{"id":300,"date":"2022-04-21T10:31:15","date_gmt":"2022-04-21T14:31:15","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.ironmaster.com\/iron-blog\/?p=300"},"modified":"2026-01-23T13:25:12","modified_gmt":"2026-01-23T18:25:12","slug":"lean-bulking-diet","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.ironmaster.com\/blog\/2022\/04\/21\/lean-bulking-diet\/","title":{"rendered":"The Ultimate Lean Bulking Diet Guide"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Tired of feeling scrawny and wish you could put on some muscle? If you\u2019re looking to fill out your t-shirt arm sleeves or\u00a0make your booty pop<\/a>\u00a0in a new pair of jeans, then it might be time for you to start a lean bulking diet.<\/p>\n

We\u2019ll walk you through what to do from both a diet and training perspective to build muscle fast and put on the size you want.<\/p>\n

What Does Bulking Mean?<\/b><\/h2>\n

In the\u00a0bodybuilding<\/a>\u00a0or fitness world, you might\u2019ve heard people say they\u2019re starting a bulk. That\u2019s when your primary goal becomes building muscle while keeping fat gain to a minimum. It involves eating more than you normally would and using those extra calories to train hard at home or in the gym.<\/p>\n

If strength training is a new thing for you<\/a>, then you might benefit from \u201cnewbie gains\u201d and be able to build muscle and burn fat at the same time. But if you\u2019ve been working out for a little bit, it can be hard to do both. So you\u2019ll probably get the best results by going on a bulking and cutting cycle.<\/p>\n

When you\u2019re bulking, the goal is to build muscle while minimizing fat gain. On the flip side of that, cutting is when you\u2019re looking to lean out and burn fat (which inevitably means you\u2019ll lose a little muscle). A simple way to think about it is like this: bulking = muscle; cutting = fat loss.<\/p>\n

Typically, you\u2019ll go on a bulking phase for about 4-6 months, then follow that up with a cutting phase of about 3-4 months to lean out and get beach-body ready in time for summer.<\/p>\n

Lean Bulk vs. Dirty Bulk\u00a0<\/b><\/h2>\n

Of course, you probably want to go with a lean bulk. While gaining at least a little fat may be unavoidable, starting a lean bulking diet instead of a dirty one (where you eat whatever you want) will help you build the most muscle without putting on too much fat.<\/p>\n

How to Create a Bulking Diet Plan<\/b><\/h2>\n

When you\u2019re in a bulking phase, you want to be in a caloric surplus. That means you\u2019re taking in more calories than you\u2019re burning off. The extra calories you consume will fuel greater muscle gains. You can create a caloric surplus by eating slightly more than you would normally (start with an increase of about 250-500 calories).<\/p>\n

Counting macros<\/a>\u00a0is a simple way to hold yourself accountable and make sure you\u2019re consistently in a caloric surplus. Luckily, you can figure out your own personal bulking macros in just 3 easy steps:<\/p>\n

How to Figure Out Your Bulking Macros<\/b><\/h2>\n

Step 1: Use a calculator like this one\u00a0here<\/a>\u00a0to determine your TDEE (total daily energy expenditure).<\/p>\n

Step 2: Add 250-500 calories to your TDEE to get how many calories you should consume daily.<\/p>\n

Step 3: Determine the amount of protein, carbs, and fats to eat.<\/p>\n

Now, let\u2019s walk through an example person so you can get the gist of how it looks.<\/p>\n

Here are some stats for our example person:<\/p>\n