E. 160 Why You’re Gaining Fat Instead of Muscle (Building Phase Mistakes)

E. 160 Why You’re Gaining Fat Instead of Muscle (Building Phase Mistakes)

From Self-Selecting by Cory Hageman

May 11, 2026 · 43 min

About this episode

Cory Hageman discusses the common mistakes in muscle-building phases and how to effectively commit to the process.

In this episode, I break down why most muscle-building phases fail—and it usually has nothing to do with the plan itself. I explain why building muscle requires a completely different level of discomfort than fat loss, why you need to commit to the process even when you don’t like how you look, and how inconsistent adherence on both training and nutrition is the biggest reason people spin their wheels. We also cover the truth about “lean bulking,” why comparison (especially with enhanced athletes) will mislead you, and how to actually make a build productive by focusing on execution, training intensity, and being coachable. Timestamps: - [00:00 – 03:49] – Why most builds feel unproductive and the gap between expectations vs reality. - [03:50 – 06:49] – Building muscle requires a different kind of “suck” than fat loss. - [06:50 – 10:59] – Tunnel vision, consistency, and why you don’t have to love the building phase to succeed. - [11:00 – 14:59] – Having a clear reason to build (you can always lose fat later). - [15:00 – 18:29] – PED misconceptions, “lean bulk” myths, and committing fully to the process. - [18:30 – 23:56] – The fastest ways to gain fat in a build. - [23:57 – 29:28]…

People in this episode

Host: Cory Hageman

Topics covered

  • muscle building
  • fat loss
  • training intensity
  • nutrition adherence
  • lean bulking
  • coaching

Keywords

  • muscle building
  • fat gain
  • training mistakes
  • nutrition
  • lean bulking
  • coaching
  • consistency

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