Fitness & Health

Weight Gain Calorie Target Calculator

Estimates how many calories a day you should eat to put on weight at the pace you choose. It runs a Mifflin-St Jeor BMR, scales it for your activity, and adds a surplus based on 3,500 kcal per pound.

How to use
  1. Enter your age, sex, height, and weight.
  2. Pick your activity level and weekly gain pace.
  3. Adjust the pace if the number feels too aggressive.
Weekly pace
Calories per day to eat
2,629 kcal

TDEE 2,379 + 250 kcal surplus

BMR
1,535 kcal
TDEE
2,379 kcal
Daily surplus
+250 kcal
Weekly gain
0.5 lb
Weeks to goal
30 weeks
Estimates for general wellness, not medical advice. Check with a doctor or dietitian before acting on health figures.
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How it's calculated

intake = TDEE + (pace × 3500 ÷ 7), TDEE = BMR × activity

BMR = 10 × kg + 6.25 × cm − 5 × age + s (s = +5 male, −161 female), TDEE = BMR × activity factor, pace = target weekly gain in lb, 3500 = kcal per pound of mass. Mifflin-St Jeor BMR.

Reference ranges

Weekly gainDaily surplus
0.25 lb+125 kcal
0.5 lb+250 kcal
1 lb+500 kcal

Common questions

How fast should I try to gain weight?

A surplus of 250 to 500 kcal a day adds roughly half a pound to a pound a week. Slower gains favor muscle over fat for most people.

Why does the calculator use 3,500 calories per pound?

That's the long-standing NIH and CDC estimate for the energy in a pound of body weight. It's a rule of thumb, so real-world gains vary.

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