Is a caloric surplus required to reach genetic potential?

[HonorTillTheEnd]

Hi everyone, I am a 19 year old male. I am 5'9 147 lbs 15% bodyfat and I just got into bodybuilding. I have always gained weight very easily (fat). I have a clear vision of what I want to look like. I want to build as much muscle as I possibly can, while having a bodyfat percentage of 10-15%. I have been doing a lot of research and many of the fitness youtubers I have watched say that a caloric surplus should begin at around 8-10% bf. I'm all good with that, but I was also wondering whether it is actually needed for me to get to my genetic potential for size. I want to put an emphasis on genetic potential, because I know I can build muscle without a surplus. I want to be as massive and muscular as I possibly can naturally. I get enough protein in daily (80-125 grams per day from clean foods), and I am eating at a caloric maintenance; so I am all good with diet. I would like to ask that anyone with a good amount of knowledge on the subject can give me some insight as well as some links to legitimate research. Thanks!

[TolerantLactose]

A calorie surplus is absolutely required to gain weight. Do you think you can approach your potential while staying at 147lbs?

[Animal2692]

To reach genetic potential and gain weight? Absolutely.

To build muscle alone? No, as you need a positive nitrogen balance where protein synthesis outweighs protein breakdown but this will only work for so long and only under the right circumstances.

[CommitmentRulz]

OP, so you're saying "I want to reach my GENETIC POTENTIAL, but weigh no more than 147 pounds? Pick one.

[air2fakie]

Unless you have a genetic disorder or disease, it's unlikely that your potential for being as massive and muscular as possible naturally is at 147 lbs or less.

[lara012]

I dont know how tall you are but I will speak from my own experience.. I used to be very underweight about 115 lbs and im 5.7

what I did is I stuffed myself with food until I reached the weight goal and then just maintained it and ate regular meals

[HonorTillTheEnd]

OP, so you're saying "I want to reach my GENETIC POTENTIAL, but weigh no more than 147 pounds? Pick one.

I did not say I wanted to weigh no more than 147 lbs. I said I weigh 147 lbs at 15% bodyfat. I said I don't want to be any more than 15% bodyfat. i.e I am 147lb 15% bodyfat, but in around 10 years I want to be 180-200 lbs at 10-15% bodyfat. I want to get a lot heavier, but also not be over 15% bodyfat.

[CommitmentRulz]

I did not say I wanted to weigh no more than 147 lbs. I said I weigh 147 lbs at 15% bodyfat. I said I don't want to be any more than 15% bodyfat. i.e I am 147lb 15% bodyfat, but in around 10 years I want to be 180-200 lbs at 10-15% bodyfat. I want to get a lot heavier, but also not be over 15% bodyfat.

OK. My bad. I interpreted this as meaning you didn't want to go higher.

and I am eating at a caloric maintenance; so I am all good with diet.

[smokinal]

May I ask you something?
If you are eating at maint, where are the extra pounds that you want to put on going to come from?

[Dennis71]

May I ask you something?
If you are eating at maint, where are the extra pounds that you want to put on going to come from?

This is great way to put it

[HonorTillTheEnd]

May I ask you something?
If you are eating at maint, where are the extra pounds that you want to put on going to come from?

Increasing the weight of my lifts. From what I have found researching the topic, you can build some muscle at maintenance. I just wanted to know if it is needed for maximum growth. My plan now is to re-comp then go on a surplus, because again, I am at 15% bodyfat.

[air2fakie]

Increasing the weight of my lifts. From what I have found researching the topic, you can build some muscle at maintenance. I just wanted to know if it is needed for maximum growth. My plan now is to re-comp then go on a surplus, because again, I am at 15% bodyfat.

Give proper info up front otherwise it's even more confusing than it is now. Do more research since there's a big difference between "can build some" and "maximum growth".

If you want to gain 50 lbs later to be as massive and muscular as possible, how would you be reaching your genetic potential and max growth beforehand while staying at the same weight?

[HonorTillTheEnd]

Give proper info up front otherwise it's even more confusing than it is now. Do more research since there's a big difference between "can build some" and "maximum growth".

If you want to gain 50 lbs later to be as massive and muscular as possible, how would you be reaching your genetic potential and max growth beforehand while staying at the same weight?

Like I said, I don't want to stay at the same weight. I said that I don't want my bodyfat percentage to be above 15%. I want to get heavier, but not be over 15% bodyfat.

[TolerantLactose]

Like I said, I don't want to stay at the same weight. I said that I don't want my bodyfat percentage to be above 15%. I want to get heavier, but not be over 15% bodyfat.

If you want to get heavier, a calorie surplus is ****absolutely***** required.

Increasing the weight of my lifts.

This is not enough.

[air2fakie]

Like I said, I don't want to stay at the same weight. I said that I don't want my bodyfat percentage to be above 15%. I want to get heavier, but not be over 15% bodyfat.

Do more research since I don't think any of the terms or phrases you use mean what you think they mean, and I doubt your bf % estimate is accurate either.

You sound like you're doing all of this in theory and have no experience lifting while eating at maintenance or a surplus.

[LittleIronGirl]

The difference between gaining weight but staying relatively lean versus gaining weight but looking 'fat' is how big the calorie surplus is.

Just eat slightly above maintenance. When you stop gaining, increase it a bit more.

[desslok]

Below is the complete list of pro bodybuilders who bulked at maintenance:





























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[cannotdie]

Below is the complete list of pro bodybuilders who bulked at maintenance:





























.

I dont see anything

[faithbrah]

I dont see anything

weird, me neither... forum bug maybe?

[Mrpb]

I want to be as massive and muscular as I possibly can naturally. I get enough protein in daily (80-125 grams per day from clean foods)

80 grams won't be enough. Minimum is 0.7 gram per lb.

Pick a good program like Fierce 5 and eat sufficiently to get stronger every week.

[Xpiro]

Like I said, I don't want to stay at the same weight. I said that I don't want my bodyfat percentage to be above 15%. I want to get heavier, but not be over 15% bodyfat.

Maintenance = weight stays the same

If your weight changes in either direction save for small daily fluctuations then you’re not eating at maintenance lol

[tkav1980]

You and everyone else on the planet can not break the laws of thermodynamics. Full stop. If you use more energy than you take in you will lose weight including muscle.

Eat a minimum of 1.5g protien per lb of bodyweight and only use simple carbs pre and post workout to leverage the effects of insulin. The rest of the day eat more fibrous carbs and healthy fats.
You will hit your goal weight in 3 or 4 years max as long as you're consistent and use an intelligent training program that focuses on progressive overload.

[Mrpb]

Eat a minimum of 1.5g protien per lb of bodyweight

No sir. Way more than necessary.

and only use simple carbs pre and post workout to leverage the effects of insulin.

No benefits to doing that.

Please read the stickies for the science based recommendations of 2021.

[tkav1980]

[QUOTE=Mrpb;1631022893]No sir. Way more than necessary.


No benefits to doing that.

Please read the stickies for the science based recommendations

If I PM you the peer reviewed research that contradicts your statement, Would you post it? I just spent 40 minutes putting it all together only to have the site tell me I cant post links.
Those include both medical research journals and government databases like pubmed.

[Mrpb]

If I PM you the peer reviewed research that contradicts your statement, Would you post it? I just spent 40 minutes putting it all together only to have the site tell me I cant post links.
Those include both medical research journals and government databases like pubmed.

Sure. You can also post the link with spaces in between but before you do please read this carefully:

For simple carbs pre and post workout:
https://jissn.biomedcentral.com/arti...1550-2783-10-5

For the latest science on protein intake:
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/28698222/