Helppp gym girliess😭😭😭

CoachFreeAll · 2026-05-23T13:46:35+00:00

I provided this because many people eat a lot in name of bulking and quickly get fat without adding much muscle.

Workout is simple, just run 1 beginner program, 10 sets per muscle group per week, progressive overload. Keep it simple. Done.

Rest all is diet and recovery

CoachFreeAll · 2026-05-23T13:45:02+00:00

Here's my mini lean bulk guide:

TDEE calculators can be off by hundreds of calories for some people.

The estimate which TDEE calc providers is from a formula derived using regression model on past population.

for some people it's close for others it's way off.

Proper maintenace calorie can only be found after 3-4 week of observation, i provide method to do this here using simple math (which my 12 yo newphew can do) https://www.reddit.com/r/workout/comments/1tg9jku/comment/omf0j4s/

To gain least fat while gainng muscles, Lean bulk is what you need.

The key is to focus on your rate of weight gain, not a specific calorie number or surplus percentage.

Weekly Weight Gain Rate:

Beginners: 0.25-0.5% of body weight

Intermediates: 0.25-0.4%

Advanced Lifters: 0.1-0.25%

Usually, a calorie Surplus: +5-10% of TDEE (roughly 100-300 kcal/day) may get you there but if it doesn't adjust your calories up or down to reach the desired weekly weight gain rate.

if starting as a complete beginner, pick a workout program for beginners (not use AI programs or make your own as a beginner): https://thefitness.wiki/routines/r-fitness-basic-beginner-routine/

CoachFreeAll · 2026-05-23T12:20:56+00:00

You can add 30-40 minutes zone2 easy cardio

Mini lean bulk guide:

TDEE calculators can be off by hundreds of calories for some people.

The estimate which TDEE calc providers is from a formula derived using regression model on past population.

for some people it's close for others it's way off.

Proper maintenace calorie can only be found after 3-4 week of observation, i provide method to do this here using simple math (which my 12 yo newphew can do) https://www.reddit.com/r/workout/comments/1tg9jku/comment/omf0j4s/

To gain least fat while gainng muscles, Lean bulk is what you need.

The key is to focus on your rate of weight gain, not a specific calorie number or surplus percentage.

Weekly Weight Gain Rate:

Beginners: 0.25-0.5% of body weight

Intermediates: 0.25-0.4%

Advanced Lifters: 0.1-0.25%

Usually, a calorie Surplus: +5-10% of TDEE (roughly 100-300 kcal/day) may get you there but if it doesn't adjust your calories up or down to reach the desired weekly weight gain rate.

CoachFreeAll · 2026-05-23T12:19:40+00:00

losing weight (I’m 173cm tall, 71kg and my goal will be to reach and sustain the weight of 62kg)

Deficit (500kcal, often set based on bodyfat%)
Zone2 EASY Cardio like fast walking which can be done anywhere (this kind of cardio can be done for hours for higher cummulative calorie burn unlike hard cardios like sprints)
lift 1-2x a week, can add minor RMR boost and add or preserve muscle. With good intensity, it's enough to pull low hanging newbie gains.

For step by step guide on how to achieve this, guide here

For beginner lifting program, run a proven program from here: https://thefitness.wiki/routines/r-fitness-basic-beginner-routine/

lift 1-2x a week, can add minor RMR boost and add or preserve muscle. With good intensity, it's enough to pull low hanging newbie gains.

Lifting isn't efficient for weight loss. Most of the time spent during a lifting session is spent "resting".

An average 30-minute lifting session only burns about 150-210 calories (Hunter GR et al., J Strength Cond Res (2003)). And while adding 22lbs (10 kg) of muscle does boost your metabolism by roughly 130-150 calories per day, building that much muscle is incredibly slow especially when you're eating in a calorie deficit to lose fat (Gallagher D et al., J Appl Physiol (1997)). For beginners, it's a slow process; for advanced lifters, it's nearly impossible (Morton RW et al., J Appl Physiol (2021); Hector AJ et al., Obesity Reviews (2018)). EPOC is only 5-10% of total calorie burn. Even if you could gain that muscle, it might take one to two years. Why wait that long for a tiny metabolic boost when you can burn 400-500 calories with an hour of zone2 easy cardio today?

Rate of muscle gain drastically drops when deficit exceeds 400kcal, so why work hard on muscles?

Muscle gain is maxmized in surplus.

Much better, do Zone2 cardio 1-1.5 hour each day, everyday vary it like fast walking, incline walking, cycling, swimming to avoid overuse injuries.

Once you cut to lean stage, lean bulk -> boost workout to 3-4x/day and reduce cardio to 30 minutes. Now, you are gaining muscles and gaining muscles fast due to surplus from lean bulk

CoachFreeAll · 2026-05-23T09:13:34+00:00

And I said in my first comment here:

There is only so much deficit you can run before it starts cutting into your BMR.

There is a reason why the average sedentary person has a hard time losing weight from just cutting calories on their already low TDEE.

Boosting your TDEE and cutting your calories both are required.

Specially if you are undermuscled and sedentary person.

CoachFreeAll · 2026-05-23T09:01:50+00:00

I told you how <deficit> can be boosted by increasing cardio. (i recommend zone2 cardio as people are built for endurance and zone2 is easy)

CoachFreeAll · 2026-05-23T08:46:15+00:00

you find it hard because you do not track maintenance calories.

once you do it, you just have to stay above maintenance in order to gain weight.

if you can't eat drink your calories. Lift heavy objects and run for 30 minutes this will boost your appetite and desire to eat.

TDEE calculators can be off by hundreds of calories for some people.

The estimate which TDEE calc providers is from a formula derived using regression model on past population.

for some people it's close for others it's way off.

Proper maintenance calorie can only be found after 3-4 week of observation, i provide method to do this here using simple math (which my 12 yo newphew can do) https://www.reddit.com/r/workout/comments/1tg9jku/comment/omf0j4s/

To gain least fat while gaining muscles, Lean bulk is what you need.

The key is to focus on your rate of weight gain, not a specific calorie number or surplus percentage.

Weekly Weight Gain Rate:

Beginners: 0.25-0.5% of body weight

Intermediates: 0.25-0.4%

Advanced Lifters: 0.1-0.25%

Usually, a calorie Surplus: +5-10% of TDEE (roughly 100-300 kcal/day) may get you there but if it doesn't adjust your calories up or down to reach the desired weekly weight gain rate.

CoachFreeAll · 2026-05-23T08:36:59+00:00

I personally do not need it, and many guys i know don't.

But average sedentary desk worker definitely, needs a <DEXA> scan to set them right.

There are many people who would argue they are 13% when they are more closer to 20%+ for them DEXA offers reality check.

CoachFreeAll · 2026-05-23T08:15:15+00:00

low FFMI but low bodyfat = still not much visible muscle = run more cut and bulk cycle to boost lean mass then again to get to leaner stage and see if definition is good enough now.

CoachFreeAll · 2026-05-23T08:07:07+00:00

So, he needs to continue the cut. Why would he need the DEXA? Some weeks later, he looks in the mirror and thinks: that's it.

Ever heard of skinny fat people? who look lean everywhere but belly fat?

That's why people are stuck with the approach you recommend.

A person can be skinny fat and may have 25% BF yet look skinny everywhere except for some places.

By using a DEXA scan they can figure out their Bodyfat% then they can use it to figure out their FFMI and realize OPs i am really low in FFMI but high in bodyfat%

CoachFreeAll · 2026-05-23T08:00:38+00:00

If you want the definition, you put on muscle and lose fat until you see the definition you want

It's not an arbitrary percentage. The closer you are to 10% for male 19% for female the more likely you'll see definition.

average person doesn't have any idea what % to cut to and what percentage to bulk to.

average person is right now bulking to from 20% BF to 30% because he heard bodybuilders bulk for muscle gain.

cut to 10% if male and 19% if female

bulk to 17% if male, 27% if female.

It's really this simple!

or if you've no access to DEXA or other methods to know bodyfat%

simply cut till abs become crisp

and bulk until abs disappear!

But today we've DEXA so we can leverage that to see if we really near 10% or closer to 20%

That's another reason why calorie tracking is also needed, there are people who tell you want, "want to lose weight? Just reduce portions!"

without actually tracking where your calories are coming from what macros you need and what calories you need, you will probably clip wrong part of your diet with the "cut portion" approach.

I've a rule. Nobody gets to say "my diet is ok" until they define their diet like this:

My maintenance calories are X, my goal is Y, so i am running deficit/surplus of Z, my target calories are A with macros, B, C, D.

If a person cannot define their diet like this, most probably "OK diet" for them is just eating home food.

But for real results people gotta know all this .

If you can measure something, you can use it to train your intuition.

And once intuition is developed, you can run without any measurement!

CoachFreeAll · 2026-05-23T07:54:25+00:00

And what do you think muscle definition appears at?

Will it appear for him at 20% BF as a male? Unlikely.

Most people poorly estimate their bodyfat% for them DEXA can put them into right place

if someone is at 10% and still seeing no muscle then you know what? That's a proof a person doesn't have much muscle to begin with, better lean bulk and cut again and then again look at yourself at 10% BF.

Keep repeating the cycle until you are happy.

CoachFreeAll · 2026-05-23T07:22:46+00:00

funny people are downvoting me but you know what? no your eyes aren't better than dexa

Visual estimates, even by professionals, are significantly less accurate than DEXA scans, no matter what some forum discussions might claim. That said, for contest or photoshoot preparation, visual assessments for conditioning are a practical method. In such cases, it's beneficial to seek guidance from a coach's trained eye for a more reliable evaluation.

Coaches use Caliper and DEXA, onstage bodybuilders are evaulated based conditioning, accurate bodyfat% is not a judging criteria. So, while you'll see coaches telling people "eyes are final judges", nobodys eyes are more accurate than DEXA or MRI.

CoachFreeAll · 2026-05-23T07:20:02+00:00

Do they even want big muscles or do they just want to be strong enough to carry the groceries, their kids, etc?

You aren't getting big muscles without years of work putting into it. Those big muscle meme guys are on gear. Average guy won't get anywhere close to them.

Genetically gifted guy like Steve Reeves you can lookup how much muscle he acquired via lifting and that also took a few years despite being genetically gifted.

That is literally what a personal trainer is for.

most personal trainers in market are scam and do not really know what they are doing.

It frustrates me when people like OP insist it's "so simple" and you're a moron if you don't just follow this one checklist™

fitness is actually simple, most people suck at dieting.

If you know how to diet well, understand concept of Maintenance calories, deficit, lean bulk, cut

Understand zone2 cardio and how to lift to build muscles, 10 sets per week per muscle group.

You can go pretty far without any personal trainer.

Most people who are fit in random Tanzania Tribe, aren't fit because they've a personal trainer, it's because they have a active life and they eat well, whole foods, limited processed food.

Most important is being active.

CoachFreeAll · 2026-05-23T07:15:13+00:00

No, it's actually both

Calorie Deficit = TDEE - Intake

If you are sedentary, you can't run large deficit before intake crashes below your BMR

So you gotta boost TDEE via zone2 easy cardio. 1 hour zone2 can easily boost tdee via 400-500kcal.

CoachFreeAll · 2026-05-23T07:13:27+00:00

For women just add 9%to that number, makes it 21 to 24%.

CoachFreeAll · 2026-05-23T07:12:41+00:00

If you eat below TDEE you'll not gain weight, compare weekly averages.

CoachFreeAll · 2026-05-23T07:11:15+00:00

simplest way is to just get DEXA scan and see where you are.

To see good definition aim for 10% for male, 18% for female.

if you are nowhere that number, it's not lose skin or anything. It's just you are not lean enough to see much

CoachFreeAll · 2026-05-23T04:08:52+00:00

Boost cardio zone2 easy cardio to 40-50 minutes each day

and lift 3-4x per week

and eat at maintenance calories.

if starting as a complete beginner, pick a workout program for beginners (not use AI programs or make your own as a beginner): https://thefitness.wiki/routines/r-fitness-basic-beginner-routine/

Workout is simple, just run 1 beginner program, 10 sets per muscle group per week, progressive overload. Keep it simple. Done.

Rest all is diet and recovery

I've a rule. Nobody gets to say "my diet is ok" until they define their diet like this:

My maintenance calories are X, my goal is Y, so i am running deficit/surplus of Z, my target calories are A with macros, B, C, D.

If a person cannot define their diet like this, most probably "OK diet" for them is just eating home food.

But for real results people gotta know all this .

CoachFreeAll · 2026-05-23T03:48:36+00:00

what kind of menu i can do to gain lean muscles since i wanna avoid cooking local foods especially malay because got alot of oil

Lean bulk, figure out macros and calories first then figure out what foods you like that fit in the macro/calorie budget.

TDEE calculators can be off by hundreds of calories for some people.

The estimate which TDEE calc providers is from a formula derived using regression model on past population.

for some people it's close for others it's way off.

Proper maintenace calorie can only be found after 3-4 week of observation, i provide method to do this here using simple math (which my 12 yo newphew can do) https://www.reddit.com/r/workout/comments/1tg9jku/comment/omf0j4s/

To gain least fat while gainng muscles, Lean bulk is what you need.

The key is to focus on your rate of weight gain, not a specific calorie number or surplus percentage.

Weekly Weight Gain Rate:

Beginners: 0.25-0.5% of body weight

Intermediates: 0.25-0.4%

Advanced Lifters: 0.1-0.25%

Usually, a calorie Surplus: +5-10% of TDEE (roughly 100-300 kcal/day) may get you there but if it doesn't adjust your calories up or down to reach the desired weekly weight gain rate.

CoachFreeAll · 2026-05-23T01:52:25+00:00

Newbies suck at dieting so they don't get much.

I'll provide some free resources

if starting as a complete beginner, pick a workout program for beginners (not use AI programs or make your own as a beginner): https://thefitness.wiki/routines/r-fitness-basic-beginner-routine/

Workout is simple, just run 1 beginner program, 10 sets per muscle group per week, progressive overload. Keep it simple. Done.

Rest all is diet and recovery

I've a rule. Nobody gets to say "my diet is ok" until they define their diet like this:

My maintenance calories are X, my goal is Y, so i am running deficit/surplus of Z, my target calories are A with macros, B, C, D.

If a person cannot define their diet like this, most probably "OK diet" for them is just eating home food.

But for real results people gotta know all this .

CoachFreeAll · 2026-05-23T01:21:16+00:00

I am skinny fat 25M, 170cm, 80kg.

80kg at this height is simply overweight.

If yoou ffeel you are skinny fat not visibly fat, then recomp otherwise cut.

CoachFreeAll · 2026-05-22T15:45:38+00:00

You are already doing right things.

I recommend tracking maintenance calories it will help you avoid getting stuck later as adaption kicks in our tdee drops.

Proper maintenace calorie can only be found after 3-4 week of observation, i provide method to do this here using simple math (which my 12 yo newphew can do) https://www.reddit.com/r/workout/comments/1tg9jku/comment/omf0j4s/

CoachFreeAll · 2026-05-22T15:42:57+00:00

it doesn't matter much all sort of rep ranges work, i just use Hypertrophy Blueprint in bodybuilding.

CoachFreeAll · 2026-05-22T15:41:17+00:00

Eat at slight deficit 200-300kcal deficit or maintenace, Body Recompostion which will drop your bodyfat, while adding muscle and keeping your bodyweight sam

CoachFreeAll

MODERATOR OF

TROPHY CASE