Cardio & Weights, Calorie Surplus?

streetdragster

Hi All, hoping you can help me out.
I'm doing a combination of strength training and cardio. I'm doing this in a pattern, cardio day 1, strength day 2, rest day 3 and repeat.
I understand that to build muscle, I should be on a higher protein diet, and I should have a small calories surplus of 100-200 calories to provide the building blocks to increase muscle mass.

My question is, should this surplus be throughout, or should i be calories neutral/maintenance, or calories deficit on the cardio and rest days?

I was aiming for calories surplus on strength day, neutral on cardio day, and deficit on rest day.

Any tips gratefully received.

Thanks

thatch1234

Pretty sure when building muscle you want to be at a surplus every day as most of the muscle building time is done on the recovery days when your body is needed additional protein to repair the muscle.

Theoldguy1

True to build muscle you need a calories surplus. However, if you have significant bodyfat, the stored calories can provide the calories you need.

Good luck.

streetdragster

Thanks both. I'm at 25% body fat so should be plenty, but it has been coming off my muscle mass rather than body fat up until now so a change of tact is required with the inclusion of strength training which i wasn't doing before.