The Lean Gains / IF learning and Discussion Log

I had a question.... I break my fast at 1pm, workout at 6pm and eat my final meal at 8:30pm. Should I be taking BCAA's first thing in the morning before work (6am) or would that be pointless?
 
Its not pointless but not required either. Lots of people do different things. I don't take aminos on burn days. I only take pre workout and post workout and only 8 gram each. Others do 5 grams every hour or 10 every 2
 
Doberman13 said:
I had a question.... I break my fast at 1pm, workout at 6pm and eat my final meal at 8:30pm. Should I be taking BCAA's first thing in the morning before work (6am) or would that be pointless?
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Looks like we have similar schedules. I break mine at 12 pm and work out around 6:30 ish I take 2 scoops of BCAA and 1 scoop of whey protein on my second meal and then again in my post workout meal. Every since i started doing this my body has recovered much faster than before.

Oh dang I just let the cat out of the bag. Lets see who catches on. LMAO
 
MrKleen73 said:
Its not pointless but not required either. Lots of people do different things. I don't take aminos on burn days. I only take pre workout and post workout and only 8 gram each. Others do 5 grams every hour or 10 every 2
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I have aminos on most all days, normally 2 scoops of RecoverPro at least once before I break my fast, sometimes during my eating and right now I am drinking another 8 grams before bed since it was leg day. I like to take BCAA capsules or Liver Tabs as well, they help a lot if you are really hungry on those off days.
 
NoSwtTea4U said:
My feeding window is 6pm to midnight and a lot of times on weekends I end up eating at 2 or 3am cause I'm out with friends. So I just start my window later the next day but still end at midnight.
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I usually end up doing the 6 hour window as well, instead of the 8. It just works better for my schedule, prolongs the fast slightly, and helps me to keep from binging or eating too much when I start eating.

MrKleen73 said:
Precisely, on burn days I often intentionally miss meals. It is 2:00 PM now and I should have broke my fast 2 hours ago but probably won't eat until 3:30 or 4:00 then tonight have dinner and be done with it.
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I try to do the same thing on burn days. Like today is my burn day and instead of eating my first meal already, I had some BCAA's and a full can of green beans (to help control hunger mainly plus the carbs in it have a synergistic effect upon the BCAA's but only gave me 70 calories.)
 
I got a bit of bad news today...I have a bulging and possible herniated disc in my lower back. Sounds like this may have been an issue that's been progressing for a while now, but Tuesday I bent down to pick up a pair of 15lb dumbells and ended up on the floor. Anyways, it looks like I may be out for a while as I rehab this injury, so I was hoping you guys could help me out with a modified LG diet...

I want to stick with the LG protocol, but I'm not totally sure what to do with my cals now. I had lost almost 50lbs since January 1st, and did so on a diet of about 1800 cals per day, so I know that's a good cutting caloric amount for me. Now that I'm not going to be doing much of anything for cardio or lifting for several weeks at least, I'm not sure what direction to go with my cals now. I will say that I'm honestly terrified about gaining weight (fat) now that I'm on the shelf, so I was thinking about keeping my cals around 2000 or so. Should I go with an alternating high and low calorie day like I am now? With something like 2200 and 1700? Or should I just stay with a steady rate of 2000? I just want to do everything I can to stay as lean as possible while I'm recovering. Guess I should mention that I'm 34yo, 6'1, and roughly 190lbs.

Sorry for the rant. Thanks in advance.
 
Quil said:
I got a bit of bad news today...I have a bulging and possible herniated disc in my lower back. Sounds like this may have been an issue that's been progressing for a while now, but Tuesday I bent down to pick up a pair of 15lb dumbells and ended up on the floor. Anyways, it looks like I may be out for a while as I rehab this injury, so I was hoping you guys could help me out with a modified LG diet...

I want to stick with the LG protocol, but I'm not totally sure what to do with my cals now. I had lost almost 50lbs since January 1st, and did so on a diet of about 1800 cals per day, so I know that's a good cutting caloric amount for me. Now that I'm not going to be doing much of anything for cardio or lifting for several weeks at least, I'm not sure what direction to go with my cals now. I will say that I'm honestly terrified about gaining weight (fat) now that I'm on the shelf, so I was thinking about keeping my cals around 2000 or so. Should I go with an alternating high and low calorie day like I am now? With something like 2200 and 1700? Or should I just stay with a steady rate of 2000? I just want to do everything I can to stay as lean as possible while I'm recovering. Guess I should mention that I'm 34yo, 6'1, and roughly 190lbs.

Sorry for the rant. Thanks in advance.
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I dont see a problem with that. Should help you stay lean while recovering and even lean out some more
 
Quil said:
I got a bit of bad news today...I have a bulging and possible herniated disc in my lower back. Sounds like this may have been an issue that's been progressing for a while now, but Tuesday I bent down to pick up a pair of 15lb dumbells and ended up on the floor. Anyways, it looks like I may be out for a while as I rehab this injury, so I was hoping you guys could help me out with a modified LG diet...

I want to stick with the LG protocol, but I'm not totally sure what to do with my cals now. I had lost almost 50lbs since January 1st, and did so on a diet of about 1800 cals per day, so I know that's a good cutting caloric amount for me. Now that I'm not going to be doing much of anything for cardio or lifting for several weeks at least, I'm not sure what direction to go with my cals now. I will say that I'm honestly terrified about gaining weight (fat) now that I'm on the shelf, so I was thinking about keeping my cals around 2000 or so. Should I go with an alternating high and low calorie day like I am now? With something like 2200 and 1700? Or should I just stay with a steady rate of 2000? I just want to do everything I can to stay as lean as possible while I'm recovering. Guess I should mention that I'm 34yo, 6'1, and roughly 190lbs.

Sorry for the rant. Thanks in advance.
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Ya know... You really should talk to ScottyDoc about your back issues, I hear he's a Chiropractor! Hey wait a minute, that's me! Sorry to hear about your injury Bro, do you mind elaborating about it? Who diagnosed you, how did they diagnose you, what is your re-hab therapy looking like (routine)?
 
ScottyDoc said:
Ya know... You really should talk to ScottyDoc about your back issues, I hear he's a Chiropractor! Hey wait a minute, that's me! Sorry to hear about your injury Bro, do you mind elaborating about it? Who diagnosed you, how did they diagnose you, what is your re-hab therapy looking like (routine)?
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One of my old Biz Cards
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ScottyDoc said:
Ya know... You really should talk to ScottyDoc about your back issues, I hear he's a Chiropractor! Hey wait a minute, that's me! Sorry to hear about your injury Bro, do you mind elaborating about it? Who diagnosed you, how did they diagnose you, what is your re-hab therapy looking like (routine)?
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Sure, I'd be glad to get some more insight on this!

It sounds like this issue may have been brewing for a while, and the incident on Tuesday was just "the straw that broke the camels back", per se. No pun intended (seriously). I've been having numbness on the outside of both thighs when I sit in certain positions or lay down flat on my back for long periods...been happening for probably 2-3 years. I'm always very careful about picking up and putting down weights, but I guess I just got careless on Tuesday when I bent down to grab a pair of 15lb dumbells off of a small step. I grabbed them and then was on the floor...incredible pain in my lower back, just above both buttocks. There's kind of a bony mass there, which is exactly where my pain is stemming from. It was all I could do to get my clothes changed and walk downstairs. Luckily I haven't had any shooting pain in my legs, but the localized pain in that area is incredible. I can't stand up straight, and walking is incredibly difficult. If I'm sitting or laying down, I can't pick up my left leg without stabbing pain in that lower back area. Pretty much any movement is painful. I'm really struggling to get comfortable either sitting or laying down. It's very uncomfortable all the time, with intermittant stabbing pains if I move wrong. I had been taking copious amounts of Aleve or 800mg Ibuprofen since the injury, and it feels like some of the muscular pain/cramping I was having is gone, but it's not touching the pain around my lower back.

I went to Baptist Medical Associates in La Grange, KY which is about 30 minutes outside Louisville. The NP there said she thought it was probably a bulging disc, but was hopefull that it's not herniated since there has been the shooting pain in my legs (although the numbness I've experienced is cause for concern). I go to start some PT on Monday morning, and we'll go from there. I got a shot in the ass of an anti-inflammatory, which I had hoped would work better than it has, but so far no relief. I'm also taking Flexoril, which hasn't touched anything yet. Honestly, I'm in more pain today than I have been so far with the exception of the initial injury.

I'll update you when I know what the rehab protocol looks like. Any thoughts or advice you have would be greatly appreciated.
 
Quil said:
Sure, I'd be glad to get some more insight on this!

It sounds like this issue may have been brewing for a while, and the incident on Tuesday was just "the straw that broke the camels back", per se. No pun intended (seriously). I've been having numbness on the outside of both thighs when I sit in certain positions or lay down flat on my back for long periods...been happening for probably 2-3 years. I'm always very careful about picking up and putting down weights, but I guess I just got careless on Tuesday when I bent down to grab a pair of 15lb dumbells off of a small step. I grabbed them and then was on the floor...incredible pain in my lower back, just above both buttocks. There's kind of a bony mass there, which is exactly where my pain is stemming from. It was all I could do to get my clothes changed and walk downstairs. Luckily I haven't had any shooting pain in my legs, but the localized pain in that area is incredible. I can't stand up straight, and walking is incredibly difficult. If I'm sitting or laying down, I can't pick up my left leg without stabbing pain in that lower back area. Pretty much any movement is painful. I'm really struggling to get comfortable either sitting or laying down. It's very uncomfortable all the time, with intermittant stabbing pains if I move wrong. I had been taking copious amounts of Aleve or 800mg Ibuprofen since the injury, and it feels like some of the muscular pain/cramping I was having is gone, but it's not touching the pain around my lower back.

I went to Baptist Medical Associates in La Grange, KY which is about 30 minutes outside Louisville. The NP there said she thought it was probably a bulging disc, but was hopefull that it's not herniated since there has been the shooting pain in my legs (although the numbness I've experienced is cause for concern). I go to start some PT on Monday morning, and we'll go from there. I got a shot in the ass of an anti-inflammatory, which I had hoped would work better than it has, but so far no relief. I'm also taking Flexoril, which hasn't touched anything yet. Honestly, I'm in more pain today than I have been so far with the exception of the initial injury.

I'll update you when I know what the rehab protocol looks like. Any thoughts or advice you have would be greatly appreciated.
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First off, just so you know, that bulge/boney prominence right above your glute is called the PSIS (posterior superior iliac spine), there is no disc there to bulge. Now, that does not mean it is not a bulging disc of L5-Sacrum and just referring the pain to one side vs. the other all dependent on the location of the bulge, just saying there is no disc at your site of pain! One thing is for sure, the pain in the buttock and running down the leg is due to pressure on your sciatic nerve, now where that pressure is coming from is the key to solving/fixing your problem. I personally recommend going to see a Chiropractor local to your area, he will be able to determine exactly where the problem is, with a few adjustments, he will more than likely be able to fix your problem and take the pressure off the nerve, as well as perform any of the PT rehab stuff that the PT was going to do. Just to be clear, I am in no way knocking PT's there are two on this forum that I highly, highly respect, just saying that I believe this problem needs to be identified and corrected before rehab (whether with the Chiro or PT) before it can truly be fixed. See, we as Chiropractors adjust the spine and other joints to take pressure off the nerve, which can and will alleviate pain, but it is the rehab therapy afterwards that strengthens the muscles surrounds that joint (pre-disposed area of weakness) so the problem does not return the second you make one wrong move, so both are extremely important! Also, all the drugs mentioned above are great for relieving the pain, just want to be clear that, that is all they are good for, there is no such drug on the planet that cures/fixes Back or joint pain, they only mask the symptoms (pain).
 
I haven't had any pain my either buttocks or shooting down either leg, just to be clear. Just the numbness on the outsides of both thighs, which like I said has been happening for a while now, and the intense pain around my lower back. I appreciate your response, and I'm anxious to see what the therapist has to say Monday morning. I'll let you know what their plan of attack is. I'll certainly consider looking into a chiropractor as well.
 
Quil said:
I haven't had any pain my either buttocks or shooting down either leg, just to be clear. Just the numbness on the outsides of both thighs, which like I said has been happening for a while now, and the intense pain around my lower back. I appreciate your response, and I'm anxious to see what the therapist has to say Monday morning. I'll let you know what their plan of attack is. I'll certainly consider looking into a chiropractor as well.
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No problem, just trying to help! BTW, are you on Mind & Muscle Forum as well?
 
Quil said:
No, I haven't heard of it?
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OK, no worries! Also, just curious, but what is that picture in your Avatar? Funny, because it looks like a Sacrum...

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ScottyDoc said:
OK, no worries! Also, just curious, but what is that picture in your Avatar? Funny, because it looks like a Sacrum...

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I don't know what the picture is exactly, but I know where its from. It is the cover of the TOOL-Undertow album
 
Rectum? Damn near killed im!
 
Well I have jumped on the Lean Gains bandwagon thanks to all of you that have shown a lot progress... Here is a link to my log if interested...

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Well damn, doing it big Jeff!
 
hey guys, i had posted in this thread before regarding bulking with lean gains and i am now really looking into it. I was wondering if anyoen could help me out..... i was thinking the 16 hour fast starting at 9 pm......getting up, working out and then having my pwo meal being my fast breaking meal around......3 (that is 16 hours right? lol) my plan woudl be to sip on bcaas until i lift, then sip on bcaas while i lift and then break the fast with a meal, or get up and lift right away then sip on bcaas afterwards until its fast breaking time. If this is what I do, what woudl u suggest my % of cals be in that meal?? I woul prolly be shooting for about 300g of proteina dn carbs with 100g fat which woudl be 3300 cals on w/o days.....what woudl that be on rest/cardio days then? I know alot of this has been answereed previously but I am too alzy to go back and find it all, and I am sorry for that and hope you guys can still help me out, THANKS!!!


also anyones personal experience with bulking on lean gains woudl be appreciated. was the added weight more lean weight than u had on a bulk?
 
Hello, looking for some help please.
I came across this forum whilst reading about the IF. I have read quite a bit about it but am still confused about it.
Is it a cutting diet, bulking, both?
How do you calculate/estimate your calories needed, and how is that broken down into cpf's ratios?
Is there a book about this somewhere I can buy?
 
And said:
Hello, looking for some help please.
I came across this forum whilst reading about the IF. I have read quite a bit about it but am still confused about it.
Is it a cutting diet, bulking, both?
How do you calculate/estimate your calories needed, and how is that broken down into cpf's ratios?
Is there a book about this somewhere I can buy?
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It can be used for both cutting and bulking. As far as calories it depends on your specific goal. There are places like fit day that will calculate your macros and calories so it is easier to break down what exactly you need to change. Maybe if you share with everyone what your specific goals are people can help point you in the right direction.
 
thanks onlychevy6
Well I am about 175lbs, 5'10. I would like to lose a bit of stubborn fat that I have on my chest and waist. Then I want to bulk up whilst getting strength up to and beyond what I was up to a couple of years ago. I got up to 300lbsx5 ATG squat and 350x5 dead quite quickly but messed my back and knee up from a bad squat. Couldn't train properly for ages and never got back up to it again. My injuries seem to have healed up now.
Can 5x5 training be used with this IF?
 
And said:
thanks onlychevy6
Well I am about 175lbs, 5'10. I would like to lose a bit of stubborn fat that I have on my chest and waist. Then I want to bulk up whilst getting strength up to and beyond what I was up to a couple of years ago. I got up to 300lbsx5 ATG squat and 350x5 dead quite quickly but messed my back and knee up from a bad squat. Couldn't train properly for ages and never got back up to it again. My injuries seem to have healed up now.
Can 5x5 training be used with this IF?
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Yes it can be. The key to this diet is timing. There are a few different methods that can be followed depending on your person daily routine. I would check out the lean gains website and figure out which fits your daily life. No matter what you select if followed correctly you should see results. If you work out in the mornings you will still be fasting until around noon. Just the same as if you train in the evening like myself. I personally have two meals prior to my training and my largest meal as my post workout meal. Your heaviest meal should be after your workout. So if you train in the morning your meal at noon would be your largest and tapered down. Now of course on your non workout days you would want to have you largest meal as your first and taper down as the day goes on.

Like i said earlier track your diet and be honest with yourself that includes logging if you drink sodas and everything. Once you get that in check the rest will fall into place. Then you will be able to figure out your calorie needs to lose the stubborn fat and put on some mass in the mean time.
 
By the way I am in no way an expert on this diet. I read a boat load of information before I personally try anything. And it is hard not to want to try something that people are getting obvious results doing both Bulking and Cutting using the same method.
 
My calculations for maintenance for someone with an average metabolism is body weight multiplied by 12-13 cutting, 13-14 Recomp, and 14-15 clean bulking. Of course if you are carrying a lot of fat like a whole lot you can probably use lower numbers for multiplication. However calories and macros are very individual. So if not that familiar with your body use my numbers as a starting point. For someone who is obese I think using a maintenance of 2500 to figure out what to eat each day is a very good number. That puts you at 2000/ and 3000, and leaves a little wiggle room to go lower if needed but is still high enough to prevent muscle loss.
 
Scottydoc, I must say that you were right about my back issues. I saw the therapist yesterday, and the diagnosis was that the left side of my pelvis was slightly twisted backward, which was compressing the base of my spine on the left side slightly and causing the bulk of my issues. They got me straightened out (literally!) and I felt 100% better. Going to continue going to a couple therapy sessions a week to be sure I stay in alignment, and I have some stretching and exercises to do at home as well. But man, what a relief to know there is no disc issue in my back.

I'm still staying with LG, just dropping my cals slightly while I'm recuperating. Hope to be back in full swing within a couple weeks. In the meantime, the therapist said I was OK to do some walking or even use an elliptical machine, so I'll be doing a little of that probably starting next week.
 
Good to hear you are feeling better.
 
Quil said:
Scottydoc, I must say that you were right about my back issues. I saw the therapist yesterday, and the diagnosis was that the left side of my pelvis was slightly twisted backward, which was compressing the base of my spine on the left side slightly and causing the bulk of my issues. They got me straightened out (literally!) and I felt 100% better. Going to continue going to a couple therapy sessions a week to be sure I stay in alignment, and I have some stretching and exercises to do at home as well. But man, what a relief to know there is no disc issue in my back.

I'm still staying with LG, just dropping my cals slightly while I'm recuperating. Hope to be back in full swing within a couple weeks. In the meantime, the therapist said I was OK to do some walking or even use an elliptical machine, so I'll be doing a little of that probably starting next week.
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Excellent my friend, remember, my guess at what was wrong was just that, maybe it was an educated guess, but without seeing someone in front of me and taking x-rays and doing multiple muscle and ROM tests, it is hard to be sure. But, again, that is a very common issue, so the odds were also in my favor based on what you were telling me that, that was the cause of your problem, I just glad you are feeling better, I know it must be a relief! I am sure you will probably agree with me on this one, but I will put this out there for anyone who has never experienced really severe back pain... Besides the fact that it hurts like a Mo-Fo and you can't ever get comfortable to save your life and sleep like $hit because of it, for a lack of a better way to put it, it makes you feel old! I mean no matter how old you are, we all have a pre-conceived notion of how it feels to be old and believe me when I tell you that is how it makes you feel, old and slow, cautious about every single move you make, just waiting for the sharp, burning, shock-like, however you would describe the pain to strike!
 
That was how my shoulder was pre-surgery.
 
MrKleen73 said:
That was how my shoulder was pre-surgery.
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Not a fun place to be in my friend, like I said... anyone who has been there can relate, it's kind of like having kids, if you don't have or have had them, you have no idea what it is really like!!!
 
ScottyDoc said:
Not a fun place to be in my friend, like I said... anyone who has been there can relate, it's kind of like having kids, if you don't have or have had them, you have no idea what it is really like!!!
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Hahaha....I can certainly understand the kid analogy!
 
Yeah, you have to have one, live with, and raise them to understand. Just having one and not being their to raise it doesn't give you the same insight either. The experience is way different.
 
MrKleen73 said:
Yeah, you have to have one, live with, and raise them to understand. Just having one and not being their to raise it doesn't give you the same insight either. The experience is way different.
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Very true my friend, Kleen's Keen insight prevails once again! Agreed!
 
I've basically been doing a half-assed LeanGains for the past 2-3 years. Gone from 140lbs at 11-12% to 180lbs 11-12% with a couple small prohormone cycles in there.

Posting this for feedback..

Going to strictly follow LG for the next few months and see where it takes me as far as recomp and possibly lean bulking in the fall.

5'11 180lbs approx 12% bf so by my calculations i'll need around 2800 cal maintenance (job isn't phsyically demanding, approx 1hr long workouts)


3400 cal on build days
2200 cal on burn days

Protein 250g/daily with rest of cals coming from mainly carbs on build day and mainly fats on burn day

Meal 1 1pm Pre-WO approx 500 cal (prot/carb shake)
Meal 2 4pm Post WO approx 1600 cal
Meal 3 9pm approx 1000 cal
Meal 4 11pm approx 2-300 cal (i dont like the idea of extending the window for extra cal but typically i get home from work at 11pm and usually have a small snack before bed..something like peanut butter or cottage cheese)

Sound about right to you guys?
 
jcalvert86 said:
I've basically been doing a half-assed LeanGains for the past 2-3 years. Gone from 140lbs at 11-12% to 180lbs 11-12% with a couple small prohormone cycles in there.

Posting this for feedback..

Going to strictly follow LG for the next few months and see where it takes me as far as recomp and possibly lean bulking in the fall.

5'11 180lbs approx 12% bf so by my calculations i'll need around 2800 cal maintenance (job isn't phsyically demanding, approx 1hr long workouts)


3400 cal on build days
2200 cal on burn days

Protein 250g/daily with rest of cals coming from mainly carbs on build day and mainly fats on burn day

Meal 1 1pm Pre-WO approx 500 cal (prot/carb shake)
Meal 2 4pm Post WO approx 1600 cal
Meal 3 9pm approx 1000 cal
Meal 4 11pm approx 2-300 cal (i dont like the idea of extending the window for extra cal but typically i get home from work at 11pm and usually have a small snack before bed..something like peanut butter or cottage cheese)

Sound about right to you guys?
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Looks pretty good except I would try cutting your feeding window down closer to 8 hours. Looks like you are around 10 right now
 
MB posted this on his Facebook page today...a pretty extensive LeanGains FAQ. Not written by him, but endorses it nonetheless...

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I should also add that if you are on Facebook, you can send Martin a friend request and he will add you. He posts great stuff almost daily.
 
Quil said:
MB posted this on his Facebook page today...a pretty extensive LeanGains FAQ. Not written by him, but endorses it nonetheless...

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I should also add that if you are on Facebook, you can send Martin a friend request and he will add you. He posts great stuff almost daily.
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Thanks for posting that bro. Now Martin better accept my friend request!!
 
Quil said:
MB posted this on his Facebook page today...a pretty extensive LeanGains FAQ. Not written by him, but endorses it nonetheless...

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I should also add that if you are on Facebook, you can send Martin a friend request and he will add you. He posts great stuff almost daily.
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X2 Thanks for that post!
 
Is it ok to take a zero cal creatine like green mag prior to wo in a fasted state or is it better to wait until you break the fast? My normal prewo stack is green mag, white flood and purple wraath. All zero cal...
 
Doberman13 said:
Is it ok to take a zero cal creatine like green mag prior to wo in a fasted state or is it better to wait until you break the fast? My normal prewo stack is green mag, white flood and purple wraath. All zero cal...
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thats fine. I use White Flood preworkout, PW intra and take MCC caps all the time while using this protocol.
 
I take a couple grams of DCM preworkout with my aminos and preworkout.

Oh I went and copied that info down thanks for posting the link. Here is the text from it.

[h=1]LeanGains FAQ[/h]Last Updated July 21 2011

Table of Contents:
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Who Created LeanGains (LG)?
A phrase coined by Martin Berkhan, Invalid Link Removed is a diet/workout methodology based on intermittent fasting (IF) and lifting heavy weights. It is meant to be a way of body recomposition - losing fat and gaining muscle/strength at the same time.

What is Intermittent Fasting (IF)?
IF is essentially a self-contained cut-bulking cycle. You eat for X hours, and fast (no calories) for Y hours (with Y > X). For example, the Warrior Diet has you fast for 20 hours and eat for 4. Alternate Day Fasting (ADF) has you eat 24 hours, and then fast for 24 hours.
In LG, you fast for roughly 16 hours and eat for 8. For women fasting 14 hours and eating for 10 is recommended.
Having zero calorie gum, diet soda, and coffee is okay. The caloric load of anything you ingest should essentially be zero.

Why Bother with IF?
There are a boatload of health benefits from IF. See Invalid Link Removed. LeanGains is a system that incorporates a version of IF, extending it to include timing of calories (a majority to be consumed post-workout), macros (high protein), and workout (lift heavy). It is not the definition of IF.
You can add an IF schedule to most any other diet plan. It's fine. Give it a shot if you want.

Okay so What is LG?
  • Fast for 16 hours, eat for 8 (roughly. Fasting for 14 or 18 hours will not kill you)
  • Lift heavy stuff using the Big 4 compound movements (deadlifts, squats, bench press, chinups)
  • Martin prefers to lift 3x a week. He also likes Invalid Link Removed (aka RPT).
  • For beginners Martin does recommend Starting Strength.
What is the Workout Schedule Like?
Martin has not explicitly outlined his workout, but the general schedule is:
  • Monday: deadlifts + chinups, accessory
  • Wednesday: bench press, accessory
  • Friday: squats, accessory
A great outline can be Invalid Link Removed. My own is Invalid Link Removed.
Martin says to ensure at least 2 days of rest between any sets of squats and deadlifts.
Martin suggests between 2-3 sets per exercise, RPT for only 1 or 2 exercises, and also adequate rest between each set (at least 3 minutes, 5+ for deadlifts).

That Seems to Focus too Much on the Legs
Negative. The Big 4 hammer the hell out of your entire body. Martin always says that he got his guns from deadlifts and close-grip weighted chinups.

What is RPT?
Invalid Link Removed.
Basically do X # of reps for Z weight. Next set, do (Z-10%) weight for X+1 reps. Next set, do (Z-20%) for X+2 reps. Alternatively, you can do (Z-5%) weight for X reps.
An example to elucidate:
  • Bench Press: 4 reps of 300 pounds (10% = 30)
  • Next set, drop 30 lb (now at 270) and do 5 reps
  • Next set, drop 30 lb (now at 240) and do 6 reps.
Remember for chinups that the weight is any weight you have attached to you plus bodyweight. So if you weigh 150lb and do chinups with 50lb attached (total weight=200lb, 10%=20lb), next set you should do chinups with 30lb attached to you.

Martin Says that I Should be Fairly Lean to do LG. I'm 20% BF, Help!
So in the Invalid Link Removed it says: I would say 10-12% body fat is an appropriate starting point to pull this off with the greatest efficiency.
This does not mean that it isn't worth at a higher body fat percentage. Simply put, as you get to a lower BF %, it becomes harder to lose that fat. The LG approach can help you break that 10% threshold. LG is still effective even if you are 45% BF.

What Should I be Eating?
Every day, Martin recommends high protein intake. The minimum he recommends is at least 2.5 grams of protein per kg of total bodyweight, and he encourages 3g+/kg of bodyweight. On workout days, he recommends moderate/high carbs (in the post workout window) and low fat. On non-workout days he recommends lower carbs higher fats

Why so much Protein?
It keeps you full (satiated). And it has a high thermal effect (to get into it, the Atwater-formula from the 19th century states that 1g protein = 4 kcal energy. Factoring in TEF, it can be argued that the net effect of each gram of protein is really 3-3.2 kcal/gram).

I've tried IF for 3 weeks and it makes me sick
Listen to your body. Some people love squatting every day, other people can't stomach it. If IF doesn't work for you, so be it. It isn't the end of the world.

Should I Eat Before Working Out?
Martin prefers to workout fasted, except for ingesting Invalid Link Removed before working out. He also recommends putting the majority of calories in the post workout window.
At the same time, if you need to eat before working out ... then eat! Try to keep the carbs post workout, but again ... if you need carbs before you workout, then get some.

What the Hell are BCAAs? And Why Should I Take Them?
BCAAs are Invalid Link Removed. They are a group of 3 amino acids which work to alleviate or prevent muscle loss during intense and fasted exercise, with Invalid Link Removed being a very important amino acid.
To simplify, BCAAs are source of fuel/energy for your body when working out to ensure no muscle loss happens.
If you prefer Invalid Link Removed, take it. If you have eaten, BCAAs are not needed.

How do the Calories Change on Workout vs Non-workout Days?
Martin recommends +20% your maintenance calories on workout days, and -20% on rest days.

Should I have 2 or 3 or 19 Meals a Day?
You have a window of eating (for most people, 8 hours). Get your calories in then. If you do 1 meal + a snack, or 3 meals, just do what works for you. Again, what matters is the overall amount of calories (based on maintenance) and macros (more carbs on workout days, more fat on non-workout, high protein all days).

But You Still Haven't Told Me the Exact Macros!
Start with at least 2.5 grams of protein per kg of bodyweight (more is even recommended ... Martin likes 3g+/kg of bodyweight). On workout days, make the rest of your calories 75/25 carbs/fat, and on non-workout days make it 50/50 carbs/fat.
Check out Invalid Link Removed for someone's macro breakdown.

What About Timing?
Martin recommends a majority of your calories post workout (by post workout he means in the feeding period after your workout). A minimum of 60% is his recommendation.

But I'm Keto
Carbs are an essential part of muscle building. Starchy carbs are great for building muscle. Read whatInvalid Link Removed. Carbs can make you fat ... if you overfeed on carbs chronically (we are talking about 700g+ a day for many days).

Can I Bulk with the LG Approach or is Strictly to Lose Fat?
LG is not about just losing fat. It is about recomposition. So yes you can bulk - just eat above your maintenance.
LG will help you lose BF, and it will let you get to low BF% levels, but the overall focus is on recomposition. Martin has said that LG is essentially a self-contained cut/bulk - 16 hours of cut, 8 hours of bulk.

What about Cardio?
Cardio is an extremely over-reaching word. Martin is explicitly against doing intense cardio on workout days, saying that the anabolic reaction of lifting heavy weights is dented by the catabolic response to extended/intense cardio.
Martin also believes that for maximal fat loss, heavy weights + rest = success. If you want to throw in some conditioning, then do it on your off days.
If conditioning is important to you, then do it. If you are focusing on fat loss, Martin recommends sticking to just heavy weights.
At the same time, low impact steady state (LISS) cardio should be ok - aka walking. Do it before you break your fast.

What if I Want to Fast 20 Hours a Day?
Then do it. It is best to stick to roughly the same schedule as your body has a way of regulating itself. Fasting 18 hours one day and then 19 the next day won't kill you.

Should I Drink Protein Shakes?
Martin is very anti "drinking your calories."
Then again, do what makes you feel comfortable. This is meant to be something you can do long term.

DOMs is Hurting Me
Invalid Link Removed could help you.

Any Other Supplements I Should Take?
Martin Invalid Link Removed
More info on them via Invalid Link Removed:
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I Can't Seem to Get Rid of the Stubborn Fat
See Invalid Link Removed

I Went Out and Ruined my Fast, Now What?
Stop worrying, and just try to stay the course. Everyone fails at times. Everyone.

This is Hard / Help I'm Not Ripped Overnight
Look, LG is simple. It is basically lifting heavy heavy stuff and fasting. Fasting has health benefits (eg it can help regulate blood glucose levels), but the biggest and obvious one is that it makes it hard to eat like a lardass. Having a stupid amount of calories is harder when you only have 8 hours to jam them in instead of 24 hours.
LeanGains won't magically make you ripped. It won't give you abs in 15 days.
LeanGains WILL make you stronger and leaner if you follow it. You have to have the mental fortitude to lift heavy stuff. The numbers listed aren't perfect, but you should be Invalid Link Removed.
Hard work is needed. LG just gives you the template to make it happen.

Any other Notable Links?
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At the end of the day, LG is just one methodology. If it works for you, great. If you need to tweak it, then tweak it. If you want more hypertrophy, then increase the rep range a bit. If you play sports, add some conditioning on the off days. If you feel hungry all the time, add more calories. If you feel like garbage 2 weeks in, then maybe fasting isn't for you.
 
I'm curious to get everyone's thoughts on how I should structure my caloric intake after I get back to working out once the back heals up, probably in another week or two...

I want to get back to cutting again, and finish what I started earlier this year. I've taken about a month break at maintenance cals (about 2500) after losing 47 pounds from January to the end of May. During that time, I was at or just under 2000 cals a day, although I was using the 6-small-meals-a-day approach (which honestly worked very well for me).

Martin's approach is basically lifting only with very little cardio. The "burn" days are basically low-cal rest days. For my job, I'm required to maintain fitness standards, to include a run time. I really enjoy running, and athletic training. So my routine is going to be considerably different, consisting of 3 days a week alternating the P90X resistance workouts (Chest/Back, Shoulders/Arms, Chest/Shoulders/Tris, Back/Bis, Legs/Back), and three days a week of Insanity:Asylum (which if you haven't heard of it, it's intense athletic-based cardio...Speed/Agility, Vertical Plyometrics, Strength, Core). I love these workouts.

My dilema is how to structure my calorie intake while still using the LG approach. I know I can cut effectively on 2000 cals...so should I be looking at doing something like 1600 cals on Insanity (cardio) days, and 2400 cals on P90X (resistance) days? Too low? Or maybe closer to 1800/2200? I can adjust the cals as needed, but I'd appreciate your thoughts on a good starting point. I've always been the type that required less cals to cut than your standard Harris-Benedict formula would recommend. And I'm going to the beach with my wife and family the last week of September, and I'd obviously like to be looking my best then. Currently I'm 6'1, 190lbs, and probably 12-14% bodyfat.

Thanks guys.
 
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