Bulking up: It’s a scary thought for many guys at the gym because it seems like there’s always a string attached. Everyone wants to add lean mass, but—and it’s a big but—a lot of us don’t like the idea of gaining body fat, even as little as a couple of pounds, which is the norm with most mass-gaining meal plans.

Seriously, what’s the point of gaining 20-30lbs if a good portion of that is fat? If you can’t see the muscle you’ve added, is it even worth having? In this case, we say no, which is why we provide you with the tools you need to add muscle while maintaining, not increasing, your current level of body fat.

So the question is, how do I bulk up without adding unwanted pounds of fat? The answer: By being careful, precise, and paying close attention to food timing. Whether on this page or on Instagram memes, you’ve heard the expression “bodies are built in the kitchen, not the gym.” Too often, you associate lifting weights and doing cardio with crafting a great physique—and don’t get us wrong, that’s an important aspect of it, too.

But if we were to compare bodybuilding to building a house, our diets are the foundation, walls, and support beams. Without those, it doesn’t matter how pretty we make our bedrooms and living rooms—you need to start from the ground up. To use another cliche, you can’t out-exercise a bad diet.

That’s why we’ve laid out this simple and effective meal plan to help you put on mass while staying lean.

Man sprinting

Get lean in 4 weeks: Week 1

Strength training and cardio combine.

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