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dotFIT Europe Home > Learn > Muscle Gain > FAQs > Since it takes a 3500 calorie deficit to lose a pound do I have to eat 3500 calories more to gain a pound?
Xtreme Muscle Stack: Creating the Perfect Anabolic Storm
on February 13, 2019
If you diligently follow the recommendations outlined in this article, you will be amazed at the pace at which your body increases muscle size and strength. If you have been at a plateau and thought adding muscle was no longer possible, then rejoice in the knowledge that you have an arsenal of weapons at your disposal that can allow you to naturally maximize your muscle building physiology. More...
Use Pre & Post Snacks to Maximize Performance
on February 13, 2019
Traditional whole foods are not ideal pre- and post-training snacks because of the time it takes to digest solid food including extraction then absorption of the needed nutrients (about 2-3 hours). Although nutrition bars with the proper carbohydrate, protein and fat ratios can be effectively used before and after exercise, liquid is generally better for the simple reason of speed to the muscles. More...
Load Your Energy Systems for Peak Performance
on February 13, 2019
The athlete’s goal is to have their stomachs relatively empty while energy stores are full at the start of training or competition. Following a specific eating pattern can maximize the storage and production of energy. By properly loading your energy systems (phosphocreatine and glycogen) that are rapidly depleted during exercise, you can delay fatigue and optimize performance during activity. More...

Since it takes a 3500 calorie deficit to lose a pound do I have to eat 3500 calories more to gain a pound?

On Wednesday, February 13, 2019



Answer: If you wanted to gain one pound of body fat, you would have to consume 3500 calories more than you burned in any timeframe. But your question is probably referring to gaining a pound of muscle, not fat. The interesting thing is that when people gain fat weight, they also gain lean body mass (LBM) even if they don’t exercise.  Due to the added load and stress upon the body of carrying around more weight, small amounts of muscle, bone, etc., will be added (usually one-quarter LBM to three-quarters fat). Therefore, we often use the formula of 3000 calories per pound for weight gain. Muscle weight is primarily water and its dry weight (protein) contains four calories per gram vs. the nine calories per gram fat holds, thus muscle can yield about 800 calories per pound when including the water weight. When we project muscle gain within any goal we make calorie adjustments based on these numbers. To ensure muscle gain, the appropriate stimulus of exercise is needed, followed by sufficient calories and nutrients to take advantage of the workouts. There are other fine-tuning measures that can be utilized to ensure that muscle building occurs at its greatest possible rate. See Xtreme Muscle Stack: Creating the Perfect Anabolic Storm for more information on how to maximize your rate of muscle gain.