What is a calorie surplus?
A calorie surplus is when you consume more calories than your body needs. For example, if you need 2,000 calories per day to maintain your weight but eat 2,500 calories per day, you are in a calorie surplus of 500 calories. When you’re in a surplus, your body has excess energy that it can use for various functions such as building muscle or storing fat. How your body uses this excess energy is determined by several factors such as your age, activity level, and genetics. For example, if you’re looking to build muscle, you’ll need to make sure that you’re in an ideal calorie surplus so that your body has the fuel it needs to grow. Generally, a surplus of 200-400 calories above maintenance is ideal for most people. However, if you’re very active or have a lot of muscle mass, you may need even more.
On the other hand, if you’re trying to lose fat, being in a calorie deficit is necessary as it will cause your body to tap into its fat stores for energy. It would help if you didn’t go overboard with a surplus or deficit, as extreme dieting can lead to unwanted consequences such as rebound weight gain or slowed metabolism. Instead, it’s best to aim for a moderate surplus or deficit of around 250 calories.
Calorie surplus does not necessarily apply to every single person
When it comes to trying to gain weight, many people will tell you that you need to eat more calories than you burn off in a day. But the truth is, things are a bit more complicated than that. Each person’s body is different, and therefore each person’s caloric needs are different. Just because someone else can gain weight on a certain number of calories doesn’t mean that you will be able to. This is why it’s so important to figure out your own body’s needs before trying to gain weight. Otherwise, you might eat too much or too little and not see your desired results. So how do you figure out how many calories you need to eat for weight gain? Start by calculating your basal metabolic rate (BMR), the number of calories your body burns at rest. Once you know your BMR, you can use a calorie calculator to determine how many additional calories you need to eat each day to reach your desired weight. Remember that these numbers are just estimates – everyone’s body is different, so it’s essential to listen to your body and adjust as needed.
The Calorie Surplus Is Determined By Gender
It’s well-known that men and women have different calorie needs. But did you know that your gender can also affect how many calories you burn in a day? A new study has found that men tend to have a higher total daily energy expenditure (TDEE) than women. In other words, men burn more calories than women, even when they’re doing the same activities.
The study looked at the TDEE of nearly 2,000 adults. They found that, on average, men burned about 100 calories more per day than women. The difference was even more pronounced when the compared activities were more physical. For example, men burned about 200 calories more than women when engaged in moderate-intensity exercise.
So what explains this gender gap? The researchers say it may be due to differences in body composition. On average, men have more muscle mass than women. And muscle tissue is more metabolically active than fat tissue, burning more calories even at rest.
These findings highlight the importance of tailoring calorie recommendations to individual needs. That’s why it’s essential to work with a registered dietitian or certified nutritionist who can help you determine the proper caloric intake for your unique physiology.
Do you need to consume more calories than usual to gain muscle?
A calorie surplus is when you eat more calories than you burn to gain weight. For example, some people think they need to eat in a calorie surplus to gain muscle to bulk up and build muscle. But is this true?
Surprisingly, the answer isn’t as simple as you might think. While eating in a calorie surplus can help you build muscle, it’s unnecessary. Many people can build muscle without ever eating in a calorie surplus. So how is this possible?
Well, it turns out that the amount of muscle you can build is determined by various factors, including your genes, age, sex, and exercise regimen. For some people, it may be easier to build muscle than for others. And even if you are someone who gains muscle quickly, you still may not need to eat in a calorie surplus to do so.
How much of a calorie surplus is needed to build muscle?
Many bodybuilders recommend eating a calorie surplus to build muscle mass. But how much of a surplus should you eat?
Generally speaking, you should aim for a surplus of around 300-500 calories per day. This may sound like a lot, but it’s not that difficult to achieve if you eat the right foods. For example, a simple meal of chicken, rice, and vegetables can easily clock in at over 1,000 calories. And if you’re serious about building muscle, you may even want to go for an enormous surplus. Just monitor your weight and body fat percentage to ensure you’re not going too far.
What if you went on a dreamer bulk or dirty bulk?
If you want to bulk up and build muscle, you might be wondering if a dreamer bulk or dirty bulk is the way to go. Both approaches have pros and cons, so it’s essential to understand the difference before deciding.
A dreamer bulk is when you eat clean, healthy foods and focus on slowly gaining weight over time. The advantage of this approach is that you’re less likely to gain fat along with muscle, but the downside is that it can take longer to see results.
On the other hand, a dirty bulk involves eating more calories to build muscle than your body needs and not worrying too much about the food quality. This can help you gain weight faster, but you’re more likely to have excess fat.
So which approach is best for you? It depends on your goals and your body type. If you’re looking to gain muscle quickly and don’t mind carrying around extra weight, a dirty bulk might be the way to go. But if you want to minimize fat gain and build a leaner physique, a dreamer bulk is probably a better option.
How To Setup Your Caloric Surplus For Muscle Gain
If you’re serious about building muscle, you need to be in a caloric surplus. This means eating more calories than your body needs to maintain its weight. The surplus provides your body with the extra energy to build new muscle tissue. But how do you know how many calories you need to eat? And what types of foods should you be eating? So first, let’s set up your caloric surplus for muscle gain.
Calculate your maintenance calories
Your first step is to calculate your maintenance calories. This is the number of calories you need to eat to maintain your current weight. You can find plenty of online calculators that will do this for you.
Planning your surplus
Once you know your maintenance calories, you can start planning your surplus. A surplus of 250-500 calories above maintenance is ideal for building muscle for most people. So, if your maintenance calories are 2,500, you would aim for 2,750-3,000 calories per day.
Types of foods
When it comes to the foods you should be eating, focus on high-quality protein sources and complex carbohydrates. Protein provides the building blocks for new muscle tissue, so you’ll want to make sure you’re getting enough. Good protein sources include lean meats, poultry, fish, eggs, and dairy. Complex carbohydrates are a slow-burning source of energy that will help you perform your best in the gym. Good sources of complex carbs include whole grains, starchy vegetables, and legumes.
In addition to your regular meals, you may also consider using a weight gainer shake to increase your caloric intake. These shakes are high in calories and nutrients, making them easy to add extra calories to your diet. Just choose a quality product that doesn’t have too much sugar or unhealthy additives.
Determine Macronutrients
Macronutrients are the three main types of food that the body needs to function correctly. They are protein, carbohydrates, and fat. The body needs all three of these macronutrients to build muscle, but each person’s amount will vary according to their goals. For example, someone trying to gain muscle mass will need more protein than someone trying to lose weight. The best way to determine your macronutrient needs is to speak with a registered dietitian or a certified personal trainer. They will be able to help you calculate the amount of each macronutrient that you need to reach your goals. Once you have determined your macronutrient needs, you can set up your caloric surplus. This is the number of calories you need to eat above your maintenance level to gain weight. Again, the number of calories you need will vary based on your individual goals. Once you have determined your caloric surplus, you can begin to eat more food and add muscle mass.
How to create a calorie surplus to gain muscle
If you’re looking to build muscle, you need to be in a calorie surplus. This can be accomplished by eating more calories than your body needs or reducing your activity level to burn fewer calories. Here are some tips on how to create a calorie surplus:
Eat more frequently
If you’re looking to create a calorie surplus and gain weight, you may have heard that eating more frequently is the way. And it’s true – eating smaller meals more often can help increase your calorie intake and help you reach your goals. But there’s more to it than just eating more often. Here are a few tips to help you make the most of your frequent meals and create a calorie surplus:
- Make sure your meals are nutritious and packed with calories. Eating more often doesn’t do any good if you’re not getting enough nutrients and calories in each meal. So load up on healthy, high-calorie foods like lean protein, whole grains, healthy fats, and fruits and vegetables.
- Spread your meals out evenly throughout the day. Eating six small meals instead of three large ones may sound like a lot, but it’ll be easier to handle if you space them out evenly. And importantly, you’ll be less likely to overeat at any one meal.
- Don’t go too crazy with snacks. If you find yourself snacking more often than you’d like, try to limit yourself to one or two healthy snacks per day.
Choose nutrient-dense foods
So you want to create a calorie surplus, but you don’t want to eat any old junk food. Here’s how to do it the healthy way by choosing nutrient-dense foods.
What are nutrient-dense foods? They are foods that pack a lot of nutrients (vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, etc.) into each calorie. This is opposed to junk foods with many calories but not much else in nutrients.
Here are some examples of nutrient-dense foods that you can eat to create a calorie surplus:
-Whole grains: brown rice, oats, whole wheat bread, quinoa, etc.
-Lean proteins: chicken, fish, tofu, legumes, etc.
-Fruits and vegetables: all of them!
-Healthy fats: avocados, olive oil, nuts, seeds, etc.
Lift weights
You can also create a calorie surplus by lifting weights. When you lift weights, you’re breaking down your muscle tissue. And to repair that muscle tissue, your body needs to use calories. So if you want to create a calorie surplus, lifting weights is a great way to do it! Just make sure that you’re eating enough food to support your weightlifting goals. If you don’t eat enough, your body won’t have the calories it needs to build new muscle. So eat plenty of nutritious foods and lift those weights!
Reduce your cardio
You might be tempted to spend hours on the elliptical or treadmill. However, too much cardio can lead to muscle loss. When you do a lot of aerobic exercises, your body starts to burn both fat and muscle for fuel. So instead of mile after mile on the treadmill, try reducing your cardio and focusing on strength training. This will help you build muscle while keeping your body in a calorie surplus. Plus, lifting weights has been shown to boost metabolism, so you’ll continue to burn calories even after you leave the gym. So if you’re looking to bulk up, cut back on the cardio and focus on strength training instead. Your muscles will thank you!
Myths About Caloric Surplus For Muscle Gain
#1 You Need to Eat in a Massive Surplus To Gain Muscle
You don’t need to eat in a massive calorie surplus if you want to gain muscle. Eating too many calories can be counterproductive. When you eat more calories than your body needs, your body will store those excess calories as fat. So if you’re looking to gain muscle, aim for a moderate calorie surplus.
Eating in a moderate calorie surplus will help you gain muscle without too much fat. If you’re not sure how many calories you should be eating, use a calorie calculator. Once you know how many calories you need to eat to maintain your weight, add 250-500 calories to that number. This will give you a moderate calorie surplus to help you gain muscle without putting on too much fat.
#2 You Need to Eat More Protein to Gain Muscle
If you want to gain muscle, you need to eat more protein. That’s because protein is the building block of muscle. So if you’re not eating enough protein, your body won’t have the raw materials to build new muscle.
However, you don’t need to eat a ton of extra protein to gain muscle. Overeating protein can be counterproductive. When you eat more protein than your body needs, your body will store that excess protein as fat.
#3 You Need to Eat Lots of Junk Food To Gain Muscle
If you want to gain muscle, you don’t need to eat much junk food. Overeating junk food can be counterproductive.
Junk food is called “junk” for a reason. It’s loaded with empty calories that will only make you fat.
#4 You Need to Eat More Calories Than You Burn To Gain Muscle
If you want to gain muscle, you need to eat more calories than you burn. That’s because, to build new muscle, your body needs more calories than it burns.
However, eating too many calories can be counterproductive. When you eat more calories than your body needs, your body will store those excess calories as fat.
Eating in a calorie surplus is essential for gaining muscle, but you don’t need to eat more calories than your body burns. Instead, a moderate calorie surplus will give your body the extra calories to build new muscle without putting on too much fat.
#5 You Need to Eat More Carbs To Gain Muscle
If you want to gain muscle, you need to eat more carbs. That’s because carbs are the body’s preferred source of energy. When you eat more carbs, your body will have more energy to lift weights and build new muscle.
However, eating too many carbs can be counterproductive. When you eat more carbs than your body needs, your body will store those excess carbs as fat.
Eating carbs is essential for gaining muscle, but you don’t need to eat a ton of them. Instead, moderate carbs will give your body the energy to build new muscle without too much fat.
#6 You Need to Eat More Fat To Gain Muscle
There’s a common misconception that you need to eat more fat to gain muscle. While it’s true that fats are essential for many bodily processes, including hormone production and cell repair, they’re not necessary for higher quantities to build muscle. Consuming too much fat can inhibit muscle growth. When your body stores excess fat, it’s more difficult for muscles to repair and grow. So if you’re looking to bulk up, focus on eating lean proteins and complex carbohydrates and limit your fat intake. Your muscles will thank you!
Important Reminder: Genetic Factors can limit your potential to gain muscle
It’s no secret that some people have better genetics when building muscle. If you’re one of those people, you can thank your parents for passing down the right combination of genes. But what exactly is it that makes some people better able to build muscle than others?
A few different genetic factors can influence your ability to build muscle. One is the amount of skeletal muscle mass you’re born with. This is determined by the number of muscle fibers, which determines your DNA. So if you have a higher number of muscle fibers, you have the potential to grow more muscle. Another factor is the size of your muscle fibers. Your DNA also determines this, and it plays a significant role in how much muscle you can ultimately build. If you have significant muscle fibres, you can add more size and strength than someone with smaller fibers.
Wrapping Up
If you want to gain muscle, you need to eat in a calorie surplus and lift heavy weights. However, you don’t need to eat a massive calorie surplus or much junk food. Instead, a moderate calorie surplus and a healthy diet will help you gain muscle without too much fat.
