A surplus diet, also known as a calorie surplus diet, is a nutritional strategy where you intentionally consume more calories than your body needs to maintain its current weight. This diet is popular among individuals who aim to gain muscle mass, increase strength, or bulk up. Unlike traditional dieting aimed at weight loss, the surplus diet is focused on adding weight, ideally in the form of lean muscle.
In this article, we’ll dive deep into what a surplus diet is, how it works, and how to properly follow it to achieve your goals.
Understanding the Caloric Surplus
A surplus diet is all about caloric intake. To understand how it works, you need to grasp the concept of calorie balance:
Caloric maintenance: This is the number of calories your body needs daily to maintain its current weight.
Caloric deficit: If you consume fewer calories than your body needs, you will lose weight.
Caloric surplus: If you consume more calories than your body needs, you will gain weight.
How Does a Surplus Diet Work?
The basic idea behind a surplus diet is to create an energy surplus by eating more than your body burns in a day. This extra energy is then stored and used by your body to build new tissues, primarily muscle when paired with strength training.
For example, if your body requires 2,500 calories per day to maintain your weight, you would aim to eat 200 to 500 extra calories per day to create a surplus. The goal is to ensure that the majority of the weight you gain is lean muscle, not fat.
Benefits of a Surplus Diet
A calorie surplus can be highly beneficial for those with specific fitness goals. Here are some of the key benefits:
1. Muscle Gain
One of the most significant advantages of a surplus diet is its ability to promote muscle growth. When you consume more calories than you burn, your body uses that surplus energy to repair and build muscles after strength training sessions. This process, known as hypertrophy, allows muscles to grow larger and stronger over time.
2. Improved Athletic Performance
For athletes, having extra energy can improve performance. A calorie surplus can fuel longer and more intense workouts, leading to better results in strength and endurance training.
3. Increased Strength
More muscle means more strength. When you follow a surplus diet and combine it with weightlifting, you can lift heavier weights, further stimulating muscle growth and boosting your strength levels.
4. Faster Recovery
With extra nutrients and energy available, your body recovers faster from intense workouts. A surplus diet ensures that your muscles receive the building blocks they need to repair themselves after exercise, reducing soreness and improving overall recovery.
Key Components of a Surplus Diet
Following a surplus diet requires more than just eating extra food. To ensure you gain muscle and minimize fat gain, your surplus diet should include the right balance of macronutrients—proteins, carbohydrates, and fats.
1. Protein
Protein is the most critical nutrient for building muscle. When you’re in a calorie surplus, you need to consume enough protein to ensure your body has the amino acids it needs to repair and grow muscle tissue.
Aim for about 1.6 to 2.2 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight daily. High-protein foods include:
Lean meats (chicken, turkey, beef)
Fish (salmon, tuna)
Eggs
Dairy products (milk, yogurt, cheese)
Plant-based proteins (beans, lentils, tofu)
2. Carbohydrates
Carbohydrates are your body’s primary energy source. When you eat in a calorie surplus, you should increase your carbohydrate intake to fuel your workouts and help replenish glycogen stores in your muscles. This will give you the energy to lift heavier weights and perform better during exercise.
Focus on complex carbohydrates like:
Whole grains (brown rice, oats, quinoa)
Vegetables (sweet potatoes, spinach)
Fruits (bananas, apples)
Legumes (beans, peas)
3. Fats
Healthy fats are essential for hormone production, including hormones like testosterone that play a key role in muscle growth. Fats also help with nutrient absorption and can increase your overall calorie intake, making it easier to reach your surplus goals.
Include healthy fats from sources like:
Nuts and seeds (almonds, chia seeds)
Avocados
Olive oil
Fatty fish (salmon, mackerel)
How to Calculate Your Calorie Surplus
To determine how many calories you need for a surplus diet, follow these simple steps:
1. Calculate Your Maintenance Calories
Your maintenance calories represent the number of calories your body needs to maintain its current weight. This number varies based on your age, gender, weight, height, and activity level. You can use an online calculator or a formula like the Mifflin-St Jeor Equation to estimate your maintenance calories.
2. Add 200-500 Calories to Your Maintenance Level
Once you know your maintenance level, you can create a surplus by adding 200 to 500 calories. A smaller surplus (200 calories) will result in slower weight gain but is more likely to lead to muscle gain with minimal fat. A larger surplus (500 calories) will result in faster weight gain but may include more fat gain.
3. Monitor Your Progress
It’s essential to track your progress during a surplus diet. Weigh yourself weekly and monitor how your body composition changes. If you’re gaining too much fat, reduce your calorie intake slightly. If you’re not gaining weight, increase your calories by another 100-200 per day.
See Also: Top 10 Items for Your Clean Eating Grocery List
Common Mistakes to Avoid on a Surplus Diet
While a surplus diet can be effective, there are some common mistakes that people make when trying to gain muscle:
1. Overeating Junk Food
Some people use a calorie surplus as an excuse to eat anything they want, including unhealthy foods like fast food, sugary snacks, and processed meals. While it’s okay to indulge occasionally, focusing too much on junk food can lead to excessive fat gain and poor health.
Instead, focus on nutrient-dense foods that will fuel muscle growth and support your overall health.
2. Not Strength Training
Eating in a surplus without engaging in resistance training will likely result in fat gain rather than muscle gain. To build muscle, you need to follow a structured weightlifting program that targets all major muscle groups.
3. Inconsistent Calorie Intake
To see results from a surplus diet, consistency is key. Make sure you’re consistently eating in a calorie surplus and tracking your intake. Skipping meals or not eating enough on certain days can slow down your progress.
How Long Should You Follow a Surplus Diet?
The length of time you should follow a surplus diet depends on your goals. Most people follow a surplus diet for 3 to 6 months, also known as the bulking phase. After that, many switch to a cutting phase, where they reduce calorie intake to lose any excess fat gained during the surplus period.
Conclusion
A surplus diet is an excellent choice if your goal is to build muscle, increase strength, or enhance athletic performance. However, it’s important to approach it with a plan, focusing on quality foods, proper strength training, and consistent calorie intake. By following these guidelines, you can maximize muscle gain while minimizing fat gain, helping you reach your fitness goals effectively.
If you’re new to the surplus diet or strength training, consider working with a nutritionist or personal trainer to design a personalized plan that fits your needs and lifestyle.
