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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- Achieve fat loss without starvation.
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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 Ted,
The macros have worked amazingly well for me. I’ve noticed tremendous change in my body and probably i’m in my best shape of my life. I just have one question- I didn’t lose much from my belly or as much as I was hoping too. Is there something else I could do w.r.t macros to get rid of some belly fat? I’m currently maintaining my weight (my current weight is 133lbs)
Thanks Naina!
Hi Naina, Unfortunately, belly fat is difficult to get rid of. It’s often the first place the body stores fat and the last place stored body fat is released. Stress can also cause the body to hang on to body fat. You really just have to be committed to a calorie deficit and strength training routine and be patient. Doing core work can also help because what some of the “bulge” people complain about is actually from weaker lower abdominals that allow the internal organs to protrude outwards.
Sowhat is the time frame for 20% lose
You mean Lose 10%? There isn’t a timeframe. This is a slight reduction in calories to help people maintain muscle mass while still burning some fat. Macro counting is a medium/long term technique.
Hi! This is a great site for calculating macros. However I am breastfeeding currently, how much P, F, C should I add to my numbers? Thanks!
Hi Samantha, have a read of https://healthyeater.com/pregnancy-breastfeeding-flexible-dieting-iifym
We cover macros during pregnancy and breastfeeding.
Hi, I am 51 and have been told i have adrenal fatigue. I am not sure where i shoukd sit with my macros, currently they are P 109 C 145 F 48. I am gluten, wheat intolerant too and it doesn’t seem to matter what I do, weight doesn’t shift.
I am still working out but only doing easy swimming walking and few weights without raising cortisol or heart rate levels.
Are these macros ok?
Thanks
Hi Marya, we’ve seen your support ticket and will answer on there.
Hello, I workout 4x a week would this be considered light or moderate ? Please help! Thank you
I just tried the 16/8 intermittent fasting approach to weight loss and got zero results. I am a 65 year old female, do Crossfit 2-3/week, tennis 2/week and try to fit in yoga. I am ready to try this macro approach. Tips for success please! I found the fasting easy to do and am so disappointed that it did not yield results.
Hi Sonia, We have many articles on the subject that you should take the time to browse but one in particular is about making sure you are eating enough. Check that one out here.
Hi!
My goal is to get lean and fit body. I am a vegeterian so counting macros would also let me see that I am eating right amount of protein.
Hi Matilda, Please also see our article on vegetarian macros which will help make all this a little more doable for you.
I did set it to lose 10%
Great, you should be all set then. Make sure on days that you don’t exercise that you eat at sedentary levels.
Hello im Martin i weigh 503 lbs and want to desperately lose weight for me first and secondly my family. Im lost dont know how to start this plan about macros!
Hi Martin, Great, glad you want to make a change. We have a lot of article on the subject on this site so I encourage you to take some time and read about the method. Also, we have a 130-page book, The Macro Solution, which takes you through the process step by step. It sounds like it would be extremely beneficial for you.
Hi,
I used this calculator on here to calculate my macros and it says that I should do 1828 calories per day and that my daily stats are below. Does this seem right? I’m 5’4 and 120 pounds, I want to lose a little fat and gain some lean muscle. I also work out 5 days a week on the norm and it’s cardio and weight training. Let me know!
Carbs: 244g
Protein: 99g
Fat: 51g
Did you set the calculator for a deficit? You’ll need to select at least “Lose 10” to cause fat loss.
Hey I’m trying to loose weight and I’m 28 I weigh roughly 220lbs I’m 5’7I have a question on the micros calculator is the amount of protein, carbs,and fat after I put the numbers a daily intake?
Hi Rafael, Yes, it is a daily intake recommendation.