How to calculate an optimal caloric surplus for maximum muscle gain for a beginner?

Hello Mr. Santana,

Read your calorie position paper and the general recommendations for calories at the bottom. How do you go about finding the optimal caloric surplus for your client? I read on RP's Diet 2.0 that .5% of body-weight gain a week for no more than 16 weeks or 10% total body fat is probably as far as you want to push it. For someone who would be gaining less than a lb a week, how do you go about tracking this to know that its actually the calories moving the weight?

Thanks.

Those are weight gain guidelines are averages and also assume physique is a priority. The amount of fine tuning necessary to ensure a marginal weight gain is not practical for most but as long as you aren't gaining an excessive amount over a 3-4 month time course you're probably good.

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Originally Posted by Robert Santana

Those are weight gain guidelines are averages and also assume physique is a priority. The amount of fine tuning necessary to ensure a marginal weight gain is not practical for most but as long as you aren't gaining an excessive amount over a 3-4 month time course you're probably good.

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You've probably mentioned it but what is considered "excessive?" I would suppose it has to do with body fat more than weight and if that's the case, when does body fat become excessive? Probably sooner than some people think, I'd bet. Thank you sir.

Thanks Mr. Santana.

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Originally Posted by dalan

You've probably mentioned it but what is considered "excessive?" I would suppose it has to do with body fat more than weight and if that's the case, when does body fat become excessive? Probably sooner than some people think, I'd bet. Thank you sir.

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This depends on the person's body fat setpoint, level of competitiveness, body image perceptions, and overall health. In general, if a male is >~20-25% body fat or greater or a female is >30% body fat and has a high normal-to-overweight body mass index, then I'd say that is probably excessive. The latter being key because skinny fat guys and gals (normal-to-low BMI with high body fat percentage) tend to improve the ratio of the compartments to a greater extent by getting stronger and building muscle rather than losing fat. For instance, I know a woman who was 5'4" 96 lb @ 28% body fat. Ran a LP and got to 117 lb @ 20% body fat. So if you are 5'9" 200 lb @ 28% body fat that is different than being 160 lb @ 28% body fat.

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Originally Posted by Devin Morrison

Thanks Mr. Santana.

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You are welcome!

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Originally Posted by Robert Santana

This depends on the person's body fat setpoint, level of competitiveness, body image perceptions, and overall health. In general, if a male is >~20-25% body fat or greater or a female is >30% body fat and has a high normal-to-overweight body mass index, then I'd say that is probably excessive. The latter being key because skinny fat guys and gals (normal-to-low BMI with high body fat percentage) tend to improve the ratio of the compartments to a greater extent by getting stronger and building muscle rather than losing fat. For instance, I know a woman who was 5'4" 96 lb @ 28% body fat. Ran a LP and got to 117 lb @ 20% body fat. So if you are 5'9" 200 lb @ 28% body fat that is different than being 160 lb @ 28% body fat.

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Thanks. Not a complex question but even so, you gave a detailed response. That means something to me. Appreciated.

You are very welcome. Context is important especially with all the nonsense floating around.