# The LP and Eating for Mass/Hypertrophy

**URL:** <https://forum.barbellmedicine.com/t/the-lp-and-eating-for-mass-hypertrophy/8750>\
**Category:** Nutrition Q&A \[Moderated\]\
**Created:** [May 10, 2020, 11:06pm UTC](https://forum.barbellmedicine.com/t/the-lp-and-eating-for-mass-hypertrophy/8750 "2020-05-10T23:06:39Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 4\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![project.thairannosaur](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex001/user_avatar/forum.barbellmedicine.com/project.thairannosaur/32/1242_2.png) [@project.thairannosaur](https://forum.barbellmedicine.com/u/project.thairannosaur)\
**Post date:** [May 10, 2020, 11:06pm UTC](https://forum.barbellmedicine.com/t/the-lp-and-eating-for-mass-hypertrophy/8750/1 "2020-05-10T23:06:39Z")

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Good morning,

tl;dr: Is mimicking (closely following) \*\*A Full Day of Eating to Gain Muscle w/ Dr. Jordan Feigenbaum (\*\*[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O2lxBRCaHKk&t=33s](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O2lxBRCaHKk&t=33s)) appropriate for someone starting the LP who wants to gain muscle mass?

I bought the LP a few months ago after watching most/all of your Youtube content. My waist measurement in Feb was 41-42in. (5’9 @ 237lbs) and based on some of the recommendations you guys made I decided to cut weight so I didn’t stifle my LP gains (not sure if that really would have happened; nocebos ftw).

I’m down to 35-36in @194lbs. The goal is to hit 187lbs (excel math says I’ll be \>=20% body fat) which I will hit in another two weeks. I mastered an 800 calorie a day diet with a lot of cardio but the more I think about starting the LP and how to change my diet the more anxious it makes me. I’m deployed so my food choices are limited; I am running off of scrambled eggs and protein shakes right now (2 scoops of Whey-Rx with chocolate milk).

How many surplus calories should I aim for and can my cardio affect my gains in the LP? Do I need to out-eat my cardio to get hypertrophy and if so is 1 calorie over the same as 500 calories over for hypertrophy?

I girl bought me a medium-size BBM shirt a few weeks ago and it really shows my weight loss and how small my arms are. I look like a Vienna sausage with toothpicks for arms. My biceps are 12.5in or says the Mayotape, but my calves are 16in.; probably from a decade of carrying my fatass around. I need to get this right!

Thank you very much!

-Thai

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**Author:** ![Jordan\_Feigenbaum](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex001/user_avatar/forum.barbellmedicine.com/jordan_feigenbaum/32/1315_2.png) [@Jordan\_Feigenbaum](https://forum.barbellmedicine.com/u/Jordan_Feigenbaum)\
**Post date:** [May 11, 2020, 2:34pm UTC](https://forum.barbellmedicine.com/t/the-lp-and-eating-for-mass-hypertrophy/8750/2 "2020-05-11T14:34:53Z")

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Thai,

Thanks for the post. A few items here:

1. What do you mean you bought the LP after watching our content? We don’t sell an LP, so I assume you’re referring to Starting Strength Novice Linear Progression. Though this is a fine place to start, it isn’t our recommendation for new trainees. This is: [https://www.barbellmedicine.com/blog…-prescription/](https://www.barbellmedicine.com/blog/the-beginner-prescription/)It includes arm work too.

2. I would not recommend a surplus until your waist is \<34". In any case, small surpluses seem to work better than large ones.

3. I would continue the cardiovascular exercise.

4. I wouldn’t worry about maximizing your gains on any one particular program, as you have your whole life to train.

-Jordan

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**Author:** ![project.thairannosaur](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex001/user_avatar/forum.barbellmedicine.com/project.thairannosaur/32/1242_2.png) [@project.thairannosaur](https://forum.barbellmedicine.com/u/project.thairannosaur)\
**Post date:** [May 11, 2020, 3:48pm UTC](https://forum.barbellmedicine.com/t/the-lp-and-eating-for-mass-hypertrophy/8750/3 "2020-05-11T15:48:26Z")

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Thank you much for the response

1. I really thought the Beginner Template (which I bought) was also known as the LP (which I did not buy).

2. Would you recommend dropping down to \<34 before starting the Beginner Template?

3. Can a lot of cardio interfere with your lifting gains; the Youtubes gives conflicting reports.

4. Thanks man!

-Thai

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**Author:** ![Jordan\_Feigenbaum](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex001/user_avatar/forum.barbellmedicine.com/jordan_feigenbaum/32/1315_2.png) [@Jordan\_Feigenbaum](https://forum.barbellmedicine.com/u/Jordan_Feigenbaum)\
**Post date:** [May 12, 2020, 12:49am UTC](https://forum.barbellmedicine.com/t/the-lp-and-eating-for-mass-hypertrophy/8750/4 "2020-05-12T00:49:24Z")

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Thai,

1. Roger that. Carry on 🙂
2. Nah. I would do it at the same time.
3. If it’s excessive, sure. That said, you’ll be okay!

-Jordan