Caloric surplus phase
Months of eating above maintenance, on purpose, to add size and strength
Months of eating above maintenance, paired with hard lifting so the extra calories have somewhere to go. Find the intake that holds your weight flat, add to it, pick a rate of gain to aim for. Theory is not the hard part. Most people who cannot grow are eating less than they believe, so surplus phases come with tracking, more meals and some planning around a busy day. Running feels heavier as the scale climbs, which is why this is treated as a season and not a setting.
Who backs it
Sorted by strength of stance
- Nick BareRecommends
Hybrid athlete · Bare Performance Nutrition founder
Eating above maintenance is what makes or breaks a building phase, says the article his company published on his approach. The advice it attributes to him: find the calorie count that holds bodyweight steady, then eat above it at whatever rate of gain you want. It also describes him fitting five meals into a busy day.
Source: BPN: Top 3 Rules to Build Muscle While Running
Aimed at the same thing
Other entries filed under fitness.
- Protocol$$$Cheap: Roughly under $50, or under $15/month.
Resistance training
Lifting weights 2-4 times a week to build and hold muscle
Backed by 41 of 54 stacks: 36 do it, 3 recommend it, 2 have discussed it - Protocol$$$Cheap: Roughly under $50, or under $15/month.
Protein-forward eating
Roughly 1g of protein per pound of target bodyweight, spread across meals
Backed by 19 of 54 stacks: 15 do it, 3 recommend it, 1 have discussed it - ProtocolFREE, no cost
Zone 2 cardio
Easy aerobic work you can hold a conversation through, 3+ hours a week
Backed by 12 of 54 stacks: 5 do it, 5 recommend it, 2 have discussed it - Protocol$$$Cheap: Roughly under $50, or under $15/month.
Cycling
Steady riding, outdoors or on a stationary bike, as daily low-intensity cardio
Backed by 8 of 54 stacks: 8 do it, 0 recommend it, 0 have discussed it - Protocol$$$Cheap: Roughly under $50, or under $15/month.
Yoga
Regular yoga practice for flexibility, strength and a calmer nervous system
Backed by 8 of 54 stacks: 8 do it, 0 recommend it, 0 have discussed it - ProtocolFREE, no cost
Daily stretching
Long, regular stretching sessions to undo years of tightness and keep training possible
Backed by 7 of 54 stacks: 6 do it, 0 recommend it, 1 have discussed it
Protocol entry · notes paraphrased from cited sources, quoted excerpts copied from the transcript they link to. Not medical advice. Not affiliated with, endorsed by, or reviewed by anyone listed. How this works.