While on, how imuch does calorie intake figure in to muscle gain?

[E-Swift25]

Say, if you're consuming 4000 calories a day versus 3000, will you be gaining significantly more muscle? This is assuming that protein intake is the same. I'm concerned with overeating to the point where those extra calories translate into fat, not muscle.

 

[Rokomuscle1]

Bottom line is you have to eat to grow.... how about just upping the calories to 3500 a day for a week and see how you weigh, look and feel...

 

[jcp2]

it depends on your maintenance, what your goals are, and how much fat you are willing to gain. It is alot to be answered without a lot of info on you. If you don't need much to grow, than 4000 may make you fat, but their are people out thier that need up to 5000 to grow. If you normally eat 3000 calories a day, i would probably start upping it by 500 like fantom said. But remember the more muscle you put on, that 3500 will likely become your new maintenance, and you will need to up it again if you plan on getting bigger. The more muscle you hold, the higher your maintenance calorie intake should be.

 

[StoneColdNTO]

But remember the more muscle you put on, that 3500 will likely become your new maintenance, and you will need to up it again if you plan on getting bigger. The more muscle you hold, the higher your maintenance calorie intake should be.

Very good point........one I think too many guys neglect to pay attention to.

IMO that is the main reason you see so many threads stating "my gains stopped after 6 weeks" or something like that.

 

[Mudge]

Start out with a relatively low bodyfat and freaking bulk up man, but you have to know what your maintenance is nobody here is going to guess it for you. Like said also, eventually you weigh enough that if you dont keep eating you will drop weight. Manfred Hoeberl claims he drops weight if he goes below his 7,000 calories, he is 6'5" and I forget his weight but he claims to have a fast metabolism.

 

[GearTripper]

i think eating is a key factor against post-cycle crashing. from my personal experience, i noticed that with proper post cycle therapy (pct), i can keep most of my gains as long as i keep up or increase my caloric intake. it's when i stop eating that i suddenly begin to loose the weight.

 

[E-Swift25]

A lot of good info here, thanks for the input. I think progressively increasing calories is the way to go for me. Starting out at 3000 and moving toward 4000 would limit fat gain but still promote growth since I have a caloric intake that relative to my body weight.