Instant overview
If you're a hardgainer, a good starting point for your bulking diet is around 22 calories per pound of bodyweight per day — that's roughly 3,300 calories if you weigh 150lbs. - Aim for a macro split of about 25% protein, 40% carbohydrates and 35% fat, making sure protein never drops below 20% of your daily intake.
- Focus on energy-dense whole foods like nuts, oats, oily fish, sweet potatoes and dried fruit — gorging on fast food might sound fun, but it can actually make building muscle harder.
- Try to eat at least six times a day, using protein shakes and calorie-dense snacks to help you hit your targets without feeling stuffed.
A bulking diet is an eating plan built around a calorie surplus to help you gain muscle. If you're a hardgainer — someone who struggles to put on weight no matter how hard they train — it means eating energy-dense whole foods across six or more meals a day, aiming for roughly 25% protein, 40% carbs and 35% fat, and tweaking things every couple of weeks based on how your body responds.
Bulking diet: at a glance
| Feature | Specification | Why it matters |
|---|---|---|
| Starting calorie target | ~22 calories per pound of bodyweight | Provides a research-backed baseline for hardgainers to build from |
| Macro split | 25% protein / 40% carbs / 35% fat | Balances muscle-building protein with energy-dense carbs and fats |
| Minimum protein intake | At least 20% of total calories | Supports muscle protein synthesis and recovery |
| Meal frequency | 6+ meals per day | Spreads calories across the day to avoid feeling overly full |
| Adjustment period | Every two weeks | Allows time to assess progress and increase by ~200 calories if needed |
Jump to:
- How many calories should I eat?
- How many carbs, how much protein and fat?
- The bulking diet plan
- A typical day of food for a hardgainer
- Essential hardgaining foods
- Bulking diet: at a glance
- Frequently asked questions
Hardgainer's macro breakdown: how many calories should a hardgainer eat?
If you're a hard gainer, you need to eat a little more than your average Joe. Research has shown that a good starting point would be to aim to consume approximately 22 calories per pound of body weight per day. For example, if you weigh 150lbs, aim to consume around 3,300 calories per day.
Each person's metabolism is slightly different, and although 3,000 calories for one individual weighing 150lbs is a starting guideline, this is a trial-and-error process. This figure may have to be increased or decreased, depending on how your body reacts.
How many carbs, how much protein and fat?
So how many of the 3,000 calories should be made up of carbohydrates, fat and protein? You might think that 90% of your intake needs to be made up of huge steaks and raw eggs, but think again. Research shows that the ideal macronutrient ratio should be broken down into a ratio of approximately:
- Protein: ~25%
- Carbohydrates: ~40%
- Fat: ~35%
Although the above ratio is commonly used by people who struggle to put on weight, remember, it's just a guideline. All bodies are different, and it's about finding the right ratio for your body — trial and error. If you eat like this for around two weeks and see no weight gain, you should increase your calories by about 200 calories per day and see if this helps. It's all about the time and tuning to meet your individual needs.
Ensure you don't skimp on the protein, either. Studies show that protein is an extremely important macronutrient for hardgainers (and non-hardgainers, too), and should therefore contribute to at least 20% of your food intake every day.
Check out our macro calculator to find out how many carbs, protein, and fat you need for your goal.
The bulking diet plan
A lot of people who struggle to gain weight believe that they can gorge on fast food to rack up their calorie intake. But, as much fun as that sounds, unfortunately, gaining weight fast and in excessive amounts can take its toll on our bodies, and that brings several different health risks, too.
Gaining weight too quickly can accelerate fat storage, causing changes in insulin sensitivity and the signalling between cells required for building muscle, which can make muscle growth even more difficult.
For some people, eating is a pleasure, however, for others, it's a chore. If you're someone who gets full very easily, you need to consume more energy-dense food with large amounts of calories, rather than filling up on low-calorie, high-fibre foods. It's important to eat a lot of fruit and vegetables, as vitamins and minerals are essential to our health and well-being — just eat them in addition to the energy-dense foods, rather than instead of them.
A typical day of food for a hardgainer
This diet plan gives you an idea of how much food you should be eating and when. You might choose to train in the morning instead, but overall, it's important to make sure you get a range of nutrients and you're eating at least six times per day.
| Meal time | Example meal | Macronutrients |
| Meal 1 — 7am | 1 cup instant oats 1 scoop Impact Whey Protein 4 whole eggs & 2 egg whites |
663kcal 55g carbs 63g protein 24g fat |
| Meal 2 — 9:30am | 1 scoop Weight Gainer Blend 5 fl oz of whole milk or water |
473kcal 50g carbs 57g protein 16.2g fat |
| Meal 3 — 12:30pm | 1 medium baked sweet potato 1 baked salmon fillet 2 tbsp sour cream 2 tbsp sesame seeds Handful of spinach 10 fl oz whole milk (as a drink) |
719kcal 53g carbs 48g protein 35g fat |
| Meal 4 — 3:30pm | 1/2 cup Greek yoghurt 1 scoop Impact Whey Protein 1 banana 8 whole almonds |
432kcal 109g carbs 37.5g protein 10.7g fat |
| Meal 5 — 6:30pm | 1 chicken breast 1/2 cooked onion 1/2 cooked bell pepper 1 cup cooked rice 4 tbsp salsa 2 tbsp sour cream 1/2 can mixed beans |
724kcal 109g carbs 45g protein 10g fat |
| Meal 6 — 9:30pm | 1 scoop casein protein 1 tbsp natural peanut butter Mix with either: 7 fl oz whole milk, or 1/2 cup Greek yoghurt |
324kcal 128g carbs 34g protein 14.5g fat |
Essential hardgaining foods
To ensure you reach your calorie targets, keep track of your calorie intake. You can use calorie-counting apps or simply log it in a notepad. Ensure you know what you're going to eat and when. You can prepare your meals the night before or even a few days in advance, making sure you include the following top hardgaining foods.
1. Protein shakes
You're going to be eating a fair amount of protein, so protein shakes are a tasty, convenient way to get all the protein you need. Products such as the Extreme Gainer Blend contain just over 500kcal per serving, and plenty of carbs and protein, so they make the perfect quick snack or meal replacement.
THE Gainer is an even more calorie-dense option, with over 700kcal per serving. This is definitely a good option if you struggle to hit your calorie targets.
If you prefer making your own shakes, ensure you add an adequate amount of protein, carbohydrates and fat. This might involve getting a good whey protein or protein blend such as total protein, a good source of carbohydrates such as maltodextrin, and also a good supply of healthy fats, such as peanut butter.
2. Lean meat and fish
To build muscle, you need to eat protein. Lean meat and fish are the best sources of protein with all the essential amino acids your muscles require to repair and grow. If you're vegan, eat a good variety of plant-based protein sources to ensure you're getting the full spectrum of amino acids.
3. Nuts
Start getting nuts about nuts! Nuts are energy-dense, which means they're full of calories. They also provide a good source of healthy mono- and polyunsaturated fats, both of which are essential if you're looking for gains. So snack away on nuts (unless you're allergic of course) to help boost your calorie intake.
4. Oats
Oats are a good source of carbohydrates that will add extra calories to your diet without making you feel as if you're about to burst. They are perfect to be enjoyed in the morning with full-fat milk mixed with protein powder, or in a post-workout protein shake.
5. Eggs
Eggs are a good source of healthy fat and protein. Enjoy a healthy omelette, poached, boiled or scrambled eggs.
6. Salmon and other oily fish
Oily fish, such as salmon and sardines, are recommended to be consumed at least twice per week. Eating salmon will provide you with a good source of essential omega-3 fatty acids, as well as a good source of protein.
7. Coconut and olive oil
To gain muscle, you need a good source of healthy fat. Fats from olive oil and coconut oil are a perfect way to get healthy fats into your diet and can be easily added to salads and when cooking food.
8. Sweet potato
Sweet potatoes are a great source of carbohydrates — perfect for after a workout to restore your glycogen levels.
9. Dried fruit
Dried fruit is different to fresh fruit, whereby it's actually very energy-dense. Dried fruit not only gives you a good source of vitamins, minerals and fibre, but it can give you some energy-boosting sugar that's perfect for a pre-workout snack. What's more, enjoying dried fruit as a snack is likely to make you less full than regular fruit.
Take home message
Everybody is different and reacts to diets and training regimes in different ways, so it's important to find out the plan that's best for you. Once you start recording your progress, muscle gain, and weight gain, you can adapt and make changes to suit your body. Finding what works best for you is about trial and error.
Frequently asked questions
How many calories should a hardgainer eat per day?
Around 22 calories per pound of bodyweight is a good starting point. So if you weigh 150lbs, aim for roughly 3,300 calories a day. If you're not seeing any weight gain after two weeks, try bumping it up by about 200 calories and see how your body responds.
What is the best macro split for a bulking diet?
A ratio of about 25% protein, 40% carbohydrates and 35% fat works well for most hardgainers. The key thing is to keep protein at 20% or above, since it's essential for muscle repair and growth. Everyone's different though, so treat it as a starting point and adjust from there.
Can you bulk on fast food?
No — not effectively. It might seem like an easy way to rack up calories, but gaining weight too fast through junk food can lead to excess fat storage and mess with your insulin sensitivity, which actually makes building muscle harder. Stick to energy-dense whole foods like nuts, oats, oily fish and sweet potatoes.
How many meals per day should a hardgainer eat?
At least six. Spreading your food across the day makes it much easier to hit a high calorie target without feeling like you're about to burst. Protein shakes and weight gainer blends are a handy way to squeeze in extra meals between your main sittings.
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