How Many Calories to Gain Muscle Weight: Science-Based Lean Bulking

How Many Calories Should I Eat to Gain Muscle?

A common question in the weight lifting community is “how many calories should I eat to gain muscle weight without gaining fat?”. An article published by Sports Dietitian Nancy Clark in ACSM’s Health & Fitness Journal suggests that you should eat at least 500 more calories per day than usual to gain weight [1]. We suggest 200-500 extra calories per day above your maintenance calories to lean bulk without gaining fat, and we’ll tell you why.

Why Should I Eat More Calories to Gain Muscle Weight?

Although it is possible to gain strength in a caloric deficit, a caloric surplus is one component of gaining lean weight. Calories are also referred to as energy, and extra energy is necessary to increase mass. One pound of fat tissue is equal to around 3,500 calories, so a common misconception is that 500 calories weigh a general pound. However, it only weighs about 1 pound in the context of losing fat.

Although it is widely debated, a pound of muscle is estimated to contain the energy equivalent of 800 calories [2], which is only 23% of that of a fat pound. A pound of muscle per week is equal to 114 calories extra per day. Therefore, in the context of gaining muscle while avoiding excess fat gains and considering extra physical activity, it may be ideal to eat between 200-500 calories more per day above maintenance calories, perform resistance training, and focus on protein intake.

More Tips

• • • While you make strength and muscle gains, remember that your maintenance calories will likely increase, so you may not be in a caloric surplus anymore in a month from now.

  
  

  • • Your body can only gain so much muscle at a time. Muscle still weighs more than fat, so a lean person with more muscle will have higher maintenance calorie needs than a person of a higher body fat percentage with the same scale-weight.

  
  

  • • The extra resistance training you perform while bulking will burn extra calories, so factor that into your total daily energy expenditure (TDEE) while calculating your maintenance calories.

  
  

  • • Calorie intake is only one component to gaining muscle. Resistance training with progressive overload and protein intake are also important.

  
  

  • Overall, the consensus is to eat between 200 and 500 calories extra per day to bulk while gaining minimal fat.

References

1. 1. 1. Clark, N. (2005). Bulking Up: Helping Clients Gain Weight Healthfully. ACSM’s Health & Fitness Journal, 9(5), 15–19. https://doi.org/10.1097/00135124-200509000-00007
      2. Hall K. D. (2008). What is the required energy deficit per unit weight loss? International journal of obesity (2005), 32(3), 573–576. https://doi.org/10.1038/sj.ijo.0803720