How to Get Lean and Muscular Naturally: Building a Defined Physique at 175-195 lbs
If you are just starting from scratch, or you’ve been spinning your wheels for years in the gym — making no progress — then this article is written for you. I am going to teach you how to build a lean physique which impresses men, and makes women crazy. With the right approach to your macros, calories, and training then you will achieve that goal body which makes other men red with envy.
Forget being some fat powerlifter with a beer belly or a skinny dude with abs but no muscle. Those types of physiques (if you can even call them that) impress nobody. Any woman who says she loves pencil arms, or beer guts is lying to make her fat or skinny boyfriend feel less insecure around gymrats. When you build a body most people only see in magazines you get a lot of envy.
And here we are talking broad shoulders, a massive chest, thick arms, and a shredded waist. The kind of body that makes a T-shirt look tight and has women wondering if you were carved out of stone.
But first — you have to train like an animal, and eat like a well oiled war machine.
The Power of a Lean Physique
Let me tell you fellas all something from personal experience. When you are absolutely shredded, and have been hitting the gym for years, then the results will show. They will show in a muscular physique with visible definition that looks good in a shirt. When you walk into a room you can expect heads to turn.
I remember a guy I used to know. He was absolutely shredded to the bone. Covered in veins like a road map of vascularity. His low bodyfat and definition was absolutely unreal. He only had simple advice to give: dedication to a proper training routine, proper nutrition and maintaining a calorie deficit.
It wasn’t some magic trick.
The Two Types of Guys
1. Skinnyfat, or Skinny:
The main problem of being skinnyfat is very poor nutrition, and very poor hormonal levels. You have high estrogen, and low testosterone. The fix is Vitamin D, Magnesium, bulk to builtfat/muscular fat, and then cut.
If you are skinnyfat, then it’s highly likely you eat a lot of garbage like microwaved pizzas, and hot dogs. The diet is basically built upon low protein or fatty/processed/plant sources of protein, processed carbs or sugar, and bad fats from fast food.
You need to get enough sunlight and sleep. No more late night gaming sessions eating pizza from the microwave and drinking mountain dew. Unless you want to look like shit still then be my guest.
Skinny guys, and also skinnyfat guys have never trained hard enough to build serious muscle, or engaged in more endurance based high rep lifting with no progression. Or way, way too much cardio like running marathons and shit.
Solution? Get strong, eat real food, move fast, and dominate.
You have a fast metabolism, low body fat, and not much muscle. Your challenge? Eating enough calories to build size while keeping it clean. Your goal? Gain muscle mass without getting fat.
2. Muscular Fat, or Fat Fat:
If you’re fat (soft fat) or builtfat (muscular but still carrying extra weight), your biggest issue is insulin resistance and poor body composition. You’re probably stronger than skinnyfat guys, but you still suck.
The problems lay with again having too much estrogen, high insulin, and more than likely low testosterone levels. You are still making bad food choices even if you are meeting your protein requirements. Avoid junk, sugar, and bad fats. You also lack proper conditioning. You might be strong as a bear, but if you can’t do pull ups, run up a set of stairs, or jog for 12 minutes straight then something is wrong. Any healthy person can run a mile in under 10 minutes. It should ideally be under 6-8 mins. Cutting calories aggressively and doing only slow pace cardio like a pussy will also contribute. Walking the dog isn’t cardio.
You have size but too much body fat hiding the muscle underneath. Your challenge? Building muscle while slowly reducing fat. Your goal? Recomp: Lose fat while gaining lean mass.
No matter where you start, the goal is the same: build muscle and stay lean.
Stop training like a pussy, and eating like a pussy.
Eating BIG, But Clean
Muscle needs fuel. You need to eat enough calories to grow but not so much that you gain excess fat. You also need the right macronutrient balance:
Protein: Essential for muscle growth.
Carbs: Fuel your workouts and recovery.
Fats: Support hormone production and joint health.
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Daily Calories:
Lean Bulk: ~3,000-3,500 calories (if trying to add lean size)
Recomp: ~2,500-3,000 calories (if trying to gain muscle & lose fat)
Macronutrient Breakdown:
Protein: 1g to 1.2g per pound of body weight (about 180-200g for most guys)
Carbs: 2-3g per pound of body weight (focus on whole food sources)
Fats: 0.4-0.6g per pound of body weight (from healthy sources)
To gain size while staying lean, you need:
High Protein (1-1.2g per lb of body weight)
Quality Carbs for Energy & Performance
Healthy Fats for Hormone Support
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What to Eat for Lean Gains:
Protein (Build Muscle & Recover Faster)
✔️ Chicken breast, lean turkey
✔️ Egg whites + Whole eggs
✔️ Greek yogurt, low-fat cheese
✔️ Tuna
✔️ Lean beef (occasionally for variety)
Carbs (Fuel for Training & Recovery)
✔️ Whole grains (brown rice, oats, quinoa, whole wheat bread)
✔️ Potatoes (white & sweet)
✔️ Fruits (bananas, berries, apples, oranges, etc.)
✔️ Vegetables (broccoli, spinach, peppers, carrots, etc.)
Healthy Fats (Supports Hormones & Recovery)
✔️ Avocados
✔️ Egg yolks
✔️ Nuts & Nut Butters (in moderation)
✔️ Olive oil & Coconut oil
✔️ Cheese (adds protein and fats in moderation)
Sample Meal Plan (Lean Bulk/Recomp Edition)
Meal 1:
6 egg whites, 1 whole egg
1 cup oats with banana
1 tbsp peanut butter
Meal 2:
6 oz grilled chicken
1 cup cooked quinoa
Steamed broccoli
Meal 3 (Pre-Workout):
Greek yogurt
Handful of almonds
1 apple
Meal 4 (Post-Workout):
Protein shake with banana & oats
Meal 5:
6 oz lean turkey or tuna
1 baked potato
Green salad with olive oil
Meal 6 (Before Bed):
Cottage cheese or Greek yogurt
1 tbsp peanut butter
The “You’re Gonna Get So Many Chicks” Plan
Step 1: Get Huge Shoulders & a V-Taper
Women love broad shoulders and a tiny waist.
Hit heavy overhead presses, lateral raises, and pull-ups.
Step 2: Have a Thick Chest & Arms That Stretch Your Sleeves
Bench, dips, curls, and rows.
No skinny forearms or flat chests allowed.
Step 3: Never Be the Guy Who Looks Good in a Shirt but Soft When He Takes It Off
Stay under 12% body fat so you always look ripped, not just big.
That means steps, burpees, and sprints.
Step 4: Walk Like You Own the Place
A guy who trains hard, eats right, and doesn’t skip cardio moves like he’s a warrior.
Confidence = magnetism.
Training Like A Spartan Warrior:
There is three main points in any lifting routine:
1. Getting stronger over time (progressive overload)
2. High-volume muscle-building work for hypertrophy
3. Low reps for explosive & functional strength (power)
Key Lifts to Focus On:
✅ Squats (Back & Front)
✅ Deadlifts (Conventional, Romanian)
✅ Bench Press (Flat & Incline)
✅ Overhead Press
✅ Pull-ups & Chin-ups
✅ Barbell Rows & Dumbbell Rows
✅ Dips
Sample Weekly Routine (Powerbuilding Routine 5x a Week)
Monday – Chest/Back
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Bench Press – 4×6-8
Incline Bench Press – 4×6-8
Weighted Dips – 3×8-12
Cable Flyes – 3×12-15
Deadlifts – 3×5-6
Barbell Rows – 4×6-8
Weighted Pull ups – 3×8-12
T Bar Rows – 3×8-12
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Tuesday – Shoulders/Arms
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Overhead Press – 4×6-8
Cable Lateral Raises – 3×12-15
Bent Over Lateral Raise or Face Pulls: 3×15-20
Dumbbell Shrugs: 4 x 8-12
Bicep Curls – 3×10-12
Hammer Curls – 3×10-12
Close-Grip Bench Press – 3×8-12
Triceps Extensions – 3×10-12
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Wednesday – Legs
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Squats – 4×6-8
Leg Press – 3×10-12
Romanian Deadlifts – 4×8-10
Lunges – 3×10-12
Calf Raises – 3×15-20
Hanging Leg Raises: 3 x 15-20
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Thursday – Upper Body Strength & Power
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Flat Barbell Bench Press: 3 x 3-5
Incline Dumbbell Press (Upper chest focus): 3 x 8-12
Shoulder Press or Lateral Raises: 3 x 6-8
Weighted Chin-ups: 3 x 3-5, 1 x AMRAP at Bodyweight
Barbell Row: 3-4 x 6-8
Barbell Shrugs: 3-4 x 6-8
Barbell Curls: 3 x 6-8
Overhead Triceps Extensions: 3 x 6-8
Face Pulls: 3 x 15-20 (Critical for shoulder health and posture)
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Friday – Lower Body Power & Strength
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Deadlift, or Low Bar Box or Bench Squat: 3 x 3-5
Zercher Squats: 3 x 8-12
Good Mornings: 3 x 8-12
Leg Press or Hack Squat: 3×8-12 (Quad-focused volume work)
Lying or Seated Hamstring Curls: 4 x 12-15
Standing Calf Raise: 4 x 12-15
Hanging Leg Raises: 3 x 15-20
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Saturday/Sunday – Rest or Active Recovery
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Walking, stretching, mobility work
Final Thoughts: How to Stay Lean While Gaining Size
1. Walk 30,000+ steps daily.
Passive calorie burn = less fat gain.
2. Train like an athlete.
Burpees, sprints, and farmer carries build elite work capacity.
Do cardio after lifting or on rest days. The point isn’t to be built like a bird legged marathon runner but to burn fat and keep it off.
On leg days or rest days for recovery you can do slow steady state cardio. 45 minutes to 90 minutes total depending on your body composition. Leaner or skinny brahs do less cardio. Fat brahs do more.
How to Get It In:
AM Fasted Walks (Optional): If you wanna be next-level shredded
Post-Lift Sprints (2x a week): If you want speed & power like an athlete
Burpees on Rest Days: If you want elite endurance and fat loss
Farmer Carries at the End of Workouts: If you want huge traps & gorilla strength
You don’t have to do ALL of it every week, but the more you stack this routine, the faster you’ll look like a superhuman.
3. Track Progress, Prioritize Strength & Progressive Overload.
Strength gains = more muscle mass.
The stronger you get on compound lifts, the more muscle you build.
Track Progress Weekly
If gaining too much fat, slightly reduce carbs.
If not gaining muscle, slightly increase food intake.
Use MyFitnessPal, a step tracker, and FitNotes. Pen and paper. Measure your body parts and waist with a tape measure and record it. Track everything you eat and every workout you do. And your daily steps.
4. Stay Consistent for 6-12 Months.
You won’t get there in 4 weeks. Trust the process.
5. Eat for Performance, Not Just Size. Manage Stress, & Sleep Properly
Lean proteins, whole carbs, and healthy fats fuel results.
Focus on whole foods first. Whey protein is fine, but real food wins.
7-9 hours of sleep per night is essential for muscle growth.
Stick to the basics, eat smart, and train hard. The results will come.
Summary
This plan turns you into the kind of guy who walks into a room and owns it. All without saying a word…
✅ Big, shredded, and athletic
✅ More endurance, and strength than 99% of guys at the gym
✅ Women notice, guys respect it
All you have to do? Show up, lift heavy, move fast, eat smart, and don’t quit.
