How the macro calculator works
First it estimates your maintenance calories with the Mifflin-St Jeor equation and your activity level, the same way our TDEE calculator does. Then it adjusts for your goal: 500 kcal less to lose fat, 300 kcal more to build muscle.
Protein is set per kilogram of body weight, not as a percentage. A percentage gives a 50 kg person and a 100 kg person on the same calories the same protein, which makes little sense. Fat or carbs come next depending on the diet style, and the rest fills up the calories.
Balanced: 1.8 g/kg protein, 30% fat, rest carbs
High protein: 2.2 g/kg protein, 25% fat, rest carbs
Low carb: 2.0 g/kg protein, 20% carbs, rest fat
Keto: 1.6 g/kg protein, 25 g carbs, rest fat
Which diet style should I pick?
If you're not sure, start with balanced. Choose high protein if you lift weights or are cutting and often feel hungry, since protein keeps you full longer than carbs or fat. Low carb and keto suit people who already eat that way and like it. Studies comparing low fat and low carb diets at equal calories and protein find little difference in fat loss.
Losing weight? Our calorie deficit calculator shows how fast you'll get there and when you'll reach your goal weight.
Hitting your macros without weighing food
Protein is the number worth watching. Build each meal around a palm-sized portion of meat, fish, eggs, tofu or Greek yogurt and you'll get close without a scale. Carbs and fat tend to sort themselves out if total calories are right.
Or let someone else do the counting. myCalCoach on Telegram reads a photo or a voice note of your meal, estimates protein, carbs and fat and tells you what's left for the day.
Common questions
What are macros?
Macros are the three nutrients that give you calories: protein and carbs have about 4 kcal per gram, fat about 9. Calories decide whether you lose or gain weight. Macros decide how much of that is fat or muscle and how full you feel.
How much protein do I need?
Most research on people who train lands between 1.6 and 2.2 g per kg of body weight a day (0.7 to 1 g per lb). Aim for the higher end when you are in a deficit, because it helps you keep muscle.
What is the best macro split for weight loss?
The one you can keep up. Calories matter most, protein second. After that, choosing more carbs or more fat is mostly about preference. If you love bread, low carb will be miserable.
Do I need to hit my macros exactly?
No. Being within about 10 g of protein and 100 kcal of your target over a day is plenty. Weekly averages count more than any single day.
Other free calculators
Sources
- Mifflin MD, St Jeor ST, et al. A new predictive equation for resting energy expenditure in healthy individuals. Am J Clin Nutr. 1990;51(2):241-247.
- Morton RW, et al. Protein supplementation and resistance training-induced gains in muscle mass and strength. Br J Sports Med. 2018;52(6):376-384.
- Hall KD, Guo J. Obesity energetics: body weight regulation and the effects of diet composition. Gastroenterology. 2017;152(7):1718-1727.
This calculator gives general estimates and is not medical advice. If you are pregnant, under 18, have kidney disease or a history of disordered eating, talk to a doctor before changing your diet.