Keep in mind that low fat diets can result in a reduction of circulating testosterone, so it isn’t recommended that daily fat intake dip below 15-20% of total daily calories. This aligns with the daily fat intake range The American College of Sports medicine recommended for athletes of 0.5-1.5 g per kg per day. Alongside these caloric surpluses, individuals should be monitoring their body composition, weight, and strength levels and adjusting regularly.įats play important roles in the body like energy storage, insulation, and hormone synthesis.Ĭurrent evidence recommends a dietary fat intake around 20-35% of all calories. For individuals who struggle with lean mass gains while following resistance training programs, caloric intakes as high as an additional 4,000 calories per day have been recommended. In general, many practitioners recommend a surplus range of an additional 1,500 – 2,000 calories per day to support increased skeletal muscle mass growth while minimizing increases in body fat for weight-stable athletes. That’s because a variety of factors like age, genetics, and training status can present nuances to how one responds to a caloric surplus. There’s yet to be an exact energy intake recommended for increasing skeletal muscle mass. Individuals that have less training experience will likely see greater benefits from a larger caloric surplus, while advanced individuals may be more likely to gain additional fat mass if their caloric surplus is too large. The size of the caloric surplus will vary based on several factors. Caloric surpluses can help promote the anabolic processes of muscle growth and support the increased training demands from resistance training during a mass gain phase. Keeping track of your overall caloric intake and specific macronutrients is an effective way to promote muscle growth.Īlthough there have been instances in scientific literature of muscle growth occurring during low calorie diets, a diet with a sustained calorie surplus is considered optimal for promoting muscle growth. Alcohol contains 7 calories per gram, although it’s not essential for sustaining life. Carbohydrates and protein provide 4 calories per gram while fat provides 9 calories per gram.

Macronutrients are sources of calories and each provides different calorie amounts.

Macro calculator for muscle gain