Macro Calculator
Split your daily calories into protein, carbs, and fat based on your goal and body weight. Evidence-based ratios for cutting, maintenance, or bulking.
20-35% is typical; keep at least 20% for hormonal health
How to use this calculator
Enter your daily calorie target (from the TDEE calculator), your body weight in pounds, and your goal. Choose a protein strategy — moderate works well for most people — and your preferred fat percentage (25% is a reasonable default). The calculator fills in carbs to hit your calorie target.
Why protein first
Protein is set first because it's the most important macro for body composition. Adequate protein preserves muscle during a cut and builds it during a bulk. Missing your protein target is the single biggest reason people lose muscle while dieting or fail to grow when eating more. Everything else — calorie balance, fat, carbs — is downstream of hitting protein.
Why fat next, carbs last
Fat is set second because it has a minimum floor for hormonal health (~20% of calories). Below that floor, hormone production suffers. Carbs fill the remainder — they're important for training performance and recovery, but they're the flexible macro that absorbs changes in calorie intake.
Reading food labels in macro terms
Protein and carbs have 4 calories per gram. Fat has 9 per gram. Alcohol has 7 (not counted in any macro; subtract from daily calories). Fiber is a subset of carbs that doesn't digest much — some people subtract it from carb count ("net carbs"), but for most goals counting total carbs is fine.
Tracking sustainably
Apps like MacroFactor, Cronometer, MyFitnessPad, and LoseIt make macro tracking easy. Most people don't need to track forever — 2-3 months of tracking teaches you what typical portions look like, after which you can eyeball it. Track strictly for learning, loosely for maintenance, and strictly again for a goal push.
Frequently asked questions
How much protein do I really need?▾
For active adults: 0.7-1.0g per lb of body weight is the evidence-backed range. Older adults and people in an aggressive cut benefit from the higher end. Recreational lifters can do well at 0.7-0.85. The old RDA of 0.36g/lb is for minimum health, not optimization or muscle building.
Do carbs make you fat?▾
Calories make you fat, not carbs specifically. At the same calorie count, high-carb and low-carb diets produce similar fat loss in controlled studies. Some people prefer lower carbs for satiety; others do better fueled for training. Don't let internet dogma dictate — find what you can stick to.
Why not zero fat?▾
Fat is essential for hormonal health (especially testosterone and estrogen production), vitamin absorption (A, D, E, K are fat-soluble), and brain function. Going under 20% of calories from fat for extended periods can disrupt menstrual cycles, tank testosterone, and hurt recovery. Keep fat at 20-35% of calories as a baseline.
Should my macros change day to day?▾
They can — some people cycle carbs (higher on training days, lower on rest days) or do a weekly refeed. These strategies are more useful for very lean people trying to cut further. For general health and body composition, consistent daily macros are easier to stick to and work just as well.
What if the calculator gives a negative carb value?▾
That means your protein + fat together exceed your total calories. Lower the protein strategy ('moderate' or 'low' instead of 'high'), reduce fat percentage, or increase your daily calories. For very low-calorie cuts, there's a hard trade-off between protein targets and having any carbs left.
Related calculators
TDEE Calculator (BMR + Calorie Needs)
Calculate your Total Daily Energy Expenditure using the Mifflin-St Jeor equation. Get calorie targets for cutting, maintenance, and bulking.
BMI Calculator
Calculate your Body Mass Index in metric or imperial units. See what the number means and where you land on the WHO scale.
Body Fat Calculator
Estimate your body fat percentage using the US Navy method — just a tape measure. Get your category, fat mass, and lean mass.