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Adding muscle without adding fat. Is it possible?


boardn10
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I have been feeling better after a 4 month battle with a shoulder injury and during that time I got a little out of shape, because I hate doing cardio, LOL...and with the holidays and all, I started eating more junk! So, here I am getting back into the heavy weights and want to get back to gaining mass. Right now I am about 205 lbs at 6'3" and last summer I was 212 lbs and I thikn I was leaner. So, I am trying to pack back on the muscle and I would like to gain as much as possible. Right now I am working mostly with muscle memory, gaining back what I lost the last 4 months with the injury.

 

I always struggle when I work through a mass stage because I always gain some fat due to the extra calories. Do I just deal with it? Do any of you have tips or tricks you follow? I mostly try to eat clean calories, limit the junk, sugar, stick to whole foods and limit my fat intake other than the required amount of good fats.

 

Thoughts?

 

Thanks!

Rich

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To gain mass, you have to increase your caloric intake. Anytime this happens, fat gains will occur. However, how you increase your calories will help you minimize this. Ideally, you'll only increase by 20% so you'd do BW x 14x 1.6 (for your activity + the surplus).

 

Aim for 1.5gs of protein per pound of body weight and then fill in the rest of your macro needs as you see fit (as in with what you like while making sure you get them from a variety of sources).

 

Also, words like "clean" and "good" when talking about food is relatively pointless (except for trans-fat which has little do with it being "dirty") - your body doesn't see the types of food your eating, just the nutrients it is comprised of. If this is personal preference, then no worries but you do not have to limit yourself because you think some foods are "inherently" dirty. No such thing exists.

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When I say clean I mean whole foods that are not loaded with fatty sauses and sugars, avoiding cakes and cookies, etc.

 

I can tell you right now, when I add a lot of nuts to my diet, I always gain unwanted fat, due to the loads of fat found in nuts....so I have to be careful.

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Have a look at leangains.com for Intermittent Fasting.

 

Yes definitely. Also check out the thread here on VBB about intermittent fasting. Many people achieving the "lean gains" that you desire... It is basically a 6-8 hour window each day to consume all of your calories. Your muscles absorb like crazy. Then a 16-18 hour fast, including sleep, in which your body burns fat like crazy. Sound crazy? Well at least check into it before you make judgement...

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It is almost impossible for anyone to go through the bulking phase without gaining some fat. However, fat gains can be minimized if you gradually increase your caloric intake. As you mentioned that you will eating mostly whole foods so chances are very high that you fat gain will be minimal.

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leangains.com? Sounds like I would gain fat because the body can think it is starving when you go long periods without food so the body can tend to really pack away the calories into fat storage when you do eat...plus that is not very enjoyable, I like eating too much. I can;t see cramming 5,000 calories into 6-8 hours, yikes.

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leangains.com? Sounds like I would gain fat because the body can think it is starving when you go long periods without food so the body can tend to really pack away the calories into fat storage when you do eat...plus that is not very enjoyable, I like eating too much. I can;t see cramming 5,000 calories into 6-8 hours, yikes.

 

Meal timing is largely unimportant. You should really read the website/articles/research on it before you knock it, mate.

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leangains.com? Sounds like I would gain fat because the body can think it is starving when you go long periods without food so the body can tend to really pack away the calories into fat storage when you do eat...plus that is not very enjoyable, I like eating too much. I can;t see cramming 5,000 calories into 6-8 hours, yikes.

 

Starvation mode doesn't kick in for DAYS not hours. Don't believe the faux science posted on most bodybuilding forums...

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leangains.com? Sounds like I would gain fat because the body can think it is starving when you go long periods without food so the body can tend to really pack away the calories into fat storage when you do eat...plus that is not very enjoyable, I like eating too much. I can;t see cramming 5,000 calories into 6-8 hours, yikes.

 

Starvation mode doesn't kick in for DAYS not hours. Don't believe the faux science posted on most bodybuilding forums...

 

*Bro-science.

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I read up on it and it is not for me. I don't like to sacrifice enjoyment from my life when there are other ways for me to accomplish this. Thanks though, I appreciate the help!

 

I am a lightweight. I weighed myself today and I am only 208 right now. It is embarrassing.

 

So, I am going to have to just pack on the pounds and lift heavy probably will take a year or two, but I want to get to 225 or so.

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I read up on it and it is not for me. I don't like to sacrifice enjoyment from my life when there are other ways for me to accomplish this. Thanks though, I appreciate the help!

 

No problem, mate! IF isn't for everyone just like six meals a day isn't for everyone - it's all about what works for you.

 

Two years of good programming and nutrition will definitely help you pack on the mass you're looking to achieve - just keep at it, looking forward to hearing about your progress!

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  • 2 weeks later...

I know some guys like Clarence Bass like to get cut and then build mass while staying lean.

I have to accept for me, I will have to have some fat gain with my muscle. I am in a mass more now but I want to he cut up for beach season by July!

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  • 2 weeks later...

I have to say, it is a little frustrating. I haven't gone through a mass gaining phase like this in a while. Already I am noticing my pants are tighter from the added fat on my midsection. I have never been good at accepting the fact that I will gain some fat along the way. I have to remind myself that I am also gaining muscle and I can worry about getting cut up later. I am definitely gaining muscle right now, but also fat. Maybe I need to cut out the junk. I have gotten carried away lately eating a lot of peanut butter sandwiches, soy icecream, cold cereals, etc. It is fun watching my strength and size go up, but not so fun seeing the fat on my mids. Right now I am 215 lbs at a little under 6'3". One thing I am doing differently now is more of a power lifting program and only three days a weeek.

When I do a 4 day program, it is harder on my time, but I don't gain as much fat. Maybe I should add in some cardio. We are going to Disney World in two weeks and will be hitting the hotel pool, I hate to think I won't have definition in my and. LOL.

I have to at least get a little more lean by the time beach weather is here in June.

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I have to say, it is a little frustrating. I haven't gone through a mass gaining phase like this in a while. Already I am noticing my pants are tighter from the added fat on my midsection. I have never been good at accepting the fact that I will gain some fat along the way. I have to remind myself that I am also gaining muscle and I can worry about getting cut up later. I am definitely gaining muscle right now, but also fat. Maybe I need to cut out the junk. I have gotten carried away lately eating a lot of peanut butter sandwiches, soy icecream, cold cereals, etc. It is fun watching my strength and size go up, but not so fun seeing the fat on my mids. Right now I am 215 lbs at a little under 6'3". One thing I am doing differently now is more of a power lifting program and only three days a weeek.

When I do a 4 day program, it is harder on my time, but I don't gain as much fat. Maybe I should add in some cardio. We are going to Disney World in two weeks and will be hitting the hotel pool, I hate to think I won't have definition in my and. LOL.

I have to at least get a little more lean by the time beach weather is here in June.

 

When you're in a surplus, you're going to gain fat no matter what because it's all about calories in/calories out and not the types of food you est. Adding in cardio will reduce your surplus and therefore your gains but it'll be both fat and muscle gains that will decrease since your calories will be going to fuel your additional sessions.

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I think I need to get over the fat gain and accept it and take it along for the ride. I do hear guys mention how one can gain muscle without fat, but I don't see how you can easily isolate muscle growth from fat. I think the trick is to minimize the fat gain so you don't have as much to lose when the time comes.

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You can gain muscle without the fat, but you first have to lose the fat.

When I did comps for 3 years in a row, it was easy to keep lean while building mass during the off season/ bulking season.

But now it has been a long time since I have been lean for a comp, so I am just sucking it up for now. And it isn't going to be easy getting cut either.

 

Enjoy whatever stage you are at. Each has its merits. I, like you, love eating. So I will eat and lift heavy during this wonderful bulking stage, for in a month and half it is cutting/diet time and I will miss all the delicious yummy food. Then instead of feeling miserable (well, I will feel miserable, but I will tell myself not to dwell on it), I will delight in watching the fat melt off the muscles, and watch as each week something new (or more defined) will pop out more and more. Such fun!

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  • 2 weeks later...

Stop reading what ever fad diet so & so is doing...keep it simple.

 

30-50ish grams of protein per meal, as many carbs as you can stomach & what ever fats you need. Hit compounds, plenty of food & rest. Stop obsessing & enjoy getting strong/big. After dropping a fuck load of weight I use to obsess over food. When I started my bulk I was over analysing every food I looked at. Comes a time where you need to just man up & eat mate.

 

Ignore the "12 weeks to" whatever crap & do the basics...but do them well. Remember the bigger picture, ur bulking! Worry over the "cut" when you need to. All this macro this, % of that bores me to tears.

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One thing you can trying is skimming off carbs on none lifting days ie a quarter cup less of oats/rice but up the protein a little. You don't need to eat 6-8 meals aday. Find what works for you & only you. I bulked eating 4 meals aday, no I'm powerlifting I do need more food but that's due to weight I'm moving a round.

 

More often than not people who complain about gaining fat while trying to get big sit on isolation machines or cables. These people have no clue, leave them to their side raises & lat pull downs. To The military press & do chin ups.

 

My work out usually consists of this, enter gym-walk past machines-shake my head at who evers using a smith machine-enter 9ft Powerrack & stay there for an hr- then I repeat the first two steps (replace enter with leaves)

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I have to find ways to gain more muscle and less fat. I am looking really soft.

I get frustrated and discouraged now that I can feel bodyfat jiggling on my stomach, I am not used to that.

Once I gain the muscle I want, I am afraid I will lose too much muscle when I try to get lean.

 

Maybe I should continue bulking with only whole foods rather than the processed foods I have been eating like bread and cereal. I was able to be much leaner when eating only whole intact foods like potatoes and whole oat grouts, etc.

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  • 2 weeks later...

Seeing the fat on my mid sectrion is frustrating and it also throws me off. When I was 210 over the summer and had just as much muscle I looked better. Now that I am trying to pack on mass, I don't look as good and I might get lean for the summer for that reason.

Depends on how much I can gain over the next few months. Anyone have any pictures of guys during a bulking phase just so I can see how much fat some guys carry while bulking?

 

I have been reading a lot about clean bulking and that is the approach I am starting to take. I have been eating too much junk since I am bulking and that is not good, too many processed carbs, etc.

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in this case it all boils down to patience and determination. And also you have to consider that not all people have the same body reaction. People get fat easily while others tend to get there muscles working right away. All in all work and effort plays a role if you want those muscles to be the thing you wanted.

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I am worried about gaining too much fat while bulking and then having belly fat that could be hard to lose. LOL. I can still see my upper abs but my lower abs are now covered. I am bigger, but also fatter. Being 42 years old, adding any fat scares the heck out of me. I just hope I can get cut when the time comes.

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