements For Powerlifters

The top priority in any diet is figuring out how many calories must be consumed. You can do that by determining how much you naturally burn (BMR) and how active you are (activity level).

• If calories are too high, you may put on unwanted body fat.
• If calories are too low, you may lose too much weight and not have the energy needed for your training.

Most powerlifters will need to eat enough calories to cover everything they burn during a day. If you want to gain muscle, then eat more. If you want to get leaner, then eat less.

However, you have to look at a few factors to figure this out.

Here’s How To Know How Many Calories You Should Eat:

1. Figure out your BMR (basal metabolic rate): Your BMR is how many calories your body burns at rest. You can input your age, gender, height, and weight to figure this out. 
2. Estimate your activity level: There's an estimated multiplier for every activity level. The more you move, the larger your number.

• Sedentary (little or no exercise): 1.2
• Lightly active (light exercise/sports 1-3 days/week): 1.375
• Moderately active (moderate exercise/sports 3-5 days/week): 1.55
• Very active (hard exercise/sports 6-7 days a week): 1.725
• If you are extra active (very hard exercise/sports & a physical job): 1.9

3. Calculate how many calories by multiplying BMR and activity level: To determine how many calories you should eat, also called your TDEE (Total Daily Energy Expenditure), multiply your BMR by the appropriate activity factor, as follows:

BMR x Activity Level = TDEE

For example, say your BMR is 2000 calories, and you train 3-5 days per week. You'd need to eat 3100 calories per day to maintain your weight.

2000 x 1.55 = 3100 calories per day

• To gain weight and lean muscle mass, add 250-500 calories.
• To lose weight, subtract 500-1000 calories.

Now, you figure out how many calories you need. This will be essential for our next step when you figure out how what to eat.

Pro Tip: A couple of apps that I use to track caloric intake are MyNetDiary and Cronometer.

The best advice I can give is to focus on making gradual changes rather than trying to change everything at once. My recommendation would be to start with being consistent with your protein intake. Calculate your protein intake (1 gram of protein per pound of bodyweight per day) and track your intake to see if you’re meeting this goal. Once you can hit this target, start paying attention to your calorie intake and if aligns with your overall goal (i.e. fat loss, muscle gain, maintenance).

Amanda Parker, Nutrition & Strength Coach

Want more help eating the right amount of calories for muscle gain? Read the full post.

Macronutrient Requirements For Powerlifters

The second most important thing to get right on any diet, after calorie intake, is macronutrient intake. Your macronutrients consist of proteins, carbohydrates, and fats. An improper balance of macronutrients could negatively impact performance and recovery.

Below, each macro will be discussed individually:

• Protein: 1 gram of protein per pound of body weight or 12-15% of total calories. This is the most important macronutrient for most strength athletes. Adequate protein intake is essential for muscle growth. While eating at maintenance or in a caloric deficit, you should eat about 1 gram of protein per pound of lean body mass. In a calorie surplus, you can actually eat less protein, about 0.6-0.8 grams per pound of lean body mass (1).

 

• Fats: 0.4 to 0.7 grams per pound of body weight or 25-30% of total calories. Fats are important for hormone production and the absorption of certain micronutrients. Very low-fat diets should not be done for extended periods. Typically, fats should be set around 0.3 grams/lbs of lean body mass to avoid any long-term hormonal issues (2).

 

• Carbohydrates: 2 to 3 grams of carbs per pound of body weight or 55-60% of total calories. Carbs are an important source of energy during high-intensity training. They are also important for replenishing glycogen stores after high-volume training. After establishing your protein and fat needs, the remainder of a person's calories can be filled in with carbohydrates. Depending on how many grams of carbs, it may be best to consume those around training.

I follow “If It Fits Your Macros,” so basically, I eat anything I want as long as it’s in line with my daily macro goals. I try to get in 1 gram of protein per pound of body weight as well.

Rondel Hunte, 2018 IPF JR World Champion & World Record Holder.

Check out this article to learn how to cut weight for powerlifting.

Best Foods To Eat In A Powerlifting Diet

When discussing which foods to eat, it’s important to consider the micronutrient content of what you eat during the day. Someone that has taken nutrition for strength athletes by storm is Stan Efferding. Efferding often discusses building a horizontal profile of micronutrients by including certain types of food each day.

I’ve adopted a similar approach to Stan and have found it to be a great way to improve micronutrient deficiencies seen through blood work and improve adherence to the diet. I often provide my athletes with a daily checklist of foods to get in each day that supply a variety of nutrients, including important vitamins and minerals.

An example of this checklist is shown below:

• Daily red meat (Iron, Zinc, B12)
  • This can be ground beef, steak, bison, lamb, etc.

• Daily whole eggs (K2, Choline, Biotin)
  • Make sure to eat the yolk. The yolk provides the majority of micronutrients. Prepare the eggs however you like.

• Daily dairy (calcium primarily)
  • This includes milk, yogurt, cottage cheese, and hard cheeses.

• Daily greens (Potassium, Magnesium, Calcium)
  • This can be spinach, green beans, kale, and more.

• Daily potato (Potassium)
  • Can be either sweet potato or regular (white) potato.

• Daily fruit 1-2 cups (fiber, fructose for liver)
  • Berries, oranges, grapes, bananas, and more.

• Salt to taste (sodium is essential for many bodily processes)
  • Athletes lose between 500-1000 mg of sodium per hour of exercise. If you crave salt, it’s because you need to.

• Salmon 2 times per week (Omega fatty acids)
  • Omega 3 fatty acids must be consumed in the diet. Healthy fats help support heart health.

Another great tip that I’ve picked up from Efferding is to eat mostly low-FODMAP foods, especially when calorie needs are very high. High FODMAP foods contain short-chain carbohydrates that are difficult to digest and can lead to gas and bloating. These can include common “diet” foods like broccoli, asparagus, and brown rice.

Most powerlifters don’t have a problem eating protein. Eat more vegetables.

Kurtis Ackerman. Coach & Gym Owner.

More Great Powerlifting Foods from our Friends:

Rondel Hunte, 2018 IPF JR World Champion & World Record Holder

• 3 Whole Eggs, 4 Egg whites, and cereal with a protein shake as the milk. It’s really efficient and easy to digest. It tastes good and has a bunch of protein in it as well.

Sara S, IPF Classic Powerlifter, World Champion DL

• For lunch, normally, it is salmon or chicken, sometimes red meat, about 85 to 100 grams.
• My snack is normally around 4 pm, and it is a black coffee and a Basque-burned cheesecake made of protein powder and cream cheese.

Amanda Parker, Nutrition & Strength Coach

• Beef & Broccoli Stir Fry (38 Carbs / 40 Protein / 16 Fat)
• Unstuffed Egg Roll Skillet (20 Carbs / 36 Protein / 16 Fat)

Joseph Lucero, Strength Coach

• One of my favorite meals is protein pancakes. These pancakes give me the carbohydrates I need for a tough workout and protein to help with my strength goals.
• At nighttime, I enjoy salmon with coconut rice to help me hit my protein goals and have easy digestive carbohydrates before bedtime. 

Kurtis Ackerman, Coach & Gym Owner

• I make what I call a ‘Kurtis Special.’ Which is a pound of lean ground beef, a container of Uncle Ben’s easy-made rice, and a veggie. I get 2 servings out of this, and per serving, it's roughly 500 calories, 50 grams of protein, 50 grams of carbs, and 10 grams of fat. And the best part is that it takes roughly 15 minutes to cook. 

Jake Woodruff, Strength & Conditioning Coach

• One of my favorite meals is ground beef and rice. Those two nutrient-dense foods are easy to incorporate into my diet to hit all of my macros.

Typical Daily Eating Routine For Powerlifters

Below is an example day of eating for a powerlifter:

• Breakfast:
  • 4 eggs/6 egg whites omelet, with cheddar cheese and spinach
  • 0.25 cup of nuts
  • 3 clementines

• Snack:
  • 1-1.5 cups of cottage cheese or whole-fat yogurt
  • Vegetables of choice

• Lunch:
  • 6 oz ground beef
  • 1 cup white rice
  • 0.5 cup of fruit
  • 0.5 cup of carrots

• Pre-Dinner:
  • 6 oz ground beef
  • 1 cup white rice
  • 0.5 cup of fruit
  • 0.5 cups of green beans

• Pre-Workout: 1 hour before workout
  • 2-3 cups of Fairlife chocolate milk
  • 1 cup of grapes (or other fruit)
  • Granola bar/other quick digesting carbs

• Dinner:
  • 6 oz chicken breast
  • 1 sweet potato/other carb to avoid staleness (pasta, quinoa, whole grains, etc).
  • 1 cup of vegetables

For most people, mealtime is not important. However, if you are trying to maximize muscle gain, you want to try to eat 20-40 grams of lean protein every 3-5 hours. The body does not store essential amino acids, so consuming them through quality protein sources every few hours is important.

Coach’s Tip: Prepping your food beforehand makes things much easier. I usually cook all of my proteins and main carb sources on one day of the week to last me the entire week. If you want your food to taste fresher, you may want to meal prep on 2 days of the week instead of 1.

It’s also always a good idea to have some quick grab-and-go options ready just in case meal prepping doesn’t happen when planned. I also have some go-to fast food options that perfectly match the protein and calorie totals for some of my meals.

Eating around 4-5 small meals a day that are packed with protein, especially proteins high in branched chain amino acids, will keep your metabolism up while fueling your muscles with essential amino acids for muscle building.

Lisa Richards, Nutritionist at the Candida Diet

What Supplements Are Best For Powerlifters?

With a well-thought-out approach to nutrition, most supplements should not be necessary. The majority of workout supplements have very little scientific evidence supporting their use. However, there are a couple that may be worth it, including creatine, protein, caffeine, vitamin D, and magnesium:

• Creatine: Creatine is one of the most well-researched sports supplements. It has been repeatedly shown to aid in gaining muscle size and strength.

 

• Protein: Consuming adequate protein is a high priority to increase or maintain lean muscle mass. A protein supplement is unnecessary, but a protein shake is a good idea if you have difficulty consuming around 1 gram/lb of lean body mass.

 

• Caffeine: Caffeine has been shown time and time again to increase performance. This is all you’re paying for in most pre-workouts, but it can be cheaply purchased on its own. Most research shows between 3-6 mg of caffeine per kg of body weight is enough to see performance benefits. It’s especially great to use at a competition (3).

 

• Vitamin D: Vitamin D is a hormone and a very common deficiency. Not only is it important for strong bones, it also plays an important role in immune function. Some research has shown that we need around 8000 IUs of vitamin D to keep levels in the normal range (4).

 

• Magnesium: Magnesium is one of the most common deficiencies in the United States. Magnesium is essential in many biochemical processes in the body. It helps regulate blood sugar levels and can promote restfulness due to its effect on muscle and nerve function.

These are the only things that I currently take. As far as vitamin supplements, I usually try to find companies that are USP verified so I know that they are quality products.

I have a sweet tooth like no other and would always snack on candies. An easy fix for me was to make sure I always have fresh fruit so I could make protein fruit smoothies. 

Jake Woodruff.

FAQ

Do Powerlifters Eat Whatever They Want?

Generally speaking, no. While low body fat percentages are less important than bodybuilding, most top powerlifters eat a healthy diet. Their diet comprises lean proteins, fruits and vegetables, and complex carbohydrates.

Check out this article to know how to eat as a female powerlifter

How Many Carbs Should A Powerlifter Eat In A Day?

This is a highly individual question, but most should eat a minimum of 100 grams of carbs per day. Set protein around 1 gram per pound of body weight, and fat around 0.3 grams per pound of body weight, the remainder of your calories can be filled in with carbs.

Is Fasting Good For Powerlifters?

Generally speaking, powerlifters should not fast for extended periods of time. The body doesn’t have a mechanism to store protein, and protein should be consumed every 3-5 hours to maximize muscle mass.

Check out this article on how powerlifting can help with fat loss.

Do Powerlifters Eat Like Bodybuilders?

Powerlifters and bodybuilders likely eat similarly. The types of foods they eat may be close to the same. The biggest difference is that powerlifters want to avoid being in a calorie deficit and don’t need to be as lean as bodybuilders.

References

1. Lemon, P. W. (1991). Protein and amino acid needs of the strength athlete. International Journal of Sport Nutrition and Exercise Metabolism, 1(2), 127-145.
2. Whittaker, J., & Wu, K. (2021). Low-fat diets and testosterone in men: Systematic review and meta-analysis of intervention studies. The Journal of Steroid Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, 210, 105878.
3. Spriet, L. L. (1995). Caffeine and performance. International Journal of Sport Nutrition and Exercise Metabolism, 5(s1), S84-S99.
4. Papadimitriou, D. T. (2017). The big vitamin D mistake. Journal of Preventive Medicine and Public Health, 50(4), 278.
5. Basal Energy Expenditure [Internet]. Cornell.edu. 2020. Available from: http://www-users.med.cornell.edu/~spon/picu/calc/beecalc.htm

About The Author

Derek Reasch is a certified nutrition and strength and conditioning coach with experience at the collegiate and private levels. He has an M.S. in Kinesiology and a B.S. in Exercise Science. He has an elite total in several weight classes as a competitive powerlifter. He's an online coach and runs an apparel business, Reaschmode Athletics.