How Many Calories to Gain Muscle or Lose Fat?
Knowing how many calories you need to gain muscle or lose fat can be tricky. This article changes that so you approach your diet with confidence.
The recommended daily calorie intake for the average woman to maintain her weight is 2,000 calories.
To lose 0.45 kg (1 lb) weekly, she’ll need to cut down to 1,500 calories daily.
But … as you may have suspected, you can’t just hit “Ctrl + C” and “Ctrl + V” on those numbers and then expect to see optimal results.
Because you’re not average.
Also, on a more definitive note, calorie requirements between individuals will vary depending on factors like:
- Age, height, weight
- Physical activity levels
- Body fat percentage
- Your goal (e.g., you want to become a muscle mommy instead of losing fat)
- And more
So, with that said, how can you figure out your calorie needs — i.e., how many calories to gain muscle, fat, maintain, or whatever your body goal is? This article breaks it all down for you.
Understanding calorie balance
Before diving into the specifics of how many calories to gain muscle, let’s briefly understand the concept of calories first.
