
You can divide those calories into however many meals you want-three, four, five, or six-to help you hit your goal. So, if your target body weight is 180 pounds and you exercise for 3 hours a week, you’d multiply 180 by 12-giving you a target of 2,160 calories a day. However, if you work out more than that, add 1 to the multiplier for every additional hour you train. That’s how many calories you should consume daily. The formula: If you perform 1 hour or less of exercise a week, multiply your target body weight by 10.

Here’s a basic formula you can use to determine your baseline calories. Tracking your eating with an app makes this much easier, though a basic notebook works too. To start, you need to figure out your average daily calorie intake, or maintenance calories. So, how do you determine the caloric “sweet spot” where you maximize muscle and minimize fat gain? But, the amount of muscle you can gain is directly influenced by how much you eat.Įven with a conservative bump in how much you eat, you’ll still gain some fat with the muscle, and it’s important to be prepared for that reality. If you’re not eating in a way to add size, you’re not going to add size. You can only gain muscle so fast, and a modest calorie surplus works just as well as “eating everything in sight” and leaves you with a lot less fat to lose later.Įditor’s note: The importance of the calorie-muscle gain equation is why the idea of “lifting weights makes you bulky” is more myth than reality. This means eating is a priority, but you don’t need to go overboard. Gaining muscle fast requires being in a calorie surplus (eating more calories than you burn). Your first order of business is getting your calorie intake in order. The quest for more muscle starts with nutrition. Principle #1: Muscle Growth Requires Calories Principle #6: Challenge Your Muscles, Don’t Crush Them.Principle #5: Prioritize Full-Body Exercises (and focus on building strength).

Principle #4: Focus on full range of motion (And check your ego).

Principle #3: Train each muscle 2-3 times per week.Principle #2: Optimize For Protein (But, Don’t Forget This Exception).Principle #1: Muscle Growth Requires Calories.
