This Winter, Get the Best of Both Worlds: Get Big and Stay Lean.

As a highly qualified personal trainer and nutritional consultant, Ryan Lyn brings a fresh perspective to Team Cygen as well as a wealth of experience as a Natural Competitive Bodybuilder. The below is the first in a series of articles on training and nutrition written by Ryan. So sit back, and benefit from Ryan's expertise as he discusses the finer points of adding muscle, while staying photoshoot ready this fall.



It’s that time again, winter is on its way and you are looking to put on some size during your ‘off season’. But, do you have a plan? No, I don’t mean rushing to the closest All-You-Can-Eat Buffet and stuffing yourself into a state of fatness and regret. I mean, do you have a plan that includes 1) How much you will be eating per day 2) When you will be eating, and 3) How much protein, carbohydrates, and fats each meal will contain? If you don’t then read on to learn how you can make your own offseason plan to gain weight, but stay lean.
To create your nutrition plan we first need to calculate your Basal Metabolic Rate (BMR)- this is the amount of calories your body needs just to survive, this doesn’t take in to account any physical activity. One way we can do this is to use the following equation:
Men’s BMR = Bodyweight (in Kg) x 24
Women’s BMR = Bodyweight (in Kg) x 21.6
EXAMPLE:
If you are a 220 lb male, you divide your weight by 2.2 to convert to kilograms:
BMR= [220/2.2] = 100kg
100kg x 24 = 2400 calories
Because this calculation only relies on weight as a factor, it is really just a rough estimate. A more accurate method (assuming you are able to measure your body fat percentage) is to use the following formula by McArdle and Katch:
BMR (Male or Female) = 370 + 21.6 (Lean mass in Kg)
EXAMPLE:
If you are a 220 lb male with 15% body fat, your fat mass is: 100 kg x 0.15 = 15 Kg. Your lean mass is just your total mass, minus your fat mass:
Lean Mass = Total mass (100 Kg) – Fat mass (15 Kg) = 85 kg
Now we plug lean mass into the equation:
BMR = 370 + 21.6 (85kg) =2206 Calories
But we have to remember this is the MINIMUM number of calories that you would need just to survive while resting all day. This number does not take into account the calories burned during activity and exercise. To account for these additional calories , we multiply the BMR by the appropriate Activity Multipliers.
Activity Multipliers
Sedentary = BMR X 1.2 (little or no exercise, desk job)
Lightly active = BMR X 1.375 (light exercise/sports 1-3 days/wk)
Mod. active = BMR X 1.55 (moderate exercise/sports 3-5 days/wk)
Very active = BMR X 1.725 (hard exercise/sports 6-7 days/wk)
Extr. active = BMR X 1.9 (hard daily exercise/sports & physical job or 2X day training, i.e marathon, contest etc.)
Lets continue with our example of a 220lb individual who has 15% body fat. If this person also trains with weights 3 times/week, and plays sports 2 times/ week, they would be moderately active and we would multiply their BMR by 1.55.
Total Daily Energy Expenditure (TDEE) = BMR x Activity Multiplier
TDEE = 2206 Cal x 1.55 = 3309 Calories
The TDEE is the number of calories required to MAINTAIN your current weight. To gain weight you will need to consume more than this – How much more? Anywhere between 250-500 additional calories daily. Fat loss expert Tom Venuto suggests you find this number by multiplying your weight by 2 and consuming this amount of calories on top of your TDEE.
So your optimal number of Calories for lean weight gain is:
TDEE + Weight in Lbs x 2
3309 Cal + 220lbs x2
3309 + 440 = 3749 Calories.
Now that you know how many calories to consume, you will also need to know where these calories are coming from and in what amounts- otherwise known as the macronutrient ratio. Ideally you will want to eat you carbs, protein, and fats in a 55-30-15 ratio. Your carbs should consist primarily of unprocessed sources such as brown rice, quinoa, sweet potatoes, and oatmeal. Your protein can come from a wide variety of sources, but try to find a source that is hormone free and pesticide free. Great, lean sources of protein include: white fish, ‘loin meats’ – like pork tenderloin or beef strip loin, egg whites, poultry, shrimp, and of course whey protein supplements such as Cygen Labs Nutriwhey or ISO-90. As for fat, use a small amount in your cooking from a poly/monounsaturated source that won’t break down at high temperatures- peanut, coconut, and avocado oil are all great sources. I also recommend that nearly every athlete supplement with a quality fish oil with a high EPA:DHA ratio such as Cygen’s High Potency Fish Oil.
Remember, as with all nutrition plans, it is important that you log your food and calorie intake. This way if you end up with a little extra belly flab, you are able to look back, see how many calories you have been eating, and make appropriate adjustments.

Ryan Lyn, B.Sc., CSCS