The easiest way to determine how many calories you need is to weigh yourself at least 3 times a week and record what you eat using a calorie tracking app.

If your weight stays the same throughout the week, the amount of calories you eat is considered your “maintenance” level. You’re not losing or gaining weight but maintaining it.

Aim to increaseTrusted Source your calorie intake by about 15% during your bulking phase. For example, if you eat 3,000 calories daily to maintain weight, you should eat around 3,450 calories daily (3,000 x 0.15 = 450) to bulk.

Decrease your maintenance calories by about 15% to transition from a bulking to a cutting phase. In this example, you would consume 2,550 calories per day instead of 3,450.

Plan to revisit your calorie goals every month to account for changes in your weight. Increase your calories as you gain weight in the bulking phase and decrease your calories as you lose weight in the cutting phase for continued progression.