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Fat to Lean Diet Plan

Have you wondered just how important is a lean muscle diet plan? If you are working out and trying to build lean muscle, a powerhouse diet is essential to achieving the lean physique you are looking for.

Lean muscle growth is a bit of a controversial topic. One thing all experts can agree on, is that diet plays a very important role. There are tons of opinions and finding out what works and what doesn't can be a challenging task.

Lean Muscle Diet Plan

Keys to a Lean Muscle Diet

The key to a lean muscle diet plan is to follow the basics and fundamentals:

  1. Eat a healthy, balanced diet
  2. Lean meats (white meat chicken, turkey)
  3. Fresh vegetables
  4. If you are overweight or gain weigh easily, then you must watch your carbs and sugar. Go light on carbs and sugar
  5. If you're trying to get lean, the watch your calories. This means knowing your calorie intake, as well as what you are burning.
  6. Exercise every day

Lean Muscle Diet Plan With Simple Choices

Here is a simple lean muscle diet plan you can follow. Of course, how much food you consume at each meal will depend on your age, proportions, activity level, and sex.

Taller and heavier men will naturally eat much more food than shorter and lighter women.

Breakfast Items for Building Lean Muscle

  • Protein bar (quick and easy)
    Great picks: QuestBar, PureProtein, thinkThin
    ** These are all low sugar — look for sugar <5g **
  • Egg whites
  • Oatmeal
  • Blueberries
  • Strawberries
  • Whole grain Cereal with skim milk
  • Veggie omelet with egg whites (no cheese)
  • Protein Shake – a simple on is Chocolate Muscle Milk + 1 scoop of MuscleTech Protein Powder [60 g protein, 350 cal]

Lunch Items for Building Lean Muscle

  • Grilled Chicken
  • Grilled Tuna or Grilled Salmon
  • Lean Meats
  • Turkey Sub with Whole Wheat bread (no Mayo)
  • Grilled Chicken Salad
  • Mediterranean Salad
  • Greek Salad
  • Grilled Chicken Sandwich (no cheese, no butter)
  • Grilled Chicken Caesar Salad (no croutons, no cheese)
    TGIF, Chili's, most chain restaurants
  • Chick-Fil-A: Grilled Cool Wrap (with Buffalo Sauce, No dressing)
  • KFC: Quarter Chicken (white meat) with Green Beans (no bread)
  • Pollo Tropical: Quarter Chicken (white meat) with Black Beans
  • McDonald's: Grilled Chicken Snack Wrap (no cheese, no dressing)

Lean Muscle Diet Plan for Beginners

Dinner Items for Building Lean Muscle

  • Grilled Chicken (white meat = Breast)
  • Lean Steak (Sirloin Steak is best pick)
  • Fish: Salmon (oily fish, Omega 3, a Superfood)
  • Steamed Veggies without Butter: Broccoli, Spinach, Lima Beans, Green Beans, Cauliflower, Carrots, Kale, and other leafy greens.
  • Brown Rice
  • Sirloin Steak with two servings of rice and steamed veggies
  • Grilled Chicken Caesar Salad (no croutons, no cheese)
    TGIF, Chili's, most chain restaurants
  • Chick-Fil-A: Grilled Cool Wrap (with Buffalo Sauce)
  • KFC: Quarter Chicken (white meat) with Green Beans (no bread)
  • Pollo Tropical: Quarter Chicken (white meat) with Black Beans
  • McDonald's: Grilled Chicken Snack Wrap (no cheese, no dressing)

Snacks for Building Lean Muscle

  • Protein bar (quick and easy) – shoot for 100-200 cal bars
     Great picks: QuestBar, PureProtein, thinkThin
    ** These are all low sugar — look for sugar <5g **
  • Protein Shakes
  • Trail Mix
  • Nuts: Walnuts and Almonds are top picks
  • Fruits (Banana, Apple)
  • 1/8-1/4 cup of Walnuts (100-200 calories)
  • 10-15 Almonds (50-100 calories)

Calories in Your Lean Muscle Diet Plan

First, it is important to understand that it all starts with nutritious calories.

Eating in a small caloric surplus is one of the most critical factors for optimal muscle growth. That way, the body has an adequate supply of energy to complete its many processes, and it can also dedicate more energy to muscle repair and growth (1).

But, to ensure that you're eating in a surplus, you need to count calories and weigh your food. For that, you need to know your BMR (the number of calories you burn at rest every day) and TDEE (the total number of calories you burn daily.

By knowing how many calories you're burning, you can eat slightly more than that and ensure proper muscle growth. This is the key to building lean muscle.

To calculate your BMR and TDEE, you can use a simple online calculator.

Why Tracking Your Progress Is Essential

Some folks gain weight more quickly than others. Because of that, it's essential to track your progress and make adjustments if you have to.

For example, if you gain weight easily, you might be more carb-sensitive than other people. So, it's a good idea to watch your carbs and consume most of them before and after your workouts. You can also experiment with low-carb eating on your non-training days.

Protein – The Building Block Of Muscle Tissue

Aside from getting enough total calories, it's also vital to consume enough protein (2).

The reason for that is, protein provides the body with the building blocks it needs to build lean tissue – amino acids.

So, aim to consume at least 0.5 grams of protein per pound of body weight. If you currently weigh 160 pounds, aim for at least 80 grams of protein daily.

An Often Overlooked Muscle-Building Factor – Proper Hydration

Once you've ensured an adequate calorie and protein intake, it's also essential to stay well-hydrated.

Water is essential for many health processes within the body, and it also affects muscle growth and athletic performance.

So, to stay hydrated, drink lots throughout the day. A good range is to drink eight to twelve 8-ounce glasses of water per day.

Cheat Days – Yes Or No?

The majority of your diet should be lean and healthy. That way, your body will have an adequate supply of all the nutrients it needs to build muscle and perform its processes.

But, having a cheat day or two per week won't harm your progress – in fact, it's quite beneficial for your lean muscle diet plan. What you need to keep in mind is that you should try to get enough protein and avoid stuffing yourself.

David Williams

David Williams

A diet and fitness enthusiast, David Williams is an ex-Army Airborne Ranger and Infantry soldier with decades of fitness and wellness experience. A West Point graduate with a degree in engineering, he focuses on technical research related to fitness, nutrition, and wellness. He loves the beach, and spending time with his wife and daughters.

References

1. Brazier, Y. (n.d.). Calories: Requirements, health needs, and function. Medical News Today. https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/263028.

2. U.S. National Library of Medicine. (n.d.). Protein in diet: MedlinePlus Medical Encyclopedia. MedlinePlus. https://medlineplus.gov/ency/article/002467.htm.

Fat to Lean Diet Plan

Source: https://www.aleanlife.com/lean-muscle-diet-plan/