Eating for Gaining Lean Muscle Mass, Part II

Bulk, cut and maintain

Bulk is a muscle-gain phase. The goal is to gain muscle at a steady rate while minimising fat gain. It requires eating more calories than you burn, plus lifting weights. Choose a bulk if you're underweight or want to get bigger.

Cut is a fat-loss phase. The goal is to lean out while holding onto muscle. It requires a calorie deficit, plus lifting weights. Choose a cut if you carry body fat you want to lose while staying muscular.

Maintain is a steady phase. The goal is to keep your muscle and body fat where they are. It requires a balanced calorie intake, plus lifting weights. Choose maintain when you've reached your goals and want to stay there.

Calculating my macro goal

BMR is my calorie need at total rest over 24 hours.

Mifflin-St Jeor:        BMR = (10 × W) + (6.25 × H) − (5 × A) + 5  = 1790 kcal
Revised Harris-Benedict: BMR = (13.397 × W) + (4.799 × H) − (5.677 × A) + 88.362 = 1908.9 kcal

Average BMR = (1790 + 1908.9) / 2 = 1849.5 kcal/day

My estimated daily activity level is 1.6 × BMR:

1849.5 × 1.6 = 2959 kcal

For a bulk I add 500 kcal:

2959 + 500 = ~3460 kcal/day

My macro goal: 3460 kcal/day

• Protein 50E% = 1730 kcal → 432 g (4 kcal/g)
• Carbs 25E% = 865 kcal → 216 g (4 kcal/g)
• Fat 25E% = 865 kcal → 96 g (9 kcal/g)

That works out to about 4.5 g protein per kg of body mass per day.

A day's menu for gaining lean muscle (≈3460 kcal)

08:00 · Breakfast · Oatmeal (oats 40 g, whey 45 g, egg white 100 g), milk 2 dl, smoked dried turkey 100 g, protein jelly 100 g, cottage cheese 200 g, EAA 12 g 921 kcal · P 136.4 g · C 39 g · F 22.8 g

09:00 · PWO Gainer 1 · Whey hydrolysate 33 g, dextrose 15 g, arginine 5 g, glycine 5 g, citrulline, taurine, beta-alanine 173 kcal · P 27.6 g · C 13.9 g · F 0.3 g

12:00 · Lunch 1 · Fish 250 g, potatoes 100 g, cauliflower + broccoli 100 g, beetroot 50 g, whey 33 g, milk 2 dl, creatine 5 g, glycine 5 g, HMB 10 g 564 kcal · P 77.1 g · C 45.3 g · F 7.4 g

15:00 · Lunch 2 · Chicken 200 g, rice 100 g, cauliflower + broccoli 100 g, beetroot 50 g, whey 33 g, milk 2 dl 660 kcal · P 84.7 g · C 38.7 g · F 17.7 g

16:00 · PWO Gainer 2 · Whey isolate 33 g, maltodextrin 15 g, arginine 5 g 173 kcal · P 27.6 g · C 13.9 g · F 0.3 g

19:00 · Dinner · Meat 200 g, pasta 100 g, cauliflower + broccoli 100 g, beetroot 50 g, whey 33 g, milk 2 dl 819 kcal · P 92.6 g · C 81.7 g · F 11.7 g

21:00 · Night protein · Casein 33 g, glycine 15 g, glutamine 20 g, arginine 10 g 118 kcal · P 26 g · C 5.4 g · F 0.7 g

Day summary

Total: ~3415 kcal/day

• Protein 467 g = 1868 kcal = 56E%
• Carbs 237 g = 948 kcal = 28E%
• Fat 61 g = 549 kcal = 16E%

That's about 4.76 g protein per kg of body mass. Close enough, I go for that.