Calculators

Macro Calculator

By Ted KallmyerUpdated March 6, 2024

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.

Age

Biological Sex

Current Weight

Height

Formula ?

Activity Level ?

Goal Customize

Carbohydrate
Protein
Fat
Get Faster Results!
Lose 5-10 pounds the first month with Expert Macro Calculations – Eliminate the guesswork and dial in your unique macros for optimal results.

Adjust Meals Per Day

Adjust Protein Amount

How to get leaner and stronger?

Our comprehensive macro-based fat loss program shows you how. 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

  1. Enter details into the calculator
    Make sure to choose the correct goal.
  2. Take note of your calories and macros
    These will be the targets you are aiming for each day.
  3. Track your macros
    Use an app or pre-plan your meals.
  4. Measure results
    Don’t use basic weight scales. Use proper body composition scales, such as FitTrack, 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.

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 change your macros here.

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.

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: 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

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.

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 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

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 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 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.

View article sources

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

2,094 Comments

  • tyson

    Hi Ted, As I lose weight do I adjust my macros?

    Reply
    • Ted

      Hi Tyson, I advise people to readjust their macros after every 5 pounds of weight loss, but this makes just a small difference.

      Reply
  • Tyson

    Hi Ted, As I lose weight, do I adjust

    Reply
  • Nn

    Hi! I’m a 19 year old female, I weigh 94 kg and my goal is to weigh around 65 kg (long way to go!). I’ve calculated the macros and everything, but what happens if it ends up too low on a daily basis? I’ve been using myiftnesspal to track my meals and I always end up at around 2000 lower kJ than the recommended for losing weight… Is that OK? Also, do I have to eat protein bars and powders etc?

    Reply
    • Nn

      Also, one more question; is intermittent fasting healthy?

      Reply
    • Ted

      Hi Nn, Great! I think you should try to be as close to your TDEE as possible. Eating too few calories can actually hinder your progress. See my article on the subject here. https://healthyeater.com/eat-to-lose-weight
      No, protein supplements aren’t required but they can make hitting your protein goals easier without eating all of that meat.
      There are several forms of intermittent fasting. Eating all of your calories during an 8 or 9 hour window each day seems fine, but the type where a person eats very little one day and normal the next isn’t advisable. Not sure which type you are referring to. Good luck!

      Reply
  • Mairenn

    As someone who does not lift but does moderately active cardio, should I stick to low protein? currently 122 and would like to lean out a bit.

    Reply
    • Ted

      I would advise you to use the default setting of .825

      Reply
  • Bri

    Does eating late make a difference in weight gain or loss? I work till about 1800 and get to the gym around 1830 and I’m there till it closes which is 2100. By the time I eat it’s 2200. But I’m am not going over calories or macros.

    Reply
    • Ted

      For active people there really isn’t much research that shows eating late makes a difference if you are sticking to your TDEE. Have you been seeing progress?

      Reply
      • Bri

        I am seeing progress!! 🙂 but I’m also having trouble meeting my daily macros. I find myself VERY full after each meal. And I still have plenty of calories left over for snacks. Should I change somthing in my diet.

        Reply
        • Ted

          Great to here. I think feeling full is a great thing. 🙂 perhaps include more calories in your snacks?

          Reply
        • Martin

          I’d say simply begin eating more calorie dense foods, for example Chocolate is both high in fats and carbs and you don’t need a large supply of it to meet your TDEE

          Reply
  • Jesse Hanley

    Whilst traveling the world, as a backpacker, I’ve managed to lose over 25lb’s, get stronger than ever before and feel the best I ever have in 3 years using the IIFYM principles.

    Read about it here https://www.jess.buzz/the-beginners-guide-to-iifym/

    Reply
  • Lucía Cancela

    Hi!!! I am losing a bit of weight, something like 5 pounds and I was wondering how should I face my macros? I do moderate to pretty intensity level of activity (run, lift weights, hiit, etc) so I want to know if would it be correct to eat low carbs on my daily basis, or do you think would it be better just to track my macros?
    Hope you answer me. I know my English expression is not the best since I am from Spain, sorry about that 🙂

    Reply
    • Ted

      I would recommend you do flexible dieting and not worry about the carbs.

      Reply
  • Michelle

    hello! I needed some advice/help with my macros. I have been trying to tracking my macros for a few months now. I am 23 years old, 5′ 6” and 120 pounds. I have always been “skinny” and had a hard time gaining weight – i have a fast metabolism i guess. I can eat junk food or healthy and do not see much of a difference in my body. I think my muscle gain seems slow (perhaps) because i am not feeding my body properly. Although I have not lifted for that long (few months on and off), I feel like I am not accurately tracking my macros. What do you suggest my macros be to gain lean muscle? I want to stick to a “lean muscle” plan for a few months and then I was thinking of changing my macros (since my muscle growth will “slow down” after the beginning phase? that’s what I’ve read, not sure if it’s accurate). I have been having between 90-115g of protein daily, and have changed my carbs based on whether i work out or not that day. I’ve read so much online that it is all confusing me and causing my thoughts/what i do to be inconsistent!! I would appreciate if you could help me out with my macros (:

    Also, what are your thoughts on carb cycling and IIFYM together? Can this be done successfully with the right macros?

    Reply
    • Ted

      Hi Michelle, For gaining muscle I would recommend using our calculator and set it at the highest protein setting with a gain “TDEE” To avoid possible fat gain cut back to your sedentary TDEE on any rest days. Also one of the most important things is that you are consistent with your weight training and you are continually pushing yourself and adding more weight to your sets.
      There are many different methods that can produce the same outcomes, so find one that works for you and just be consistant with it. Building muscle takes diligence especially for females, so strive for slow but consistent gains.

      Reply
  • jessica

    i need some help I am female 125 pounds 5 2 inches lifting weights 5 days a week average 1 hr and im doing cardio every day running and hiit I want to loose weight so i want to cut fat but im so confused by all this i just want to keep track of my macros on MFP so i turned it off i have it set up based on your calculations and it says 1560 does that sound right to you please help

    Reply
  • Rose

    Hi!

    I’m new on this of flexible dieting, been doing it for a month. My goal is muscle gain. Sometimes I have calories remaining but already reached my macros for the day. What should I eat to get the remaining calories? Should I get the rest from carbs? It has been a little confusing for me.
    Thanks!

    Reply
    • Ted

      Hi Rose, So glad you found us. So I think you have something calculated incorrectly. If you have reached all your macros then you will have reached your calorie level also. The only place calories come from are your macros. Are you using a device or app to track this? There could be a glitch with it. I read something about myfitnesspal sometimes doing this.

      Reply
      • Rose

        I use MyFitnessPal, I will check the settings. Thanks!!

        Reply
      • Rose

        Ted I have another quedtion. How long should be a bulking period? And how long it should be a cut period? Thanks again!

        Reply
        • Ted

          This depends on when you reach your goal, so there wouldn’t be a set time because it’s based on the time it takes you to get where you want to be.

          Reply
          • Rose

            True! ok thanks for answering!! 🙂

  • Alexis

    Howdy,
    I have a question that I don’t seem to see in the thread but my apologies if it’s already been answered.

    I understand targeting macros based on the exercise of that day but here’s my conundrum. Sometimes I have a day at my desk, then I leave work and have a 2 hour exercise session in the evening. I am realizing that I may not be eating enough macros (and calories) that particular day but the next day I’m really hungry even though it may be a rest day for me.

    I guess what it boils down to, is can my macro targets be flexible or averaged since I’m not necessarily consuming more on the day with higher activity levels.
    I hope that makes sense!
    Many thanks!

    Reply
    • Ted

      Hi Alexis,
      Some choose to just eat the same everyday based on their overall average exercise level . The thought is that even on rest days your body is still building and repairing, which uses extra calories. You may want to give this a try and see how it works for you. All the best!

      Reply
      • Alexis

        Many thanks for your help, Ted!

        Reply
  • Olivia

    Hi Ted,
    I’ve been counting macros for a little over a month now and things have been great, my weight has decreased from 148 to 132 and I am 5’6″ and 23 years old. I plan on switching to gain mode when I hit 125 pounds as I am hoping to put on some muscle, I lift heavy 6 times a week but do little to no cardio and am not incredibly active in my regular life so I have the calculator set to light activity. My question is this, when I set the calculator to gain it puts me at 2194 calories which sounds like a lot since I have been eating about 1500, I understand that I will gain some fat but am really trying my best to avoid too many fat gains, does the 2194 sound like a correct amount of calories or will it make me put weight back on too quickly? Thank you very much for your time!

    Reply
    • Ted

      Hi Olivia, Nice work so far! I would advise you to eat at your maintenance TDEE for a period after you reach your goal weight and see how your body adjusts to the higher calorie amount. If everything seems stable start adding in some extra macros/calories on days that you lift. 🙂

      Reply

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