# cal expenditure vs cals in BULKING



## Grantewhite (Oct 15, 2010)

ok some of you may know me from such journals as fat to fit and grants competition journal, i have now got down to the target body fat and weight level and i am starting to bulk, all is going well and i have managed to add 5lbs to my weight but keep the abs showing nicely, the problem is this i work between 12-15 hours a day lofting which is very physical, i am using so many calories a day just to work that i am finding it hard to work out how much i should be eating to bulk, at the moment i average somewhere between 2500-2800 cals per day obiously with the exception of nights out where i probably top 4000 easy lol.

cheers Grant

o ps: i am 5ft 11 13st 7lbs and aprox 9-10% body fat.


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## Bamse (Feb 5, 2011)

Calorie expenditure is a tricky thing; trial and error is really the only way to go. Keep a log of everything and go from there.


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## RickMiller (Aug 21, 2009)

the excess calories per day (or even better over a week) should be determined by scale and anthropometric (body composition) changes, not a formula.


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## Driven Sports (Jul 15, 2011)

RickMiller said:


> the excess calories per day (or even better over a week) should be determined by scale and anthropometric (body composition) changes, not a formula.


This.

Add small amounts of calories each week until you are gaining at a steady and slow pace, and amend diet as and when necessary. Never jump straight into a large calorie surplus if you want to control body fat levels.


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## hsmann87 (Jun 22, 2010)

Hi Mate

Firstly, there is no set calorie number since every body is different with different levels of energy expenditure etc throughout the day (eg a labourer on a building site needs to eat more calories than an office worker!), but use the following:

*6%-12% 17 calories per pound of LBM (Lean Body Mass)*

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12%-15% 16 calories per pound of LBM*

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15.1%-19% 15 calories per pound of LBM*

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19.1%-22% 14 calories per pound of LBM*

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22.1% or above 13 calories per pound of LBM*

Firstly, people very easily underestimate their bodyfat percentage. So get a credible estimation if your bodyfat percentage. Then use the table above to calculate your maintenance calories.

Eg lets say someone is 10% BF and weighs 200lbs. 10% of 200lbs is 20lbs. So deduct that from 200lbs to find out the persons "zero fat" weight. We now have 180lbs. So since 10% bf fits in 6-12% bracket, we multiply 180lbs by 17. That gives 3060calories. This our MAINTENANCE calories.

Now, if we want to bulk we will add calories. Typically, if you live a fairly sediment liftestyle ie sit at an office chair all day and only exert yourself for an hour in the gym, add 600cals to it to get circa 3500calories. Start with this and assess progress every fortnight or so and tweak as necessary.

If you are a labourer, bump up 1000cals so eat 4000cals daily and reassess from there.

Remember this is all guideline so you need to be in touch with your own physique and be true to yourself to sort calories.


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