Achieve Your Muscle-Building Goals: The Step-by-Step Guide to Accurately Calculating Your Calories

Are you tired of hitting the gym every day and not seeing the muscle gains you desire? It's time to take a pause and assess your diet. While exercise is an essential component of building muscle mass, diet is equally important. And when it comes to your diet, calorie counting is key.

But why is calorie counting so important for building muscle mass? In simple terms, muscle growth occurs when the body is in a calorie surplus, meaning you consume more calories than you burn.

By accurately calculating your calorie needs, you can ensure that you are consuming the necessary amount of calories to promote muscle growth and improve your strength.

By now you must be wondering so, how many calories should I eat to gain muscles? Therefore, without making you wait any longer, let’s discuss how do you calculate calories to gain muscle?

Here is a step-by-step guide to accurately calculating your calorie needs for muscle building.

Step 1: Determine Your Basal Metabolic Rate (BMR)

Your BMR is the number of calories your body burns at rest, which means the number of calories you need to consume just to maintain your current weight. To calculate your BMR, you can use an online BMR calculator

Step 2: Factor in Your Activity Level

Your daily activity level determines the number of calories you burn in addition to your BMR. This is called your Total Daily Energy Expenditure (TDEE). To calculate your TDEE, multiply your BMR by a factor that represents your activity level. This factor ranges from 1.2 for a sedentary lifestyle to 1.9 for an extremely active lifestyle.

Step 3: Determine Your Calorie Goal

To gain muscle mass, you need to be in a calorie surplus. A safe and effective surplus is around 250-500 calories per day. At this stage you must ensure that you calorie surplus comprises majority of proteins as our muscles are made up of proteins. So, to determine your calorie goal, add 250-500 calories to your TDEE.

Step 4: Divide Your Calories Between Macronutrients

Now that you have your calorie goal, it's important to divide those calories between macronutrients: protein, carbohydrates, and fat. A general guideline for muscle gain is to consume 1-1.5 grams of protein per pound of body weight, 2-3 grams of carbohydrates per pound of body weight, and 0.5 grams of fat per pound of body weight.

Step 5: Track Your Calorie Intake

To ensure that you are meeting your calorie and macronutrient goals, it's important to track your calorie intake. There are several apps available that make tracking your food intake easy and convenient.

Step 6: Adjust Your Calorie Intake as Needed

It's important to remember that everyone's body is different, and what works for one person may not work for another. If you are not seeing the muscle gains you desire, you may need to adjust your calorie intake accordingly. You can increase your calorie intake by an additional 250-500 calories per day or decrease your calorie intake by 250-500 calories per day if you are gaining too much body fat.

Last but not the least, hold yourself accountable and don’t forget to live life. Healthy is not healthy unless its balanced. It’s not always about boiled chicken you people, it’s also about the seasoning; if you get it, you get it.

In conclusion, calorie counting is a crucial component of building muscle mass. By accurately calculating your calorie needs, dividing those calories between macronutrients, and tracking your calorie intake, you can ensure that you are providing your body with the necessary fuel to promote muscle growth and improve your strength. So, get started on your muscle-building journey today by calculating your calories for muscle gain and setting a calorie goal that works for you.