As we enter Week Two, cravings for junk food or processed sugars should be lowering or gone.

And you may not have added much in the way of muscle yet.

That’s fine, you’ve just started and it will come. Right now we’re dialing things in and balancing hormones for muscle building and body fat regulation.

You also may have found it hard to eat all of the natural proteins on the protocol. But this protein is necessary.

Building muscle is about injuring our muscles by putting more pressure on them than they’re used to so they’ll be forced to not only heal, but grow to accommodate the new levels of stress we’ve put on them.

It takes about 90g of pure protein to build a pound of muscle. Most of the rest is fat and water. A pound of muscle is about the size of a tangerine, so even one pound is noticeable if in the right places.

So we need to make sure we’re getting enough protein to not only heal and maintain the muscle we do have, but add to it.

If you’re having trouble getting in all the protein, first, make sure you’re taking your digestive enzymes. Most people’s digestive tracts are not set up to fully digest natural proteins anymore due to our diets. But this prevents us from getting the nutrition we need from this food.

Your digestive tract’s ability to fully digest and absorb protein determines, in large part, your body's ability to build muscle and lose body fat.

It also affects our energy levels, hormones, inflammatory response, and overall health.

When protein isn’t properly digested, this triggers a sequence of actions, involving our immune system, which leads to higher levels of cortisol, the hormone that prevents fat loss and breaks down muscle.

Even more, without full digestion, our body receives less of the protein we consume in a form it can actually use.

So we get less protein for muscle, properly balanced hormones, and overall health and energy, while at the same time we’re eating more that goes to waste.

This is a big deal. Due to processed foods and sugars, many of our digestive tracts don’t function at optimal levels, preventing a significant amount of the food we eat from being fully broken down so our body can use it.

Beyond this, improper digestion leads to not only heart burn, acid reflux, GERD, and gas and bloating, but also allows for harmful bacteria, parasites, and fungi to take root, further causing us trouble.

Everything hinges on protein.

So, understanding exactly how digestion works and how to keep or get it working properly is very important.

Welcome to Week One of the Lean Body/Lean Bulk Challenge!

In this article we cover what metrics to keep track of, dialing in your macros and workouts, and what to expect during week one.

In the first week of this challenge we have several things happening.

We’re trying to switch our diet so our bodies are getting what they need to build lean muscle without the excess calories or hormone-triggering foods that would cause fat gain.

With this comes restructuring our cells so they will use the foods we’re giving them properly and balancing or increasing hormone levels so our body will prioritize building lean muscle over body fat.

We’re addressing digestion, which is crucial to our overall health as well as building muscle, as we need our cells to receive all of the nutrients and vitamins we’re consuming.

You will be consuming a lot of whole food proteins, which your stomach is probably not used to receiving, and it will need extra help until it builds up enough stomach acid and enzymes of its own.

So make sure you’re taking your digestive enzymes with each meal during this.

We’ll also be working to dial in our exact macros.

And we may be experiencing some cravings.

On this protocol you will be lifting 5 days per week.

As this protocol is very specific to building lean muscle and toning, there will mainly be weight lifting.

There will also be something called Zone 2 Cardio, which will not cause muscle loss, but other than that there is no cardio during this challenge.

If you would like to take a walk, that’s fine. But adding in other forms of cardio could hamper your progress.

And it’s only 30 days.

Okay, let’s run through a few key points and then jump into the workouts.

On this protocol you will be lifting 5-6 days per week.

As this protocol is very specific to building lean muscle and toning, there will mainly be weight lifting.

There will also be something called Zone 2 Cardio, which will not cause muscle loss, but other than that there is no cardio during this challenge unless you have extra energy for Day 6.

But if you really want to build muscle, extra cardio is not recommended.

If you would like to take a walk, that’s fine. But adding in other forms of cardio could hamper your progress.

And it’s only 30 days.

Okay, let’s run through a few key points and then jump into the workouts.

Here we cover the specific supplements and macronutrient you will be consuming during this protocol and exactly how.

This protocol is meant for significantly increased lean muscle, so the macros may seem high to some. 

But it's also meant to be used with the Advanced Workout Regimen, so the macros will be used by our body.

There are three different macronutrient ranges to pick from depending on which Carb to Fat ratio you personally prefer, with notes on each.

There is also an exact way in which you will dial in your macros to ensure you are getting the correct amount for what your body needs.

Let's start.

Here we cover the exact supplements and macronutrient you will be consuming during this protocol and exactly how.

There are three different macronutrient ranges to pick from, depending on which Carb to Fat ratio you personally prefer, with notes on each.

There is also an exact way in which you will dial in your macros to ensure you are getting enough for what your body needs.

Here we cover the exact supplements and macronutrient you will be consuming during this protocol and exactly how.

There are three different macronutrient ranges to pick from depending which Carb to Fat ratio you personally prefer, with notes on each.

There is also an exact way in which you will dial in your macros to ensure you are getting enough for what your body needs.

Let's start.

When we look at Lean Bulking, building lean muscle without the excess body fat, we need to look back at what the original body builders did, the golden age body builders.

Because it was very different to what is done now.

And I'm not talking about the 70s or 80s when counting macros and Bulking & Cutting became popular.

We're going earlier.

To the time of Jack LaLanne and the other greats, before egg protein powders, whey powders, creatine, and BCAAs were first introduced.

Back then body builders ate very differently. But very effectively.

Ask anyone about bulking and cutting and they’ll bring up calories and macronutrients.

“You have to count your calories and macronutrients and make sure that you eat more than you need to build muscle (and body fat) and eat less than you need to burn fat.”

And that’s true… to a degree.

But there’s more to it. And if you just follow the above, you’ll more than likely miss your goals.

Yes, we need to measure the amount of calories to make sure we get enough energy, but not too much. And we need to make sure we get enough protein, fat and carbohydrates so we can build muscle or have energy to power us through the day.

But… which proteins, fats, and carbs? And how do they affect the hormones that will determine how they’re used?

Because it's our hormones that decide how these macronutrients will be used in our body.

Will the carbs and fats be turned into body fat? Or used as energy? Or will they become part of the structure of the body?

It’s our hormones that decide.

Will this protein be used to build muscle? Or will it be turned into sugar or body fat?

Hormones decide.

It’s not how much you eat that decides. It’s which exact food you eat and how that exact food affects your hormones.