What is a calorie surplus?
A calorie surplus means eating more calories than your body burns. With strength training and enough protein, a small surplus is how most people build muscle.
Quick facts
| Formula | Calories eaten minus TDEE |
|---|---|
| Used for | Gaining weight or muscle |
| Pairs with | Strength training and enough protein |
Calorie calculator
Find how many calories a day you need to lose, maintain or gain weight.
Try a sample:
What does it mean?
A small surplus with training mostly adds muscle. A big one mostly adds fat.
The calorie calculator has a "gain" goal that sets a modest surplus for you.
How does it show up when you order food?
Takeout makes a surplus easy. High-protein big meals help: Swiss Chalet's Half Chicken Dinner has 109g of protein in 970 calories.