I want to lose fat and build muscle. A dietitian said to eat more snacks.

• A 34-year-old woman submitted an average day of eating to be reviewed for Insider's Nutrition Clinic.
• A dietitian said eating healthy snacks can aid fat loss.

Megan, 34, submitted her eating routine to Insider's Nutrition Clinic, where qualified dietitians and registered nutritionists offer advice on readers' eating habits.

She told Business Insider her goals were to build muscle and lose fat. Megan said she’s in “a slump” exercise-wise and hasn’t worked out properly for over year.

“I get minimal exercise daily,” Megan said. “But I am trying to go for a 20-minute walk every morning and night."

Dietitian Alix Turoff told BI that 40 minutes of walking every day is a great start. “Once Megan gets into a consistent routine with walking, I would encourage her to start incorporating strength training exercises into her routine to help her build muscle,” she said. “Since she is not currently following a regular strength training routine, she could start with bodyweight exercises or light weights.”

Eat fruit and vegetables at breakfast to get more fiber

On a typical day, Megan has an egg and goats cheese omelet for breakfast, she said.

Megan is doing a good job of having protein at each meal, Turoff said. However, she would benefit from adding more color to her diet in the form of fruits and vegetables.

“Incorporating more produce can significantly increase your fiber intake which is essential for digestive health but also satiety,” Turoff said. “Try adding spinach or tomatoes to your omelet with a side of fruit.”

Regular meals keep energy levels up

For lunch, Megan usually has a ham, cheese, and mayonnaise sandwich, she said.

This meal also provides protein but again could benefit from more produce, such as a side salad or raw vegetables like carrot or celery with a dip, Turoff said.

It’s good that Megan has a consistent meal routine, Turroff said: “I always suggest having regular meals throughout the day to keep blood sugar and energy levels stable and to avoid being ravenous at mealtimes.”

Eat snacks for nutrients and to keep hunger at bay

A typical dinner for Megan is chicken or fish with a baked potato. Just like at breakfast and lunch, it’s great Megan is having protein, but adding produce, such as steamed or roasted vegetables, would make the meal more nutritious, Turoff said.

She also recommended adding a snack or two into Megan’s diet to increase her fruit and vegetable intake and stop her hunger levels from getting too high.

“I encourage people who are trying to lose fat to incorporate a meal or snack every three to four hours,” Turoff said. “This snack could be a combination of protein and carbs, or fat and carbs, or a mixture of protein, fat, and carbs.”

Examples of these are and apple with nut butter, whole grain crackers with hummus, and Greek yogurt with fruit and nuts.

Body recomposition is tricky but possible

Turoff pointed out that it’s very difficult to lose fat and build muscle at the same time because the two goals have different energy requirements.

“Building muscle generally requires a calorie surplus (eating more calories than you burn), as your body needs extra energy to create muscle tissue,” she said. “On the other hand, losing fat typically requires a calorie deficit (burning more calories than you consume).”

This makes it hard to target both goals at the same time but it's not impossible, especially if you are new to resistance training.

“A high-protein diet, combined with strength training, can support muscle growth even in a calorie deficit,” Turoff said. “Protein is crucial for muscle repair and growth, and strength training stimulates muscles to grow and become stronger.”

It may take some trial and error, but Megan should take some time to figure out her personal calorie and protein requirements for weight loss and maintenance.

“To effectively lose fat and build muscle, understanding and managing your calorie intake and ensuring you're getting enough protein is crucial,” Turoff said.

For this reason, she suggests Megan tracks her food intake in an app for a short period to get an idea of her current calorie consumption, and then adjust as needed.

“This will help Megan to better understand whether her current portions are appropriate for her body and goals,” Turoff said.