How much extra food do you need to eat when trying to build muscle.

[Melindaxl]

I"ve heard if you don't eat enough calories then your body won't go no where. Your body will just eat up on your muscle that it has and you'll just keep getting weak if you don't eat enough! Plus your metabolism will slow down. So maybe that's my problem! I've heard that when it comes to trying to build muscle you need to take your body weight times 25-30 to get the amount of calories that you need!
If this is true can anyone tell me how to increase my calories easily without adding alot of fat to it! I'm trying to stick to 80% fruits and vegetables inleast! It helps my allergies and my digestion better if I keep my fats low (not too low though)!
Right now I'm eating around 1600 calories a day! One big juice with greens, vegetables and 2 Lg. apples. Sometimes I eat some raisins. I have two big smoothies both made mostly with 2-3 bananas, One of my smoothies I put some wheatgrass supplement in it! The other I put some raw Cacao in it.
My weight is around 120 pounds. I'm not really over weight, I just want to increase my muscle and decrease my body fat! I want a really firm slinder body! Can anyone help me?
Thanks, have a fruitful day!
Melindaxl

[Bodhi]

First you need to know your BMI. You can figure it here:

http://www.jennycraig.com/etools/yourstyle/?dfa=jenny?&gclid=CKHRrIXM3pYCFQ0xawodZBkI4A

Then consume more calories than you burn.

[raweater]

I eat about 4000 calories a day and to get this much I eat a lot of walnuts. You can try soaking nuts if you have problems digesting them. Fat is very healthy when raw, the problems associated with fat are about cooked fat, not raw fat.

[rawstrength]

If it were true that you need to eat so much calories to build muscle, then there's no way I could have ever built muscle on a raw vegan diet! I don't count calories, but estimate that I eat about 2000-2200 per day. I am 125 pounds, so x25 would mean 3125 calories per day to build muscle.
I think muscle building is more about working out than what you eat. If you eat healthy raw foods as you are hungry then you will have all the fuel you need for your workouts.

[Melindaxl]

Thanks everyone for your info and help! I'm increasing my calories by adding some raw milk to my smoothies and eating some raw nuts daily. It seems since I've done that it's helped me get more energy and strength. I'm not needing as much sleep at night and I'm not getting tired through the day like I was! So I think I'm getting enough calories now!
I guess you just got to make sure your not starving yourself and make sure your getting enough nutrients and etc.
I'm reading books about weight lifting for women! They should talk about starvation in those books! So maybe I'm on my way now!
Thanks again everyone and have a fruitful day!

Melindaxl