Building copious amounts of muscle while maintaining a lean appearance is a delicate balancing act each and every bodybuilder who takes his or her training goals seriously endeavors to achieve (and by ‘bodybuilder’ I mean anyone who lifts weights with a view toward improving his or her appearance; to further categorize bodybuilding types we can label those who seek otherworldly size and who will do almost anything to gain such size as ‘hardcore’ and those who ‘work out’ to build a good looking physique minus the 20-inch guns and shredded glutes as ‘recreational lifters’ or ‘bodybuilding enthusiasts’). What many beginning bodybuilding aspirants, hardcore or recreational, do not fully comprehend, however, is the importance of balanced nutrition in terms of the gains in lean muscle mass they could, with a correct eating plan in place, expect to make.

With training, the equation is pretty straight forward: lift the barbell from A to B while working hard through each set of each exercise, and devote an hour every other day to the pursuit of pumping iron. With nutrition there is so much more to consider, including the planning of up to six meals per day, the temptation of progress-derailing junk foods, nutrient timing (throughout the day and, for serious trainees, pre, intra and post workout), quality of nutrients, supplementation versus whole foods and a whole host more dietary factors that, when combined as they should be, can prove difficult to properly manage, but are nevertheless integral to the progress we can expect to make in the gym. This probably explains why so many people simply cannot adjust to their eating schedule. It may also explain why so few beginning trainees stick to their programs or, even if they do, fail to obtain the results they seek. But, as has been stressed many times by a great many smart trainers, a failure to eat enough of the right calories needed to ensure sufficient energy to train, and from which to impart nutrients to aid recovery, will curtail your training progress faster than probably anything else – barring injury – can. So, before you look for excuses as to why you are not progressing in line with your lofty expectations, be sure to review your current nutritional status. You may find that your ‘genetics’ or ‘faulty training regime’ is not to blame for your inability to pack on lean muscle mass.  

About the author:
David Robson is a New Zealand-based professional freelance writer, book author, personal trainer and health and fitness expert. With his sound scientific and academic credentials he has helped thousands of people achieve their health and fitness goals both through his written works and guidance. As a staff writer, David’s articles can be read in leading health and fitness periodical Status Fitness Magazine. David can be contacted at: davidrobson19@hotmail.co.nz or at his website: davidrobsonelite.com