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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Concerning the fat ratio, what do you mean by 25% of my daily energy expenditure and how would I calculate that?
Hi Jared, If you want to see a more in-depth explanation and how all this is calculated manually, see our how to calculate your macros article.
Hi, I am a 24 year old female. I weigh 157 lbs and am 6’0″ tall. I workout 5 days a week for about an 45 – 60 min. each day. I have been macro counting for almost three months now and have had my daily calories set on 1670. A personal trainer told me to set my fat at 25%, protein 45%, and carbs 30%. And while I haven’t lost ANY weight, I have lost inches, which I understand is me having built muscle while losing fat at the same time. But lately I have been questioning my macro percentages. I feel as if I am taking in too much protein.. What is your recommendation for my macro percentages? Thanks!
Hi Janelle, Yes, you are eating too much protein. Your max protein should be around 157 grams per day. This will be much more flexible and you’ll still get the results you’re looking for. It seems like on workout days you should be eating more than 1670 calories. You also may be in too much of a calorie deficit which is hindering your results.
My macros are set. 300 carb, 143 Protein, 66 Fat. Now how do I cycle the carbs for carb cycling?
I’m a 30 years old male 5’7 181lbs body fat ratio of 28. I’m carrying so much extra weight on my legs and love handles. After finally getting over my depression and finding my momentum to better myself I find myself Stuck I don’t understand how to determine my macros and it is quite frustrating. I’m trying to lose fat and put on muscle. I use the fit bit app to determine how many calories I should consume it adjusts throughout the day as I log exercise but I’m roughly taking in 1200-1500 calories a day and about 2000-2500 out according to app. I’ve cut out all simple carbs and sugars. Only drink water with lemon. I’ve been sitting around the same weight for a few weeks now and at sometimes I even feel bloated. I just wish I could pin point what I was doing wrong because my mental focus is there now my drive is there now but it’s my lack of understanding that is holding my back and it gets pretty discouraging. I do some Dumbbell work and body weight exercises along with walking and some elliptical and jump rope. I try to limit weight lifting to 3 days a week to give my body time to recover and I walk atleast a few miles a day. how do I find my correct macros, through trial and error? If anyone can shed any light on the subject it would be greatly appreciated as i feel like I’m spinning my wheels over here. Thanks
Hey Brandon, You’re not eating enough! You’ve got to be in a sensible calorie deficit or your body will break down muscle tissue for energy and you’ll get nowhere. Read more about this here. I see this all the time with many clients who come to me for coaching. Less isn’t always best!
What’s your goal? When was the last time you tracked your caloric intake? Stop adjusting your intake. Try and relax don’t over think it.
Hi! I am 32 with 15% body fat, and while that is lower (?) I want to be more defined. The biggest problem I face is with diet; not knowing what to eat, when, how much etc. I would appreciate any and all guidance.
Hi Keri, Knowing your macro amounts is a good place to start. You can then choose the right foods to help you hit your targets. They also tell you how much to eat. When to eat is up to you and your schedule. The only solid recommendation there is to eat some carbs before you workout and some protein after. BTW 15% body fat is impressive! Great job! Make sure you use the lean mass setting to get the most accurate results.
Hey, I’m a 38 year old man, weighting 95kg. I would love to lose weight and slim down. I have been recommended that I need to start counting macros but I’m also a vegetarian. Could anyone guide me on where I could source my carbs, protein and fats from?
Thank you in advance!
Hey Johnny, see are vegan macro counting article here.
hi, i am 25 years old female, i weigh 74 kg and my height is 5 foot 7 inches. i want to lose fat but gain lean muscle.
I am doing the iifym approach, which gave me around 1700 cals per day, 120-130g protein, 140-150 g carbs and around 50-65g fat. I follow the gracefituk gym guide, which breaks down into 4 day weightlifting ( 2 upper body and 2 lower body) 1 day cardio/abs. On the weighlifting day i do weights for around 40 mins and the last 20 mins it has some finishers such as jump squats, lunge pulses or burpess, depending on the muscles being trained. On the cardio day, i do 10 mins of HIIT on the treadmil, so 30 secs as fast i can and 30 secs i get off and then i usually do 20-30 mins of abs exercises including circuits. On the day weightlifting days i burn around 500-600 cals and on the cardio day maybe a little less or more depending on how many abs circuits i do. On top of this, 3 times a week i play badminton for 2 hours; sometimes its extremely intense, sometimes its more casual but i burn anything from 600-800cals for those 2 hours. On mondays i usually rest, tues i work out arms and chest, wed play badminton, thurs do legs, friday do back and shoulders and play badminton, saturday i do cardio/abs and sunday i play badminton in the morning and then train glutes. I have been doing this for 2 months and have seen results but i am not sure if im doing this okay? Or am i doing too much cardio? According to this calculator, its given me higher calories 1882, c190 p163 and f52 and i am scared my weightloss will slow down.
Hi Tazin, Based on my experience as a macros coach, you aren’t eating enough most days. While this may seem good for weight loss purposes, too steep of a calorie deficit can slow the metabolism over time, especially for those engaged in intense training such as yourself. This will eventually cause you to plateau. It looks like you should have at least 3 set of macros to follow; a rest day, a normal gym day, and then a day that’s gym + badminton.
Also, at your current levels, you probably aren’t building any muscle and one group is probably breaking down to fuel/rebuild the one being worked out. The bottom line is that you need to be eating more and try to aim for no more than a 20% calorie deficit.
Thank you so much for your reply. I am also doing intermittent fasting, so i am finding it hard to eat all the calories in the 8 hour window but i will definitely take your advice and increase me calories slowly per week. Thanks again!
also, if i follow the 3 sets of macros as suggested straightaway, will i not gain weight? Should i start to slowly follow them and increase 100 cals per week to ensure i dont rapidly gain weight going from 1700 to 2000 on gym+badminton days?
You won’t gain weight unless you place your body in a calorie surplus which would be your maintenance TDEE + extra calories. I would advise to stop IF and just eat more normally.
I would like to lose Weight due too cancer treatment
Hi Melissa, I definitely think counting macros can help with this. Plus, it will give the nutrition your body needs to heal. You can use our calculator above to calculate what you should be eating. I wish you all the best with your continued recovery.
I want to lose weight my after pregnacy fat
Great! Just use the calculator above to calculate how much you should be eating. If you are also breastfeeding make sure you follow the recommendations here.
Hi. At my highest weight I was 450 pounds. Through tracking macros, healthy eating, exercise, etc, I was able to get down to 350. This winter kicked my butt and I’m back to 380 and want to stop the gain right in its tracks. For the past month I’ve eaten at a deficit but can’t seem to jumpstart weight loss again. Your macro calculator has me 3,485 calories per day and under the high protein option I’m still at 273g of carbs? Seems like a lot of calories and carbs. I’m a little confused. I used the Lean Mass option. Can you help? For some reason I’m scared to eat that many carbs.
I used a different tdee calculator and it had my tdee at 3,500 so I deducted 20% from that number.
John, have a read of this article on macro counting for obese individuals. Might give you some insight.
On the calculator, I put sedentary. I work in factory: standing, walking, bending, lifting for 8 hours. On the weekend I walk with my dog; do I need to change the activity level? Also, if I hit 3 for the meals, does that tell me how much of each macro I need per a meal?
Hi Christina, If you have an active job like you described, you should select light or even moderate for activity. Yes, if you select “3” if breaks your macros down by meal.
Hi there! I’ve read through almost every comment trying to find a bit of help with getting started. I most recently started counting my macros, but I’m not sure if I’m doing this correctly. I’m a female, 5’7, 166 lbs, 24% body fat, work a desk job, want to lose about 10 lbs or maybe 2-3% body fat. My issue is wondering if I’m not eating enough. I exercise pretty intensely. I’ve been tracking my calories burned with my apple watch over the past few months. I generally burn about 700-1000 calories per cardio session about 5-7x/week. I averaged all of my calories burned for the month of March and it ended up being about 1,000/day (some days burning 2,000 calories whereas other days were rest days). When I plug my info into the calculator it says I should be eating 1738 calories – 128 protein, 158 carbs, 66 fats. For the past 2-3 weeks I have had a CONSTANT hunger and have felt fatigued. I can’t tell if I’m not eating enough or enough of the right kinds of foods OR if my calculated macros are wrong and need to be adjusted. Any help or advice would be greatly appreciated!
Hi Amber, if I enter in your stats in the calculator (use the Lean Mass method), and the Lose 10% option – even on Moderate activity level, your daily calories should be 2,244 – so you are undereating substantially. If you need more help take a look at the coaching options at https://healthyeater.com/personal-coaching