The Ultimate Guide to Lean Bulk Meal Plan

The lean bulk meal plan is also known as clean bulking.  A weight gain approach that aims to increase lean body mass while minimizing excess body fat. If all you wish is to gain fat mass or muscle mass, you can eat almost anything. But if your aim is to get healthier without much fat gain, then lean bulking is for you. 

But if you compare bodybuilding to building a house, our diet consists of a base, walls, and pillars. Without these, it doesn’t matter how elegant your bedroom or living room is. You have to start from scratch.

Benefits of lean bulking

1. Safer option-Lean bulking is not only a safer and healthier option to get bigger, but it also produces better and long-term results.
2. Long term results-You may be able to build your body and stay strong with a DIY diet, but a poor or imbalanced approach to bulking will eventually catch up with you. Instead, sticking to a proper lean bulk meal plan will get you better and long term results.
3. Positive effects on health-Lean bulk meal plan can reduce the negative impacts on health because clean bulking uses a tightly compounded calorie surplus and emphasizes on whole, unprocessed foods instead of processed foods.
4. High Nutrition Content-As clean bulk contains whole food its nutrition content is superior. This kind of food is high in vitamins, minerals and fiber. High fiber diets are associated with good digestive health and reduces the risk of various ailments like type 2 diabetes, heart disease, and cancer.

Side-effects of lean bulking

There are many benefits of lean bulking but if continued for a long term, it has certain downsides too.

1.Clean bulking promotes a highly rigid eating pattern.

Clean Bulking V/S Dirty Bulking

 

In contrast to the cautious, slow approach to clean bulking is dirty bulking.

Food is not taboo in this strategy. Rather, you should gain as much weight as possible, regardless of the fat gain that comes with it.

Dirty Bulk is very effective at building muscle and strength quickly, but its side effects include excess fat gain, sluggishness, and elevated cholesterol and blood sugar levels.

How to start lean bulking

The first step to gaining lean body mass is establishing your maintenance calories (the number of calories you need to maintain your weight). You can estimate this number using some online calculators.

Then pin 10-20 lorries. For example, a man with an average height of 79 kg adds about 250-500 calories, while a woman with an average height of 61 kg adds about 200-400 calories.

From there, make sure that your  daily protein intake is 0.7-1 grams per pound of body weight (1.6-2.2 grams per kilo) to help build muscle. Depending on your preferences, the rest of your daily calories are carbohydrates and fats.

It’s convenient to track your intake with one of several smartphone apps.

Weigh yourself regularly to track your progress and aim for a weight gain of 0.25-0.5% of your body weight per week.

For the same 79 kg male and 61 kg female, this equates to weight gain of 0.4 to 0.8 pounds (0.2 to 0.4 kg) and 0.3 to 0.6 pounds (0.14 to 0.28 kg) per person per week.

If the numbers on the scale don’t move, slowly increase your weekly calorie intake by 100-200 calories per week.

 

Foods to eat while you are on lean bulk meal plan

1.Fruits

2.Dark Green Leafy Vegetables

3.Legumes

4.Non-Starchy Vegetables

5.Healthy fats

Foods to avoid

1.Proteins

2.Saturated Fats 

3.Sugary drinks

4.Highly processed foods

How to get started with lean bulk meal plan

If you want to gain weight, you need to maintain a positive energy balance, a surplus of calories. This means that your daily caloric intake must exceed your daily energy expenditure.

First increase your calorie intake by 10-20%, then stick on that schedule.

Also ensure a daily protein add-on of 0.7–1 gram per pound of body weight (1.6–2.2 grams per kg) to support muscle gain.

Studies show that adding 0.25-0.5 kg per week is a good sign

Hacks to start lean bulking

1. Eat calories in surplus but avoid eating excess fat.
2. Do a little cardio session every time you hit the gym.
3. Spread your protein intake throughout the day.
4. Nuts are a must when trying lean bulking.
5. Take ample rest.
6. Create healthy cheat meals.

The bottom line

Food eaten on a clean bulk meal plan tends to be more nutritious than food eaten on dirty floors. Additionally, clean bulking can limit excess fat build-up and reduce the risk of adverse health effects compared to dirty bulking.