Eating Big While Staying Lean

Diet and Nutrition
1

I’ve heard that it is possible to make your body switch over from burning Carbs for energy to burning Fat to energy. How exactly do you do this? Do you need to eat a lot of Fat for a while until your body adjusts to using Fat for energy and then you can ease off of so much Fat?

I’ve also heard that if you eat mostly Protein and not many Carbs or Fat, then your body may switch over to burning Protein for energy, which would be bad…

I try to eat very few Carbs and mostly Fat and Protein, but I don’t think that my body is burning Fat for energy because my body fat percentage isn’t too low yet. This may sound very stupid, but if I understand how the body selects what to take energy from properly, would doing something like drinking Olive Oil for a few weeks, in addition to your usual diet, make the body burn fat for fuel?

long story short: Is it possible to eat big (caloric excess) while staying lean?
Thank you,

2

The only way this is possible is with added cardio/sprinting, GPP, etc.

3

Read this thread:

http://www.T-Nation.com/tmagnum/readTopic.do?id=658379

4

To become “fat adapted” your carbs have to be low (50g at the most usually, and that’s only from traces in foods like nuts, vegetables, and eggs) and your fat intake has to be high.

But staying lean all comes down to how much you eat. It helped me stay fairly lean while eating a lot of food, but if you’re eating way over your maintenance, you’re going to gain weight (and fat) fat adapted or not.

5

[quote]Cthonic wrote:
To become “fat adapted” your carbs have to be low (50g at the most usually, and that’s only from traces in foods like nuts, vegetables, and eggs) and your fat intake has to be high.

But staying lean all comes down to how much you eat. It helped me stay fairly lean while eating a lot of food, but if you’re eating way over your maintenance, you’re going to gain weight (and fat) fat adapted or not.[/quote]

Your goal is no weight gain?

6

[quote]Artem wrote:
I’ve heard that it is possible to make your body switch over from burning Carbs for energy to burning Fat to energy. How exactly do you do this? Do you need to eat a lot of Fat for a while until your body adjusts to using Fat for energy and then you can ease off of so much Fat?

I’ve also heard that if you eat mostly Protein and not many Carbs or Fat, then your body may switch over to burning Protein for energy, which would be bad…

I try to eat very few Carbs and mostly Fat and Protein, but I don’t think that my body is burning Fat for energy because my body fat percentage isn’t too low yet. This may sound very stupid, but if I understand how the body selects what to take energy from properly, would doing something like drinking Olive Oil for a few weeks, in addition to your usual diet, make the body burn fat for fuel?

long story short: Is it possible to eat big (caloric excess) while staying lean?
Thank you,[/quote]

So you want to eat a lot with no weight gain? Or are you looking to do a “(c)lean bulk”? Or do you want to lose fat and gain muscle at the same time?

Do one or the other. Eat to get bigger, or eat to lose fat. When you try to do both you are really setting yourself up for minimal progress.

7

[quote]Professor X wrote:
Cthonic wrote:
To become “fat adapted” your carbs have to be low (50g at the most usually, and that’s only from traces in foods like nuts, vegetables, and eggs) and your fat intake has to be high.

But staying lean all comes down to how much you eat. It helped me stay fairly lean while eating a lot of food, but if you’re eating way over your maintenance, you’re going to gain weight (and fat) fat adapted or not.

Your goal is no weight gain?[/quote]

but you missed the part where fat will be gained. Seriously! FAT, who wants a little extra fat for a good amount of muscle, gross. You saying we should get obese.
I really don’t understand how you haven’t hung yourself yet, lol this stuff is so fricken predictable

8

[quote]analog_kid wrote:
Artem wrote:
I’ve heard that it is possible to make your body switch over from burning Carbs for energy to burning Fat to energy. How exactly do you do this? Do you need to eat a lot of Fat for a while until your body adjusts to using Fat for energy and then you can ease off of so much Fat?

I’ve also heard that if you eat mostly Protein and not many Carbs or Fat, then your body may switch over to burning Protein for energy, which would be bad…

I try to eat very few Carbs and mostly Fat and Protein, but I don’t think that my body is burning Fat for energy because my body fat percentage isn’t too low yet. This may sound very stupid, but if I understand how the body selects what to take energy from properly, would doing something like drinking Olive Oil for a few weeks, in addition to your usual diet, make the body burn fat for fuel?

long story short: Is it possible to eat big (caloric excess) while staying lean?
Thank you,

So you want to eat a lot with no weight gain? Or are you looking to do a “(c)lean bulk”? Or do you want to lose fat and gain muscle at the same time?

Do one or the other. Eat to get bigger, or eat to lose fat. When you try to do both you are really setting yourself up for minimal progress.

[/quote]
Well, I’ve always had this tiny bit of fat that is just enough to cover my abs and it never goes away, no matter how clean I eat. I recently calculated my calories for the first time and found out that I was eating a very clean 1100 calories a day.

I’ve decided to start eating a ton more and that I don’t really have much to lose since I don’t have abs as it is. I’m training really hard 5-6 days a week, so I’m hoping that most of it will go towards muscle gains. Still though, I’m just trying to think of how to minimize fat gains in comparison to muscle gains.

9

[quote]Artem wrote:
<<< long story short: Is it possible to eat big (caloric excess) while staying lean?
Thank you,[/quote]

Read the Anabolic Diet thread like the other guy said.

In order to get bigger you will need an excess of calories or else what the hell is your body going to make itself bigger with? Magic? There is no diet that will change that fact and excess calories for the vast majority will mean some additional fat. Having said that I do believe a fat adapted metabolism will allow most people to consume a much higher intake while storing much less fat than a conventional carb based metabolism.

I say that because I have been doing it for almost 2 years. If I ate the same amount on a conventional diet I’m certain I would have ballooned up long ago. Even on a fat adapted plan I carry some body fat in the quest for size which probably means you’ll disregard everything I just said.

10

I’m not scared of gaining some fat; putting on muscle is my main concern. I’m just asking about this fat adaption that I’ve heard about.

How long does it usually take the body to adapt? Will having one carb-heavy cheat meal or something put you back on a carb-burning route?

If I eat a diet of mostly just meat, eggs, Protein shakes, vegetables, and nuts, will my body eventually adapt to burn fat? I’m worried that with very lean meat, my Protein intake will be much higher than my fat intake and the body might start burning Protein for energy.

11

1100 calories a day? are you a woman?

dear lord, in this case I might actually recommend fast food, jesus!

12

dude ur 148lbs, i wouldnt worry about getting fat

13

[quote]Artem wrote:
analog_kid wrote:
Artem wrote:
I’ve heard that it is possible to make your body switch over from burning Carbs for energy to burning Fat to energy. How exactly do you do this? Do you need to eat a lot of Fat for a while until your body adjusts to using Fat for energy and then you can ease off of so much Fat?

I’ve also heard that if you eat mostly Protein and not many Carbs or Fat, then your body may switch over to burning Protein for energy, which would be bad…

I try to eat very few Carbs and mostly Fat and Protein, but I don’t think that my body is burning Fat for energy because my body fat percentage isn’t too low yet. This may sound very stupid, but if I understand how the body selects what to take energy from properly, would doing something like drinking Olive Oil for a few weeks, in addition to your usual diet, make the body burn fat for fuel?

long story short: Is it possible to eat big (caloric excess) while staying lean?
Thank you,

So you want to eat a lot with no weight gain? Or are you looking to do a “(c)lean bulk”? Or do you want to lose fat and gain muscle at the same time?

Do one or the other. Eat to get bigger, or eat to lose fat. When you try to do both you are really setting yourself up for minimal progress.

Well, I’ve always had this tiny bit of fat that is just enough to cover my abs and it never goes away, no matter how clean I eat. I recently calculated my calories for the first time and found out that I was eating a very clean 1100 calories a day.

I’ve decided to start eating a ton more and that I don’t really have much to lose since I don’t have abs as it is. I’m training really hard 5-6 days a week, so I’m hoping that most of it will go towards muscle gains. Still though, I’m just trying to think of how to minimize fat gains in comparison to muscle gains.
[/quote]

1100 calories a day? Your profile says you are 5’10" 148lbs. “Cutting” would be the last thing on my mind if I were you. No one cares if you have abs if you fall over in a stiff breeze.

I would also look at 3-4 workouts/week and eating like a fucking elephant. Really, if you are doing a decent amount of work at the gym you will not believe how much food it takes to gain any weight, let alone massive amounts of fat.

14

I didn’t say anything about cutting. I actually said that I’m going to start eating a lot more. I didn’t know that I was eating so few calories, but I was eating mostly very lean meat that didn’t have too many calories, I guess.

Again, I’m training for 1-2 hours a day, 5-6 days a week. I’m trying to eat a lot more. I was just asking about this fat for energy thing that I’ve read about.

15

You shouldn’t be worried about what’s being burned for fuel other than your muscles at this point.

stop obsessing and just fuckin eat

16

I’ll tell you this. If you are afraid of MANfood in any way this diet is not for you. If you plan on doing it, but sorta fixing it up the way you like, do something else.

17

[quote]Professor X wrote:
Cthonic wrote:
To become “fat adapted” your carbs have to be low (50g at the most usually, and that’s only from traces in foods like nuts, vegetables, and eggs) and your fat intake has to be high.

But staying lean all comes down to how much you eat. It helped me stay fairly lean while eating a lot of food, but if you’re eating way over your maintenance, you’re going to gain weight (and fat) fat adapted or not.

Your goal is no weight gain?[/quote]

No, I still gained 20lbs in a few months. Just because I ate low carbs doesn’t mean I wasn’t getting in at least 4500-5000 calories a day.

But after a certain point it gets expensive to eat that much meat and I don’t eat like that any more. It’s a lot easier to just eat.

18

[quote]Cthonic wrote:
Professor X wrote:
Cthonic wrote:
To become “fat adapted” your carbs have to be low (50g at the most usually, and that’s only from traces in foods like nuts, vegetables, and eggs) and your fat intake has to be high.

But staying lean all comes down to how much you eat. It helped me stay fairly lean while eating a lot of food, but if you’re eating way over your maintenance, you’re going to gain weight (and fat) fat adapted or not.

Your goal is no weight gain?

No, I still gained 20lbs in a few months. Just because I ate low carbs doesn’t mean I wasn’t getting in at least 4500-5000 calories a day.

But after a certain point it gets expensive to eat that much meat and I don’t eat like that any more. It’s a lot easier to just eat.[/quote]

4500-5000 calories and low carb? I think the 20lbs you gained was backed up feces from not shitting.

19

[quote]whereami wrote:

4500-5000 calories and low carb? I think the 20lbs you gained was backed up feces from not shitting.[/quote]

lol

20

[quote]Zap Branigan wrote:
whereami wrote:

4500-5000 calories and low carb? I think the 20lbs you gained was backed up feces from not shitting.

lol[/quote]

I think he’s tryin to tell him he was full of shit