If you follow some fitness gurus or even a health and fitness magazine, be sure of one thing, you might go crazy! I came across a fitness magazine saying I should take almost 5000 calories daily to build lean muscle.
That's, for a fact freaking CRAZY! If you follow this "junk" advice, be sure to add more weight, and all you'll see in the mirror is a belly full of nothing but fat!
Well, these old techniques are for people who want to gain more muscle tons. Nonetheless, we are in a dynamic biosphere; everything keeps on changing. And we no longer apply the "eat big to get big" approach.
Yes, it would be best if you focused more on that. You were gaining creative, lean muscles. Therefore, to do this, you will have to come up with the perfect workout program.
Even if you plan to work your ASS off trying to get these muscles, your diet must count in. the best dietary plan must support the perfect workout. As is the case, all this could be working right for you, but as you start noticing some significant changes, including gaining weight, something else might be happening.
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And from my experience, most bodybuilders take this for granted. However, that doesn't seem to bother them since there are results that they are getting, building muscles.
Gaining fat is a slow but gradual process, and as you continue with your program, there is a point where you will reach and the fat-building process outweighs your muscle-building process. By the time you realize it, it is already too late, ruining everything you want.
Must Read: How To Gain Muscle Size And Strength Fast
It is a principle that we should take into account. We want a situation where we are gaining muscles while minimizing fat gain.
The problem is that most programs out there advocate for some traditional and gluttonous bulking methods. For me, it's too exhausting and demanding; it is downright counter-productivity.
You need a program to help you build lean muscle more effectively and over the long term. A schedule will more precisely target the "lean gains" rather than stuffing yourself with something that may not even work!
Assuming that you had a visible muscle ton when you started, you will realize that they are all fading away. For example, if you had abs, by the time you are mid-way through this program, they will have started to fade away.
Even worse, you cannot enjoy the slight comfort of the muscles you are gaining or even enjoy your powers before starting this program.
You are in between, confused and frustrated, not on the program but on yourself! That is what these traditional programs can do to you. We are not to dispute the fact that you are building muscles. That is one thing we can honestly tell visibly. However, you gain too much fat even as you make the muscles.
The more you continue, the worse it gets, and by the time you complete it, trust me, a mirror will be your worst enemy. Instead of getting a sexy, lean, toned, and defined body, the opposite is happening. You are getting bigger and softer.
The traditional method of gaining muscles advocated that if you were not gaining powers fast enough, you were probably not eating enough. Therefore, one must eat as much as one would in a day to compensate for the lack of muscles.
This advice may contain some truth, but the strategy applied is a fuss. However, the crucial thing is that the amount your body needs to build enough muscles will depend very much on the amount which feels enough to meet your body's needs.
What do the traditional methods of gaining muscles didn't that you don't have to overfeed? You need the right amount of food. The amount that feels enough to meet your immediate needs.
Related: Bulking or Cutting – You've got an Eat Big to Get Big, and That is the Truth
How many calories do you need to gain muscles? Most think eating tons is the easiest way to gain energy while burning less. Even if you were to do proper research on the market, you would still find that most programs advocate for the same.
It is virtually impossible to be in a calorie deficit if you take more than 4,000+ calories daily. This strategy is good; for a while, you will realize that you are slowly gaining muscles.
However, it is good to point out that a large calorie surplus is not an excellent strategy for building muscles. The problem is that gaining too much fat does more harm than good. Overeating accelerates gaining fat which then accelerates fat storage. Overall slows down muscle growth. There is a downside to a lot of calorie intake.
Related Article: How Many Calories A Day To Eat To Build Muscle?
You realize that as the body fat rises, the insulin level in the body drops significantly. Therefore, the body becomes resistant to some of its signals, decreasing the ability to burn fat; consequently, the likelihood of you gaining weight increases significantly.
You must understand that the better your body responds to insulin, the better your chances of doing many other things, like building lean muscle and resisting fat gain.
Also, when the body fat rises, the testosterone level drops while the estrogen levels rise, and we all know the significance of the testosterone hormone!
High-Intensity Interval Training (HIIT) has emerged as one of the most effective and time-efficient methods for fat control and overall body composition improvement. Unlike traditional steady-state cardio, HIIT alternates between short bursts of intense activity and brief periods of rest or low-intensity movement. This dynamic approach not only burns calories during the workout but also triggers a powerful metabolic response that continues long after the session ends.
The core principle of HIIT is simple: push your body to near-maximum effort for a short duration, followed by a recovery phase. For example, sprinting for 30 seconds followed by walking for 60 seconds, repeated for 15–20 minutes. These intervals challenge both aerobic and anaerobic systems, leading to improved cardiovascular fitness and enhanced fat oxidation.
One of HIIT’s most compelling benefits is Excess Post-Exercise Oxygen Consumption (EPOC)—commonly known as the “afterburn effect.” After a HIIT session, your body continues to consume oxygen at an elevated rate to restore itself to pre-exercise levels. This process burns additional calories and promotes fat loss even while you're at rest.
HIIT influences key hormones that regulate fat storage and muscle growth. It boosts human growth hormone (HGH) and testosterone, both of which support lean muscle development. Simultaneously, it helps reduce insulin resistance, making it easier for your body to use carbohydrates efficiently and store less fat. HIIT also lowers cortisol, the stress hormone linked to abdominal fat accumulation when chronically elevated.
One of the most attractive aspects of HIIT is its efficiency. You can achieve significant fat-burning results in as little as 20 minutes, making it ideal for people with busy schedules. HIIT can be performed with minimal equipment—bodyweight exercises like burpees, jump squats, and mountain climbers are highly effective. It’s also adaptable to various fitness levels, with modifications available for beginners and advanced athletes alike.
Beyond physical transformation, HIIT offers cognitive and emotional benefits. The intense nature of the workout releases endorphins, improving mood and reducing stress. Metabolically, HIIT increases mitochondrial density, enhancing your body’s ability to use fat as fuel. Over time, this leads to improved endurance and a leaner physique.
While HIIT is powerful, it’s not without risks. Overtraining can lead to fatigue, injury, or hormonal imbalances. It’s crucial to allow adequate recovery between sessions—typically 48 hours—and to listen to your body. Incorporating mobility work, hydration, and sleep into your routine will optimize results and prevent burnout.
To maximize fat control, HIIT should be part of a holistic strategy that includes strength training, balanced nutrition, and lifestyle management. Aim for 2–3 HIIT sessions per week, paired with resistance workouts and a diet rich in lean proteins, healthy fats, and complex carbohydrates. Tracking progress through body composition metrics rather than just weight can help you stay motivated and focused on lean muscle gains.
Too much food increases the chances of building fat in the body, which is not a good sign of muscle growth. Therefore, you must carefully consider your consumption and regulate your calorie intake to gain lean muscles without gaining fat.
However, ensuring that your diet is inconsistent in the energy needed to build your muscles effectively is good.
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