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Updated On Aug 2024
Updated On Aug 2024

Leangains Diet Plan: Maximize Your Fitness Results With Fitelo

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leangains diet plan

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Varleen Kaur

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Leangains is labeled as “the birthplace of intermittent fasting,” but we know that such titles are often overstated on the internet. However, leangains diet plan has a claim to the throne.

Skipping breakfast, eating big meals, and training hard are a few core principles of leangains meal plan. Also, this meal plan is beneficial for nutrient partitioning because you get more calories on the days you work out and fewer on the days you don’t.

A few years ago, consuming more was the key to building muscle. But recently, in 2015, the scenario has completely changed, and a new concept has emerged “leangains.” It starts becoming popular among celebrities to gain muscle, not fat.

So, let’s understand exactly what lean is and what is involved in this weight loss program.

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What Is Leangains Meal Plan For Weight Loss?

Leangains is a term that means that you consume and exercise enough to gain muscle and, at the same time, avoid fat. Also, it helps target the body parts where an individual wants to build muscle.

Did you know intermittent fasting and carbohydrates are part of this powerful bodybuilding concept?

The Pros Of Leangains Diet Chart

When you are following a diet plan, the main problem with any diet is being hungry. Although it might sound a bit backward from what you have always heard that “breakfast is the most important meal of the day,” the fact is that, after just a few days, the human body’s hormones begin to change.

Your body quickly adapts to this longer fasting time and reduces ghrelin, the hormone that makes you feel hungry.

Consuming food fewer times the rest of the day means less overall meal planning, which certainly makes everyone’s life a bit easier.

The pros of following this lean weight gain diet plan, however, are that it helps the human body remove stubborn fat. Even following this meal plan, the little potbelly of the muffin top seems to just drop off without putting in any extra effort.

The Drawbacks Of Leangains Diet Plan For Weight Loss

Actually, there are a few drawbacks to this system. Many people find that they get a headache in the morning if they don’t eat. But this usually happens due to a lack of caffeine. So, try to consume some black coffee or herbal tea, but don’t add sugar to it.

There are some people who think they can eat anything in just 8 hours. But they must practice balancing their calorie intake.  

It is true that you might feel hungry in the morning at first. But later on, your body will take 5 to 7 days to adjust.

Please Note: Always consult your dietitian or physician before starting or adapting this method.

The Leangains Diet Plan

When you are aiming to build muscles, the main thing is to achieve a level where you burn more calories than you are consuming. If you are able to achieve this, then you are on the right track.

While following this diet plan, the initial goal of many people is to achieve a remarkable calorie deficit of about 15-20% per week. Doing so means you end up burning around 2500 more calories than you consume in a week. Also, it depends on age, weight, height, gender, and many other factors.

So, in leangains diet plan, you must include fat and protein intake. Doing so will help you maintain a calorie deficit of around 5–10% on rest days. Whereas, the calorie deficit percentage goes up to 20–25%, which again comes to an average of 15% on a weekly basis.

Sharing a sample of the best leangains diet plan with you :

TimingMeal
Early MorningLuke Warm water+ 1 Teaspoon flaxseeds (roasted) + Soaked Almonds
BreakfastOatmeal + Grilled paneer (marinated)
Mid MealGaining smoothie (banana + milk + oats + peanut butter
LunchPaneer biryani +curd +salad
Pre workout1 glass beetroot juice + 1 peanut butter rice cake (30-40 minutes before workout) 1 cup of black coffee before 5-10 minutes of workout
Pre-workout1 scoop whey protein
DinnerScrambled tofu + chapati + salad
Bedtime1 glass milk

Please Note: If you need a proper leangains diet plan for weight loss, then schedule a call with our experts, who can guide you and assist you in providing a customized diet plan.

Workout To Perform While Following Leangains Diet Plan

The important thing to take care of in leangains program is heavy, compound resistance training. These exercises need to be done at least 3–4 times a week, and each session should not be less than 45 minutes.

It is essential to remember that when calorie intake is cut and the body starts becoming lean, high-intensity training becomes challenging. If you continue high-intensity training, then you end up feeling overtrained, exhausted, and low on energy. Also, you can consider 2500 calories weight gain diet plan to achieve remarkable results.

The Leangains diet plan consists of the following exercises:  

  • Deadlifts

The deadlift is one of the right exercises for bodybuilding. It targets the maximum number of body parts, including the lower back, forearms, quads, hamstrings, and gluteal muscles.

  • Squats Or Leg Press

When you are targeting your hips and legs, the perfect way to stay in shape is by doing squats and leg presses. In fact, squatting is the right exercise to build leg muscles.

  • Bench Press/ Dumbbell Press

If you want to build chest muscles and shape the arms, the bench press or dumbbell press is the right exercise.

  • Military Press/ Shoulder Press

The shoulder press or military press is a mixed exercise that promotes the human body to target the deltoid muscles in the shoulders and also builds the triceps.

  • Chin Ups

Chin-ups are mainly done for upper body conditioning and are one of the most effective strengthening training exercises.

  • Rows

Rows are targeted at building the middle back. Also, it works for the lats, shoulders, and biceps.

Foods To Include In Your Leangains Diet Plan

There are several foods that contain carbohydrates in the form of glucose, fats in the form of triglycerides, and proteins as amino acids.

Calories are the foundation of building muscles, but in this case, you should be aware of every individual macronutrient you are consuming. But when you are to make gains, then you should do your best to keep things simple and wholesome on the nutritional side.

So, here we are sharing a few suggestions to get you started:

  1. Proteins
  • Chicken
  • Lean Beef
  • Eggs
  • Fish (lean and fatty options)
  1. Carbohydrates
  • Rice
  • Quinoa
  • Oats
  • Potatoes
  • Fruit
  • Vegetables
  1. Fats
  • Olive Oil
  • Mixed Nuts and Seeds
  • Coconut Oil 
  • Cottage Cheese
  • Avocados

Most Important Muscle-Building Tips While Following Leangains Diet Plan

Building muscles is not complicated, but you have to make sure you remember a few essential tips:

  1. Firstly, maintain your nutritional level.
  2. Secondly, always focus on progressive overload (heavyweight).
  3. Thirdly, stick to compound exercises.
  4. Go for a good sound sleep (frequently).
  5. Reduce stress and maximize recovery.
  6. Consume a balanced calorie diet.
  7. Include proteins at every meal.
  8. Adjust calories up or down according to weekly weight loss/gain.

A Word From Fitelo

Is leangains diet plan for all? No, it is not for everyone. People who are skinny or underweight should stay away from this program, as it is not for them. In fact, this is for those who are already overweight and have excessive fat in their bodies. That’s why the best thing is to consult an expert or dietitian so that you can get it right.

The main point of leangains diet plan or any other weight loss diet plan or program is to make exercising a stress-free experience.

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Young Couple Weight Loss Transformation

A young couple reached out to us with their weight loss goal and to maintain a healthy lifestyle. We here at Fitelo understand our client’s needs and suggest a customized diet plan that even includes cheat meals. So, let’s read this young couple’s story and learn more about their experience with us.

Fun Facts

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Frequently Asked Questions

What Is The Eating Schedule In Leangains Diet Plan?

The Leangains approach is pretty straightforward: Eat all of your daily calories in an 8-hour window and fast the other 16 hours of the day.

What Is The Leangains Diet Plan Method Of Fasting?

This method is done by fasting for 16 hours and limiting you’re eating hours to only 8 hours. If you want to do this method easily, you simply just have to restrict yourself from eating after dinner and skipping breakfast.

What Is The Calorie Deficit In Leangains Diet Plan?

The theory goes that at the end of the week, you should have a caloric deficit of ~3500 calories. There are ~7000 calories in a kilogram of fat, therefore, a CICO diet with a daily caloric deficit of 500 calories should, in theory, help you to lose half a kilo per week.

What Is The 16 8 Method Or The Leangains Diet Plan?

It’s a 16/8 approach: followers fast for sixteen hours every day (inclusive of sleep) and eat during an eight-hour feeding window

What Do You Eat On Leangains Diet Plan?

Leangains users eat a high protein, high carb, relatively low-fat diet. Though there aren’t rules on what to eat, chicken breast, lean pork loin, and lean beef mince are popular ways to meet protein targets due to their low-fat content.

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Contact Us Today

Your search to find the right guidance to be a part of all those fat-to-fit stories ends here. So, contact us today if you are looking for a diet plan with cheat meals. Also, we will discuss how we can help you achieve your weight loss goals.

Disclaimer

This blog post was written to help you to make healthy and better food choices altogether. So, be aware and take care. The important thing to consider is your own health before starting a diet that is restrictive. Therefore, always seek advice from a doctor/dietitian before starting if you have any concerns.
Eat Healthy, Live Healthy. Enjoy a long happy life.

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