Many people believe that to build muscle, you need to eat everything in sight. This “dirty bulking” approach often leads to unnecessary fat gain that you’ll just have to lose later.
The Minimal Effective Surplus
Research shows that the body can only synthesize a certain amount of muscle tissue at once. Eating a massive calorie surplus doesn’t speed this up; it just stores the excess energy as fat. A surplus of just 200-300 calories is often the “sweet spot” for lean muscle growth.
Prioritize Protein Quality
Not all protein is created equal. Hitting your daily protein target (1.4 to 2.2 grams per kilogram of body weight, depending on your approach and whether you are losing, maintaining or gaining) with high-quality sources that contain all essential amino acids is critical for recovery.