subject: 3 Tips On Staying Lean Year-round [print this page] Tip #1 Dont give in to the dirty bulk Tip #1 Dont give in to the dirty bulk
Practiced by many in the bodybuilding community and by fitness enthusiasts everywhere, people mistakenly believe that they need to eat way more than their caloric maintenance level to pack on muscle, which simply isnt the case.
Studies have shown that only around 300 excess calories over maintenance are used in hypertrophy while the rest is stored as fat. Theres no need to eat anymore than 300 over maintenance, or 2100 calories over your weekly maintenance if you want to follow a cyclical approach to dieting (which I outline here).
Additionally, a new study shows that high-protein diets are favorable in hypercaloric situations in regards to lean mass gaining. Seems obvious, but many people overlook it.
In a nutshell, following the higher-protein diet led to greater weight gain, but also contributed to a higher resting energy expenditure and lean body mass. So, if your looking gain, shoot for 300 calories and a high-protein diet (roughly 1 gram/pound of bodyweight).
Tip #2 Be consistent!
Consistency is key in any nutrition planits what you do 90% of the time thats most important, not the other 10%. So, dont allow an occasional diet slip-up to derail your efforts for the rest of the day, weekend, or week. Understand that reaching your goals is a long process and youll be much better equipped to make it there.
Tip #3 Place more important on diet than training
Most people are always looking for a cutting-edge training routine to jumpstart their weight loss or muscle gain when they tried-and-true methods are usually the way to go. I look at it this way; almost any workout can provide results if the diet is on par, but no workout can make up for a poor diet.
Thats it for this week. Next week well get more into a few of the benefits of high-protein diets in relation to muscle gain and weight loss.
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