Goal
Eating to build muscle
A small surplus, enough protein and patience. What to eat when the goal is to gain, with recipes that make extra calories easy.
How much to eat
Muscle is built slowly, so a large surplus mostly adds fat. Aim for 250–500 kcal above maintenance and adjust based on your weight trend over several weeks.
Carbohydrate fuels hard training, so most of the extra calories usually come from carbs.
If you struggle to eat enough
Use calorie-dense additions rather than bigger plates: olive oil, nut butter, rice, oats, whole milk. Shakes and blended recipes are easier to get down than another solid meal.
Worth knowing
- Food alone does not build muscle: without resistance training a surplus is stored mostly as fat.
Common questions
Can I build muscle and lose fat at the same time?
Beginners, people returning after a break and people with more body fat often can, by eating around maintenance with high protein. It gets harder the more trained you are.
Sources
General information, not medical or dietary advice. Speak to a doctor or registered dietitian about your own situation.
