If you are training hard and changing your diet to achieve a lean body but you're not seeing the results, there are some things that you are doing wrong. There are some critical issues that you should be careful about when you want to achieve a lean body.

Use heavy enough load

Many people make the mistake of not going heavy enough while exercising. You probably know that progressively heavier weights build muscle. But many people fail to load enough weight on the bar. If you're not using heavyweight while exercising, it will not be able to mark any change on your body composition. Do not fall victim of the false idea that lighter weight sets burn more calories. It is not true. When you lift more weight for more reps, it will help you to increase your strength and that will again help you to lift more.

When you lift heavier, it will have a higher impact on the release of muscle building and fat burning hormones like testosterone and growth hormone. Use a heavyweight and increase your metabolic rate and it will be working longer after the workout. You should choose weight loads that keep you below eight reps and also set the rest periods to 60 seconds or less.

Perform Sprint intervals

High-intensity interval training (HIIT) is what you need and it is focus on sprinting. It is always better than low intensity steady state cardio in case of burning fat, preserving muscle and maximising workout efficiency. HIIT works better because of its effect on excess post exercise oxygen consumption or EPOC. After intense sprinting, a greater level of recovery needs to occur, and because of that you are going to burn more calories during the next 40 to 72 hours after the workout. Such workouts can increase post workout fat oxidation by up to 75%.

Sprinting 2 to 3 times every week should be good enough for you.

Drink more water

This is strange but many people do not drink enough water. If you're not drinking enough, it'll be very difficult for you to achieve a lean body. When you are thirsty, you may suffer from diminished cognitive and physical performance. If you have 2% dehydration, it can seriously impact your workout performance. Proper hydration is also important for you because it improves digestion and nutrient absorption, and brain function. It can help you to keep your hunger every. If your body is well hydrated, it will hold onto less water. You need at least half your body weight in ounces per day.

Better recovery

If you want a lean body, you will need better recovery. Unique to recover from training if you want to burn more fat and build muscle. That is why sleeping is also important like your training and nutrition. During your sleep your brain and body recover from the workout that you have done during the day. During sleep, your body builds. During this time growth hormone in your body is at the highest level and it repairs damaged muscles and inflamed connective tissues. If you're not sleeping enough, it can interfere weight growth hormone release. Even though your requirement may be different from someone else, you need to experiment and find out what your body needs and whether it needs seven hours or nine hours of sleep.

References 1. Lean Body Hacks
2. Increased protein intake reduces lean body mass loss during weight loss in athletes
3. Increasing Lean Mass and Strength