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1600 Calorie Cutting Meal Plan

Cutting1,600 calories/day

Daily Macro Targets

1,600

Calories

140g

Protein

44g

Fat

161g

Carbs

Hit your 1,600 calorie target daily. FitCommit scans food and tracks macros automatically.

V2 coming soon. Join 500+ users before launch.

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Who Is This For?

For active women or smaller men. Provides enough energy for moderate training.

TDEE Context

A 1600-calorie cutting diet works when your TDEE (Total Daily Energy Expenditure) is roughly 2100-2350 calories. This creates a 500-750 calorie deficit for about 1-1.5 lbs of fat loss per week.

If you are not losing weight after 2 weeks, reduce by 200 calories. If losing more than 1.5 lbs/week, increase by 200. If training performance drops significantly, add 100-200 calories from carbs.

Meal Ideas

Breakfast

Cottage Cheese Bowl

3 min

Low-fat cottage cheese with sliced peaches and a sprinkle of cinnamon.

180 cal24g P2g F16g C

Breakfast

Turkey Breakfast Wrap

8 min

Deli turkey, egg whites, and salsa in a whole wheat tortilla.

260 cal30g P5g F24g C

Lunch

Shrimp Stir Fry

15 min

Shrimp with broccoli, snap peas, and bell pepper in garlic sauce. No rice.

260 cal34g P8g F16g C

Lunch

Chicken & Quinoa Bowl

20 min

Grilled chicken with 1/2 cup quinoa, roasted vegetables, and tahini drizzle.

380 cal38g P12g F30g C

Dinner

Shrimp & Cauliflower Rice

15 min

Garlic shrimp over cauliflower rice with steamed broccoli.

220 cal32g P6g F12g C

Snack

Beef Jerky

0 min

1 oz of beef jerky. Portable and high protein.

115 cal9g P7g F3g C

Sample Full Day

Meal	What	Cal	P	F	C
Breakfast	Cottage Cheese Bowl	180	24g	2g	16g
Lunch	Shrimp Stir Fry	260	34g	8g	16g
Dinner	Shrimp & Cauliflower Rice	220	32g	6g	12g
Snack	Beef Jerky	940	9g	7g	209g
Total		1600	99g	23g	253g

Shopping List

Proteins

•Chicken breast
•Turkey breast
•Cod or tilapia
•Egg whites
•Greek yogurt (plain, 0%)
•Whey protein

Vegetables

•Broccoli
•Spinach
•Asparagus
•Zucchini
•Bell peppers
•Cauliflower

Carbs

•Sweet potatoes
•Quinoa
•Oats
•Brown rice (small portions)
•Whole wheat tortillas

Fats

•Olive oil (measured)
•Avocado (portioned)
•Almonds (1 oz bags)

Other

•Hot sauce
•Mustard
•Lemon/lime
•Fresh herbs
•Low-calorie dressings

Meal Prep Tips

✓Prep 5 days of chicken breast on Sunday. Season differently each day to avoid flavor fatigue.
✓Pre-chop all vegetables and store in containers. This makes assembly-style meals take under 10 minutes.
✓Cook a large batch of cauliflower rice to use as a low-calorie base for multiple meals.
✓Keep pre-portioned snacks in bags to avoid mindless overeating.
✓Use a food scale for proteins and calorie-dense items. Eyeballing underestimates portions by 20-40%.

Frequently Asked Questions

How many calories should I eat for cutting?

For a 1600-calorie cutting diet, aim for about 140g protein, 44g fat, and 161g carbs per day. These macros optimize fat loss while preserving lean muscle.

What should I eat for cutting at 1600 calories?

Focus on lean proteins, vegetables, and measured portions of complex carbs. A sample day might include Cottage Cheese Bowl for breakfast, Shrimp Stir Fry for lunch, and Shrimp & Cauliflower Rice for dinner, with strategic snacks.

How much protein do I need at 1600 calories for cutting?

At 1600 calories for cutting, aim for 140g protein per day (35% of calories). This is about 35g per meal across 4 meals.

Can I build muscle at 1600 calories?

Building new muscle in a deficit is difficult but possible for beginners. At 1600 calories, your protein target of 140g supports muscle protein synthesis. Pair this with progressive resistance training.

← Previous Next →

Related Meal Plans

1600 Cal Bulking

100g P / 44g F / 201g C

1500 Cal Cutting

131g P / 42g F / 150g C

1800 Cal Cutting

158g P / 50g F / 180g C

Track Every Meal Automatically

FitCommit scans food with your camera and logs calories and macros instantly. Get personalized targets from an AI body scan. Free 7-day trial.

Try FitCommit Free

4.9 stars on the App Store. Free 7-day trial, then $3.99/mo.

Version 2 is almost here. V2 coming soon. Join 500+ users before launch.Download now

1600 Calorie Cutting Meal Plan

Cutting1,600 calories/day

Daily Macro Targets

1,600

Calories

140g

Protein

44g

Fat

161g

Carbs

Hit your 1,600 calorie target daily. FitCommit scans food and tracks macros automatically.

V2 coming soon. Join 500+ users before launch.

Try FitCommit Free

Who Is This For?

For active women or smaller men. Provides enough energy for moderate training.

TDEE Context

A 1600-calorie cutting diet works when your TDEE (Total Daily Energy Expenditure) is roughly 2100-2350 calories. This creates a 500-750 calorie deficit for about 1-1.5 lbs of fat loss per week.

If you are not losing weight after 2 weeks, reduce by 200 calories. If losing more than 1.5 lbs/week, increase by 200. If training performance drops significantly, add 100-200 calories from carbs.

Meal Ideas

Breakfast

Cottage Cheese Bowl

3 min

Low-fat cottage cheese with sliced peaches and a sprinkle of cinnamon.

180 cal24g P2g F16g C

Breakfast

Turkey Breakfast Wrap

8 min

Deli turkey, egg whites, and salsa in a whole wheat tortilla.

260 cal30g P5g F24g C

Lunch

Shrimp Stir Fry

15 min

Shrimp with broccoli, snap peas, and bell pepper in garlic sauce. No rice.

260 cal34g P8g F16g C

Lunch

Chicken & Quinoa Bowl

20 min

Grilled chicken with 1/2 cup quinoa, roasted vegetables, and tahini drizzle.

380 cal38g P12g F30g C

Dinner

Shrimp & Cauliflower Rice

15 min

Garlic shrimp over cauliflower rice with steamed broccoli.

220 cal32g P6g F12g C

Snack

Beef Jerky

0 min

1 oz of beef jerky. Portable and high protein.

115 cal9g P7g F3g C

Sample Full Day

Meal	What	Cal	P	F	C
Breakfast	Cottage Cheese Bowl	180	24g	2g	16g
Lunch	Shrimp Stir Fry	260	34g	8g	16g
Dinner	Shrimp & Cauliflower Rice	220	32g	6g	12g
Snack	Beef Jerky	940	9g	7g	209g
Total		1600	99g	23g	253g

Shopping List

Proteins

•Chicken breast
•Turkey breast
•Cod or tilapia
•Egg whites
•Greek yogurt (plain, 0%)
•Whey protein

Vegetables

•Broccoli
•Spinach
•Asparagus
•Zucchini
•Bell peppers
•Cauliflower

Carbs

•Sweet potatoes
•Quinoa
•Oats
•Brown rice (small portions)
•Whole wheat tortillas

Fats

•Olive oil (measured)
•Avocado (portioned)
•Almonds (1 oz bags)

Other

•Hot sauce
•Mustard
•Lemon/lime
•Fresh herbs
•Low-calorie dressings

Meal Prep Tips

✓Prep 5 days of chicken breast on Sunday. Season differently each day to avoid flavor fatigue.
✓Pre-chop all vegetables and store in containers. This makes assembly-style meals take under 10 minutes.
✓Cook a large batch of cauliflower rice to use as a low-calorie base for multiple meals.
✓Keep pre-portioned snacks in bags to avoid mindless overeating.
✓Use a food scale for proteins and calorie-dense items. Eyeballing underestimates portions by 20-40%.

Frequently Asked Questions

How many calories should I eat for cutting?

For a 1600-calorie cutting diet, aim for about 140g protein, 44g fat, and 161g carbs per day. These macros optimize fat loss while preserving lean muscle.

What should I eat for cutting at 1600 calories?

How much protein do I need at 1600 calories for cutting?

At 1600 calories for cutting, aim for 140g protein per day (35% of calories). This is about 35g per meal across 4 meals.

Can I build muscle at 1600 calories?

← Previous Next →

Track Every Meal Automatically

FitCommit scans food with your camera and logs calories and macros instantly. Get personalized targets from an AI body scan. Free 7-day trial.

Try FitCommit Free

4.9 stars on the App Store. Free 7-day trial, then $3.99/mo.