How many calories should a 18-year-old male (lightly active) eat to gain muscle?
Answer
2,834 calories/day
BMR: 1,843 cal/dayTDEE (Lightly Active): 2,534 cal/dayGoal: Gain Muscle — TDEE + 300 cal surplus for lean muscle gainBased on 5'10", 180 lbs
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How We Calculated This
BMR = (10 × weight_kg) + (6.25 × height_cm) - (5 × age) + 5
BMR = (10 × 81.6) + (6.25 × 177.8) - (5 × 18) + 5 = 1843. TDEE = 1843 × 1.375 = 2534. Target = 2534 + 300 = 2834
Related Calculations
How many calories should a 18-year-old male (sedentary) eat to lose weight?1,711 calories/dayHow many calories should a 18-year-old male (sedentary) eat to maintain weight?2,211 calories/dayHow many calories should a 18-year-old male (sedentary) eat to gain muscle?2,511 calories/dayHow many calories should a 18-year-old male (lightly active) eat to lose weight?2,034 calories/dayHow many calories should a 18-year-old male (lightly active) eat to maintain weight?2,534 calories/day
Calculated using verified formulas. Last updated March 2026.