Calories and Macros on a Steroid Cycle

Estimating TDEE: the starting point

Your TDEE (Total Daily Energy Expenditure) is the total energy you burn in a day — the number of calories you need to consume to neither gain nor lose weight. It breaks down into four components: basal metabolic rate (BMR, ~60-70% of the total), the thermic effect of food (~10%), structured exercise (~5-15%), and spontaneous activity (NEAT — non-exercise activity thermogenesis: walking, fidgeting, daily life, ~15-30%).

Several formulas exist — Mifflin-St Jeor, Harris-Benedict, Katch-McArdle — and all of them give an order of magnitude, never an exact number ^[1]. The acceptable error is on the order of ±10 to 15%. The real reference is the weekly scale: if you stagnate at current weight on the estimated intake, the TDEE is right; if you lose or gain, you adjust. The Stronger By Science crew, Israetel from RP, and Lyle McDonald all preach the same loop: formula for the starting point, scale for the correction.

Protein: higher on cycle than natural

This is the most striking numerical difference between natural nutrition and on-cycle nutrition. Natural, the literature places the muscle protein synthesis optimum between 0.7 and 0.9 g/lb (1.6 and 2 g/kg) — beyond that, marginal benefit drops to nil ^[3]. On cycle, that saturation point shifts upward because the anabolic machinery is more stimulated and the substrate demand is higher.

The central default on cycle is 1 to 1.1 g/lb (2.2 to 2.5 g/kg), adjusted upward on a cut and downward on a bulk to make room for carbs. Pushing past 1.4 to 1.5 g/lb (3 to 3.3 g/kg) delivers no measurable extra benefit and crowds out the other macros ^[3].

Quality sources

• Lean meats: chicken breast, turkey, lean ground beef (93/7), lean ham.
• Fish: cod, tuna, salmon, sardines.
• Eggs: whole (rich in leucine — a key EAA), whites to adjust without fat.
• Dairy: skyr, low-fat Greek yogurt, cottage cheese — very high protein density.
• Powders: whey isolate, casein — as a complement, not the base.
• Plant sources: tofu, tempeh, legumes — as a complement, for variety and fiber.

Carbs: the performance lever, modulated by goal

Carbs are not 'essential' in the strict biological sense (the body can synthesize glucose via gluconeogenesis), but they are the main energy substrate of intensive training and the most efficient lever for saturating intramuscular glycogen. On cycle, carbs support a higher training volume and amplify the anabolic effect through insulin — that synergy is well documented in the bodybuilding literature and on r/leangains.

Favor less refined sources at the base — rice, oats, sweet potato, potatoes, whole pasta, fruit — and faster sources around training (dextrose, maltodextrin, fruit) for immediate availability. A ketogenic diet on cycle is technically possible but loses most of the carb benefit on performance and muscle retention; it is not the default pick, and even Lyle McDonald's keto work concludes the same for hard-training lifters.

Fats: hormonal health and minimum threshold

Fats fill several non-substitutable roles: hormonal precursors (cholesterol, fat-soluble vitamins), cell structure, satiety, absorption of vitamins A, D, E, K. On cycle, exogenous testosterone does not waive the broader metabolic role of fats. An intake too low disrupts hormonal health and digestion over the long block.

Sources to favor

• Extra-virgin olive oil (gentle cooking, dressing).
• Fatty fish: salmon, mackerel, sardines, herring — omega-3 intake.
• Nuts: almonds, walnuts, hazelnuts — measured (high calorie density).
• Avocado, whole egg yolks.
• Limit excess saturated fats and refined oils high in omega-6.

Putting it together: example by goal (175 lb / 80 kg lifter)

For a 175 lb (80 kg) lifter with an estimated TDEE of 2800 kcal/day (4 training days per week, average NEAT), here are three worked examples by goal:

These numbers are indicative and should be recalibrated against the actual progression. Driving by the weekly scale average (7-day moving average of morning fasted weigh-ins) is the final arbiter: if the goal is not hit after 2 to 3 weeks of strict adherence, adjust ±150 to 250 kcal/day, touching mainly carbs — protein stays at the minimum target, fats stay at the health floor.

Common mistakes in macro calculation

• Underestimating calories — using a back-of-envelope TDEE without confirming on the scale. The feeling 'I don't eat that much' is often wrong; weighing food the first weeks regularly reveals 300 to 500 hidden kcal per day. MyFitnessPal or Cronometer for 2-3 weeks reveals the truth.
• Overestimating protein without weighing. Protein density varies sharply: 100 g of chicken ≠ 100 g of ham ≠ 100 g of skyr. Without weighing, estimated intake is regularly inflated by 30 to 50%.
• Counting in percentages instead of g/lb (or g/kg). The 40/40/20 or 30/30/40 ratios are crude references that ignore bodyweight and context. Recommendations in g/lb of bodyweight are more rigorous.
• Ignoring liquid calories (juice, soda, alcohol, milk, cooking oil). A tablespoon of olive oil ≈ 135 kcal; a quart of 2% milk ≈ 440 kcal. Over the long block, the gap shows up on the scale.
• Not revising TDEE after a weight change. A successful cut or bulk changes expenditure — recalculate every 4 to 6 weeks and adjust calories to keep the target tempo. Refeeds and diet breaks (10-14 days at maintenance) on deep cuts are another tool to keep the system honest.

Frequently asked questions