How much protein do you need per kilogram of body weight?

The article recommends 1.6–2.2 g of protein per kilogram of body weight, and notes that recommendations for people who train a lot vary between 1.2 and 2 g per kilogram. Eating significantly more than 2.2 g/kg will not give bigger muscles.

How do you calculate your basal metabolic rate?

Use Mifflin's formula. For women: (10 x weight in kg) + (6.25 x height in cm) − (5 x age in years) − 161. For men: (10 x weight in kg) + (6.25 x height in cm) − (5 x age in years) + 5. Then multiply the result by the activity factor (PAL) that matches your daily activity level.

How much fish should you eat each week?

It is recommended to eat 300–450 g of pure fish per week, of which 200 g should be fatty fish. If you eat little fish, an omega-3 supplement is wise; the recommendation is at least 250 mg EPA/DHA daily.

What can you do if protein powder makes you bloated?

It may be the lactose you are reacting to. In that case you should choose a protein powder based on protein isolate, which is protein in concentrated form, completely without lactose.

Can you still eat what you want on this plan?

Yes. To maintain motivation it may be wise to have one day a week – for example Saturday – where you eat exactly what you want. Not all day, but preferably at dinner or the last meal in the evening.

Nutrition Program for Muscle Building – 3000 kcal per Day! | Hardworkout Magazine

Key takeaways

- A 3000-calorie muscle-building plan is built from five meals a day: breakfast, lunch, dinner, a post-workout meal and an evening snack.

- The plan's macros are calculated for a 90 kg man who does strength training at least four days a week: 180 g protein, 83 g fat and 382 g carbohydrates.

- Protein intake above 2.2 g per kilogram of body weight will not produce bigger muscles, because the body can only absorb a limited amount at a time.

- A quick estimate of daily calorie needs is body weight in kilograms multiplied by 30; add 500 calories a day to gain weight, or subtract 500 to lose it.

- Low-fat dairy products supply both whey and casein protein, which makes them a suitable last meal of the day.

If you want to build more muscle, it is important to consume enough and the right food. Training only makes up a small part, so diet is very important. If you train a lot and perhaps have a physically demanding job as well, you will burn quite a few calories each day. Therefore, it is not uncommon to eat between 3000-5000 calories when the goal is weight gain and more muscle mass.

How many calories should you eat to build muscle?

It is of course individual exactly how much you should eat, so it is wise to experiment a bit. If you know approximately how much you eat each day now, you can start by increasing by 500 calories per day. If you are already eating 3000 calories a day and want to increase even more, you can take a look at [this meal plan](https://hardworkout.no/nar-du-onsker-a-ga-opp-i-vekt-pa-en-sunn-mate/).

Nutrition Program for Muscle Building – 3000 kcal per Day!

If you want to make it even easier to follow the plan, try a protein-rich [pancake mix](https://hardworkout.no/bodylab-protein-pancakes), [granola](https://hardworkout.no/bodylab-protein-granola), [oatmeal](https://hardworkout.no/bodylab-protein-grøt) or [smoothie](https://hardworkout.no/bodylab-protein-smoothie). Healthy, simple, and very tasty!

You can read more about the recommended intake of proteins and distribution of macronutrients further down in the article.

This weekly menu with recipes consists of 5 meals each day, and the five meals together make up about 3000 calories. The macro distribution may vary somewhat depending on which foods you use (rice, pasta, tortillas, gainer, etc.).

Monday

Monday starts with a filling and delicious overnight oats for breakfast, which is prepared the day before and left to set in the refrigerator overnight. Oats contain plenty of vitamins, good carbohydrates, and healthy fatty acids; they are also good for digestion, blood sugar, and keep you full for a long time. Yogurt is a good source of protein and probiotics.

Lunch consists of a flavorful, healthy, and delicious pasta dish with chicken and pesto. It is a simple dish to make and can easily be prepared the day before.

For dinner, whole grain pasta is also used as a carbohydrate source. This seafood dish consists of several good protein sources, a small amount of fat, and slow carbohydrates, which will keep you full for a while.

Post-workout will be a simple and good gainer, which ensures a good replenishment of a good composition of carbohydrates and proteins, along with some fat, creatine, and other micronutrients.

Evening snack consists of quark, which is a good source of casein protein (slow proteins), as well as some healthy fatty acids from the nuts and vitamins from the berries.

- Breakfast: [Overnight oats with yogurt and oats](https://hardworkout.no/gode-grunner-til-a-spise-mer-yoghurt-med-oppskrifter/)

- Lunch: [Pasta with chicken and pesto](https://hardworkout.no/enkel-pastarett-som-passer-bade-til-lunsj-og-til-middag/)

Dinner: [Pasta dish with scampi and shrimp](https://hardworkout.no/kjottfri-mandag-provd-denne-pastaretten-med-scampi-og-reker/)

Use 190 g of whole grain pasta instead of what is stated in the recipe. - Post-workout: 1 serving [Gainer](/magazine/weight-gainer-best-in-test-2026)

- Evening snack: 200 g low-fat vanilla quark, 20 g cashew nuts, 300 g berries

![](https://hardworkout.no/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/Uten-tittel-15-e1724144622985-209x150.png)

Tuesday

Tuesday starts with slices of whole grain bread (preferably 100% whole grain) for breakfast. The fiber in the bread helps you stay full longer and is good for digestion. The fish spread and milk provide healthy fatty acids and proteins.

Lunch consists of some tasty pancakes with oats, banana, and cottage cheese. This will provide a good composition of proteins, fast and slow carbohydrates, and healthy fats. This meal will ensure that you stay full for a while.

Dinner consists of protein-rich chicken wraps with good carbohydrates and a small amount of fat. This dish tastes good and is very easy to prepare.

Post-workout will be a simple protein shake and banana, which provides quick and good nutrition after the workout.

Evening snack consists of yogurt, which is a good source of casein protein (slow proteins), as well as fiber and healthy fatty acids from the granola and vitamins from the berries.

- Breakfast: 4 slices [whole grain bread](https://hardworkout.no/hjemmebakt-grovbrod-i-jerngryte-rikt-pa-fiber-mettende-og-god-pa-smak/), 100 g lean meat spread, 1 can of mackerel in tomato (90g), 1 large glass of milk

- Lunch: [Protein pancakes with oats and cottage cheese](https://hardworkout.no/proteinpannekaker-med-havregryn-og-cottage-cheese/)

- Dinner:[ Chicken wrap](https://hardworkout.no/enkel-og-sunn-oppskrift-pa-wrap-med-marinert-kylling/) (2 pcs)

- Post-workout: Protein powder (40 g) + 1 banana

- Evening snack: 200 g low-fat Greek yogurt, 50 g [granola](https://hardworkout.no/hjemmelaget-granola-perfekt-til-frokost-eller-som-mellommaltid/), 100 g berries

![](https://hardworkout.no/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/Uten-tittel-16-e1724144706209-160x150.png)

Wednesday

Wednesday starts with a filling and delicious overnight oats for breakfast, which is prepared the day before and left to set in the refrigerator overnight. Oats contain plenty of vitamins, good carbohydrates, and healthy fatty acids; they are also good for digestion, blood sugar, and keep you full for a long time. Yogurt is a good source of protein and probiotics.

Lunch is a simple and good pasta dish with chicken, which ensures a good composition of proteins, healthy carbohydrates, and a bit of fat.

Dinner consists of a flavorful fish dish with plenty of healthy fatty acids from both fish and avocado, as well as proteins from fish and beans, and vitamins from vegetables and fruit.

Post-workout will be a simple and good gainer, which ensures a good replenishment of a good composition of carbohydrates and proteins, along with some fat, creatine, and other micronutrients.

Evening snack will be a simple Skyr with some tasty cashew nuts. The yogurt is a good source of casein protein (slow proteins) and the nuts are a good source of fiber and healthy fatty acids.

- Breakfast: [Overnight oats with yogurt and oats](https://hardworkout.no/gode-grunner-til-a-spise-mer-yoghurt-med-oppskrifter/)

- Lunch: [Creamy pasta salad with chicken](https://hardworkout.no/vet-du-ikke-hva-du-skal-lage-til-middag-prov-kylling-med-kremet-pasta/)

- Dinner:[ Poke bowl with salmon](https://hardworkout.no/fisk-til-lunsj-eller-middag-prov-poke-bowl-med-laks/)

- Post-workout: 1 serving [Gainer](/magazine/weight-gainer-best-in-test-2026)

- Evening snack: 1 skyr, 50 g cashew nuts/ almonds

![](https://hardworkout.no/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/Uten-tittel-17-e1724144795445-178x150.png)

Thursday

Thursday starts with granola/breakfast cereal for breakfast, which contributes healthy fats and slow carbohydrates. With berries and yogurt, the meal will consist of plenty of vitamins and proteins.

Lunch consists of whole grain pasta (spirals) that contains slow carbohydrates. The dish consists of various protein sources, providing a complex and good meal. The egg also contains healthy fats and vitamins.

Dinner for the day is a simple and good stew, inspired by the Mexican stew many may be familiar with from the store. It is easy to prepare and is well composed of lean ground beef, plenty of vegetables, and filling rice.

Post-workout there will be a simple protein shake and banana, ensuring a good supply of fast carbohydrates and proteins, for further stimulation of muscle growth. The banana also provides magnesium, which counteracts muscle cramps after exercise.

Evening meal is a simple and good omelet with several different protein sources, from eggs, chicken, and cheese. It is nice to replenish some proteins before bedtime, so that protein synthesis can be maintained throughout the night.

- Breakfast: 150 g [granola](https://hardworkout.no/hjemmelaget-granola-perfekt-til-frokost-eller-som-mellommaltid/)/breakfast cereal, 200 g low-fat Greek yogurt, 200 g berries

- Lunch: [Tuna salad with egg](https://hardworkout.no/her-far-du-5-proteinrike-lunsjretter-til-matpakken/)

- Dinner: [Mexican stew](https://hardworkout.no/middagstips-hjemmelaget-meksikansk-gryte/) (Use half the recipe + 100 g rice on the side)

- Post-workout: 2 small bananas (100g), 40 g protein powder, 1 apple

- Evening meal: [Omelet with chicken and cheese](https://hardworkout.no/her-far-du-5-proteinrike-lunsjretter-til-matpakken/)