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Adopter un excédent calorique contrôlé compris entre 10 % et 20 % au-dessus de sa dépense …

what it claims

Adopt a controlled caloric surplus of 10% to 20% above your total daily energy expenditure (TDEE) to maximize muscle gain while limiting fat accumulation.

mixed

This recommendation is firmly supported by a reference review published by Iraki, Schoenfeld, and Aragon (2019) in *Nutrients*, which suggests such a surplus (10% to 20%) is ideal…

noli's read

This recommendation is firmly supported by a reference review published by Iraki, Schoenfeld, and Aragon (2019) in *Nutrients*, which suggests such a surplus (10% to 20%) is ideal for beginner to intermediate practitioners to support the construction of new muscle fibers. However, another systematic review by Slater et al. (2019) in *Frontiers in Nutrition* notes that the actual energy requirement of a surplus is highly individual and depends primarily on the training level. For highly advanced athletes, a 20% increase often proves excessive and risks resulting in superfluous fat gain, as their rate of muscle synthesis is physiologically slowed. Conversely, clinical trials and observational studies confirm that absolute beginners or individuals with high body fat can build muscle even without any caloric surplus. This advice remains an excellent benchmark, which should simply be adjusted downward as one progresses.

the sources

Claimed by r/Fitness (The Fitness Wiki). Noli grades the claim, never the person.

Decoded by Noli · July 13, 2026 · the original post

What the graded evidence says

Evidence: B

Effect: ad libitum energy intake as a function of dietary energy density — lowering dietary energy density consistently reduces spontaneous calorie intake at matched food weight/fullness; body-fat change tracks the resulting energy balance
Measured on: general adults

Energy balance is the driver, but it's affected by many things (satiety, food quality, sleep, activity), so it's not about rigid calorie math. 'Fat-burning' or 'negative-calorie' foods are a myth.

Noli has read similar claims

Other advice in the Register that leans on the same research.

To lose weight, there are no shortcuts such as fat-burning foods, organic products, or targeted exercises; everything relies on a caloric deficit, overall physical activity, and the total quantity of food consumed.

holds upGraeme Tomlinson

To lose weight without starving yourself, you should prioritize foods with low caloric density but high volume (such as vegetables), because the physical volume of ingested food does not always correspond to its calorie content.

holds upGraeme Tomlinson

"Fat fasting" (fasting based solely on the ingestion of fats) within a carnivore diet is an ineffective method for fat loss, as it often leads to a massive caloric surplus and lacks essential fiber.

holds upAbbey Sharp Registered Dietitian

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