Calories to gain muscle for a 120 kg man
About 3,600 kcal on training days and 3,450 kcal on rest days, with 240 g protein, if you are 26, 172 cm and train 3–5 days a week. Your maintenance is about 3,333 kcal.
3,600kcal a day
240 gprotein
440 gcarbs
100 gfat
How the number is worked out
- Resting energy (Mifflin-St Jeor): 10 × 120 + 6.25 × 172 − 5 × 26 + 5 = 2,150 kcal.
- Times 1.55 for moderate activity = 3,333 kcal to stay the same weight.
- Plus 250 kcal to gain muscle, rounded to 50 = 3,600 kcal. Rest days are 150 kcal lower.
- Protein at 2 g per kg = 240 g. Fat at 25% of calories = 100 g. Carbs fill the rest: 440 g.
By how active you are
| Activity | Maintain | Training day | Rest day |
|---|---|---|---|
| Desk job, little exercise | 2,580 | 2,850 | 2,700 |
| Light: 1–3 workouts a week | 2,956 | 3,200 | 3,050 |
| Moderate: 3–5 workouts a week | 3,333 | 3,600 | 3,450 |
| Active: 6–7 hard sessions a week | 3,709 | 3,950 | 3,800 |
By age (moderately active)
| Age | Resting | Maintain | Target |
|---|---|---|---|
| 20 | 2,180 | 3,379 | 3,650 |
| 26 | 2,150 | 3,333 | 3,600 |
| 30 | 2,130 | 3,302 | 3,550 |
| 35 | 2,105 | 3,263 | 3,500 |
| 40 | 2,080 | 3,224 | 3,450 |
| 50 | 2,030 | 3,147 | 3,400 |
Height matters too: every 5 cm taller adds about 31 kcal to resting energy, or about 50 kcal a day at moderate activity.
What to expect
A 250 kcal surplus with hard training adds roughly 0.2–0.3 kg a week, a pace that keeps most of the gain as muscle. If your waist grows faster than your lifts, drop 100–150 kcal.
A vegetarian Indian day at this target
This day lands at 3,561 kcal and 182 g protein. Most of the protein comes from whey shake (with water) (48 g), paneer bhurji (30 g), peanut butter toast (17 g).
| Food | Portion | kcal | Protein |
|---|---|---|---|
| Breakfast | 218 | 12 g | |
| Moong dal chilla | 2 chilla | 218 | 12 g |
| Lunch | 803 | 30 g | |
| Chole | 1 katori | 230 | 9 g |
| Roti | 5 roti | 495 | 17 g |
| Cucumber raita | 1 katori | 78 | 4 g |
| Evening snack | 1205 | 82 g | |
| Whey shake (with water) | 2 scoops | 240 | 48 g |
| Peanut butter toast | 4 slices | 439 | 17 g |
| Banana shake | 2 × 1 glass | 526 | 17 g |
| Dinner | 1336 | 58 g | |
| Paneer bhurji | 2 katori | 550 | 30 g |
| Bhindi masala | 1 katori | 111 | 3 g |
| Roti | 5 roti | 495 | 17 g |
| Curd | 2 katori | 180 | 9 g |
| Day total | 3,561 | 182 g | |