Training glossaryNutrition & energy
Caloric surplus
A caloric surplus is eating more calories than the body burns in a day, creating extra energy to gain weight.
Also known as: Calorie surplus · Bulking
To gain muscle efficiently, a small to moderate surplus usually works better than a large excess, which tends to become more fat than muscle.
A surplus only becomes muscle when combined with strength training and progressive overload — without adequate stimulus, the extra calories accumulate as fat.
Sources
Scientific references behind this entry.
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