EP175: How to Not Get FAT During Your Building Phase: Tips for Lean Muscle Growth Without Getting “Bulky”

If you want to build lean muscle without looking bulky, this one’s for you! Especially if seeing the number on the scale go up freaks you out! 😬

In this episode, I break down exactly how I ran my best growth season ever! Including important tips for building muscle with minimal fat gain, and how this set me up for the easiest fat loss phase of my life so far.

I walk through the actual protocols I used this year to structure my growth phase to bias gains toward lean tissue. I also myth-bust “toning” reps and talk training frequency, cardio, steps, supplementation, and the data to track so you can avoid unnecessary fat gain or feeling “too bulky.”

Topics Discussed:

• What a building phase is and why trying to “lose fat and build muscle at the same time” stalls most women
• “Toning” misinformation on light-weights/high-reps vs heavy-weights/low-reps
• Taking the build as seriously as the cut: programming, progression, and recovery
• Strength tracking and exercise selection for hypertrophy
• Daily scale data: using trends and averages (not single weigh-ins) to steer the surplus
• Sleep, digestion, and bloodwork: the unsexy levers that move everything
• Training frequency: why I’ve switched to 4 lifting days/week
• Phase timing: how to align your reverse/build/cut with real life so you actually succeed

Key Links:

📱 Christina's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/knifina/

💪 Cut & Conquer Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/cutandconquerfitness/

📝 Coaching Application: https://cutandconquer.typeform.com/CQA-application

🌍 Free FB Community: https://www.facebook.com/groups/weightsandwellness/

🌶️ Shop our Meal Prep Seasoning: https://healthydevil.ca/collections/all

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