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3000 Calorie Cutting Meal Plan

Cutting3,000 calories/day

Daily Macro Targets

3,000

Calories

263g

Protein

83g

Fat

300g

Carbs

Hit your 3,000 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 athletes or very large men (240+ lbs). Barely a deficit for most. Verify your TDEE.

TDEE Context

A 3000-calorie cutting diet works when your TDEE (Total Daily Energy Expenditure) is roughly 3500-3750 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

Turkey Breakfast Wrap

8 min

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

260 cal30g P5g F24g C

Breakfast

Egg White Omelette

10 min

4 egg whites with spinach, mushrooms, and a slice of whole wheat toast.

220 cal28g P4g F20g C

Lunch

Chicken & Quinoa Bowl

20 min

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

380 cal38g P12g F30g C

Lunch

Chicken Salad Bowl

15 min

Grilled chicken breast over mixed greens with cucumber, tomato, and light vinaigrette.

320 cal40g P10g F14g C

Dinner

Lean Beef Stir Fry

15 min

90/10 ground beef with mixed vegetables and low-sodium soy sauce. No rice.

300 cal30g P14g F16g C

Snack

Cottage Cheese & Berries

2 min

1/2 cup low-fat cottage cheese with mixed berries.

130 cal14g P2g F14g C

Sample Full Day

Meal	What	Cal	P	F	C
Breakfast	Turkey Breakfast Wrap	260	30g	5g	24g
Lunch	Chicken & Quinoa Bowl	380	38g	12g	30g
Dinner	Lean Beef Stir Fry	300	30g	14g	16g
Snack	Cottage Cheese & Berries	2060	14g	2g	497g
Total		3000	112g	33g	567g

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 3000-calorie cutting diet, aim for about 263g protein, 83g fat, and 300g carbs per day. These macros optimize fat loss while preserving lean muscle.

What should I eat for cutting at 3000 calories?

Focus on lean proteins, vegetables, and measured portions of complex carbs. A sample day might include Turkey Breakfast Wrap for breakfast, Chicken & Quinoa Bowl for lunch, and Lean Beef Stir Fry for dinner, with strategic snacks.

How much protein do I need at 3000 calories for cutting?

At 3000 calories for cutting, aim for 263g protein per day (35% of calories). This is about 66g per meal across 4 meals.

Can I build muscle at 3000 calories?

Building new muscle in a deficit is difficult but possible for beginners. At 3000 calories, your protein target of 263g supports muscle protein synthesis. Pair this with progressive resistance training.

← Previous Next →

Related Meal Plans

3000 Cal Bulking

188g P / 83g F / 375g C

2800 Cal Cutting

245g P / 78g F / 280g 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

3000 Calorie Cutting Meal Plan

Cutting3,000 calories/day

Daily Macro Targets

3,000

Calories

263g

Protein

83g

Fat

300g

Carbs

Hit your 3,000 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 athletes or very large men (240+ lbs). Barely a deficit for most. Verify your TDEE.

TDEE Context

A 3000-calorie cutting diet works when your TDEE (Total Daily Energy Expenditure) is roughly 3500-3750 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

Turkey Breakfast Wrap

8 min

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

260 cal30g P5g F24g C

Breakfast

Egg White Omelette

10 min

4 egg whites with spinach, mushrooms, and a slice of whole wheat toast.

220 cal28g P4g F20g C

Lunch

Chicken & Quinoa Bowl

20 min

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

380 cal38g P12g F30g C

Lunch

Chicken Salad Bowl

15 min

Grilled chicken breast over mixed greens with cucumber, tomato, and light vinaigrette.

320 cal40g P10g F14g C

Dinner

Lean Beef Stir Fry

15 min

90/10 ground beef with mixed vegetables and low-sodium soy sauce. No rice.

300 cal30g P14g F16g C

Snack

Cottage Cheese & Berries

2 min

1/2 cup low-fat cottage cheese with mixed berries.

130 cal14g P2g F14g C

Sample Full Day

Meal	What	Cal	P	F	C
Breakfast	Turkey Breakfast Wrap	260	30g	5g	24g
Lunch	Chicken & Quinoa Bowl	380	38g	12g	30g
Dinner	Lean Beef Stir Fry	300	30g	14g	16g
Snack	Cottage Cheese & Berries	2060	14g	2g	497g
Total		3000	112g	33g	567g

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 3000-calorie cutting diet, aim for about 263g protein, 83g fat, and 300g carbs per day. These macros optimize fat loss while preserving lean muscle.

What should I eat for cutting at 3000 calories?

How much protein do I need at 3000 calories for cutting?

At 3000 calories for cutting, aim for 263g protein per day (35% of calories). This is about 66g per meal across 4 meals.

Can I build muscle at 3000 calories?

← Previous Next →

Related Meal Plans

3000 Cal Bulking

188g P / 83g F / 375g C

2800 Cal Cutting

245g P / 78g F / 280g 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.