Advice For Lean Muscle Gain

[MattNorman88]

I started training enthusiastically around 10 months ago. I started out with a weight of 182 pounds and was in pretty bad shape. I spent the first three months doing a lot of cardio and eating a good high protein diet. After the three months I weighed in at 136 pounds and was in much better shape but looked a bit on the thin side. After this I dropped the amount of cardio I was doing and started muscle training. I have worked my way up to 150 pounds and have kept my body fat between 8 and 10%.

I want to gain a bit more mass (not huge, maybe 170 pounds) but don't want to ruin the efforts I have made to stay lean. I have been considering high calorie protein powder to replace my standard usn protein powder but and slightly worries that I will end up packing on body fat if I don't start the cardio workouts again.

According to my body analyzer I burn around 1600 calories through the day without any exercise. I am currently taking in around 1700-1800 calories a day (50% Protein, 40% Carbs, 10% Fat). My job is not very active and I don't do much cardio anymore so my metabolism alone is keeping me lean.

Can anyone offer any advice on any supplements that may help or any foods I can start eating?

If the best option is to carry on as I am and gain mass slowly in order to stay lean then I would prefer to do this.

Thanks
Matt

[MasterBench]

I started training enthusiastically around 10 months ago. I started out with a weight of 182 pounds and was in pretty bad shape. I spent the first three months doing a lot of cardio and eating a good high protein diet. After the three months I weighed in at 136 pounds and was in much better shape but looked a bit on the thin side. After this I dropped the amount of cardio I was doing and started muscle training. I have worked my way up to 150 pounds and have kept my body fat between 8 and 10%.

I want to gain a bit more mass (not huge, maybe 170 pounds) but don't want to ruin the efforts I have made to stay lean. I have been considering high calorie protein powder to replace my standard usn protein powder but and slightly worries that I will end up packing on body fat if I don't start the cardio workouts again.

According to my body analyzer I burn around 1600 calories through the day without any exercise. I am currently taking in around 1700-1800 calories a day (50% Protein, 40% Carbs, 10% Fat). My job is not very active and I don't do much cardio anymore so my metabolism alone is keeping me lean.

Can anyone offer any advice on any supplements that may help or any foods I can start eating?

If the best option is to carry on as I am and gain mass slowly in order to stay lean then I would prefer to do this.

Thanks
Matt

Your calories are fairly low and you cut way to fast. Also, if you are truly accurately tracking macros, your dietary fats are almost at the bare minimum needed to live.

You need to go over to the nutrition section and read the stickies before you do any further harm to your body.

[AMeyer9]

Your calories are fairly low and you cut way to fast. Also, if you are truly accurately tracking macros, your dietary fats are almost at the bare minimum needed to live.

You need to go over to the nutrition section and read the stickies before you do any further harm to your body.

Fo real. People think just because you eat calories and fat that you're going to become a tub of goo... but your body needs these things for energy and to produce mass. Your calories seem extremely low for someone trying to put on mass. At the rate your going it'd take you 10 years to get to 170 lbs. You might put on 1-2% body fat if you correctly calculate macros and follow them but that can be shred off in no time. Starving your body of nutrients isn't going to get you any mass.

[MattNorman88]

Ok thanks guys. I will check out the stickies in the nutrition section.

I have been trying to up my fat intake by eating walnuts and cashews as snacks or ground up with my shakes or yoghurt but always think that i'm going to take my calorie intake too high.

I struggle to eat a lot of food as I have IBS and generally I always feel full with the amount of food that I currently eat.

[supa_89]

Definitely need to eat more buddy, eat like a body builder and train like an athlete

[Big.Jazayrli]

Definitely need to eat more buddy, eat like a body builder and train like an athlete

what does that even mean? Athlete is a broad term..

@OP - just eat more and keep lifting.

[MattNorman88]

Ok thanks for the advice.

Should I be doing any cardio or should I leave that until im ready to start shredding again?

[Big.Jazayrli]

Ok thanks for the advice.

Should I be doing any cardio or should I leave that until im ready to start shredding again?

I always like to do a few short sessions a week (translation - 2 30 minute walking sessions) to keep my heart healthy, but nothing strenuous