A man, 34, shared his daily diet with Business Insider for help with building muscle and losing fat.The registered nutritionist and personal trainer Jamie Wright said he could take two approaches.Fill out this form to have your diet reviewed by an expert.Justin Khan, 34, told Business Insider's Nutrition Clinic that his goals are to build strength and muscle, and reduce his body fat to 15%. A nutritionist told him he has a choice of two strategies to hit his goals.Khan submitted an average day of eating to BI's Nutrition Clinic, where registered nutritionists and dietitians offer advice on readers' diets.Khan, who lives in Florida, said he was an avid gym-goer and martial artist in his 20s. Currently, twice a week he does 1.5 hours of calisthenics and strength training, mostly compound lifts. He also tries to walk between 3,000 and 10,000 steps a day."I'm a software engineer, so I'm sitting at a desk most of the day," Khan said. "I'm also taking classes toward a Master's degree, which cuts into time I would use for working out or getting in extra steps."He tries to get at least six to seven hours of sleep each night but occasionally gets less.Jamie Wright, a registered nutritionist and personal trainer, told BI that Khan focusing on whole foods, protein, and gut-healthy nutrients means he is already ticking a lot of boxes. Every meal Khan eats contains proteinKhan said he's never followed fad diets but he has "teetered between very healthy and unhealthy eating periods."He has a family history of high cholesterol and has previously had issues with critically low levels of vitamin D, so now takes supplements."I'm trying to follow a few strict meals for my diet but continue to be a little flexible every day," he said.On an average day, Khan eats:Breakfast: hot oatmeal with banana, chia seeds, collagen powder, creatine, protein powder, and kefirLunch: seasoned and baked chicken thigh and drumstick with mixed vegetablesSnack: two hard-boiled eggs and mixed beansDinner: salmon with mixed vegetables and beans Justin eats oatmeal for breakfast. Justin Khan Option 1: Follow a small calorie deficit to lose fat and maintain muscleThe first of the two approaches Wright recommended Khan could take to hit his goals was creating a sustainable calorie deficit to lose body fat. Reaching his goal of 15% body fat should be achievable without a severe, prolonged deficit, Wright said."He is already eating a well-balanced diet so that means he won't need to make any drastic changes, but rather optimizing his intake to ensure he maintains muscle while gradually losing fat," Wright said.It can take some trial and error to work out how many calories to eat. But Wright recommended trying to keep them as high as possible, then cutting portion sizes slightly or making simple food swaps, like replacing chicken thighs with breasts, which are leaner, if needed. Khan eats chicken thighs and drumsticks for lunch. Justin Khan There is a significant difference between 3,000 and 10,000 steps, so aiming for the higher end of that range could help with fat loss, Wright said.He also recommended Khan assess how much protein he eats and aim for roughly two grams of protein per kilogram of body weight daily (the International Society of Sports Nutrition recommendation for people who exercise) to help him maintain his muscle."Maintaining a moderate but consistent calorie deficit rather than an aggressive one will allow for better adherence and help prevent excessive muscle loss," Wright said. "I'd also recommend that Justin is firm with his goal and isn't tempted to go beyond his initial 15% mark (especially given his history of more restrictive diets that have ultimately backfired). "He may wish to explore a 'reverse dieting' strategy at that stage to gradually increase his food intake over time while aiming to mitigate any significant changes in his body fat levels."Option 2: A 'lean bulk' to build muscleKhan could alternatively take the approach of eating in a slight calorie surplus, or taking in more energy than his body uses to maintain his weight and lifestyle. This will help him build muscle while minimizing fat gain, known as a "lean bulk."Wright recommended gradually eating more food but no more than 300 to 500 calories a day above what he needs to maintain his physique. Khan's snack of beans and eggs provides a lot of protein. Justin Khan Wright said to focus on eating nutrient-dense whole foods, plenty of protein, and more carbs to fuel his workouts."Since he is only lifting twice a week, adding a third session, even if it is a shorter one, could help drive more muscle growth," Wright said.It's smart to monitor your body composition when lean bulking: If you gain excess fat, dropping your calories or upping your energy expenditure, for example by walking, can help, Wright said.Sleep helps muscles growBoth strategies are effective, it's simply a case of whether Khan wants to prioritize fat loss first or muscle gain.Whatever approach Khan takes, he would likely benefit from sleeping for closer to 7.5 hours a night to help with muscle repair and energy levels, Wright said. Khan's dinner contains both protein and fiber Justin Khan "If he starts with weight loss, he can eventually transition to a muscle-building phase by gradually increasing calories while monitoring body composition," Wright said. "If he chooses to build muscle first, he will need to accept that some fat gain is likely, but keeping his surplus controlled will help keep it to a minimum."While it isn't impossible to build muscle and lose fat simultaneously, it can be difficult, especially for people who've been strength training for some time. This is why people often go through phases of "bulking" and "cutting."Having a flexible diet (regardless of approach) should help Khan stick to his lifestyle sustainably and build a healthy relationship with food, Wright said.