What is a healthy calorie surplus?
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A healthy calorie surplus for building muscle is a moderate increase in calorie intake above your maintenance level. The Mind Pump Podcast hosts provide several key insights on this:
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Moderate Surplus Amounts: A calorie surplus of 250-500 calories per day above your maintenance level is generally effective for muscle gain without excessive fat gain. It's important not to exceed this range significantly to avoid gaining more fat than muscle 1 2.
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Consistency: It's crucial to maintain this surplus consistently day-to-day rather than fluctuating significantly, as inconsistent surpluses can lead to less effective muscle growth and more fat accumulation 3 4.
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Protein Intake: Ensure a high protein intake, aiming for about 1 gram of protein per pound of body weight. This supports muscle building and helps maintain a leaner body composition 1 5.
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Slow Incremental Increases: For those starting from low calorie intakes or who have been dieting, gradually increasing calories by 50-100 per week can help the body adjust without rapid fat gain. Monitoring progress weekly and making small adjustments as needed is recommended 6.
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Strategic Adjustments: Periodically include a week at maintenance or a slight deficit after a few weeks of surplus to optimize metabolism and prevent excessive fat gain 7.
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Diet Composition: The surplus should include a balance of macronutrients tailored to individual preferences and tolerances. One's macro balance can vary, with some benefiting from higher carbs or fats, based on personal physiology and performance needs 1.
Following these guidelines helps ensure the surplus supports muscle growth effectively while minimizing fat gain.
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