leanHow do bodybuilders keep so lean when they have to eat so much?
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I've seen that to get big you have to eat big, especially with bodybuilders. However I'd like to know how they manage to keep so lean (abs) when they have to eat so much. What's their secret!? Any advice would be useful! Thanks!
By mitch – over 1 year ago
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The answer is that bodybuilders don't "keep so lean". The only time you see them with their shirt off in pictures and obviously in competition is when they've just completed a rigorous dieting phase - usually 12 to 16-weeks. During this time, these guys eat a high-protein, moderate carb and fat diet and although they still eat more than most guys could get away with to lose fat, they also have huge muscles that need a lot of calories to be maintained.
During the off season, some of these guys put on 50 or more pounds to support increased muscle growth. However, there is a fairly recent trend towards bodybuilders staying leaner during the off season. This is probably because as these guys reach their maximum muscle size potential, they put on less muscle and more fat during the bulking / off season phases.
Importantly, this doesn't apply to most normal guys who lift weights but don't go to the extremes that bodybuilders do to build muscle because they are not near their maximum muscle-growth potential.
Nutritionist and Supplement Specialist