How to factor exercise into your surplus

[neptune22]

The general consensus is that you need a surplus of 300 - 500 calories (above your maintenance) in order to build muscle

So let's say your maintenance is 2000, this means 2300 - 2500ish.

My question is: How do you factor in exercise into this surplus? For example, what if your exercise routine ends up burning 600 calories. If you're eating 2500, burn 600 from exercise, then burn another 2000 as your maintenance, you're left with a deficit of 100 calories and so muscle building will not occur

Am I looking at this correctly?... What is the best way to factor in exercise to get a true idea of what one should be eating?

[Joshmbb]

I was wondering the same thing also.

[Pralidoxime]

It's THAT simple. Why are you trying to over-complicate things?

Try the diet with exercise for one week, if you aren't gaining weight then eat more.

[rand18m]

The general consensus is that you need a surplus of 300 - 500 calories (above your maintenance) in order to build muscle

Not sure why you say this^^!

Actually you should add 10-20% to maintenance and go from there, not arbitrary numbers. Please start here!

http://forum.bodybuilding.com/showth...hp?t=121703981

[graffiti36]

think of it this way:
you workout 3-4 times a week and need X calories per week (refer for link above for calculations)
Add a surplus for bulking purposes and divide this value by 7.
You now have the amount of calories you need to ingest daily

the human body doesnt exactly reset like a 24h clock

[sunchienlee]

What you forgot is that your maintenance includes the calories burned during the workout by multiplying the activity factor.

[neptune22]

Thanks all... I had no idea I was confusing BMR with Total Caloric Expenditure, but that link helped clarify. They are completely different, which explains the disparity between my numbers.

Looks like the route to go is to use those estimations (as per the link), then experiment like Pralidoxime said where you measure progress over a week or so.

[ZMan45]

Come up with a weekly maintenance. Micromanaging on a day to day basis is an exercise in futility. Weekly surplus within reason = good results.