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Formula used
This calculator combines established energy equations with a practical lean-bulk surplus model.
- BMR with body fat: BMR = 370 + 21.6 × lean body mass in kilograms.
- BMR without body fat: Mifflin-St Jeor = 10 × weight + 6.25 × height − 5 × age + sex constant.
- Maintenance calories: Maintenance = BMR × activity factor.
- Rate-based surplus: Daily surplus = weekly gain goal × 7700 ÷ 7.
- Guided clean bulk control: Surplus is kept inside a practical lean-bulk range when auto mode is selected.
- Macro allocation: Protein calories = grams × 4, carbs = grams × 4, fat = grams × 9.
- Carb target: Carbs receive the remaining calories after protein and fat are assigned.
How to use this calculator
- Choose your measurement system and enter age, sex, body weight, and height.
- Select the activity level that best matches your weekly movement and training load.
- Add body fat percentage if you know it for a more tailored BMR estimate.
- Set your preferred weekly gain pace, protein target, and fat target.
- Choose automatic surplus guidance or enter a fixed daily surplus.
- Enter training days and decide whether you want calorie cycling.
- Submit the form to view daily calories, macros, training-day targets, rest-day targets, and expected gain.
- Use the export buttons to save the result as CSV or PDF.
Example data table
| Profile | Sex | Age | Weight | Height | Activity | Goal Gain | Daily Calories | Protein | Carbs | Fat |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sample A | Male | 27 | 75 kg | 175 cm | Moderate | 0.25 kg/week | 2,846 kcal | 150 g | 394 g | 68 g |
| Sample B | Female | 30 | 62 kg | 167 cm | Light | 0.18 kg/week | 2,210 kcal | 124 g | 282 g | 56 g |
| Sample C | Male | 35 | 88 kg | 182 cm | Very active | 0.35 kg/week | 3,420 kcal | 176 g | 460 g | 79 g |
FAQs
1) What is a clean bulk calorie target?
A clean bulk target is a controlled calorie surplus designed to support muscle gain while limiting unnecessary fat gain. It favors steady progress, not the fastest scale increase possible.
2) Which BMR formula does this calculator use?
It uses Katch-McArdle when body fat is provided, because lean mass is known. Otherwise, it uses Mifflin-St Jeor, which performs well for general calorie planning.
3) Do I need to enter body fat percentage?
No. The calculator still works without it. Body fat simply improves precision by estimating lean body mass, which can sharpen BMR and macro planning.
4) How much surplus is ideal for lean bulking?
Most people do well with a moderate surplus. Too little slows progress, while too much increases fat gain. This tool keeps auto mode inside a practical lean-bulk range.
5) Why are training and rest day calories different?
Calorie cycling shifts more energy toward training days and slightly less toward rest days, while preserving the same weekly average. It often changes carbohydrate intake the most.
6) Can I customize protein and fat targets?
Yes. Enter your preferred grams per kilogram for protein and fat. The calculator assigns the remaining calories to carbohydrates after those two macro targets are set.
7) What if my weight is not increasing?
Track body weight for two to three weeks first. If average weight does not rise, add 100 to 150 calories daily and reassess under similar training and hydration conditions.
8) Can I use this for cutting or maintenance?
It is designed for clean bulking. You can still use the maintenance output as a reference, but the surplus and pacing logic are built around gaining weight, not losing it.