# How To Build Muscle Without Fat ## The Perfect Guide To Build Lean Muscle Mass When you start working out, you want to **build muscle fast**. So you spend **hours in the gym** trying to **get bigger** but you get small results. This is because working out is only one part of the process, this guide will help you discover the other parts.
In order to achieve your fitness goals, keep in mind that **muscles are made in the kitchen**. ![Fitness model Devin Physique](//cdn.gymaholic.co/articles/fitness/2-bulk/devin-physique-gym.jpg "Devin Physique posing with his ripped body.") ### Nutrition Is The Key To Clean Bulking If you want to gain lean mass, you will have to **maximize muscle growth while minimizing fat gains**, which is called **clean bulking**. On the other hand **dirty bulking** focuses on continuously having excess of calories, as long as the amount of protein is reached.
The first thing to say is that no matter how dedicated you are on your diet, a **small increase of fat is inevitable**. Your nutrition will play a major role in **building muscle** or **losing fat**. ### Eat More Protein To Build Muscle During your **bulk** protein will be used to **build, repair and maintain muscle tissue**. Therefore, you must consume more protein, **especially after your workout**, this is the moment where **your body needs it the most**. In order to **build muscle**, you will have to consume 1g of protein per pound of body weight daily.
However, if you want to obtain **muscle growth** your body will need food that contains all the **amino acids**. This is why you must consume **complete protein foods** such as: - Eggs - Milk - Meat - Fish - Soybeans For more information, all the benefits of consuming protein. ### Eat Your Carbohydrates, It Matters, A LOT! Carbohydrates are the **primary source of energy for your body**. It exists different kind of carbohydrates often called: simple carbs and complex carbs. During the period of your **lean bulking**, you will mainly consume **complex carbs** which will give you energy over a longer period of time and also **prevent fat storage**.
When ingested, **carbohydrates are turned into glucose**, which is available in the bloodstream and enables muscle contraction. In short words, you would not be able to workout properly without them.
Getting enough carbohydrates is **essential for you trainings**, for a number of reasons: - It allows you to do **heavy and intense weight training**, which leads to **building more muscle**. - Since it is the **main source of energy**, consuming carbs allows good **function of the brain, the mood, personality and mental-ability**. - **Muscles are bigger** when the body stores water and glycogen in the muscle cells. - It keeps the body from using **muscle tissue as a source of energy**: this state is called "**catabolism**". ### Don't Forget To Eat Good Fats While Bulking When people are **bulking** they think they can have junk food whenever they want, because they will able to **burn the fat** during their cut; this is called **dirty bulking**. However, this is not the best approach to **build muscle without fat**, and fitness in general. Nevertheless you must consume good fats because your body needs it.
**Healthy fats** have different benefits for building mass: - **Calorie dense** - **Proper hormone levels** (Muscle growth, get energy from food ...) - **Absorb fat soluble vitamins** (A, E) ![Food for bulking](//cdn.gymaholic.co/articles/fitness/2-bulk/food.jpg "Different food that will help your muscles grow.") ### Macronutrient Ratio For Building Lean Mass For **building muscle without adding mass** you will aim for a 40/40/20 macronutrient ratios: - **40% of calories from protein** - **40% of calories from carbohydrate** - **20% of calories from fat** ### Example Of Meal Plan To Build Muscle You will **eat 4 to 7 times a day** with 2-3 hours of interval, which will allow you to never be hungry and maintain an **anabolic state** (building muscle). Do not hesitate to **adjust the time you consume your meals** according to your schedule. This is a **3000 calories** nutrition plan, with the macronutrient ratio: **40% Protein, 40% Carbohydrates, 20% Fat.** Keep in mind that is a basic structure of how you should eat.
The number of calories and the macronutrient ratio must be changed according to your body and your **fitness goals.**

Meal 1 - Breakfast
- 80g Of Oats
- 300ml Of Skimmed Milk & 1 Scoop (25g) Of Whey Protein
- 1 Egg & 3 Egg white
Snack 1
- 20g Of almonds
- 1 Apple
- 1 Scoop (25g) Of Whey Protein

Meal 2 - Lunch
- 150g Cooked Brown Rice
- 150g Of Lean Steak (5% Of Fat)
- 50g Of broccoli
Snack 2
- 50g Of Peanut Butter
- 2 Slices Of Whole Wheat Bread
- 200ml Of Skimmed Milk

Pre-Workout
- 1 Scoop (25g) Of Whey Protein
- 40g Of Oats + 1 Banana
Post-Workout
- 2 Scoop (50g) Of Whey Protein
- 1 Banana

Meal 3 - Dinner
- 200g Of Chicken
- 150g Of Green Beans
- 1 Sweet Potatoe
Snack 3 - Before Sleep
- 1 Scoop (25g) Of Whey Protein Or Casein
- 150ml Of Skimmed Milk
- 20g Of Oats

![Healthy meal](//cdn.gymaholic.co/articles/fitness/2-bulk/healthy-meal.jpg "Healthy meal for a clean bulk") ### Train Like A Beast If You Want To Become One **Nutrition** is the most important factor during your **bulk**. However, getting fit is no **"70% nutrition and 30% workout"**; it's 100% workout and 100% nutrition. My maths are probably wrong, but your workouts must change depending on your plan: **cut, maintenance or bulk**.
While you are bulking you are mainly increasing your **amount of carbohydrates**. Therefore, you will have more energy during your workouts, which will lead to **better performance**. During your bulk, your body will be more willing to **build muscles**. So step out of your comfort zone and **get jacked!** ### Top Supplements That Will Help You Build Lean Mass When you have a **strong diet**, supplements can help you **gain muscle mass** and minimize **fat gains**. It is also important to point out that supplements are not food substitute, they are here to help you get enough of the nutrients that you can't get from regular meals.
Here is a list of the **top supplements for a clean bulk**: - **Whey Protein**: It is one the most popular supplement, since it is rapidly **absorbed by your body**, it is recommended to take it **just after your workout** (in the following 30 minutes). It can also be used as a snack, which will help you reach your **daily amount of protein**. - **Multivitamin**: They provide the necessary **vitamins and minerals** necessary to boost your metabolism, which will lead to better performance and **optimize muscle growth**. - **Creatine**: It is one of the **most used supplements** in the **fitness industry**, because it works. Creatine has many benefits such as: **promoting lean muscle mass**, **improving strength** and **enhancing recovery**. ![Ripped man in the gym](//cdn.gymaholic.co/articles/fitness/2-bulk/ripped-man-gym.jpg "A muscular man focusing on his workout.") ### Separate Cardio And Weight Training When you are doing a **clean bulking**, you don't want to gain too much fat. In order to do this, you will have to do some cardio training so you can **minimize the fat gains**.
However combining **weight training and cardio** is probably not the right thing to do. If you do this, your body will most likely enter into a **catabolic state** (using muscle tissue as a source of energy).
Therefore, it would be better to do **cardio** on another day or do it a few hours before/after your **weight training**. One or two cardio training per week is enough, so you can: **reduce fat storage**, **promotes endorphin** and **improve general health**.
More info on when you should do your cardio training. ### Muscles Grow When You Sleep I'm sure you probably heard this before, but sleep is one of your best friend when it comes to **building muscle**. It has great benefits such as: **repairing muscle tissue and recharge the brain**.
In the other handLack of sleep can lead to many disadvantages like: **weight gain, loss of focus, health issues**... Keep in mind that you need to sleep enough to be able to **build muscle**. The average is around **8 hours of sleep per night**. However, this number can changes depending on your physique so learn to listen to your body.
**Lift, eat, sleep, repeat.** ### Drink Water, As Simple As That **Drink Your Gallon!** Water is a major component of your body, it's a **vital nutrient**. It has many benefits; it helps in the process of chemical and metabolic reactions and in the transport of nutrients. Also, muscle is composed of 72% of water by weight, therefore an **insufficient amount of water will have a bad effect on muscle size**. ### In Conclusion You have all the information you need to **build muscle without fat!**
Here is a summary of what we've just learned: - **Nutrition is the key to build muscle.** - **A clean bulk is defined by a moderate caloric surplus with a detailed macronutrient ratio.** - **A dirty bulk is just about eating more.** - **Great workout are necessary to build quality muscle.** - **Do some cardio to burn these extra pounds of fat.** - **Muscle growth happens while you're sleeping.** - **Water is your best friend.** Get ripped!

Meal 1 - Breakfast

Snack 1

Meal 2 - Lunch

Snack 2

Pre-Workout

Post-Workout

Meal 3 - Dinner

Snack 3 - Before Sleep