Bulk and Cut Calculator and Tracker
Get your calories for building or losing. Then log your weekly weigh-in and see if you should stay the course or adjust.
Your numbers
Protein: about g a day (0.7 to 1 g per pound of body weight). Want it built from your goal weight? Try the protein calculator.
Estimates use the Mifflin-St Jeor formula. Real bodies vary, so think of the first two weeks as a test, then adjust with the tracker below.
Weekly weigh-in log
Once a week is plenty. Same day, same time, ideally when you wake up and before you drink water.
| Date | Weight | Change | Remove |
|---|
Before you change anything, check all four
Most people look at one number and decide it is not working. Look at all four every time:
- How your clothes fit
- How you look in the mirror
- What the scale says
- What the tape measure says
If any one of them has changed, you have not plateaued. A real plateau is about four weeks with no change in any of the four.
Common questions
How many calories should I eat to bulk or cut?
The calculator estimates your maintenance calories, then adds a small amount to build or takes a small amount away to lose. Gentle, steady and firm are three step sizes. Start with gentle or steady.
How much should the scale move each week?
A common range for cutting is about 0.5 to 1 percent of your body weight a week. For a lean bulk it is about 0.25 to 0.5 percent a week. Weigh once a week, then look at the trend over a few weeks, not one number.
The scale did not move this week. Should I change my calories?
Not yet. Check the other three signals first: how your clothes fit, how you look in the mirror, and what a tape measure says. If any one of them changed, you have not stalled. A true plateau is about four weeks with no change in any of the four.
Is this safe for everyone?
No. This tool is for healthy adults 18 and older. If you are pregnant or nursing, have a medical condition, or have a history of disordered eating, talk to your doctor first. If tracking numbers makes you anxious, step back. Weekly is plenty.