Macro Calculator
This free, easy-to-use macro calculator gives you your optimal macronutrients and calories. It serves as a weight loss or muscle gain calculator for both women and men.
Combine with macro counting, flexible dieting, or IIFYM to reach your goals faster.
How to calculate your macros for fat loss
The foods we eat are made up of three macros (macronutrients). These are carbohydrates (carbs), protein, and fat.
Chicken is high in protein but has no carbs; rice is high in carbs but has very little fat or protein.
The three macronutrients provide the body with energy and raw materials for growth and repair.
By calculating the appropriate daily calorie amount for you, we can then break this down into the best macronutrient ratios to achieve weight loss.
The calculator is based on sound science, combined with data from years of coaching hundreds of successful clients.
What is a good macro ratio for fat loss or muscle gain?
Your macros should be based on your Total Daily Energy Expenditure (TDEE) and your goals.
The calculator defaults at the best macro ratio proven to work for most people.
This ratio is:
- 30% fat
- Protein is 0.65 grams per pound of body weight,
- The remainder is carbs.
Depending on your goal, this will be either a calorie deficit or a surplus.
You can go further and make more adjustments: Perhaps you’re an extreme endomorph and do better with fewer carbs. Or perhaps you have one kidney and need to eat less protein.
You can fine-tune your results for you with a bit of math. See how to change your macros here.
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What is a good protein ratio?
Rather than a percentage, proteins are based on your body weight.
Our calculator has three settings:
- Moderate adjusts the ratio to 0.65 grams per pound of body weight.
This is appropriate for sedentary individuals or people with higher body fat percentages. - High is for active people with moderate strength training and an average body fat percentage.
- Maximum will set the ratio to 1 gram per pound.
This amount is good for bodybuilding and gaining muscle mass. You must be doing intense training.
Find out how to fine-tune your protein ratios when counting macros
Fat macro ratio
Set fat at 30% of daily energy expenditure.
Most people do very well with this amount of fat. See more about choosing the best macro fats. Because of high-fat diets like keto, many people are now eating more fat than they need to.
Carbohydrate macro ratio
Once you’ve calculated protein and fat, the remainder of your daily calories should be from carbohydrates.
Carbs fuel your body and workouts and are the body’s preferred energy source.
If you are coming from a low-carb background, this may seem high. However, according to respected nutritional research, this is a moderate amount of carbs.
If you are eating according to your TDEE, the notion that carbs cause weight gain or stop fat loss is incorrect.
Using as a Calorie Deficit Calculator
As a weight loss calculator, this tool establishes a safe calorie deficit only.
The Lose option puts you in a 20% calorie deficit, promoting safe, steady weight loss.
The best macro ratio for body recomposition
If you want to recompose your body (lose fat and gain muscle simultaneously), then use the body recomposition calculator.
Macro ratio for maintenance
The Maintain button shows you the macro levels to maintain your current weight.
This is great if you have lost weight and don’t want to gain it back.
Macro ratio for muscle gain
The Gain button puts you in a 20% calorie surplus.
The macro breakdown is designed to build muscle fast in conjunction and must be combined with a comprehensive weight training program.
It can also be used by people who are underweight.
TIP: Try starting with the maintenance goal and then gradually increase calories from there if you want lean muscle gains.
Calculating macros using your body fat percentage
The calculator uses your body weight to determine calories and macros.
However, you can obtain superior results by using your body fat percentage. The calculator allows you to choose which method; Normal for body weight, Lean Mass for fat percentage.
When to choose the Lean Mass Formula
If you are lean (have a low body fat percentage), choose the Lean Mass formula, and enter your body fat %.
If you are classified as obese and have a lot of weight to lose, the lean mass formula is superior. You can read more about macro counting and obesity.
Help? Calculate your ideal body weight or get an assessment of your body fat percentage.
Why the difference? Muscle cells burn more calories than fat cells, so the more accurately we measure this, the better your results will be.
How to calculate macros per meal
Once you’ve calculated your daily macros in the calculator, you can break this down into meals.
Choose from 2 to 6 meals per day to see the macro ratio you can track for each meal. For some people, this is easier, but for others, this is too much detail.
Do what works for you.
Meal Plans
See a 5-day macro-based meal plan. It includes three meals and two snacks per day.
Macro calculator activity level settings
A higher activity level means a higher daily calorie goal.
For example – if you maintain your weight at 2,000 calories per day, adding vigorous daily exercise means you need more calories to maintain your weight.
If you are sedentary and trying to lose weight, adding exercise will increase your daily calorie goal.
The idea seems counter-intuitive, but more energy is required to fuel your workouts. More workouts lead to increasing metabolism; therefore, more fat is burned!
Undereating is one of the leading causes of the weight loss plateau.
So many of our clients previously “hit the wall” with dieting. They would continually reduce calories, stop losing fat and gain weight when they eat a little more.
Macro counting defeats this by prescribing the right food and calorie levels.
Which activity level do I choose?
- Sedentary: Just regular everyday activity like a bit of walking, a couple of flights of stairs, eating, etc.
- Light: Any activity that burns an additional 200-400 calories (females) or 250-500 calories (males) over your sedentary amount.
- Moderate: Any activity that burns an additional 400-650 calories (females) or 500-800 calories (males) more than your sedentary amount.
- Extreme: Any activity that burns more than 650 calories (females) or more than 800 calories (males) in addition to your sedentary amount.
Other options for determining your calorie burn
- Use our calories burned calculator – it accurately assesses over 380 activities.
- Use a fitness tracker – like a Fitbit or Apple Watch (note that they can overestimate calorie burn).
- Use a suitable app – like MapMyFitness
Why should I eat more when I exercise more?
High physical activity not fueled with enough calories will lead to muscle catabolism (breakdown of muscle fiber).
This lack of nutrition could stall your weight loss, so eat up if you love to exercise!
I’ve got my macros – now what?
Once you’ve identified your target daily macros, you must determine the macros in all the foods you eat.
By tracking them daily, you can reach your recommended macro targets that encourage fat loss, muscle gain, or whatever your goal may be.
You can learn more about the macro counting system and the flexible dieting philosophy. Many people use an app like Myfitnesspal to track macros.
For more specifics on what to eat – see a sample macro meal plan or a list of macros for familiar foods.
I've helped 14,000+ people lose thousands of pounds by tracking their macros.
Choose either my self-guided program or let me coach you.
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References
- Mifflin, M. D., St Jeor, S. T., Hill, L. A., Scott, B. J., Daugherty, S. A., & Koh, Y. O. (1990). A new predictive equation for resting energy expenditure in healthy individuals. The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, 51 (2), 241-247. Link
- McArdle, W. D., Katch, F. I., & Katch, V. L. (2010). Exercise physiology: nutrition, energy, and human performance. Lippincott Williams & Wilkins. Link
- Jequier, E. (1994). Carbohydrates as a source of energy. The American journal of clinical nutrition, 59(3), 682S-685S.
- Lemon, P. W., Tarnopolsky, M. A., MacDougall, J. D., & Atkinson, S. A. (1992). Protein requirements and muscle mass/strength changes during intensive training in novice bodybuilders. Journal of Applied Physiology, 73(2), 767-775. study abstract link
- Grundy, S. M. (1999). The optimal ratio of fat-to-carbohydrate in the diet. Annual review of nutrition, 19(1), 325-341. abstract
- Conlin, L.A., Aguilar, D.T., Rogers, G.E. et al. Flexible vs. rigid dieting in resistance-trained individuals seeking to optimize their physiques: A randomized controlled trial. J Int Soc Sports Nutr 18, 52 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1186/s12970-021-00452-2
2,067 Comments
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Hi I’m 16 I’m 160lbs I’m 5 foot 7 inches and I’m male. I would like to loose some of the little excess body fat I have. I would say I have 10-15 pounds to lose at most.i would also like to keep most of my muscle mass that I have. I go to swimming practice mon-fri 2 hour sessions and lift mon-thurs 45 min sessions . I would say I’m very active but idk. It put me at 1416 calories in lorded to lose weight. my macros are 159g carbs , 106g protein , and 39g fat . What are your thoughts ?
Hi Sam, It looks like you entered something incorrectly. You should be at 2368 calories/day 284g carbs, 160g protein and 66 g fat. I set your protein at high to support your weight training. Also, since you are still growing you may want to not cut back as much, perhaps meet halfway between your maintenance and lose numbers. Your maintenance macros are 2960 calories 395g carbs, 160g protein and 82g fat. On your rest days you could try eating at your sedentary macros. Make sure when using the calculator that you enter 67 inches and not CMs. All the best!
Hello I need to loss 10lbs I’m very active I workout monday-friday @5am. But I need help lossing these lbs. I’m 37 years old 5’5 .. HELP!!!
Hi Sue, I’m happy to help. Please see my book and we also have a support option where I personally help you in our members only forum.
https://healthyeater.com/macro-solution
The macro calculator says I should eat 300 grams of carbs, but are fibers included on this number? Or should I eat 300 g net carbs? Thank you!
Hi Paolo, You can do it either way, but if you just use total carbs it gives you a bit of a buffer if you eat 30-40 grams of fiber a day. That way if you go over on your carbs, it doesn’t make an impact on your progress.
I’ve read about the activity levels but I don’t know how many calories I burn from exercise. I do Crossfit 5 times a week and I do extra weight lifting 5 days a week. I also run 3 days a week in addition to Crossfit & lifting. I haven’t found any conclusive numbers for how many calorie Crossfit & lifting burns. I was under the impression that lifting isn’t aerobic so it doesn’t burn all that much extra calories so I shouldn’t worry about that. I read that more recent research shows that it burns more calories then previously thought. So I don’t know… I’m only 4’9″ tall and weight about 105. It says that light activity is burning an extra 200-400 calories for females and for moderate activity thats an extra 400-600 calories. On the days I run I know I’m burning about 240 calories just from running. I’m not sure if Crossfit plus the extra lifting will put me over to the moderate activity level on the days I run. Am I light or moderate activity?
Hi Angela, Lifting burns quite a few calories because it continues after the lifting is over. Anyway, I would say on days that you CF, lift, and run, you are very active, day s you don’t run, you probably are moderate. There’s nothing wrong with having a couple sets of macros to use on different activity days.
Hey there!
I’ve been tracking calories for a while now and I’ve been eating between 1600-1800 calories and it’s helped me to shed 30 so far. I’m working into flexible dieting to shake things up. I’m 5’5, 180lbs, and I have a sedentary job (police dispatcher on 12 hour midnight shifts). I calculated my macros using light activity (1693cal/149P,169C,45F). I hike or walk my 65lb dog for 60-90 min almost daily. Additionally, 2-4 times a week I spend an hour in an HIIT gym. I’d like to tackle weight training next, but I thought I’d start with changing up my food intake style. Should I be calculating with a higher or lower activity level? How often/when should I evaluate when to change them up? It’s not like when I start weight training I’ll be training that heavy to start, so I’m not sure how much of an impact that’ll make? Any help you can provide would be helpful!
Hi Lori, Great job! I’m glad you found us. You should have to 2 sets of macros 1. light activity on days when it’s work and dog walking. 2. moderate when it’s dog walking plus your HIIT. You should readjust after every 5 pounds of weight lost. Also, check out my book as it offers a lot of help and breaks everything down step by step. https://healthyeater.com/macro-solution All the best and keep us posted on your progress.
I’m excited about trying this new way of eating. i have been on every diet you can think of, only to fail every time. I think the flexible way of eating will set me up for success. I’m a 47 yo female, 5’9″ and 179 pounds. I have gained 40 pounds. I was 144 and extremely fit before my weight gain. I have also gained alot of body fat. I ran my macros, I came up with 1600 cals, 46 grams of fat, 168 carbs and 148 protein. Im currently lightly active. I walk for one hour five days per week. I plan on adding strength training and high intensity interval training over the next few weeks. I’m slowly working up to more strenous workouts. Do you think that protein level is too high for me? Thanks!!
Hi Sandy, Great! I’m so glad you’re getting started and I wish you all the best! I think you’ll find flexible dieting very “freeing”. I would stick to that protein amount as it will help preserve your muscle mass during the weight loss. If you need more help getting started check out my book and support options. https://healthyeater.com/macro-solution
Also please keep us posted on how it goes for you.
Thank you Ted!! 🙂 This is the total opposite of the way I was eating. i was doing extreme low carb but had no energy, felt lethargic and was not able to work out in any form. I think I will satisfy my hunger and help me to stick to it !!! I sure will!! Thanks for the resources. 🙂
Hi!
I am a 44 yo female, 5’9″ tall and weigh 270. I am new to IIFYM and would really like your help. My life is sedentary and I currently walk 3-5 miles every other day. I would like to get my food dialed in before I start any strenuous exercise, but I plan to do body beast starting next month until I feel comfortable enough to use that gym membership I’ve paid for all year. Anyway, based on the information provided, it shows that I should have 127g carbs, 223g protein(set at normal) and 52g fat, is that beneficial to weight loss since I am not doing any real exercise right now? Or should I choose low on the protein? I am so confused as to where to start and everywhere I look it seems that there is a difference of opinion for calculations for women and/or obese people. Thanks in advance for all your help.
Hi Crystal, You probably should either set the protein to the lowest setting or calculate it based on your lean body mass. Here’s a calculator that can help. http://www.naturalphysiques.com/28/fat-free-mass-index-ffmi stick with the 52g fat and the rest of you calories can be consumed as carbs. Also do check out my book and support options for more help 🙂 https://healthyeater.com/macro-solution
Thank you very much Ted! I’m looking forward to sitting down with your ebook and giving IIFYM a real shot.
Great! Keep me posted on your progress and all the best!
I am over 300 lbs now and have been trying the low calorie thing. I am slowly losing weight, but I don’t really have a lot of energy. I realized I’m not getting enough protein, so I want to start watching my macros. My issue right now is that I am not sure how to get all the protein I need and also keep it low fat. What kind of foods should I be eating?
Hi Stephanie, Great! Here are some pages that will help. https://healthyeater.com/carb-protein-fat-rich-foods
and https://healthyeater.com/out-of-a-macro all the best and if you need more help getting started my book is a great resource.
If I burn 300 calories during my day (for example at work) and 250 calories during my workout or cardio, then have I to calculate my macros with “moderate activity” or have I to consider only my workout and then using “light activity”?
If you have a physical job then it definitely gets counted. So, go with moderate. Be sure to check out my book for additional help. https://healthyeater.com/macro-solution
I honestly don’t have a clue how many calories I burn during a workout. I do crossfit 5 days a week but there really is no exact calorie burn for crossfit in general. So how do I know what activity level I fall into?
The best thing to do is to get an exercise tracker that uses heartbeat as a factor to calculate your calorie burn , but apart from that I think if you do crossfit for an hour, you’re pretty safe with a 400-500 calorie burn. A really intense CF session would be more like 600-700.
I honestly overtrain & wont change this. I want to lean out, gaining muscle yet losing fat. Working out 2-3 x a day burning a total of approx 2000 cal just in exercise. How can that be calculated?
Hi Stacy, you would have to use the sedentary amount in the calculator and then add in the exercise. If you use an app like MFP then it will adjust your macros for you as you enter your exercise, but you’d have to cap your protein. Another method is to manually calculate your macros with the formulas on this page. https://healthyeater.com/how-to-calculate-your-macros
Thank u
The numbers seem right, but math wise I have no idea how to break it down when looking at food labels and such.. i know the numbers are something calorie per gram but I don’t get that 1,4, 9 thing at all..
Hi Reanna, I explain that all in my book here.
https://healthyeater.com/macro-solution or you can read about it in this article. https://healthyeater.com/macro-amounts-foods