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Might be a stupid question....

stuffinmuffin
stuffinmuffin Posts: 985 Member
edited November 2024 in Fitness and Exercise
But can you build muscle on maintenance cals or do you actually need to exceed them? If so, by how many roughly?

I currently maintain at around 1650-1800 cals a day and ensure I eat back all my exercise cals on strength days (mainly because I tend to feel hungrier!)

Thanks guys! :flowerforyou:

Replies

  • jarrettd
    jarrettd Posts: 872 Member
    Lou Schuler speaks to this in New Rules of Lifting for Women. If you are new to lifting or returning after not lifting for a long time, you can build muscle at maintenance or a slight deficit. It's called Newbie Gains, and it doesn't last. Otherwise, you may be able to build, or at least preserve, at maintenance, provided you get enough protein. I think he recommends .8 to 1 gram per pound of lean body mass.
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