Bulking Calculator
Bulking Calorie Calculator works out Daily calorie target and Maintenance calories from Units, Weight and Extra pounds. The default figures on this page give daily calorie target of 3,047 kcal/day; change any entry and the result, the working and the sources update together.
Your figures
Updates as you typeHow this is worked out
7 steps
- Mifflin-St Jeor (1990): BMR = 10 x 80 + 6.25 x 170 - 5 x 30 + 5 = 1717.5 kcal/day
- Maintenance = 1717.5 x 1.55 (Moderately active - exercise 3-5 days a week) = 2662.1 kcal/day
- 0.35 kg/week x 7700 kcal per kg / 7 days = 385 kcal/day
- Target = 2662.1 + 385 = 3047.1 kcal/day
- Protein = 2 g/kg x 80 kg = 160 g (640 kcal)
- Fat = 25% of 3047 kcal / 9 = 84.6 g
- Carbohydrate = remaining 1645 kcal / 4 = 411.3 g
Its 5 worked examples are re-run on every release, last on 15 September 2026. What changed
Sources and references
7 sources
Keep this result
Save it, change one figure, then compare the two
The calculation stays free. Save this scenario, adjust one assumption, save that too, and put them side by side to see exactly what the change costs you. A free account keeps 5 scenarios and 2 comparisons; Personal makes both unlimited and adds exports and private links. Nothing is saved unless you press Save.
What the Bulking Calorie Calculator calculates
Daily calorie target for weight loss, maintenance, gain or body recomposition, from a resting metabolic rate equation or the USDA MyPlate energy requirement, with a protein, fat and carbohydrate split.
How to use this Bulking Calorie Calculator
Enter Units, Weight, Extra pounds and Height. Daily calorie target updates as you type. Change one figure at a time to see what drives the result.
How the result is worked out
Open “How this is worked out” beside the result for the step-by-step calculation behind Daily calorie target, Maintenance calories and Basal metabolic rate.
The method follows Mifflin MD et al. - A new predictive equation for resting energy expenditure in healthy individuals, Institute of Medicine - Dietary Reference Intakes for Energy, Carbohydrate, Fiber, Fat, Fatty Acids, Cholesterol, Protein, and Amino Acids, Chapter 5 (Estimated Energy Requirement equations and physical activity coefficients), USDA MyPlate Plan - calorie levels derived from the IOM Estimated Energy Requirement equations, Wishnofsky M - Caloric equivalents of gained or lost weight (the 3500 kcal per pound figure) and Hall KD et al. - Quantification of the effect of energy imbalance on bodyweight (why the 3500 kcal rule over-predicts long-run loss).
What you can compare
Change one input at a time to see how it affects Daily calorie target, Maintenance calories and Basal metabolic rate. The inputs you can vary are Units, Weight, Extra pounds, Height, Height (feet) and Height (inches).
Understanding Daily calorie target, Maintenance calories and Basal metabolic rate
A calorie target from a predictive equation is a starting estimate, not a prescription. Very low intakes, rapid loss, or any calorie target during pregnancy, breastfeeding, adolescence, eating-disorder recovery or a managed medical condition should be set with a doctor or registered dietitian.
Results are general information, not financial, tax, legal, medical or engineering advice. Check any decision that matters with a qualified professional.
See something wrong? Report a problem with this calculator
Frequently asked questions
Is 3000 calories a day a bulk?
Daily calorie target for weight loss, maintenance, gain or body recomposition, from a resting metabolic rate equation or the USDA MyPlate energy requirement, with a protein, fat and carbohydrate split. On the figures this page opens with — weight 80, height 180 cm and age 30 years — the daily calorie target is 3,047 kcal/day. Put your own figures in their place and the working updates beside the result.
How many calories do I need for bulking?
On the figures this page opens with — weight 80, height 180 cm, age 30 years and target rate of weight change per week 0.5 — the daily calorie target is 3,047 kcal/day. No single number fits everyone: change any figure above and the answer updates as you type, with each step of the arithmetic beside it.
Is 4000 calories a day enough to bulk?
It needs Units, Weight, Extra pounds, Height, Height (feet) and Height (inches). Nothing else is required, and the figures stay in your browser.
Is 300 calories a lean bulk?
The result gives Daily calorie target, Maintenance calories, Basal metabolic rate, Daily deficit (-) or surplus (+), Target after eating back logged exercise and Expected weight change per week, each labelled with its unit so the figure can be read on its own.
How do I calculate my bulk calories?
Daily calorie target for weight loss, maintenance, gain or body recomposition, from a resting metabolic rate equation or the USDA MyPlate energy requirement, with a protein, fat and carbohydrate split. Open “How this is worked out” beside the result to see each step for your own figures.
How many calories should I take for bulking?
The page opens with worked default figures: daily calorie target of 3,047 kcal/day. Replace them with your own and every figure updates as you type.