Fitness Nation Forum

There is no universal lean bulk calorie number. Two people with the same height and weight can have very different maintenance needs because of differences in activity metabolism and training

I would use your rate of progress as the main feedback mechanism. If performance is improving and body weight is slowly increasing then the plan is probably working

I agree that the trend over time is much more useful than trying to find a perfect calorie number from the start. I’d also track body weight alongside training performance and waist measurements, since a fast increase in weight without a similar improvement in strength or performance could be a sign that the surplus is too high.

One thing I find helpful is using a calorie calculator to get an initial maintenance estimate, then adjusting based on actual results rather than treating the calculation as exact. That gives you a starting point while still letting your progress determine where the calories should go.