Mind Pump: Raw Fitness Truth 2788: How to Lean Bulk for Lean Gains (Build Muscle, Not Body Fat)
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Feb 6, 2026 Clear guidance on how to lean bulk without adding excess body fat, including calorie surplus and protein targets. Practical training tips like switching programs for novelty and training harder during the bulk. Sleep and recovery priorities for muscle growth. Discussion of exogenous ketones, GLP-1 drug trade-offs, and measuring real muscle gains versus neural adaptations.
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Find Your True Calorie Baseline
- Track everything you eat for 1–2 weeks without changing habits to find true maintenance calories.
- Average the days and use that baseline to set a controlled surplus for a lean bulk.
Calorie And Protein Targets For Lean Bulking
- Start a lean bulk with roughly +300 calories above maintenance and adjust between +200–500 as needed.
- Hit ~1 gram of protein per pound of bodyweight every day and prioritize protein in meals.
Add Volume Only When Well Fed
- Increase training volume only when calories and protein are sufficient so recovery supports growth.
- Progressive overload works best while well fed, not during calorie deficits.