how to maximize muscle in 2026
While minimizing the fluff!
THe big question:
“I want to build the most muscle possible in 2026… but I don’t want to feel fluffy or gain a ton of body fat. What should I do?”
Probably the number one question we get when it comes to muscle building is, I want muscle, but I'm afraid to get “fluffy”.
Learning how to execute a lean muscle build is the number one skill you need in your nutrition toolbox.
Let’s dig into it
The Mistake Most People Make
Most people want to build muscle, but when they try to do it on their own, they:
Add too many calories too fast, because someone on the internet told them they needed a 500-calorie surplus
Eat randomly above & below maintenance (eating a surplus consistently is hard)
Train inconsistently or go too hard and can’t recover from their workouts
Panic at the first 2-3 lb scale increase
Pull back before they’ve truly even started gaining
Letting the between-the-ears doubt kill their gains before they’re even made.
How to Lean build:
A lean build? That's where you maximize muscle gain while minimizing body fat accumulation. It’s not complicated, but it is demanding.
To do it well, you need to:
Eat enough protein consistently
Maintain a small, intentional calorie surplus (not weekends on / weekdays off)
Train hard and progressively overload over time
Recover between sessions (sleep, stress, volume management)
Support digestion & gut health so intake stays sustainable
Monitor and adjust calories to maintain the build
That’s it. That’s the list.
Harder than it looks
That list seems easy on the surface. In reality?
Eating just enough (not too much, not too little) is mentally hard. Especially in your first build when you're giving yourself the allowance to eat enough for the first time in your life.
Staying consistent in the gym for months is harder
Trusting that the process is working before you see a visual change is the hardest part
This is why most people don’t fail physiologically; they fail because they don't have the between-the-ears piece to talk them off the ledge when the build gets hard.
Balancing your goals
If you’re heading into 2026 wanting to:
Maximize muscle
Minimize unnecessary fat gain
And feel confident in your body throughout the year
You don’t need to avoid building or try “recomping”.
You need a periodization plan.
Instead of trying to do everything at once, we plan the year on purpose, tackling each goal individually:
Build when muscle-building conditions are ideal
Sprinkle in a strategic fat loss phase when it makes sense
This is how you grow without spending your wheels.
the 2026 plan
Here’s the structure I would plan to maximize muscle this year (while still feeling good in your skin):
For the next ~4 weeks: Maintenance + build prep
dial in nutrition intake, training intensity, & collecting data
Mid-February– Mid-June: Muscle Building
3-4 full months of intentional lean muscle building,
Mid June–September: Fat Loss
A planned summer fat loss phase on a body that actually has muscle to reveal
October: Back to maintenance
November: Building again, with confidence 😈
unsure you can do it solo?
This is precisely what we do at EPN.
We help you:
Stop second-guessing your intake
Confirm you’re actually in the right surplus
Stay consistent when the scale starts climbing upwards
Adjust training + nutrition before minor issues become big ones
Build muscle without mentally spiraling and pulling your parachute too early
Building muscle doesn't come from executing the plan perfectly but implementing all the principles consistently over time, and having the data to back up that you're doing it right.
How epn can help:
Three of our January cohorts are built specifically for this approach:
Women’s Muscle-building cohort with Laura Savino
Men’s Muscle-building cohort with Laura Savino
Menopause & Muscle with Mickee Stillman
You don’t have to choose between building muscle, feeling confident, and staying lean enough to recognize yourself.
You just have to stop trying to do it all at once.
2026 needs a plan that actually works.
