Bulking Calorie Target Calculator

About this calculator

A bulking calorie target is your TDEE (Total Daily Energy Expenditure) plus a deliberate calorie surplus, calculated to support a specific rate of weekly weight gain aimed at building muscle rather than just adding fat indiscriminately. The math relies on the commonly cited (if imprecise) approximation that roughly 3,500 kcal equals one pound of body mass gained or lost, so a target of, say, 0.5 lb per week translates to a daily surplus of about 250 kcal above TDEE (3,500 ÷ 7).

Strength athletes, bodybuilders, and physique-focused lifters use a calculated surplus rather than ‘eating big’ without a target because a surplus that's too aggressive tends to add a disproportionate amount of fat alongside muscle, while a surplus that's too small can leave insufficient energy available for muscle protein synthesis and recovery — most evidence-based coaching recommends a modest surplus (roughly 0.25-0.5% of bodyweight gained per week) precisely to keep the fat-to-muscle ratio of the gain favorable.

This calculator takes your TDEE and your target weekly weight-gain rate, and returns your daily bulking calorie target using the 3,500-kcal-per-pound approximation.