
HOW BIG OF A CALORIE SURPLUS DO YOU NEED FOR MUSCLE GROWTH? | LEAN GAINS SERIES PART 4 | EP. 213
From Chasing Clarity: Health & Fitness Podcast by Brandon DaCruz
April 22, 2026 · 33 min
About this episode
In this episode, Brandon DaCruz discusses the optimal calorie surplus needed for muscle growth while minimizing fat gain.
Most people still think building muscle is as simple as “just eating more.” So they push their calories in the name of muscle gain and then they wonder why they gained far more fat than muscle. In Part 4 of my LEAN GAINS SERIES, I break down the truth about calorie intake for muscle growth and answer one of the most common questions I get as a coach: HOW BIG OF A SURPLUS DO YOU ACTUALLY NEED TO BUILD MUSCLE? Because the goal of a productive Lean Building Phase is not just to gain weight. It’s to gain MUSCLE while minimizing unnecessary fat gain so you can improve body composition long-term. In this episode, I cover: THE BIGGEST MISCONCEPTIONS AROUND CALORIE INTAKE FOR MUSCLE GAIN WHY YOU CANNOT FORCE FEED MUSCLE GROWTH THE RATE OF GAIN TARGETS I USE WITH CLIENTS IN A LEAN BUILDING PHASE WHY I USE A RATE OF GAIN INSTEAD OF A BLANKET “300 CALORIE SURPLUS” RECOMMENDATION THE RESEARCH COMPARING FAST VS SLOW WEIGHT GAIN AND WHAT IT MEANS FOR FAT GAIN THE MOST RECENT STUDY BY HELMS ET AL. 2023 ON SMALL VS LARGE SURPLUSES IN TRAINED LIFTERS If you want to build a lean, strong, muscular physique without spending half the year dieting off a bad bulk, this episode will give you the…
People in this episode
Host: Brandon DaCruz
Topics covered
- calorie surplus
- muscle growth
- body composition
- lean gains
- nutrition misconceptions
- weight gain strategies
Keywords
- calorie intake
- muscle gain
- lean building phase
- fat gain
- weight gain targets
- nutrition
- fitness coaching
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