What’s actually achievable in 12 weeks, with approximately 3 strength training sessions consistently & effectively carried out each week?

🟢 Beginner (new to structured training)

• ~0.75-1 kg per month

• → 2-3 kg in 3 months

You’ll benefit from “new stimulus” adaptation, this is the fastest phase of growth.

🟡 Intermediate (training consistently for ~1-2 years)

• ~0.3-0.6 kg per month

• → 1-2 kg in 3 months

Progress slows because your body is already adapted.

🔴 Advanced (well-trained)

• ~0.1-0.3 kg per month

• → ~0.5-1 kg in 3 months

At this stage, gains are incremental and require high precision.

Ensure to undertake:

• Enough frequency of sessions for growth if sessions are high quality

• Sessions such as:

  • full body or upper/lower split

  • progressive overload is tracked

• Protein at ~2 g/kg lean mass consumed per day

Beware - what actually limits your result (most people miss this)

Even with perfect protein + training, growth can be capped by:

1. Calorie intake

• You need a small surplus (~200-400 kcal/day)

• Without it → muscle gain can be limited

2. Progressive overload

• Are loads/reps increasing weekly?

• If not → stimulus may not be sufficient

3. Training quality

• Sets taken close to failure (0-3 reps in reserve)

• Enough volume (~10-20 sets per muscle/week)

4. Recovery is important

• Quality sleep (7-9 hrs) is non-negotiable

• Rest days to allow muscle adaptions

Step 1: What is your lifestyle/activity level?

Usually the more you train/move the more you need.

• Desk job, minimal movement, <5k steps/day ~30-40% of total calories from carbs

• Some walking, exercise 1–3x/week, 6–10k steps ~40–50% carbs

• High activity job, exercise most days, 15k steps ~50–60% carbs (or higher)

Step 2: Consider - what are your goals?

Same person, different goal → different carb needs:

• Fat loss - Slightly lower carbs (30–45%). Prioritise protein + fibre to stay full.

• Maintenance / general health. Stay in the balanced range (40–50%)

• Performance / muscle gain. Higher carbs (45–60%+). In order to fuel training + replenish glycogen

Step 3: Consider your individual response

Some people simply tolerate carbs differently.

Adjust based on:

• Energy levels

• Hunger/cravings

• Blood sugar control (pre-diabetes)

• Digestive comfort