Seriously, how does weight gain work?

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favabean1982
favabean1982 Posts: 28 Member
in Getting Started
I use a Whoop strap, which I know factors in my BMR and seems to do a good job of it. However, I've heard that to gain a pound in a day would require consuming every calorie that goes into your BMR (and thermal effect of food, etc.) with the tried-and-tried calorie number of 3,500 calories on top of that. There's other theories out there, but which one's right? Is it the one I mentioned?

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  • psychod787
    psychod787 Posts: 4,088 Member
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    favabean1982 wrote: »
    I use a Whoop strap, which I know factors in my BMR and seems to do a good job of it. However, I've heard that to gain a pound in a day would require consuming every calorie that goes into your BMR (and thermal effect of food, etc.) with the tried-and-tried calorie number of 3,500 calories on top of that. There's other theories out there, but which one's right? Is it the one I mentioned?

    3500 calories is just a "rule" of thumb. It could take more calories than that for weight gain. I suspect you mean fat gain. Not every calorie is going directly to fat. Lean mass will also have to be made. Calories in vs calories out is the only weight gain or loss principle that is scientifically proven. What drives calories in and what drives calories out is a another subject.
  • AnnPT77
    AnnPT77 Posts: 32,195 Member
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    Not only is it an approximation (fairly close for me while losing, though), but you left something out. To gain a pound, you need to eat:

    * Your BMR (basal metabolic rate) calories, pretty much the amount you'd burn in a coma
    * Your daily life calorie expenditure (work, home chores, non-exercise hobbies, etc., sometimes called non-exercise activity thermogenesis, NEAT)
    * Your exercise calories
    * Plus the minor stuff like TEF.
    * Which all adds up to TDEE (total daily energy expenditure)

    Personally, if I eat massive amounts all at once (like 2-3X my maintenance calorie level), I appear to net-gain less than a pound for each excess 3500 calories in there. Perhaps there's a "training effect" :lol: and my body's unable to metabolize all of huge amounts it isn't used to? Dunno. I've seen others report the same effect, but I won't assert it's universal. (Case study post: https://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10603949/big-overfeed-ruins-everything-nope ).

    If I eat modestly over maintenance calories most days for weeks to months, I see something closer to the 1 pound = 3500 calories kind of gain rate, though.

    YMMV.
  • PAV8888
    PAV8888 Posts: 13,654 Member
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    You need consistent additional calories over your TDEE (not BMR, not BMR + TEF; but TDEE)

    Exactly how many is open for debate and individual circumstances.

    Are you re-feeding after a medical issue and are trying to regain as soon as possible? Are you finding yourself in a short term hyper metabolic phase during recovery?

    Are you training for hypertrophy and supporting this by eating at a surplus while minimizing fat gain? Just going for maximum hypertrophy with no limits?

    your reasons and goals will determine the preconditions that will get you there. One situation may require eating at as high of a surplus as possible. Another eating at as small, but consistent, of a surplus as possible.

    What are your goals and aspirations?

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