Macro Calculator
This free, easy-to-use macro calculator gives you your optimal macronutrients and calories. It’s a weight loss or muscle gain calculator for both women and men.
Combine with macro counting or flexible dieting to reach your goals faster.
Now what do I do with my macros?
Our comprehensive macro-based fat loss program shows you what to do. Learn more
How do macros work?
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.
Basic steps for macro counting
- Enter details into the calculator
Choose the correct goal (your email is not needed for the macro calculator – get your results instantly). - Take note of your calories and macros
These will be the targets you are aiming for each day. - Track your macros
Use an app, pre-plan your meals, (or use Factor meals ready-to-eat meals – choose Protein Plus). - Measure results
Don’t use basic weight scales.
Use proper body composition scales (we recommend Renpho) to measure fat and muscle mass changes.
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 goals.
The calculator defaults to the best macro ratio proven to work for most people – note we don’t use a fixed ratio (like 40/40/20).
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 with a bit of math. See how to adjust your macros.
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.
Eating more protein can be challenging – see the list of the best protein foods.
Fat ratio
Fat is set at 30% of daily energy expenditure.
Most people do very well with this amount of fat.
It helps to choose the best quality fats.
Carbohydrate 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 come 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 prevent fat loss is incorrect.
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.
Underweight people can also use it.
TIP: Try starting with the maintenance goal and gradually increasing calories 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:
- Select Normal if you only have body weight.
- Select Lean Mass if you know your body 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
You can break this down into meals once you’ve calculated your daily macros in the calculator.
Choose from 2 to 6 meals daily 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.
Although it seems counterintuitive, more energy is required to fuel workouts. More workouts lead to an increasing metabolism, which in turn burns more fat!
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 200-400 calories (females) or 250-500 calories (males) over your sedentary amount.
- Moderate: Any activity that burns 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 such as a Fitbit or Apple Watch (note that they can overestimate calorie burn).
Why should I eat more when I exercise more?
High physical activity that is 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 your foods.
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 a diet tracking app to help them stick to macro targets.
For more specifics on what to eat – see a sample macro meal plan or a list of macros for familiar foods.
I help people drop unwanted pounds without sacrificing their favorite meals or battling hunger.
Sources
- 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
2,114 Comments
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Hi, this is for my dad – he is 68, about 5’10 and weighs about 88kg, he wants to lose about 10 kgs, but really struggles to do this. He isn’t also very active, but aims to go to the gym 3 or 4 times a week to do mainly strength training. He has belly fat he wants to shift! When I add his stats in, the carbs seem a little high at 160g, with 159g of Protein – do you think this many carbs will still work?? I would have thought less at around 100g would be better? Thanks!
Hi Rebecca, I think this has to do with misinformation you’ve heard about carbs. When carbs are eaten in relation to your TDEE the do not cause fat gain or prevent fat loss. Carbs are not bad and around 40% of your calorie intake should come from carbs since it is your body’s preferred fuel source and the one it uses most efficiently.
Hello! Currently I am working a desk job so try to get my activity in the morning, but incorporate my walking pad during the day as well. I do strength workouts for about 30 minutes 3/4 times a week, and also incline walk usually 5 out of the 7 days of the week for like 20-30 mins. I take two days where I just leisurely walk during my shift just to get steps in, aiming anywhere from 10-15k steps a day since I mainly sit during the day outside of that walking/morning exercise. Would I calculate for moderate? I am 23 yr old female, 142 pounds and am about 5”5-5”6 if that helps!
Hi Skylar, Thanks for stopping by and yes, that sounds like moderate to me, so start there and check your results after two weeks to see if any adjustments need to be made.
I’m unsure on what my activity level would be? I run 5ks 3 times a week, light work out 3 times a week, 1hr walk 3 to 4 times a week. I also have an active job where I’m on my feet alot. I average about 15000 to 20000 steps most days, also am I ment to adjust my daily calorie goal if I have a rest day?
Hey Nicole, There is a risk of being too active so think about cutting out the hour of additional walking since you have an active job. Set your typical day to “light activity” which will account for your steps. Then head here Calories Burned Calculator to determine your burn for your runs and weight training workouts. Add those to your light activity total on the days you do either. View your weekly activity as something you could see yourself doing the rest of your life. If it doesn’t seem sustainable long-term then cut it back a bit.