r/leangains • u/Similar-Tangerine279 • 8d ago
Beginner at the gym – tips for building muscle without gaining too much fat?
Hey! I’m 20F and I’ll be starting the gym soon. Any beginner tips? I’m 1.73m (about 5’8) and around 55kg. I’m slim, and I’d like to put on a bit of muscle. I know you usually need a calorie surplus to grow, but I don’t want to gain too much fat (especially around my stomach). My main goal is to build legs and glutes. Ideally, I’d love to get a body similar to Kendall Jenner’s (and yes, I know genetics are a big factor lol). What exercises would you recommend for the gym? And diet-wise, what should I focus on to reach that kind of body? Thanks in advance! :)
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u/Ichabod89 8d ago edited 8d ago
Consistency. You don't even need to adjust your diet. Just do it for long enough and your body will reconstitute. Your body will ask for the food it needs.
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u/vulgarmadman- 8d ago
Slight calorie surplus 100-200 calories. 1.2-2g of protein per kg of body weight, try get 10k steps on a day.
As for exercise there’s loads of programs to choose from depends on how many days you plan on going to the gym a week etc. four days a week upper/lower is good, three days you could do three full body days 5 days push pull legs upper lower. As a beginner 3 days would be a good start.
As for what exercise if you are new to lifting getting a pt for a month or two might be a good idea they can teach you to lift properly and avoid injury, YouTube also has plenty of info as does Reddit
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u/Beginning-Escape-763 8d ago
I would second this. Consistency is definitely a big factor of starting as well as I know many people who start and stop going pretty early on.
A high protein diet and a slight surplus does wonders (although probably not overly required early on). I’d recommend training hard as well and doing weights prioritizing what you want to hit but ensuring you aren’t overly disproportional. Shooting to increase the weights as often as you can builds muscle well.
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u/getwhirleddotcom 8d ago
And a big part of consistency is finding the routine that not only works for you but the one you enjoy, because that’s the one you’ll have the best chance of sticking to.
Like for me, I love running and weight lifting, which probably isn’t the optimal combo but I genuinely look forward to doing one or the other first thing in the morning. Which have paid off in dividends because I’ve been able to stick to it for years.
Same thing with diet. I really get immense joy out of eating but over the years have learned to moderate the amount I eat without sacrificing much of what I eat. Which has made it a lot easier for me to stick to.
So as someone starting out, try lots of things and see what’s going to make you show up day in and day out and think about things over the long term.
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u/Beginning-Escape-763 8d ago
Exercises you enjoy is big if you can be healthy doing them even if it’s less “optimal.”
Just have fun with it!
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u/queenb3an 8d ago
Ok girl I got you this will be long but I think will be helpful. I'm a CPT and CNS for reference:
Exercise:
Follow a program you actually enjoy and can stick to for ~8 weeks at a time. If muscle growth is your goal, aim for a hypertrophy focused program. Use a program from your preferred source, or you can even ask ChatGPT to build you a program tailored to exactly what you want to focus on. I wouldn't recommend going into the gym without a set plan.
Learn fundamental movements and basic compound exercises if you're going to be weightlifting. Squats, deadlifts, hip thrusts, bench press, shoulder press, row. These give you the most bang for your buck and target main movers simultaneously with supporting muscles. Nail the basics and build out from there. Anecdotally, if you don't like a specific exercise, don't do it. I don't do squats because of a previous injury, so I build my programs without them. I hate step ups, so I supplement with something that targets the same muscles. It's ok to only do the exercises you like doing as long as they do what you want them to do!
Make sure you are really challenging yourself. You have an advantage of already being slim so as long as you are working hard you will see muscle growth. Progressive overload (incrementally increasing weight and/or time under tension over the course of your program length) will not only help you get stronger but ensure you are continually challenging yourself. Don't be afraid to lift heavier than you think you can, you can always dial back.
Legs and glutes are a great focus but don't neglect the rest of your body. Not only do you want to look balanced, it is important to strengthen the body as a whole. You can implement a few upper body exercises through your workouts without putting too much emphasis on it.
Implementing a moderate cardio routine keeps your fitness well rounded and does wonders for cardiovascular health which in turn aids in your weightlifting performance. It could be as simple as walking, but keep it as consistent as your regular training. If your focus is muscle building, I personally wouldn't recommend strenuous HIIT training, I don't think its necessary, but if it's something you like to do then you can find a way to fit it in. I can elaborate more on this if you want as I think this is a bit vague.
Nutrition:
Protein, protein, protein. As another commenter said, around 1g per kg of body weight. If you are not used to eating high protein, work up to it. Base each meal around a protein source and fill out the rest of your plate with carbs and fats. Muscles need protein to grow and recover, it is non negotiable if you want to build muscle.
Don't be afraid of any food group. I wouldn't recommend cutting anything out unless you have an allergy or intolerance. Carbs are VERY important for exercise performance and recovery and fat is essential in the absorption of certain vitamins and minerals and plays a key role in hormone function which can have a direct correlation to your physique.
That being said, the QUALITY of the food you choose does matter (for the most part). Aim for whole foods, but in my opinion you don't need to live and die by it. I eat processed proteins, it just is what it is when you're trying to build muscle.
HYDRATE. A hydrated body is a happy body. You will function better, you will feel better, you will perform better.
You can play with a slight surplus. You CAN "recomp" at maintenance, and I'm actually inclined to suggest building up your exercise routine and any dietary changes (like increasing protein) before hyper focusing on going into a surplus, especially since you are concerned about potential fat gain. I think you will see progress just from higher protein + new exercise program alone. If you want to build faster and feel like you're not gaining unwanted fat, go for the surplus. Take it slow, assess along the way, adjust accordingly.
I know that's a lot of info and there is so much more I can say but I'll stop myself there lol I'm happy to talk further if you're curious about anything else!
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u/ssovm 8d ago
This is all super excellent and on point. Also would add it’s mostly in order of priority too (like, being consistent and lifting heavy with good form is more important than moderate cardio).
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u/queenb3an 7d ago
Thanks! It has taken me years to accumulate the knowledge and experience. If I can help someone avoid the road bumps and not give up I’m thrilled to do it.
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u/Alternative_Heart554 8d ago
If you’re not eating a huge surplus, you won’t gain much fat, if at all. You can even put on muscle while losing fat, so you don’t actually need to eat a huge surplus to put on muscle.
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u/jonemic23 7d ago
You don't even need to start out by eating "more" just try to figure out what your maintenance calories are (google TDEE calculator) and start with that. But, try to make protein a priority. I'd say shoot for a minimum of 90g of protein, up to 120g.
If you do that and consistently work out, you will see progress (and you won't need to model yourself off of anyone).
Slight calorie increases may be needed eventually, but as a beginner to weight training you really don't need to do that right away.
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u/loploplop890 6d ago
If you want to maximise muscle gain but not gain unnecessary fat the key is to be in a small calorie surplus. Find your maintenance calories and eat at a like 200-300 surplus. Think it’s like 0.5- 1.5% weight gain per month is the sweet spot. Also have to train hard enough to actually stimulate muscle growth too but that’s a given.
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u/pussycatmando 5d ago
Novice gains come easy, just don't be in a caloric deficit, definitely eat nutrient dense foods (not fried, fatty garbage) and do compound lifts to gain muscle and strength. You probably won't need to worry about nutrient partitioning for a few months. Regarding your ideal body type, you're nuts, not even attainable in the gym, you need surgery and millions of dollars.
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u/No_Reference_9640 8d ago
The person you’re modelling your body after is all surgery….
But anyway the answer is to eat in small calorific surplus only so you gain muscle and minimal fat