confused about gear/protein/calories

[MR BICEPS]

I'm reading to much contradictions concerning gaining lean muscle mass. Looks to me like one could take gear, eat a diet high and protein and not increase their calories inorder to gain some lean muscle mass.

Now I realize reports have been written that claims one must increase calories to gain muscle mass but I don't totally buy that approach. Looks to me like one could workout hard,eat a high protein diet,take gear and continue to make lean fat free muscle gains.

This would be the way to go if minimal bodyfat was the goal, because look at a guy who's bodyfat is to high but wants to add mass. Would that guy also have to increase calories to further gain muscle? I would guess not if his protein is high, his workouts are good and his anabolic steroid cycle is in check.

I'd love to hear other opinions on this. Thanks guys!

[MR BICEPS]

I guess I'm not the only one confused on this topic. Oh well at least I tried to get some different opinion on this controversial topic. :unsure: :unsure: :unsure:

[mmaximus25]

this might seems scattered, I will revise... but bare with me..

If someone is trying to gain lean mass the best thing to do is have a caloric intake that is just above maintenance. Your body burns a number of calories just sitting still, the more lean mass you put on the higher calorie your body will need to just maintain that added mass, you have to feed your body. If the said person has a high body fat yet wants to add lean mass that persons approach will be different that a 6% BF individual. The person with high body fat will gain lean mass just the same but will need to lose BF to see it more clearly. The high body fat person must burn more calories that consumed to reduce body fat but must also supply his/her body this nutrients that will guard and replace his muscle. As long as the body knows it is going to receive nutrients the body will convert fat into trygicerides and then to fuel. This is done by feeding on frequent meals allowing the body to be in more consistent digestion tell your body not to go into shock and it’s ok to release fat. The 6% guy must supply his body with fuel then the nutrients to repair his hypertrophy. His worry will be keeping enough glycogen stores to use as energy and having the pro-teins readily available to repair broken muscle fibers.

Depending how active you are will dictate your caloric intake, how much fat & muscle you have on your frame.
Gaining lean muscle mass is an individual effort. It can’t be looked at purely through calorie intake but more as nutrient ratio... Your body simply places a higher value on adipose tissue (fat)... making muscle an expendable item. Its not so much raising your calorie intake (too general), as it is find the proper ratio of nutrients that allows you to have fuel to even move your muscles and (pro-tein)the amino building blocks to repair the muscle fibers (hypertrophy).
You could increase your pro-tein but from what base. Increasing your pro-tein will increase your caloric intake unless you take a percentage away from another nutrient.

***Calories per gram of Prot-ein, Carbohydrate, Fats: 1gram carbohydrate = 3.75 calories /1 gram prot-ein = 4 calories/ 1 gram fat = 9 calories /1 gram alcohol = 7 calories***

Turning pro-tein it to a fuel is much harder that turning a carbohydrate in to fuel. In fact it is easier for your body to catabolize your existing muscle (pro-tein fibers) because of how long in would take your body to digest the pro-tein source and use as fuel. Even if it were a predigested protein you will use that as a divided nutrient... to use as fuel and to replace the muscle being consumed for energy... Fat is much too precious for the body to even think about using unless there is a sufficient energy source
Is not just about raising your calorie intake, It’s about using food for fuel and nutrient replacement.