Calories vs. Macro

[Lilman]

Over the past two years I've yoyo'd on my weight for different reasons. Keto, high carb, warrior, and what else I felt like trying. I've finally got to a stabilized point where my workouts are great and although I'm not lean by any means I'm happy with the fat. I've stayed around 145 for a few months now and I wanna try to pack on some weight cause quite frankly I'm tired of being the "little guy". My plan is to increase my calories. Would keeping the ratio the same be wise or increase a particular one? I know there's never a certain answer, just looking for opinions. Thanks guys

[bbjeff86]

Overall calorie increase will be the main determining factor for muscular weight gain... and or fat gain for that matter in the end.

It's hard to say anything concretely without knowing what you are currently doing (diet, training, cardio, etc.)

My general rules of thumb for increasing peoples muscular size and avoiding fat gain is as follows

1st: Increase protein (until hitting 1.5g/lb of lean body weight)
2nd: Increase fat (until hitting 0.5g/lb of lean body weight)
3rd: Increase carbohydrates (until hitting 3g/lb of lean body weight)

Increase slowly, max out protein first, then fat, then carbs (that's how I like to do it anyways). Once you are around those maxes and no longer gaining weight go back through adding .25g/lb lean body weight to your daily breakdown.

That is as general (and by no means set in stone guidelines) as I can be without knowing anything about you or your training or current diet.

[Lilman]

First off thanks for the reply. As of now average diest consists of 230/220/75 (p/c/f) which does put me above your reccomendations on pro and fat but wwaayyy low on carbs lol. But that is me guesstimating on LBM. Cardio is practically non-existant for me...besides walking up and down the hallways at work. Protein is up due to just always having high protein preached and fats were up because i dropped carbs a little. I'll proportion the fat and pro back out and work with carbs and see what happens from there.

[Pumped340]

Overall calorie increase will be the main determining factor for muscular weight gain... and or fat gain for that matter in the end.

It's hard to say anything concretely without knowing what you are currently doing (diet, training, cardio, etc.)

My general rules of thumb for increasing peoples muscular size and avoiding fat gain is as follows

1st: Increase protein (until hitting 1.5g/lb of lean body weight)
2nd: Increase fat (until hitting 0.5g/lb of lean body weight)
3rd: Increase carbohydrates (until hitting 3g/lb of lean body weight)

Increase slowly, max out protein first, then fat, then carbs (that's how I like to do it anyways). Once you are around those maxes and no longer gaining weight go back through adding .25g/lb lean body weight to your daily breakdown.

That is as general (and by no means set in stone guidelines) as I can be without knowing anything about you or your training or current diet.

Thats quite high with carbs. If I remember correctly you mentioned you put on fat easily correct? and you've found lean gains to be best with carbs that high?

[bbjeff86]

Thats quite high with carbs. If I remember correctly you mentioned you put on fat easily correct? and you've found lean gains to be best with carbs that high?

My carbs are not that high (3g/lb of lean weight)currently. I was simply listing that as the top end for what carbs should be for an idividual in my opinion. Carbs are the main fuel source for workouts as well as being very anabolic, so I think it's typically best to take your protein up to 1.5g/lb lean mass, fat can go a bit higher than I listed (maybe .75g/lb lean bodyweight), and then once those limits are reached take the individual up to a max of 3g C/lb lean body weight.

My current breakdown (at 193.5lbs) ir roughly 200-220gP/250-300gC/105gF