Building muscle requires two things: a training stimulus that challenges your muscles, and enough energy and protein to build new tissue. For many naturally lean people, the hardest part isn't the gym — it's eating enough food.
How big should your surplus be?
A lean bulk uses a modest surplus of around 200-300 kcal above maintenance. Beginners can gain roughly 0.5-1kg of muscle a month; eating far beyond that mostly adds fat that you'll need to diet off later. Aim to gain about 0.25-0.5% of body weight per week and adjust based on your rolling weight average in Mealify.
Protein targets
Research suggests around 1.6g of protein per kg of body weight maximises muscle growth for most people, with up to 2.2g/kg as a generous upper target. Spread it across 3-5 meals of roughly 0.4g/kg each.
Tricks for eating more without feeling stuffed
- Drink some calories. An oat, banana and peanut butter smoothie with whey easily delivers 700+ kcal in five minutes.
- Add energy-dense toppings: olive oil drizzles, nuts, seeds, cheese, avocado and nut butters.
- Choose denser carbs: rice, pasta, bagels and granola pack more energy per bite than potatoes or veg.
- Eat on a schedule rather than waiting for hunger, which is often blunted during a bulk.
Five bulking staples
- Mass-builder beef and sweet potato bowl with avocado
- Peanut satay chicken with jasmine rice and cashews
- Oat, banana and peanut butter mass gainer smoothie
- Loaded tikka chicken with basmati rice and half a naan
- Smoked salmon and scrambled egg bagel
Every recipe in our bulking collection is over 650 kcal per portion with the full macro breakdown shown.