Macro calculator
Turn your goal into daily targets for calories, protein, carbs and fat.
How we set your targets
Calories: your TDEE (Mifflin-St Jeor BMR × activity factor), minus 250, 500 or 750 kcal a day to lose weight, or plus 200 to 500 to gain.
Protein: 2.0 g/kg when losing, 1.6 g/kg when maintaining and 1.8 g/kg when gaining. Meta-analyses find muscle gains from training plateau around 1.6 g/kg, with benefits for some people up to 2.2 g/kg, and higher intakes help preserve muscle in a deficit.
Fat: 25% of calories, inside the 20 to 35% range in the Dietary Reference Intakes. Carbs: whatever calories remain.
Frequently asked questions
What are macros?
Macronutrients are protein, carbohydrate and fat, the three nutrients that provide calories: 4 kcal per gram of protein or carbohydrate and 9 kcal per gram of fat.
Why is protein set so high when losing weight?
Higher protein during a calorie deficit helps preserve muscle and keeps you fuller. This calculator uses 2.0 g per kg of body weight when losing weight, inside the range research supports for people who train.
Do I need to hit my macros exactly?
No. Getting calories and protein close most days matters far more than the exact split of carbs and fat. Aim to be within about 10% on average across the week.
Why did my calories not go lower?
Self-guided diets shouldn't usually drop below about 1,200 kcal a day for women or 1,500 for men without medical supervision, so the calculator stops there and tells you.
Sources
- Mifflin MD, St Jeor ST, et al. A new predictive equation for resting energy expenditure in healthy individuals. Am J Clin Nutr. 1990.
- Morton RW, et al. A systematic review, meta-analysis and meta-regression of the effect of protein supplementation on resistance training-induced gains in muscle mass and strength. Br J Sports Med. 2018.
- Jäger R, et al. International Society of Sports Nutrition Position Stand: protein and exercise. J Int Soc Sports Nutr. 2017.
- Longland TM, et al. Higher compared with lower dietary protein during an energy deficit combined with intense exercise promotes greater lean mass gain and fat mass loss. Am J Clin Nutr. 2016.
- National Academies. Dietary Reference Intakes for Energy, Carbohydrate, Fiber, Fat, Fatty Acids, Cholesterol, Protein, and Amino Acids. 2005.
These calculators give estimates for healthy adults and aren't medical advice. If you're pregnant, under 18, or managing a medical condition, talk to a doctor or registered dietitian before changing how you eat.