Calories and Macros for building muscle?

dave_in_ni
dave_in_ni Posts: 533 Member
edited December 2024 in Fitness and Exercise
I'm coming of my diet at the end of April and will have lost 40+lbs at that stage. I have been lifting with my diet since January but obviously being in a deficit of 1500 cals per day I have built very little muscle, the next stage is to up the cals and build muscle but how do I do this without gaining fat? And what about macros? At the moment I try to keep macros around 40% carbs 40% protein and 20% fat

Replies

  • wally2183
    wally2183 Posts: 214 Member
    I'll be interested what others have done..
  • ShodanPrime
    ShodanPrime Posts: 226 Member
    GOMAD
  • dave_in_ni
    dave_in_ni Posts: 533 Member
    Seems no one knows.
  • martyqueen52
    martyqueen52 Posts: 1,120 Member
    In order to gain MUSCLE MASS you need to be in a surplus of calories. Example.... your maitence intake is say... 2100. So, in order to "bulk", you'll need anywhere over 2100.

    Personally when I bulk in winter I go 500 over maitence. But, there's also a SLOW controlled way. Add in 100-200 over maitence for a few weeks and see how your weight is progressing, and how you look. You will gain a small amount of fat, but it will be easily controlled.

    As far as macros go, you only need 0.8g of PROTEIN per lb of body weight. So then you focus on your carbs and fats. This will be up to you. I know I keep my fat low and my carbs sky high because I feel like pure trash with a high fat intake and preform ungodly bad in the gym. But your 40/40/20 is a solid plan.
  • deadlifts_and_lipstick
    deadlifts_and_lipstick Posts: 42 Member
    martyqueen52 wrote: »
    In order to gain MUSCLE MASS you need to be in a surplus of calories. Example.... your maitence intake is say... 2100. So, in order to "bulk", you'll need anywhere over 2100.

    Personally when I bulk in winter I go 500 over maitence. But, there's also a SLOW controlled way. Add in 100-200 over maitence for a few weeks and see how your weight is progressing, and how you look. You will gain a small amount of fat, but it will be easily controlled.

    As far as macros go, you only need 0.8g of PROTEIN per lb of body weight. So then you focus on your carbs and fats. This will be up to you. I know I keep my fat low and my carbs sky high because I feel like pure trash with a high fat intake and preform ungodly bad in the gym. But your 40/40/20 is a solid plan.

    This answer is legit.

  • sijomial
    sijomial Posts: 19,809 Member
    If you want to stay the same weight but gain muscle and lose fat then eat at maintenance calories and lift.
    See this recomp thread if you want to see the various ways and results people get:
    http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10177803/recomposition-maintaining-weight-while-losing-fat/p1

    You don't need as much protein as maintenance as you did when cutting.
    Fixed macro percentages are horribly restrictive - maybe consider switching to protein and fat as minimums?
    I like 1g/1lb of estimated Lean Mass and 0.4g of fat/1lb of bodyweight. That gives you a lot more dietary freedom.

    If you actually want to get heavier without gaining fat then you would have to have a tiny, tiny surplus so your weight gain matches your potential rate of muscle gain. Difficult!

    The third alternative is cut/bulk cycles.
  • dave_in_ni
    dave_in_ni Posts: 533 Member
    Yeah was thinking about cutting bulking cycling. Seems easier.
  • SezxyStef
    SezxyStef Posts: 15,267 Member
    dave_in_ni wrote: »
    I'm coming of my diet at the end of April and will have lost 40+lbs at that stage. I have been lifting with my diet since January but obviously being in a deficit of 1500 cals per day I have built very little muscle, the next stage is to up the cals and build muscle but how do I do this without gaining fat? And what about macros? At the moment I try to keep macros around 40% carbs 40% protein and 20% fat

    you have built no muscle and chances are you lost a lot.
    martyqueen52 wrote: »
    In order to gain MUSCLE MASS you need to be in a surplus of calories. Example.... your maitence intake is say... 2100. So, in order to "bulk", you'll need anywhere over 2100.

    Personally when I bulk in winter I go 500 over maitence. But, there's also a SLOW controlled way. Add in 100-200 over maitence for a few weeks and see how your weight is progressing, and how you look. You will gain a small amount of fat, but it will be easily controlled.

    As far as macros go, you only need 0.8g of PROTEIN per lb of body weight. So then you focus on your carbs and fats. This will be up to you. I know I keep my fat low and my carbs sky high because I feel like pure trash with a high fat intake and preform ungodly bad in the gym. But your 40/40/20 is a solid plan.

    to build do this.
  • Fernando618G
    Fernando618G Posts: 380 Member
    martyqueen52 wrote: »
    In order to gain MUSCLE MASS you need to be in a surplus of calories. Example.... your maitence intake is say... 2100. So, in order to "bulk", you'll need anywhere over 2100.

    Personally when I bulk in winter I go 500 over maitence. But, there's also a SLOW controlled way. Add in 100-200 over maitence for a few weeks and see how your weight is progressing, and how you look. You will gain a small amount of fat, but it will be easily controlled.

    As far as macros go, you only need 0.8g of PROTEIN per lb of body weight. So then you focus on your carbs and fats. This will be up to you. I know I keep my fat low and my carbs sky high because I feel like pure trash with a high fat intake and preform ungodly bad in the gym. But your 40/40/20 is a solid plan.

    dudes on point for sure, i just do my macros a bit different 50 pro 30 carb 20 fat
  • dave_in_ni
    dave_in_ni Posts: 533 Member
    Thanks for the help guys, Time to start planning.
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