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Bulking calculator

A lean-bulk plan: calorie surplus, macros, and weekly weight projection.

Your stats

Daily calorie target
3,016kcal / day

+393 kcal vs your TDEE of 2,623.

Weekly rate
0.79lb/wk
% bodyweight
0.50% / wk
End weight (12 wk)
169.4lb

Macros

  • Protein
    226g
    30% · 905 kcal
  • Carbs
    302g
    40% · 1206 kcal
  • Fat
    101g
    30% · 905 kcal

Weekly projection

WeekProjected weight (lb)
1160.8
4163.1
8166.3
12169.4

How a bulk should work

A bulk is a sustained, controlled calorie surplus paired with hard training. The goal is to gain weight at a rate slow enough that most of it is muscle. Push too hard and the surplus shows up as fat — every pound of which has to come back off in a future cut.

For most lifters past the beginner stage, +10 to +15 % above TDEE — roughly 200–400 extra kcal per day — is the right surplus. Beginners can sometimes use +20 % productively; advanced lifters often gain best at the very low end.

How the plan is built

TDEE        = Mifflin–St Jeor BMR × activity multiplier
surplus     = TDEE × surplus %
target kcal = TDEE + surplus
weekly gain = surplus × 7 / 3,500 (lb)

protein g  = max(protein g/lb × bodyweight,  preset protein %)
carbs g    = remaining kcal × carb share / 4
fat g      = remaining kcal × fat share  / 9

Protein is held at the floor you select (typically 0.8–1.0 g/lb is plenty in a surplus). The remaining calories favour carbs, which fuel hard training better than fat does.

Frequently asked questions

How much should I eat to bulk?
For lean gains, a 10–15 % surplus above TDEE is usually plenty. That works out to roughly 200–400 extra kcal per day. Beginners can sometimes push closer to 20 %, but past that, additional gains tend to come as fat rather than muscle.
How fast can I actually gain muscle?
Realistic ceilings, from work by Lyle McDonald and Alan Aragon: about 1–1.5 % of bodyweight per month for beginners, half that for intermediates, a quarter for advanced lifters. A 170 lb intermediate aiming for muscle gain might add 0.7 lb per month of lean tissue — anything beyond that on the scale is mostly fat or water.
Should I do a clean or a dirty bulk?
Lean bulks (small, controlled surplus) build less fat and require shorter cuts afterwards. Dirty bulks (eat anything to a big surplus) put on weight faster but most of the extra is fat that has to come back off. For long-term physique, lean tends to win.
How long should a bulk last?
Typical bulks run 12–20 weeks, ending when body-fat percentage drifts into a range you are not comfortable with. Most people then cut back to their preferred starting body fat before bulking again.
What if I'm not gaining weight?
Either you are eating less than you think, your activity is up (NEAT often rises in a surplus, eating into the gap), or your TDEE estimate was on the high side. Add 150–200 kcal per day and reassess after two weeks of stable scale weight.

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