A Caloric Surplus Calculator

A caloric surplus is maintenance calories plus a daily amount sized to a weekly weight goal.

Maintenance caloriesTotal daily energy expenditure, the calories you currently maintain on.Weekly weight goalHow much weight you want to gain per week. A quarter to half a kilogram is the usual range.Goal unitKilograms of body mass store about 7700 calories, pounds about 3500.

Daily intake target

2,675

Daily caloric surplus: 275
Expected gain in a month: 1.0833

Values update as you type. This calculator covers the single scenario its formula assumes — see Common Mistakes for what it leaves out.

The formula this calculator uses

daily surplus = weekly goal x calories per unit / 7

S: Daily caloric surplus, calories per day
G: Weekly weight goal, in kilograms or pounds
C: Calories in one unit of body mass, about 7700 per kilogram or 3500 per pound

How to check the result by hand

1
Establish maintenance calories first
The surplus is relative to maintenance, not to current intake. If maintenance is unknown, estimate it from body mass, age, sex and activity, then verify against three weeks of weight data.
2
Decide the weekly weight goal
A quarter to half a kilogram a week is the usual range for gaining mostly lean mass. Faster targets add fat quickly and are rarely worth it.
3
Convert the goal into weekly calories
A quarter kilogram a week times 7700 is 1925 calories for the whole week, not for a single day.
4
Divide by seven for the daily figure
1925 over seven is 275 calories a day. This is the number to add to every day, including rest days.
5
Add it to maintenance
2400 plus 275 is 2675. That is the daily intake target, and it should be verified against the scale rather than trusted blindly.

For worked examples, common mistakes and the limits of this formula, read the full How To Calculate A Caloric Surplus page.