To gain one pound of body weight, you generally need to consume an extra 3,500 calories beyond what your body burns. This figure is widely accepted and is based on the caloric content of body fat and weight gain studies
. More specifically:
- One pound of body fat is estimated to contain about 3,500 calories, though the exact number can range from approximately 3,436 to 3,752 calories because body fat tissue is not pure fat but also contains water and protein
- To gain weight at a safe and steady rate (about 0.5 to 1 pound per week), it is recommended to eat an additional 250 to 500 calories per day, totaling 1,750 to 3,500 extra calories per week
- For muscle gain, the calorie requirement may be slightly different; gaining one pound of lean muscle mass might require around 2,500 to 2,800 extra calories, depending on individual factors like training and body composition
- In metric terms, gaining 1 kilogram (about 2.2 pounds) requires roughly 7,000 extra calories
In summary, to gain one pound of body weight, aim to consume about 3,500 extra calories beyond your maintenance needs, spread over days or weeks depending on your desired rate of gain and body composition goals
