Gaining muscle and gaining weight are different goals, so CalorAI treats them differently.
The Gain muscle goal
CalorAI adds 350 kcal to your daily needs and sets 40% of your calories from protein. The Gain weight goal adds 500 kcal instead.
Why a smaller surplus
Your body can only build muscle so fast. Eating far more than you need mostly adds fat, so a moderate surplus is a sensible way to support training.
An example
At 2,500 kcal a day, 40% from protein is 1,000 kcal. With 4 kcal in each gram of protein, that is 250 g of protein a day.
That is a high target and more than many people need. A large research review found that gains from extra protein leveled off at about 1.6 g per kg of body weight a day. If your target is hard to reach, you can use that figure as a practical minimum to aim for. If you have kidney disease, talk to a doctor before raising your protein.
Food alone won't do it
Muscle needs a reason to grow. Combine your eating with regular resistance training, log those workouts, and give yourself enough sleep to recover.
Sources
- Morton RW et al. A systematic review, meta-analysis and meta-regression of the effect of protein supplementation on resistance training-induced gains. Br J Sports Med, 2018.
- Disclosure: this article is published by the team behind CalorAI.
CalorAI provides estimates for general information only and is not medical advice.
