How to Use a Food Log to Make Sure I'm Eating Enough for Muscle Gain

Using a food log feels tedious, but it's the only way to guarantee you're eating enough to build muscle. This guide gives you a simple, no-BS system that works.

Key Takeaways

• To build muscle, you must eat in a calorie surplus of 200-300 calories above your daily maintenance level.
• Your non-negotiable protein target is 1.6 to 2.2 grams per kilogram of your body weight every single day.
• A digital food scale is mandatory; guessing portion sizes is the #1 reason people fail to gain muscle.
• You should aim to gain between 0.25% and 0.5% of your body weight per week to maximize muscle growth while minimizing fat gain.
• Log your food for 8-12 weeks to build the skill of intuitive eating, then you won't need to track as strictly.

Why Guessing Your Food Intake Fails for Muscle Gain

The secret to how to use a food log to make sure you're eating enough for muscle gain isn't about being perfect; it's about ending the guesswork that's keeping you stuck. You're putting in the work at the gym, lifting heavy, and showing up consistently. But when you look in the mirror, you're not seeing the changes you expect. Your weight on the scale hasn't budged in a month, or worse, you just feel soft, not muscular. This is the most common frustration I see, and it almost always comes down to food.

You've probably tried "eating more" or "eating clean." The problem is, these terms mean nothing without numbers. "Eating more" can easily lead to eating too much, causing you to gain more fat than muscle. "Eating clean" is just as vague. A chicken and rice bowl can be 400 calories or 900 calories depending on the portion sizes and how much olive oil you used. You can't manage what you don't measure.

Muscle growth is an energy-expensive process. Your body will not build new tissue unless it has a surplus of energy (calories) and building blocks (protein). Without a surplus, you're just spinning your wheels. You might get a little stronger from neurological adaptations, but you won't get bigger. A food log removes all doubt. It turns your diet from a guessing game into a predictable system.

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How to Find Your Starting Numbers (Calories & Macros)

Before you can log effectively, you need targets. Forget complicated online calculators that give you a dozen different numbers. We're going to use a simple, effective formula that works for over 90% of people looking to build muscle.

Step 1: Calculate Your Maintenance Calories

Your maintenance calories are the number of calories you need to eat daily to maintain your current weight. A reliable starting point is to multiply your bodyweight in pounds by 15.

• Formula: Your Bodyweight (lbs) x 15 = Estimated Maintenance Calories
• Example (170 lb person): 170 lbs x 15 = 2,550 calories per day

This is your baseline. If you eat this amount, your weight will stay relatively stable.

Step 2: Add Your Muscle-Building Surplus

A common mistake is adding a huge surplus (500+ calories) right away. This is what leads to excessive fat gain. We want a lean bulk, which requires a modest, controlled surplus.

• Action: Add 200-300 calories to your maintenance number.
• Example: 2,550 (maintenance) + 300 (surplus) = 2,850 calories per day

This is your new daily calorie target. This small surplus provides enough energy to fuel muscle growth without spilling over into significant fat storage.

Step 3: Set Your Protein Target

Protein is the most critical macronutrient for muscle repair and growth. This is non-negotiable.

• Formula: 1.6 to 2.2 grams of protein per kilogram of bodyweight (or roughly 0.8 to 1.0 grams per pound).
• Example (170 lb person): 170 lbs x 1.0g/lb = 170 grams of protein per day

To calculate calories from protein, multiply the grams by 4 (since protein has 4 calories per gram). In our example, 170g of protein x 4 = 680 calories from protein.

Step 4: Set Your Fat and Carb Targets

With calories and protein set, the rest is simple. Fats are essential for hormone function.

• Fat Target: Aim for 20-30% of your total calories to come from fat.
• Example: 2,850 (total calories) x 0.25 (25%) = 712.5 calories from fat.
• To get grams, divide by 9 (fat has 9 calories per gram): 712.5 / 9 = ~79 grams of fat per day.

Carbohydrates will simply fill the remaining calories. They are your primary energy source for intense workouts.

• Carb Calculation: Total Calories - Protein Calories - Fat Calories = Carb Calories
• Example: 2,850 - 680 - 712.5 = 1,457.5 calories from carbs.
• To get grams, divide by 4 (carbs have 4 calories per gram): 1,457.5 / 4 = ~364 grams of carbs per day.

Your Daily Targets for a 170 lb Person:

• Calories: 2,850
• Protein: 170g
• Fats: 79g
• Carbs: 364g

These are the numbers you will aim for in your food log every day.

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The 3-Step Daily Process for Accurate Food Logging

Now that you have your targets, here is the simple daily workflow. This isn't about perfection; it's about consistency. Doing this 90% right is infinitely better than not doing it at all.

Step 1: Get Your Tools (App and a Scale)

First, you need a food logging app. Mofilo, MyFitnessPal, or Cronometer are all excellent choices. They have massive food databases with barcode scanners that make logging fast.

Second, and this is the most important part: buy a digital food scale. They cost about $15 on Amazon. Without a scale, you are still guessing. The difference between a 4-ounce and an 8-ounce chicken breast is over 200 calories and 40 grams of protein. A scale eliminates this error.

Step 2: Weigh and Log Everything *Before* You Eat

This is the habit that separates success from failure. Don't eat and then try to remember what you had. Plan your meal, weigh the ingredients, and log them in your app *before* you take a bite.

Weigh ingredients in their raw, uncooked state whenever possible. A cup of raw rice has a different weight and caloric value than a cup of cooked rice because of the water it absorbs. The entries for raw foods (e.g., "Chicken Breast, Raw") are far more accurate.

For example, when making a shake:

1. Place the shaker cup on the scale and hit "tare" (to zero it out).
2. Add 40g of protein powder. Log it.
3. Hit "tare" again. Add 100g of banana. Log it.
4. Hit "tare" again. Add 30g of peanut butter. Log it.

This process takes less than 60 seconds and gives you perfect accuracy.

Step 3: Review Your Day and Adjust

At the end of the day, look at your totals in the app. Are you close to your targets? If you're consistently falling short on protein or calories, you need a plan.

Let's say your goal is 170g of protein, but by 8 PM you've only had 130g. You're 40g short. This is where you make a conscious decision. A quick protein shake with two scoops of whey (about 40-50g of protein) can close that gap instantly. If you're low on calories, a handful of almonds or a tablespoon of peanut butter can add 100-200 calories easily.

This daily review is how the food log becomes a powerful feedback tool. It shows you where your diet has holes so you can patch them before they sabotage your progress.

What to Expect and How to Make Adjustments

A food log isn't a set-it-and-forget-it tool. It's a dynamic guide that you'll need to adjust based on real-world feedback: your body weight.

The Realistic Timeline for Weight Gain

When lean bulking, you want slow and steady progress. Gaining weight too quickly is a clear sign you're accumulating too much body fat.

• Target Rate of Gain: 0.25% to 0.5% of your body weight per week.
• For a 170 lb person: This is about 0.4 to 0.85 pounds per week.

Weigh yourself every morning after using the bathroom and before eating or drinking anything. Don't react to daily fluctuations. Instead, take the average of your weight over a full week. Compare one week's average to the next.

The 2-Week Check-In

After two full weeks of consistent logging and training, look at your average weight change. This is your first major data point.

• Scenario 1: You're not gaining weight. If your average weight is the same after two weeks, your calorie target is too low. Your metabolism is likely faster than the initial estimate. Action: Add 150-200 calories to your daily target (mostly from carbs) and continue for another two weeks.
• Scenario 2: You're gaining too fast (more than 1% of bodyweight per week). If you've gained 3-4 pounds in two weeks, your surplus is too high. Action: Subtract 150-200 calories from your daily target and reassess in two weeks.
• Scenario 3: You're gaining in the target range (0.5-1 lb per week). Perfect. Keep your calories and macros exactly where they are. You've found your sweet spot.

This process of tracking, measuring, and adjusting is the core of building muscle predictably. You are no longer hoping for results; you are creating them with data.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do I really need a food scale?

Yes, 100%. A food scale is the single most important tool for this process. Guessing portion sizes, even with measuring cups, can lead to errors of 20-30%. A scale is the difference between knowing you're in a 300-calorie surplus and accidentally being in a 100-calorie deficit.

What if I eat at a restaurant?

Logging restaurant meals is about making an educated guess. Search for the chain restaurant and menu item in your app (e.g., "Chipotle Chicken Burrito Bowl"). If it's a local restaurant, find a similar item from a chain and add 15-20% to the calorie count to be safe. Restaurants use more oil and butter than you think.

Do I have to log my food forever?

No. The goal is to log strictly for 8-12 weeks. During this time, you will build an incredible skill: you'll learn what 6 ounces of chicken looks like, how many calories are in your favorite meals, and how to build a day of eating that hits your targets. After this period, you can transition to a more intuitive approach.

What if I go over my calories one day?

Nothing. Just get back on track the next day. A single day of going over or under your targets has zero impact on your long-term progress. The mistake is trying to "compensate" by starving yourself the following day, which just disrupts your routine and hunger signals. Consistency over time is what matters.

Is it better to weigh food raw or cooked?

The gold standard is to weigh food raw. The nutritional information on packaging refers to the uncooked state. Cooking changes the weight of food by either removing or adding water, which can throw off your calorie and macro counts. If you must use a cooked weight, be sure to find a "cooked" entry in your logging app.