Your surplus for muscle without the fat
Calculate how many calories to eat per day to gain muscle: your maintenance (TDEE), the moderate surplus you need, your protein target and the healthy rate at which you should gain weight. Gaining muscle is not about eating a huge amount, but eating a bit more than you spend, with high protein and strength training. Here are your starting numbers.
Estimate (Mifflin-St Jeor + surplus). Gaining muscle also requires strength training and rest. Not medical advice.
You have your target. Now the hard part
Hitting it daily. Photograph your plate and the app subtracts it from your target — no weighing, no searching.
Next time you sit down to eat, photograph the plate before the first bite. That is the whole method.
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How many calories should you eat to gain muscle?
Building muscle needs a calorie surplus, but a small one. We start from your maintenance (BMR by Mifflin-St Jeor, multiplied by your activity level) and add roughly 250-350 kcal — enough to support growth, not so much that most of what you gain is fat. The rate matters more than the number: about 0.25-0.5% of body weight per week is what the evidence supports, which for 70 kg is 175-350 g a week. Faster than that and the extra is largely fat, which you then have to diet off. Protein sits at 1.6-2.2 g/kg and the rest splits between carbohydrates, which fuel training, and fat at around 25% of calories.
Surplus and realistic gain by training level
The classic mistake is eating like a beginner after five years of training: the room for gain narrows sharply with experience, and the surplus that is left over goes to fat. The last column is muscle, not scale weight — early on you will go up faster through water and glycogen.
| Level | Above maintenance | For an 80 kg man | Gain per month |
|---|---|---|---|
| First year of training | +10 – 15 % | +250 – 400 kcal | 0.7 – 1.1 kg |
| Intermediate | +5 – 10 % | +150 – 250 kcal | 0.3 – 0.5 kg |
| Advanced | +3 – 5 % | +80 – 150 kcal | 0.1 – 0.2 kg |
Ranges derived from the hypertrophy literature (Aragon and Schoenfeld; International Society of Sports Nutrition position stand). Real gain depends on genetics, sleep and above all on training. These are reference ranges for healthy adults, not a diagnosis or individual advice.
FAQ
How big a surplus do I need to gain muscle?
About 250-350 kcal above maintenance for most people. Bigger surpluses do not build muscle faster — muscle protein synthesis has a ceiling set by training and protein, not by calories — they just add fat alongside it.
How much protein to gain muscle mass?
Between 1.6 and 2.2 g per kilo of body weight. Above that, extra protein does not translate into extra muscle. Spreading it across 3-4 meals of 20-40 g makes the most of the response through the day.
Can you gain muscle without a surplus?
Yes, in specific cases: beginners, people returning after a break, and those with a fair amount of body fat can build muscle while losing fat — what gets called body recomposition. It is slower than a dedicated bulk, and it stops working once you are trained and lean.
How much weight should I gain per week?
Around 0.25-0.5% of your body weight — 175 to 350 g a week at 70 kg. If the scale is moving faster than that for several weeks, cut the surplus: what is arriving is mostly fat. If it is not moving at all after 3 weeks, add 100-150 kcal.