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.
MACRO COUNTING
- 140 page step-by-step guide.
- Achieve fat loss without starvation.
- Individually tailored to your body composition.
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.
Learn how to count macros in under 60 minutes
- Instant download.
- 140+ page ebook + extensive bonuses
- Uncover the techniques my most successful clients use.
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
Calorie Deficit Calculator
Body Recomposition Calculator
Macro Calculator
Calories Burned Calculator
Keto Macro Calculator
Hi Ted I want to transition from a keto lifestyle to a more balanced one. I’m afraid I’d gaining weight after trying so hard the past few months. I have started resistencd training 4 times a week and walk for at least 30mins a day. Wouid you recommend slowly increasing carbs etc? Thanks in advance
Hi Karen, As long as you are keeping your overall calories at a deficit, carbs won’t make you gain weight other than the small water retention factor they cause. Increasing carbs after keto is more for allowing your body to readjust and not feel bloated or out of balance. Perhaps increase by 50 grams every few days until you get to the recommended moderate level.
Ted I appreciate your reply, its speaks volumes about you that you offer free advice. Can you suggest a programme for me that would incorporate both exercise and nutrition to lose fat and gain more muscle definition? Im wondering do any of your exercise programmes use resistance bands which Im enjoying training with
You’re welcome. Glad to help. I can definitely help you get your nutrition in a good spot and recommend a good fitness routine. I’m pretty flexible with fitness modalities and believe my clients should do things that they enjoy. So, I would find a good routine for you that uses resistance bands. Nutrition is key though and the foundation for success. Here’s my coaching page: Personalized Macros Coaching
Hi Ted,
I have kidney disease so I can only have about 61 grams of protein a day. Since I can have limited protein will the marco calculator still work for me? Should I increase my fat and or carbs to supplement what I’m missing in protein? My goal is to lose weight.
Hi Jordan, Sorry to hear that. It will work for establishing a goal TDEE but you’ll have to adjust your macro levels manually. The math’s explained here if you need help. How to Calculate Your Macros to Transform Your Body you could do up to 35% fat and then do the rest carbs after what’s leftover from your max protein amount.
For carbohydrates. Do you count full carbs Or only met carbs? I’ve heard it both ways.
Hi Dede, Technically you only need to count carbs that supply energy which is net carbs, but this can be tricky because not all nutritional information for food has net carbs listed or calculated. Therefore, it’s easier to just track total carbs and then use your fiber intake as a buffer in case you go over your carb or calorie recommendation.
I’m having issues figuring out macros since I’m breastfeeding a 3 month old.
I’m 27. 5’5, 200 pounds (put in 50 pounds during my pregnancy!)
Every time I do macro calculating I come out with something different.
I’m not as active with the gyms being closed. So I do insanity at home.
I was at 190 when i got my clear. I haven’t done to much but now I’m up 10 pounds! HELP! Please
Hi Marisol, Congrats on your new baby! Have you read over this page? TDEE and Macro Calculations for Pregnant or BreastFeeding Women I can also calculate everything optimally for you with one of my coaching options.
Hi Ted,
I’m 20 years old, 5’9 and about 190 lbs. I do resistance band training minimum 4 days a week. I’m trying to lose weight and build muscle. I’m wonder if I should stick to the maintain level of macro or go for the gain level? If none, then how would my macro count look like?
Hi Alif, Since you want to lose fat tissue you have to be eating in a way that puts your body in a negative energy balance or calorie deficit. Given your stats, you should start out with the “lose” setting which is a 20% deficit. Once you have leaned out some, you can cut this back to “Lose 10”. At lose 10 you should be able to add some muscle as you get to the body fat percentage you’re looking for.
Hey Ted,
Quick question.. I am wondering why on nutrition apps they list the grams of the macro but then calculate the % based on the calorie intake and why the calories per macro are not listed instead of the gram sub totals?
Thanks
Danielle
Hi Danielle, Macro Grams are calculated by using both the calories each provides and the percentage of your total calories allotted. It would be helpful if apps showed this data but you can easily calculate it yourself. Every gram of protein is 4 calories. Every gram of carbohydrates is 4 calories, and every gram of fat is 9 calories. so if you have eaten 125 grams of protein this equals 500 calories from protein.
Hi Ted!
A quick question… I already know my total macros and macros by meal but now that I track them on my fitness pal I reached the total amount of macros I need but calories go a little higher. I can’t get exactly the number of cals I should get. So in this case do I follow my macros or do I decrease intake a little to get the right amount of calories?
Hi Carolina, This is a common problem. Because of the way some nutritional data addresses fiber as well as errors here or there in MFP nutritional info, calories and macros will almost never align as they should. Take the calorie count with a grain of salt and focus on macros. If you have a high daily fiber intake it can cause your calories to be significantly under. If this is the case, eat more carbs to compensate.
Hey
I’m a 25 yr old female with height 150cms ,weight 59kgs and i workout 40mins(15mins cardio n basic exercises lik plank,lunges,side twists etc) 5times a week …The calculator says my TDEE is 1366calories with light lifestyle and 1192calories for sedentary lifestyle .
my goal is to lose weight by 9-10kgs …so ,can i intake 1355calories with 40mins workout as i mentioned wt kind of wrkout i do !?Will it be my calorie deficit
Hi Zara, That is correct, you can eat 1355 calories on exercise days and be in an estimated 20% calorie deficit for weight loss. If you click on “Maintain” it shows you your macros/calories to maintain your current weight.
Hi! I just want to make sure I do this right because lately I’ve been working out very hard and have lost muscle mass. I went from 16% to 19% in a span of a year but in this last year I picked up on my running to train for a marathon (5 days) and took my weight training to 2 days a week. I had no days off.
Now I am trying to regain my muscle and add some more. Currently I weight train 3 days a week and run 3 days a week and one day of Pilates.
What do you suggest my macros be for this? I am 48 and 5’6” 125 lbs.
Thanks!
Hi Angela, It seems like you would need a couple of sets since you have a wide range calorie burn between pilates and running or you could do a flexible approach and have a tracker add back exercise calories to your sedentary TDEE. If you would like me to calculate everything for you, please consider one of my coaching options. Personalized Macros Coaching
Hi Ted,
I am 5’6, 156 pounds. I’m looking to be around a healthy 140-145 pounds. I workout 5-6x a week burning atleast 400 calories a workout. The calculator says my TDEE is 2300, so in order to go into a caloric deficit I am eating a little over 1800 calories a day (which is also what the macro calculator suggests). My question is, if I workout, and burn 400 calories doing so, should I be eating 2200 (1800+400) calories then? Thank you!!
Hi Lili, Your exercise adjusted TDEE is 2300 to maintain so it already has your exercise factored in. Your weight loss adjusted TDEE would be 1800 calories and corresponding macros. I hope that clarifies things for you.
Thank you!!!
Hi Ted,
I’m brand new to exercising. I am 5’3” and 161 lbs. I started using a Peloton 4x week about weeks ago and gained 3.5 lbs (which makes me really want to give up.) I’m seeking advice on macros.
Hi Melissa, Often when people start exercising they start eating more than they should because of the increased hunger the exercise creates and the psychological effect of thinking exercise allows you to eat more. Counting macros would be a great way to teach you how much food is appropriate so that you can put everything in the right balance. You can use the calculator above for this or I can take a look at all your factors and develop a more personalized plan for you. Here’s a link to my coaching page: Personalized Macros Coaching I’d love to help you reach your goals and not be frustrated.
Hello! I am 33 yr old female, 5’5” and around 135 lbs. I’m looking to lose about 10 pounds (get leaner and gain a little muscle) for my wedding. I work out about 3-4 times a week, burning no more than 400 calories a session. I have stalled and have trouble making progress. I think I might not be eating enough. I’m currently at around 1600 calories a day. What are your recommendations? Thank you
Hi Ashley, It looks like your eating a tad too much. Thanks for signing up for custom macros and I just sent everything to you including my recommendations.