How many cals to bulk?

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jo_marnes
jo_marnes Posts: 1,601 Member
in Food and Nutrition
How do you work out how many cals to eat for bulking? I'm not at that point yet but am curious as can see that I'll get to this point if my current goals are to be achieved. Curious to know what people eat and how much u need to increase by. Thanks

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  • dr3w_s
    dr3w_s Posts: 88 Member
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    My BMR is around 1750 and being sedentary my maintenance would be around 2110, I'm eating around 2500-2600 at the moment
  • jo_marnes
    jo_marnes Posts: 1,601 Member
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    bump
  • FitBeto
    FitBeto Posts: 2,121 Member
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    Eat + Your TDEE


    Increase by 250-500 every month you dont gain weight
  • xtrmtrnng
    xtrmtrnng Posts: 15
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    Yup, it comes down to figuring your personal calorie burn and then eating a surplus. As suggested, 250-500 extra calories per day, and I'll add that women might try only 125-250. The actual figure will be whatever is required to gain an average of .50–1.00 pound per week (men) and .25–.50 (women). If you're not gaining or gaining too much, adjust the calories.

    You need to watch it over weeks and months too. Before careful of making too many adjustments day-by-day. Let it go for a week or so, measure results, adjust, let it go another week or two to confirm. 1 pound per week is not much, and you can gain and lose that much and more just in hydration and muscle volume variations several times per week. However, knowing what you are trying to achieve in terms of a net calorie goal is where it starts.
  • jo_marnes
    jo_marnes Posts: 1,601 Member
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    Thanks that's very helpful. I have seen some people eating MASSIVE amounts, literally double what I eat, and was keen not to go to that extreme. 150 cals doesn't seem too difficult :-)
  • Shadowknight137
    Shadowknight137 Posts: 1,243 Member
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    10-20% above your maintenance is a good way to go.
  • dr3w_s
    dr3w_s Posts: 88 Member
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    Thanks that's very helpful. I have seen some people eating MASSIVE amounts, literally double what I eat, and was keen not to go to that extreme. 150 cals doesn't seem too difficult :-)

    that way they also gain alot of fat in the process
  • a_vettestingray
    a_vettestingray Posts: 654 Member
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    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/blog/BusyLady406/view/so-ya-wanna-bulk-475896 This post is what helped me decide to go ahead and try bulking.

    I have been wearing my fitbit to get an idea of my TDEE and then I try to eat about 150 cals above it everyday. Right now I am eating 2100+ calories/day and not gaining yet, so I will be bumping it up again this coming week. I do StrongLifts three times a week and walk on the treadmill a couple times a week just to get some steps in. I am pretty sedentary at work.

    Online calculators put my BMR around 1400 (5'6.5, 125lbs, female).

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