The picture of perfect health and fitness can vary dramatically depending on who you ask. For some people, being thin is ideal. For others, being toned and strong is optimal. And for others still, having a large amount of muscle is what they’re shooting for. If you find yourself somewhere in the middle, you might be wanting to be long and lean. So if this is the end goal you’re looking to achieve, here are three tips to help you build lean muscle.

Spend Time Targeting Specific Muscles

According to Dan Trink, a contributor to Muscle and Fitness, one of the best ways you can build lean muscle in any given area is to focus on that area with targeted muscle training. By doing movements that will isolate certain muscles or certain muscle groups, you’ll be able to quickly see improvement and growth in those specific muscles that you’re targeting. In addition to this benefit, you’ll also be able to do more of these types of lifts, as it doesn’t take as long for your body to recover when lifting weights in this way as opposed to doing big, heavy lifts that require a lot more of your body to be working together. So if you’re wanting to lift your glutes or have more definition in your calves, make sure you’re isolating those muscles while doing targeted lifts.

Fuel Your Body With The Right Food

In addition to actively building muscle, you also need to be fueling your body with the right foods to give yourself the energy you need, the help with recovery, and the ability to sustain your gains. According to Dr. Grant Tinsley, a contributor to Healthline.com, some of the best foods you can eat that will help promote the building of lean muscle include eggs, lean meats, beans, milk, almonds, brown rice and more. Essentially, you want to be eating food that’s high in protein and will give you the vitamins, minerals, and nutrients that your body needs to sustain you through an exercise regimen.

Keep Your Exercises Short and Difficult

To really build muscle, even lean muscle, you have to push yourself. If you’re not lifting to your max on a regular basis, you’re likely not going to be able to get the physique that you’re wanting. With this in mind, Melissa Bell, a contributor to Muscle and Strength, recommends that you keep your exercises short and difficult. By not exercising for more than about 45 minutes when you’re doing real heavy lifting, you’ll be able to make the most of the hormones in your body during exercise and build more muscle.

If you’re wanting to build more lean muscle, consider using the tips mentioned above to show you how you can do just that.