Lean Body Builders Wanted...

damonmath

Looking for lean body builders on this forum who are looking to make lean muscle gains. I have questions regarding some of the products on the market, suggestions for lean meals, routine suggestions, and general motivational tips from guys/gals that are there today, or on their way.

I recently lost 50 pounds of FAT, and retained a good bit of muscle that I'd like to now build upon... I want to go 100% lean versus the fatten up and then cut up method. Feeling agile is important for the types of exercising that I do.

Any replies appreciated.

Thanks,

taso42_DELETED

I'm going to send you a friend request. I am not quite to my fat loss goal yet, but I think I am close. Once there, my goal will be the same as yours....

roylawrence87

I'm going to send you a friend request. I am not quite to my fat loss goal yet, but I think I am close. Once there, my goal will be the same as yours....

What he said.

stevemcknight

same

bluk30

If you want to gain while staying lean, just figure out your baseline BMR and add 250-500 calories to it per day. That will give you a slight body weight gain each week. If you push up your training weights most of that will be muscle. Lifting heavier definitely is the key.

If you lost one pound a week with 2000cal, your baseline would be 2500, and your 1lb a week gain would be 3000. You need to be very strict with your diet in order to lean bulk, which is why I think most people just eat whatever.

Check out leangains.com for a damn good program.

Best of luck.

taso42_DELETED

@bluk30, so in short, will a 3500 calorie surplus (with the right diet) equal a 1 lb muscle gain? Similar to how a 3500 deficit = 1 lb of fat lost? Another member and I were pondering this the other day. Still not sure of the answer. Somehow I got it in my head that building a lb of muscle without adding extra fat will be much more difficult than burning 1 lb of fat was. I wouldn't mind being pleasantly surprised though.

damonmath

Right now I am staying at weight at around 168 lbs. My BMR is around 2190/day + my burns. I'd like to get to a solid 175 - 180 with 8% body fat.... Currently I am at 11.4%.

I will try adding extra protein at roughly 500-650 calories per day over my daily maintenance + burnt calories. I do not want to bulk up huge, just fill-in and then proportion what is there. The way the muscle looks when sculpted is most important.

Is this too slow? Or should I just go for the extra 1000? I'm new to gains, but have done a marvelous job burning and cutting up to this point.

Thanks in advance.

Damon

bluk30

A 3500 calorie surplus will result in an overall bodyweight gain of 1lb, yes. I believe muscle tissue is 3300 calories per pound and fat is 3500 but the difference is negligible. You won't gain ONLY muscle tissue because the body needs to surround each lb of muscle with some fat as a protective layer. It doesn't make one without the other and you can't get more muscular without a bit of fat also.

But that 3500cal extra will cause a 1lb gain, no doubt about it. I've done it many times.

The body will respond to the demand you place on it - get stronger OR store energy. Just do things that make it get stronger and you'll be set.

taso42_DELETED

@damonmath how did you measure your bf%? You look like you're in the single digits. I thought I was somewhere around 11. But if you're 11.4 then I must be higher. Grr, I need to go get measured.

damonmath

I use a scale... And I understand the inaccuracies. The guy at GNC and I compared abs abd he claimed to be 8%, while I swear I have veins running through my shoulders abd obliques, so I could be lower. Water displacement is the best way to measure.

Thanks for all the info guys. I started a Ravage/re-built Mass which easily supplements my calories burned during heavy intense workouts, but it only gets ne up to my BMR. I still need the additional 1000 calories. More food is too filling... Thinking of adding a scoop of whey to each of my 6 meals along with a small carb. I would prefer another type of shake instead. Any suggestions on a high calorie protein shake.

BTW- my fat intake is very low and I don't want to add any unhealthy fats. Flax seed oil is my main fat (260 calories a day).

stevemcknight

After I finish this short cut going to summer, I want to try the lean bulk thing. It's pretty close to what I was doing before at 3500 calories a day and showed some gains, but with June around the corner, want to drop this fat!

Love this thread btw - since there are a couple of us doing basically the same thing, we should stay in touch.

damonmath

*bump

stevemcknight

Going into my 3rd Sunday fast. Love Leangains.com by the way - thank you so much for that recommendation!

taso42_DELETED

With my lady's help the other night, we took caliper measurements and ran them through here: http://www.linear-software.com/online.html

I came out to about 12.66%, higher than I estimated using just the suprailiac measurement. I got some fat burning work ahead of me still.

damonmath

I'm a firm believer in 6 meals a day, constant metabolic burn... Fasting til noon would not work for me Too darn busy at work to break away that late in the day. I found some lean supplements at GNC that seem to be keeping me lean... I have lost just about all my fat and the scale has not moved

damonmath

*bump*

EricJonrosh

A 3500 calorie surplus will result in an overall bodyweight gain of 1lb, yes. I believe muscle tissue is 3300 calories per pound and fat is 3500 but the difference is negligible. You won't gain ONLY muscle tissue because the body needs to surround each lb of muscle with some fat as a protective layer. It doesn't make one without the other and you can't get more muscular without a bit of fat also.

But that 3500cal extra will cause a 1lb gain, no doubt about it. I've done it many times.

The body will respond to the demand you place on it - get stronger OR store energy. Just do things that make it get stronger and you'll be set.

Pretty much everything he says.

PS - last time I bulked up like big was using Bill Philips' body for life workout. It was quick and easy, but hard. 12-10-8-6-12-12, and working till failure. Heavy weight is the way to do it, hands down. I'll be back doing that at my halfway point.

cacrat

Yup, I'm in the same boat as you, right around 11.4% until I got sick recently. If you're looking to gain lean body mass and have a static daily caloric goal, you will gain fat as well. Everyone's p-ratio, how much muscle:fat gained, is going to be different. With 3500 extra calories you will put on one pound of WEIGHT, but that may be 60% muscle, or it may be 60% fat. It will depend on you. There are a couple ways to lose fat while losing or maintaining lbm. Intermittent fasting, like on leangains.com, or a cyclycal diet. I chose the latter. I can help where I can, but let's keep fighting the good fight!

damonmath

I am gaining muscle right now... I actually lowered my carb intake and my body fat is all but gone and the muscle has replaced it. I actually just want to fill in, and right now it is working. I found some lean weight gainers from GNC that I love right now. I don't plan to gain any weight, only more muscle at this weight Feel like I'm playing tetris with my body by moving stuff around...

taso42_DELETED

PS - last time I bulked up like big was using Bill Philips' body for life workout. It was quick and easy, but hard. 12-10-8-6-12-12, and working till failure. Heavy weight is the way to do it, hands down. I'll be back doing that at my halfway point.

That's how I've always done it. Although I'm considering researching/switching to a less reps type of program. Those 12's at the end kill me.

cacrat

Yup, if you really want to gain bulk/strength get your reps in the 4-6 range at 4 sets and really bump up the weight.

damonmath

I have tried several rep variations:

1) 20-12-10-6

2) 12-10-8-6-4

3) 10-10-8

#1 burned the most calories for me
#2 wore me slap out
#3 is how I train daily - If I hit all 10 on the third set I bump up the weight.

I try to fail on each exercise at the heaviest weight set for the day.

hroush

Check out this website, it will tell you everything you need to know:

http://stronglifts.com/stronglifts-5x5-beginner-strength-training-program/

If you don't think it works, check out the testimonials. I am doing this program now, just started, and love it.

myofibril

Check out this website, it will tell you everything you need to know:

http://stronglifts.com/stronglifts-5x5-beginner-strength-training-program/

If you don't think it works, check out the testimonials. I am doing this program now, just started, and love it.

5x5 is a great routine undoubtedly.

You can also check out this link for a brilliant and up to date look at muscle building:

http://www.ampedtraining.com/maximum-muscle

The fact that Matt Perryman is giving this away essentially for nothing makes me think he deserves a knighthood. Other fitness "experts" would try and rip you off for something which is not even half as good.

I would say if you like what you read then donate to his site and also remeber to reference that it's his work.

bmontgomery87

I haven't made a ton of progress yet but I'm here to help out.

Wileyjoe

I have similar goals. Still working on gettting my BF% down. I think I am currently at arounf 12-13% - get measured again next week to know for sure.

bmontgomery87

I'd avoid GNC altogether. Overpriced supps and they'll sell you crap that doesn't work.

Find your maintenance cals. And eat slightly over that each day. You should gain some lean mass that way.

No supplement is going to make your mass gains lean. Eating way over is gonna make you gain some fat but you'll grow faster, or you can eat a couple hundred cals extra per day and slowly gain.

Avoid weight gain supplements, they're usually cheap ingredients. You can make your own with protein and oats.

damonmath

What I like about the shakes are the fact that they are liquid... My body works better with less physical bulk in my stomach. I feel great all day long. I agree that food can give me what I need, but not without some serious bulk in the gut.

GNC is a rip off, but I like being able to throw down a 750 calorie shake in 16 oz. I cannot make a shake this lean unless I blend up some tuna. lol

bmontgomery87

GNC is a rip off, but I like being able to throw down a 750 calorie shake in 16 oz. I cannot make a shake this lean unless I blend up some tuna. lol

Is it GNC brand?
If not try finding it elsewhere.

Look into some new companies. Universal Nutrition makes a few gainers.

I just go with protein powder, oats and peanut butter. 750 cals is a lot in a drink, so if you're gonna take that much in, it's fine if theres gonna be some fat in there.

What macros are you hitting everyday? How many cals you shooting for daily right now?

damonmath

If you check out my food diary, I am pretty dialed in. My daily intake depends on my daily burn. The Shake is a GNC Amplified Mass XXX... It has very little fat. My body is tuned to burn fat right now, so I'm not worried about the fat. The $price$ is outrageous though.

xraychick77

cool i'm trying to build muscle now. doing HST.