This article outlines a full day of eating on a lean bulk, detailing each meal, its nutritional breakdown, and the reasoning behind the food choices, timing, and distribution. This approach follows a strict body recomposition strategy, aiming to maximize muscle gain while minimizing fat gain.
For the past few months, I’ve been following a body recomposition approach outlined in my new guide. This protocol will guide my lean bulking strategy for the foreseeable future. The guide offers comprehensive information on meal planning, pre and post-workout nutrition, supplements, training, addressing skinny fat, and recovery factors like sleep and stress.
My day typically begins with a morning walk after waking up and weighing in. This helps me wake up and prepare for the day. It’s not specifically about fasted cardio, but more about establishing a routine.
My daily macro targets are 225 grams of protein, 75 grams of fat, and 300 grams of carbs, totaling approximately 2800 calories. This calorie target has gradually increased over the past few months, and I plan to further increase it to around 3200-3400 calories while maintaining current body fat levels.
The high protein intake, while seemingly high for my 163-pound frame, is deliberate. Research supports high protein intakes for body recomposition, and it offers benefits like satiety, increased thermic effect, and doesn’t pose health risks. My fat intake is set at around 25% of total calories, with the remaining calories coming from carbohydrates. While I don’t always meticulously track macros, I do so more diligently when focusing on body recomposition.
My typical breakfast consists of scrambled eggs with goat cheese, turkey bacon, kiwi, and potato patties. This provides a high-protein, relatively low-carb meal, allowing me to prioritize carbs around my workout and later in the day when my appetite increases. I also take fish oil capsules and a multivitamin as nutritional insurance.
Before my workout, I prioritize a pre-workout meal to fuel my training. This meal typically consists of a chicken sandwich on whole-grain bread with shredded cheese, mayo, spinach, and mustard, along with blueberries and a banana. This combination provides a mix of starchy and fruit-based carbs for optimal absorption. The meal provides roughly 46 grams of protein, 13 grams of fat, and 82 grams of carbs, making it my highest carb meal of the day. I consume this about an hour before training and begin sipping on my pre-workout supplement about 15-20 minutes before heading to the gym.
Around 30 minutes into my workout, I consume intra-workout nutrition, typically in the form of fast-digesting carbs like fuzzy peaches. This helps maintain energy levels, especially for longer workouts or when training fasted.
After my workout, I prioritize protein intake as quickly as conveniently possible. This might be a shake or a meal once I get home. A recent post-workout meal included protein oats made with a casein-whey blend, providing 34 grams of protein, 4 grams of fat, and 25 grams of carbs. While carbs are important, I prioritize them pre-workout and later in the day for better appetite management.
Later in the day, my appetite increases, so I have a larger meal, often a high-protein, high-fiber chili. This meal is typically enjoyed around 6-10 PM and contributes to satiety and slower digestion, supporting a longer overnight fast.
My final meal before bed usually consists of cottage cheese, which is a slow-digesting protein source, paired with whole-grain crackers, a kale salad, and sometimes a treat like rice crisps. This pre-sleep meal helps mitigate catabolism during the overnight fast. This meal typically contains around 40 grams of protein, 23 grams of fat and 72 grams of carbohydrates.
While this article focuses on the finer details of nutrition, it’s important to remember that the foundation is built on hitting calorie and macro targets. These specifics provide further optimization, but the fundamentals remain key.
