Last week, Mary decided to shift her goal from weight loss to building more lean body mass.
To build more muscle and bone tissue, Mary booked a coaching session with her coach, where she identified 3 nutritional changes for her current diet.
1. Increase Calorie Intake
For 20 weeks Mary has been in a caloric deficit, eating less calories than she burns. Combined with resistance training and a high protein diet, she has targeted fat loss.
Along the way she gained some muscle and bone tissue, but it hasn’t been the priority.
To prioritize it, Mary will be increasing her calorie intake by 500 calories putting her at a Caloric Balance. This is the number of calories Mary needs to consume to maintain her current weight.
By not being in a deficit, her body will contribute this extra energy towards building more lean body mass.
2. Increase Protein Intake
Mary is eating a high protein diet, but we’re increasing it a little. With an extra 500 calories a day, it will be easier to hit her new protein goals.
During the fat loss phase, Mary focused on consuming her lean body mass in grams of protein. At 105lbs of lean mass, she needed 105 grams of protein minimum for fat loss.
For her new goal, she aims to eat her body weight in grams of protein.
This extra protein provides the building blocks the body needs to build more lean body mass. They have to come from somewhere.
3. Personal Practices
Telling Mary to eat more calories and protein is the right answer, but it’s not very helpful without personalized suggestions.
Mary and her Coach identified a few ways to make these changes.
- Add in egg whites and a side of turkey bacon to her morning scramble
- Switch to a whey isolate protein powder for her morning smoothies
- Keep meal portions the same, but add in a protein rich snack like greek yogurt either before or after lunch
- Try using tofu for protein rich plant-based dishes. (Extra firm and pressed overnight).
These small changes will increase her calorie and protein intake and deliver the nutrients she needs to build more lean body mass.
Ready to create a sustainable lifestyle and
build the body you want?
David Minishian, MPH
Fitness and Nutrition Coach
David is the owner and coach at Sculpt Fitness in Long Beach, CA. The mission he has started at Sculpt is to educate, equip, and empower the local community to make the best decisions for their health. He has been coaching exercise and nutrition for over 10 years, helping clients create sustainable lifestyle to build the body they want. When he's not training, coaching or cooking, David is on an adventure with his wife and daughter or teeing up his next shot on a golf course.