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Bodybuilder Bulking Calories Calculator

Work out bodybuilder bulking calories instantly with clear inputs, formula shown and shareable results.

About Bodybuilder Bulking Calories Calculator

Applies a percentage surplus to maintenance energy and pairs it with a protein target and the 0.25 to 0.5 percent of body weight per week gain rate used in lean bulking.

Formula

Lean bulk

Intake = maintenance x (1 + surplus); target gain is about 0.25 to 0.5% of body weight a week for trained lifters

Worked example

With the default values below, Bodybuilder Bulking Calories Calculator returns Bulking intake of 3,220. Change any input above and every figure here is recalculated in your browser.

Inputs used

Maintenance energyaccepts 1,200–6,000 kcal/day
2,800 kcal/day
Energy surplusaccepts 5–30
15
Weightaccepts 40–200 kg
80 kg
Protein targetaccepts 1.2–3 g/kg
2 g/kg

Results

Bulking intake
3,220 kcal/day
Daily surplus
420 kcal
Protein target
160.0 g/day
Target weekly weight gain
0.280 kg

Step by step

  1. 1Values used
  2. 2Lean bulk
  3. 3Bulking intake= 3,220 kcal/day
  4. 4Daily surplus= 420 kcal
  5. 5Protein target= 160.0 g/day
  6. 6Target weekly weight gain= 0.280 kg

Assumptions and limits

  • The result is derived only from the 4 inputs listed above. Anything not among them is not part of the calculation.
  • In particular, this calculator does not take inflation, tax, fees or charges or compounding frequency into account.
  • Figures are rounded for display to 3 decimal places, so totals built from several rounded parts can differ slightly from the unrounded arithmetic.
  • Educational estimate only. Not a substitute for professional clinical judgement, and must not be used to make treatment or dosing decisions.
  • This is an estimate for general information and not professional medical advice. See the full disclaimer for the limits that apply to this kind of calculator.

How these calculators are built and tested is described on the Methodology page. If a figure looks wrong, please report it.

Educational estimate only. Not a substitute for professional clinical judgement, and must not be used to make treatment or dosing decisions.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why not a larger surplus?

Above about 20% the extra energy is stored mostly as fat, since muscle accretion is limited by training and recovery.

How fast can beginners gain?

Novices can gain closer to 1% of body weight a week early on, but the rate falls steeply with training age.

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