How Many Calories Does It Take To Build Muscle?

In order to build muscle and get stronger one has to take in more calories than they expend. While this may seem simple there is actually a delicate balance between gaining too much weight and not eating enough to help build muscle and recover from intense workouts. In order to determine how many calories it will take to build muscle one first has to calculate how many calories they burn on a typical day. From there it is an easy math equation to determine the proper amount of food consumption for muscle building.

Everyone will burn a different number of calories on a daily basis. The biggest determinants in daily caloric expenditure are gender, weight, and activity level. Two similar 200 pound males could have completely different expenditure rates depending on their lifestyles. An active male with a manual labor occupation might burn 3,000 or more calories each day while the same man working a desk job will burn around 2,000 calories. There are many sites, programs, and even electronics that can give a better idea of how many calories one burns each day.

One pound of muscle gain or loss can be achieved by consuming or expending 3,500 calories over a given period of time. Food products will come with a label somewhere on their packaging breaking down not just the calories of an item but their protein, carbohydrate, and fat content as well. Once a lifter knows how many calories he/she burns each day they can begin setting up a diet that allows them to slowly put on muscle without much fat. A great rule of thumb would be to exceed their daily caloric expenditure by approximately 500 calories which would lead to one pound of weight gain each week. Anything faster and fat gain becomes an issue, anything slower and recovery and muscle gain will be hampered.

Protein intake is also quite important; lifters should aim to take in at least one gram of protein per pound of body weight when attempting to gain muscle. Protein helps muscle recovery and growth which is a big help for those wanting to get bigger and stronger. Some of the most protein-rich foods include lean meats, low-fat dairy products, and whey protein shakes. By increasing both their calorie and protein intake lifters can begin putting on muscle without adding much fat. Just 500 extra calories per day can lead to both muscle and strength gains.

Source by Dane C. Fletcher

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