– Eat slightly above maintenance calories (150-400 calories more per day)
– Keep protein intake high AND consistent (to keep nitrogen in the bloodstream and consequently keep metabolism cranking)
– Remember to fuel WELL – quality calories are FAR more effective than empty ones
– Train to exhaustion/failure, being sure to use every extra calorie on each lift. Don’t focus on reps; focus on failure/near failure – fully breakdown the target muscle!
– Keep cardio in your plan… not enough to cancel out the caloric intake, but enough to keep excess water off and to heighten body system performance.
And TWO HUGE FACTORS that people often forget:
– Stay off the scale OR at least understand that a gain in weight is NOT always a bad thing when trying to gain mass! When I was eating to grow, I gained 19lbs over the course of two years, but it was muscle! WORTH IT! Instead of the scale, focus on measurements and how clothes are fitting
– Set a REALISTIC timeline goal for lean growth, often months or YEARS. Whether you “lean add” or “dirty bulk” your growth phase (and I NEVER advise the latter), it take TIME for the body to add mass! Stay patient