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.
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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 new to this site . Great information . I have a question , I workout everyday 1 1/2 per day I lost a lot of weight through the years I was 268 lbs now I’m @ 157 lbs my goal is to get too 135 to 140 lbs I’m having a hard time I hit a Plato stage after maintain the weight for 6 years. My question is if I set myself on a calorie count of 1600 or less after my day of workout and my steps are put in I burn on a daily day 2300 to 2800 calories how do I calculate my calories verses my calorie count ?i hope this question isn’t difficult . So am I suppose to get what I eat subtract from what I burned on my calories ? Thank you Rubann
Hi Rubyann, First of all, great job on your weight loss. That’s amazing! Secondly, you should set the calculator at sedentary (lose) and use those macros on rest days. Secondly, calculate an exercise set of macros. It sounds like this would be moderate. Eat at those levels on your workout days. You can track your activity but don’t allow it to change what you are eating because your exercise has already been accounted for. Step tracking is highly inaccurate calorie burn-wise since casual steps use very little energy.
Im new! And love what im learning!
Hi I’m new to this keto diet. I haven’t started yet, I’m trying to gather as much knowledge and information as i can so i can go into this with a good understanding, and be successful with my weight loss journey. I’m currently 260lbs 5’5 my physical activity is pretty light. I would like to lose a 100+ pounds, but I’m confused on what my macros and fat ect. Intake should be.
Hi Fantasia, This calculator isn’t designed for Keto. That calculator is here: Keto Diet Macros: How to Calculate Yours
Hey there. Getting back into macro counting…I am a teacher and am on my feet all day, reaching 10,000 steps usually by 3pm. I’m wanting to focus on my nutrition/food for a few weeks before getting back into the gym. Do you suggest I pick sedentary or light? I know activity trackers cant be entirely trusted, but mine says I’m in a fat burn zone for 9+hours a day. Thanks for your help!
Hi Sellers, That’s correct. Casual steps don’t burn as much as activity trackers say. Why don’t you start with light and see how you respond. You can always cut back if needed.
WOOO!
See the author bio just above these comments.
does anyone know who wrote this article
Hi there. I was wondering how I could find out how much calories I should eat if I do different sessions per week of exercises? What I mean is that I perform one gym session on a Monday then the next day I’ll be doing Mixed Martian Arts and conditioning at the end (2 hour session), I do Gym workouts 3 times a week and 2 classes of MMA a week too. I’m trying to lean out but I’m afraid to lose my muscle size and that I’ll be too tired in the sessions. What should I do? And how much calories should I be having to lean out without losing muscle? I’m 18, 173cm tall and 67.6 kg.
Hey Maverick, Set the deficit at 10% and then use your sedentary macros as your base. Try to track your various workouts with an app like MapMyRun and then eat those calories back. This is explained in more detail in our Myfitnesspal tutorial.
One last thing also on daily I usually burn around 1000 calories or more but some times around 700calories should I change the macro every time or just stay was extreme?
Also right now I’m doing 10 percent lost my body fat is 8 percent I see my abs but it seems like I don’t have enough muscle on my abs should I try gain instead of lose 10 percent what would you recommend
I see a lot of article and people say that you should eat the same on rest day and workout day what do you think?
Hi Jason, It’s better to eat less on rest days because your body requires less energy. Energy surplus leads to fat storage. If you have lost all the fat you want to, I would advise you to first switch to maintenance mode and then make gradual increases to build more muscle to ensure the gains are lean. Calorie burn and TDEE formulas are all estimates so don’t get too hung up on the exactness of 700 vs. 1000 just establish a good average and use that.
This is super helpful, thank you! I’ve recently lost 60lbs (with 30 more to lose!) on a low carb diet, but would like to start counting macros as it seems more balanced at this point (I’m also training for a marathon and need to increase my carb intake!). While doing low carb, I only counted net carbs. My questions are 1). When counting the carb macro can/should I still subtract fiber and sugar alcohols (like erythritol) from the total carbs? And 2). On days where I workout (say, an 18 mile training run) do I eat back any of those calories burned, or no since it’s already factored into my activity level? Thank you so much!
Hey Theresa, Great job on losing 60 pounds! That’s a huge accomplishment and you should be proud of yourself. Glad you see the value of switching to a more balanced approach. When counting macros, it’s best to count total carbs for simplicity. Some fiber does provide energy so it’s easier to just track total carbs and then know you have a bit of a buffer because of your fiber intake in case you go over. Since you are training for a marathon and your exercise will be pretty varied, it probably makes sense for you to do a fluid approach to your exercise day macros. Get your sedentary weight loss set with the calculator and then have a look at our MFP tutorial to set things up for the tracking exercise/fluid approach.