In partnership with
An Intentional Maintenance.
At its core, main-gaining is pretty simple.
You’re eating roughly at maintenance and training in a way that allows slow, steady improvements over time. Not forcing the scale up. Not forcing it down. Just letting your body adapt while you keep showing up and training well.
The goal isn’t necessarily weight change. It’s stability.
Bodyweight stays relatively steady. Strength should creep up. Training still feels productive. Recovery and energy are consistent enough that your life doesn’t revolve around food decisions or fatigue management every other week.
If your weight is climbing quickly, you’re not at maintenance; you’re in a surplus.
If it’s dropping week after week, you’re in a deficit.
Main-gaining only exists when intake is actually controlled, even if you’re not tracking every gram.
"If we could give every individual the right amount of nourishment... not too little and not too much, we would have found the safest way to health."
Main-Gaining Also Isn’t for Everyone, and It’s Definitely Not a Shortcut.
It tends to work best for people who are newer to training, athletes who care more about performance than aesthetics, or anyone coming out of a long bulk or cut who needs time to stabilize.
It’s also a solid option if you’re happy with how you look but still want to get stronger without constantly manipulating calories.
If you’re very advanced or chasing fast visual change, it can feel painfully slow. But if consistency and longevity matter, it’s one of the most reliable approaches there is.
Eating During This Phase Looks a Lot Like Maintenance, Just With More Awareness.
Protein stays consistent. Carbs are there to support training. Fats don’t disappear, but they’re not running the show either. Meals don’t swing wildly from day to day, and nothing feels extreme. Almost as “strict” as a deficit… but enough food to feel like a light bulk.
The biggest difference compared to bulking or cutting is feedback.
You’re not making aggressive calorie changes. You’re paying attention. If performance improves and bodyweight stays steady over a few weeks, you’re in a good place.
If things drift, you make small adjustments and keep pushin.
Nothing crazy.
Training Is What Actually Drives Progress Here.
Eating at maintenance doesn’t magically build muscle. Training does. Main-gaining works when there’s a clear progression in the gym, better movement quality, and slowly improving work capacity.
This is often where lifts clean up, weak points get addressed, and recovery finally catches up after more aggressive phases.
You have enough food to push yourself, but not to the point where you ever feel like you’re over indulging.
Progress is slower, but it tends to stick.
Most People Don’t Fail Because It Doesn’t Work… They Fail Because The Structure Disappears.
If…
Tracking stops. Meals get inconsistent. Training loses direction.
A few weeks will go by, and nothing changes.
Depending on where you’re at in your fitness, it may be a slow burn for results; or they will come easy. Either way the best way to make main-gaining really work is when intake is actually near maintenance, training has a plan, and expectations match the timeline. It’s not exciting. It’s not fast. But it’s structured.
That’s why it works.
The New Year Ritual That Sets the Tone for Energy and Glow ✨
January calls for rituals that actually make you feel amazing—and Pique’s Sun Goddess Matcha is mine. It delivers clean, focused energy with zero jitters, supports glowing skin and gentle detox, and feels deeply grounding. Smooth, ceremonial-grade, and crave-worthy, it’s the easiest way to start your day clear, energized, and glowing from the inside out.
COACH’S INSIGHT
Main-gaining isn’t magic. It’s patience with structure.
Bulking pushes.
Cutting pulls.
Main-gaining is that sweet middle ground.
Just me talking, lifting, and talking some more.
Follow me on my training. Currently uploading my Bulking Chronicles⬇️
If you’re looking for coaching, reply to this article!