You’ll also need to consume adequate fat each day. The 180-pounder would need at least 360 grams of carbs per day, for example.
Aim for at least twice your body weight in grams of carbs on workout days. Next, be sure to get ample amounts of carbs the focus should be on low-glycemic or slow-digesting carbs like most fruits, whole grains, and sweet potatoes. The 180-pound guy should shoot for 270 grams of protein. To calculate your protein needs, multiply your body weight by 1.5. On rest days, you’ll scale back, but nixing a pre- and post-workout meal will put you right where you need to be.įocus on getting the right balance of protein, carbs, and fats. So, a 180-pound male needs about 3,600 calories on workout days to build muscle.
A solid way to determine how many calories you need is to multiply your body weight in pounds by 20. To build muscle, you have to create a calorie surplus-eating more calories than your body burns through daily activities, workouts, and normal physiological processes. When it comes to eating for mass gain, the most important factor is calorie consumption.
