Lean Bulking: Nutrition, Workouts, and More

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Guide to planning your daily calorie intake and workout without gaining excess fat
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If you want to build muscle but don’t want to put on much fat in the process, try lean bulking. During a lean bulk, you eat healthy, whole foods, track your macronutrients (protein, fat, and carbs), and maintain a small calorie surplus. We’re here with everything you need to know to get started—plus we talked to personal trainers Pete Cerqua, Julian Arana, and Jason Whalen to get tips for balancing your nutrition and exercise needs throughout the process.

Staying Lean While Bulking: Quick Overview

When you're lean bulking, try to eat about 300–500 more calories each day than you burn. Break down your daily meals into 40% protein, 30% complex carbs, and 30% healthy fats. Each week, strength train 3–4 times, do light cardio 1–2 times, and include 1–2 rest days.

Section 1 of 10:

What is lean bulking?

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  1. Normally, athletes who are bulking accept that a certain amount of fat gain is necessary. But if you’re willing to take it a little slower, lean bulking can allow you to gain about 1 lb (0.45 kg) each week—and about half of that will be muscle.
    • To successfully build muscle, you need to eat more calories than you burn each day. But to avoid putting on too much fat, those calories need to come from healthy, whole foods like lean meats, fruits, vegetables, and complex carbs.
    • Strength training is also an important part of lean bulking.
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Section 2 of 10:

Benefits of Lean Bulking

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  1. When you lean bulk, you focus on a diet rich in protein and whole foods. So while you are eating more calories than you burn each day, they’re healthy calories that your body can easily convert into muscle. That means you’re less likely to add a lot of fat to your body.
    • Lean bulking is especially helpful for skinny people who want to bulk up—you’re already starting at a lower body fat percentage, so with lean bulking, you won’t be hiding your muscle gains under a layer of fat.
  2. Lean bulking involves weight training or resistance workouts up to 4 times a week. As you build muscle, you’re also gaining strength—so during the lean bulking process, you should start to notice that you’re able to lift heavier weights or do more reps and sets during a workout.
  3. Because lean bulking requires you to carefully track your food intake, you’ll get a really good sense of how your meals impact your body. You’ll also start developing healthy food prep techniques and discover which healthy foods you love the most. This can create healthy food habits that you can maintain in the long-term, even after you’re finished bulking.
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Section 3 of 10:

Tracking Calories and Macros

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  1. Start by figuring out how many calories you need each day to maintain your current weight—use an online calorie calculator for any easy way to determine this. Aim to eat an extra 300–500 calories a day more than that maintenance number. [1]
    • Focus on adding calories from nutritious, whole foods like fruits, veggies, and whole carbs. [2]
    • Arana advises, “Unless you weigh and measure everything you eat, you may be underestimating the amount of calories you’re taking in, which can make a big difference in your progress. For example, eating one extra tablespoon of peanut butter adds almost 100 calories!”
  2. Protein is essential when you’re trying to build muscle, and when you’re lean bulking, it should make up about 40% of your total diet. Each day, aim to eat about .5 grams of protein for every 1 pound (0.45 kg) that you weigh. [3] So if you weigh 200 lb (91 kg), try to eat 100 grams of protein each day.
    • Best proteins for lean bulking: Salmon, lean chicken, beef sirloin or tenderloin, bison, turkey, eggs, cottage cheese, Greek yogurt, nuts and nut butters, quinoa, tofu, whey, and protein powders
  3. Eating healthy carbs can help you hit your daily calorie goal while you’re lean bulking. Carbs are also an important source of the energy you’ll need while you’re working out. Avoid processed carbs and stick to whole foods—they’ll sustain you longer and provide more nutrition instead of empty carbs. [4]
    • Best carbs for lean bulking: Sweet potatoes, potatoes, brown rice, quinoa, whole-grain or sprouted grain breads, rolled oats, lentils, beans, and farro
  4. When you’re lean bulking, eating healthy fats can make it easier for you to hit your caloric surplus every day. They also give you energy and help build muscle. But the types of fats that you eat are important when you’re lean bulking—avoid highly processed, fatty foods and refined oils that add tons of calories without much nutritional benefit. [5]
    • Best fats for lean bulking: Avocados, avocado oil, olives, extra virgin olive oil, nuts, nut butter, seeds, coconut milk, coconut oil, flax seeds, and fatty fish
  5. Fresh produce provides your body with essential vitamins and minerals that you need to feel your best during a lean bulk. And some fruits and veggies can help you reach your lean bulking macro targets—like bananas, potatoes, or carrots if you need more carbs or avocados and olives if you need more fat. [6]
    • Best produce for lean bulking: Leafy greens like spinach and kale, berries, bananas, apples, citrus fruits, bell peppers, beets, avocados, broccoli, legumes, beans, olives
  6. You don’t necessarily have to give up your favorite treats forever. But if you do plan to indulge, account for that in your meal plan for that day. For instance, if you know you’re going out for pizza that night, you might opt to lower your calories for breakfast and lunch so you’re still in the target range for your calorie surplus. [7]
    • In particular, try to avoid processed foods with added sugars or fats, like fried foods, pre-made salad dressings, and snacks like chips or sweets.
  7. Lean bulking doesn’t require a specific meal schedule. However, you’ll have more energy if you eat smaller meals more frequently, rather than loading up on all of your calories in a couple of big sittings each day. [8]
    • Try to plan a hearty meal after you work out each day. This will help your body build muscle instead of burning it for energy. [9]
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Section 4 of 10:

Sample Daily Meal Plan

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  1. Let’s say your lean bulking calorie goal is 2,400 calories a day and you plan to eat about 5 times each day. If you follow the 40-30-30 breakdown, that would be 960 calories from protein (about 240g), 720 calories from carbs (about 180g), and 720 calories from fats (about 80g). You might try breaking it down like this:
    • Morning: 450 calories, 40g protein, 35g carbs, 25g fats
      • Smoothie made from 1 ⁄ 2 cup (4.0  fl oz) of coconut milk, 1/2 of an avocado, 1/2 cup (70 g) of frozen berries, 1/2 of a banana, 1/2 cup (120 g) of plain Greek yogurt, and 1 tbsp (16 g) of almond butter
    • Mid-morning: 475 calories, 35g protein, 50g carbs, 15g fats
      • 1/2 cup (230 g) of cooked oatmeal (cooked with 1 ⁄ 2  US tbsp (7.4 ml) olive oil)
      • 1 medium apple sliced and topped with 1 tbsp (16 g) of almond butter
    • Lunch: 540 calories, 45g protein, 55g carbs, 20g fats
      • 5 oz (140 g) of grilled salmon
      • 1/2 cup (90 g) of cooked quinoa
      • 1 cup (35 g) of mixed greens tossed with 2 US tbsp (30 ml) of balsamic vinaigrette
      • 1 oz (28 g) of almonds
    • Dinner: 500 calories, 40g protein, 45g carbs, 20g fats
      • 5 oz (140 g) of lean beef
      • 1 medium sweet potato
      • 3/4 cup (120 g) steamed broccoli
      • 1 oz (28 g) shredded low-fat cheese (to top sweet potato or broccoli)
    • Before bed: 400 calories, 40g protein, 5g carbs, 15g fats
      • 1 cup (240 g) plain Greek yogurt topped with 1 tbsp (16 g) natural almond butter and 1/4 cup (30 g) granola (choose one that’s low in added sugars)
Section 5 of 10:

Best Training Plan for Lean Bulking

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  1. When you’re bulking, most of your workout time should focus on resistance or strength training. [10] Bodyweight exercises and workouts that use resistance bands can be good for building strength and getting a balanced workout. But to really build muscle, include weight training exercises in your workout plan. [11]
    • Include compound exercises that work your whole body, like weighted squats , pull-ups , bench presses , and barbell deadlifts . Whalen says, “When you’re working on major muscle groups with exercises like squats and deadlifts, you’re going to build more muscle overall.”
    • You can also target specific areas with isolation moves like bicep curls and calf raises .
    • For the best results, sign up for a gym membership or buy weights so you can work out at home.
  2. Some cardio is important to keeping your heart healthy and strong, but too much can cause you to lose weight. When you’re doing cardio during a lean bulk, aim for an activity that will raise your heartrate to a steady, moderate level. Walking or jogging, cycling, and swimming can be good options—just don’t go too hard, and limit it to about 30–60 minutes a day. [12]
    • If your cardio is too strenuous, you may burn too many calories. The resulting calorie deficit could prevent you from gaining muscle.
  3. Even when you’re trying to bulk, it’s important to include rest days in your plan. [13] When you’re recovering from training, your body will repair damage to your muscles—which is actually when your muscles gain mass. [14]
    • If you skip rest days, you might also be overly sore or fatigued when you work out again, which could increase your risk of an injury.
  4. Higher reps may be more effective at building muscle, even if you have to use a slightly lower weight to accomplish it. When you do more reps, your muscles spend more time under tension (often abbreviated as TUT). The additional strain helps you gain muscle faster. [15]
    EXPERT TIP

    Pete Cerqua

    Certified Personal Trainer & Nutritionist
    Pete Cerqua is a Certified Personal Trainer and Nutritionist. Pete is also a five-time best-selling author of books including "The 90-Second Fitness Solution" and "High Intensity Fitness Revolution for Women/Men" published by Simon and Schuster and Skyhorse Publishing. Pete has over 20 years of personal training and nutrition coaching experience and operates the 90-Second Fitness flagship studio in New York City.
    Pete Cerqua
    Certified Personal Trainer & Nutritionist

    If you’re trying to build arm muscles, look to do 30–32 sets per week on your biceps and triceps. You can split that up any way you want, but I see people get the best results by doing those sets over multiple days.

  5. To perform a drop set, do as many reps as you can a weight training exercise—don’t stop until you feel fully fatigued, like you can’t do anymore of that move while maintaining good form. Then, choose a weight that’s about 25% lighter than what you were using, and do as many more reps as you can. [16]
    • Completely exhausting your muscles in this way can help you build muscle even faster.
    • For example, if you’re doing bicep curls with 20 lb (9.1 kg) dumbbells, you’d go to fatigue, then drop to 15 lb (6.8 kg) and keep going as long as possible.
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Section 6 of 10:

Importance of Sleep While Lean Bulking

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  1. If you’re trying to bulk, make sure you’re going to bed on time. Getting enough sleep may help you build muscle more efficiently—a recent study found that participants with good sleep habits gained less fat and built similar amounts of muscle as participants who slept less at night. [17]
    • Sleeping well also has plenty of other health benefits, including improving your mood, protecting your heart health, and reducing stress. [18]
Section 7 of 10:

Should I cut or bulk first?

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  1. Calculate your body fat when you’re deciding whether to cut or bulk. If your body fat is 12–13% or higher, you should focus on getting in shape before you try to build muscle. Not only will you build muscle less effectively in this range, but you’ll also be more likely to gain fat instead. [19]
    • If you’re around 10–12% body fat, you’re in the right shape for a bulk.
    • Cerqua advises, “The biggest misconception is that exercise is going to fix everything. But if you’re out of shape, you have to get your diet and nutrition in order first.”
    • To decrease your body fat percentage , decrease your calorie intake so you have a caloric deficit, meaning you burn more than you take in. Also, increase the intensity of your cardio.
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Section 8 of 10:

How fast should I gain weight during a lean bulk?

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  1. Weigh yourself regularly to make sure you’re hitting your targets. If you’re eating the right amount of calories, you should see a weight gain of about 1 lb (0.45 kg) each week. About half of that will be muscle, for a total of about 2–4 lb (0.91–1.81 kg) of muscle a month. [20]
    • If you’re gaining weight too slowly, increase your calories by about 100 a day until you see gains.
    • If you’re gaining more weight than that, decrease your daily calories.
Section 9 of 10:

How long should I lean bulk?

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  1. Typically, bulking involves gaining a small amount of body fat in addition to the muscle you’ve gained. If you reach 15% body fat, start a plan to cut weight to lose excess fat and show off your muscle gains. [21]
    • If you still want to gain more muscle after you cut for a few weeks, start lean bulking again.
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Section 10 of 10:

FAQs

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  1. Lean bulking takes longer than regular bulking, and it also requires careful planning. However, it’s a great way to build healthy habits, so you may be more likely to hold onto your gains long-term. [22]
  2. Dirty bulking means that you eat as many calories as you can in a day, without worrying about whether those calories come from healthy, whole-food sources. Clean (or lean) bulking focuses on overall nutrition, so gains may happen more slowly, but they’re more sustainable. [23]
  3. It’s usually better to focus on using whole foods to meet your nutrition needs. However, some athletes do include supplements in their lean bulking plans, including:
    • Protein powders: These can be added to smoothies or oats to boost your protein intake for the day
    • Creatine: Creatine is a popular energy booster that may also help support muscle growth [24]
    • Omega-3s: Omega-3 supplements may help reduce joint pain and stiffness, which could help improve your recovery time after working out. [25]
    • Cerqua recommends that you should only add supplements like pre-workout or creatine to your workout if you’re already in good health. He says, “If you’re not healthy enough, those things can harm you, so focus on being healthy enough to work out, first.”
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      References

      1. ↑ https://blog.nasm.org/how-to-clean-bulk
      2. ↑ https://blog.nasm.org/how-to-clean-bulk
      3. ↑ https://www.mensjournal.com/health-fitness/how-to-clean-bulk-without-getting-fat-mens-journal
      4. ↑ https://www.mensjournal.com/health-fitness/how-to-clean-bulk-without-getting-fat-mens-journal
      5. ↑ https://www.mensjournal.com/health-fitness/how-to-clean-bulk-without-getting-fat-mens-journal
      6. ↑ https://fitmencook.com/blog/how-to-clean-bulk/
      7. ↑ https://blog.nasm.org/how-to-clean-bulk
      8. ↑ https://www.health.harvard.edu/healthbeat/eating-to-boost-energy
      9. ↑ https://www.mensjournal.com/health-fitness/how-to-clean-bulk-without-getting-fat-mens-journal
      1. ↑ https://www.mensjournal.com/health-fitness/how-to-clean-bulk-without-getting-fat-mens-journal#gid=ci02b8d1d6c0462605&pid=9-track-your-progress-every-4-weeks
      2. ↑ https://www.health.harvard.edu/staying-healthy/building-better-muscle
      3. ↑ https://blog.nasm.org/clean-bulking-mistakes-to-avoid
      4. ↑ https://blog.nasm.org/clean-bulking-mistakes-to-avoid
      5. ↑ https://blog.nasm.org/why-rest-days-are-important-for-muscle-building
      6. ↑ https://www.mensjournal.com/health-fitness/how-to-clean-bulk-without-getting-fat-mens-journal
      7. ↑ https://www.mensjournal.com/health-fitness/how-to-clean-bulk-without-getting-fat-mens-journal
      8. ↑ https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/32141273
      9. ↑ https://odphp.health.gov/myhealthfinder/healthy-living/mental-health-and-relationships/get-enough-sleep
      10. ↑ https://www.askmen.com/sports/bodybuilding/how-to-clean-bulk.html
      11. ↑ https://www.askmen.com/sports/bodybuilding/how-to-clean-bulk.html
      12. ↑ https://www.askmen.com/sports/bodybuilding/how-to-clean-bulk.html
      13. ↑ https://fitmencook.com/blog/how-to-clean-bulk/
      14. ↑ https://blog.nasm.org/how-to-clean-bulk
      15. ↑ https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC8949037/#nutrients-14-01255-t001
      16. ↑ https://health.clevelandclinic.org/do-omega-3s-help-for-arthritis

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