How many calories should I be eating per day to gain muscle?

So, in order to safely and effectively gain muscle, you need to increase your total calorie intake by a minimum of 3500 calories per week. That works out to about 500 extra calories per day in addition with the total calories needs you determined from one of my previous posts.

Can you gain muscle while eating low calories?

If you can sustain a lifting program and eat a caloric deficit, your body will be able to pull from its fat stores to both fuel itself and potentially build muscle mass.

Is it more important to hit calories or macros?

If you want to lose weight, it comes down to being in an energy deficit, consuming fewer calories than you’re expending. Macros — or macronutrients — are your protein, carbs, and fat, and the most important one for fat loss is protein. Calories always count, but you don’t have to count your calories.

Can I build muscle with high protein and low calories?

The high-protein group gained 2.5 pounds of muscle and lost more fat (10.5 pounds), compared to the low-protein group, which lost 8 pounds of body fat, and did not gain any muscle. This suggests that a high-protein, low-calorie diet in combination with exercise leads to weight loss and an increase in muscle mass.

Is counting macros or calories better?

Counting calories is a great start to losing weight, however counting macros (macronutrients) may be a better option. Counting macros can not only help you lose weight but also build lean muscle and experience more energy. The calories in food come from three macronutrients – protein, carbohydrates (carbs) and fats.

How many calories should you eat a day to build muscle?

So, he will now eat 3,040 calories per day to build muscle mass. Of course, there’s no perfect set-in-stone calorie surplus, some people might do great with 250, while others do better with 500. You might find that you’re gaining too much fat with 500, and you need to cut back a bit.

Can you get fit without counting calories?

You can be fit, healthy, and lean without wasting hours every week counting calories. Armi Legge is the founder of Evidence, an online magazine that helps you automate your diet and training, so you can have the body you want and move on with your life.

How many calories should I eat a day to gain weight?

If you’re a very skinny ‘hard gainer’ then you must make sure your daily calorie surplus is closer to 400 – 500 every day. This is an ideal surplus of calories, big enough to build muscle yet small enough to avoid excessive gains in unnecessary fat.

What should I do if I start to gain weight?

If you start to gain weight, make a few small adjustments to your diet. Don’t immediately run back to calorie counting. You can be fit, healthy, and lean without wasting hours every week counting calories.