CALCULATOR
Macro Calculator
Protein, carbs and fat in grams for your goal and diet style, with calories and the per-meal protein split.
Protein set first by bodyweight, fat by minimum health needs, carbs fill the rest.
How to set your macros
Macros are the three energy-providing nutrients: protein at 4 kcal per gram, carbohydrate at 4 kcal per gram and fat at 9 kcal per gram. Setting them well is mostly about order of operations.
This calculator sets protein first, from your bodyweight and goal, because it is the macro with the clearest evidence behind its targets. Fat comes next, with a floor near 0.6 g per kg so it never drops below what hormone production and vitamin absorption need. Carbohydrate fills whatever calories remain, which is why it moves the most between diet styles.
The carb-to-fat ratio is largely preference. Adherence beats optimisation: the split you can actually follow for months outperforms the theoretically ideal one you abandon in three weeks.
How macros convert to calories
Carbohydrate = 4 kcal per gram
Fat = 9 kcal per gram
Alcohol = 7 kcal per gram
2. Fat = 22 to 35 percent of calories, floor 0.6 g per kg
3. Carbs = (calories - protein kcal - fat kcal) / 4
Protein is set first because it has the clearest evidence behind its targets and the most direct effect on how much of your weight change is muscle. Fat is set second with a floor, because dropping fat too low interferes with hormone production and the absorption of vitamins A, D, E and K. Carbohydrate takes whatever calories remain, which is why it swings most between diet styles.
Common macro splits compared
| Style | Protein | Carbs | Fat | Suits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Balanced | 30% | 40% | 30% | Most people, most goals |
| Lower carb | 35% | 25% | 40% | Appetite control |
| Higher carb | 25% | 55% | 20% | Endurance or high volume lifting |
| High protein cut | 40% | 35% | 25% | Aggressive fat loss with lifting |
Macro targets for an 80 kg adult by goal
| Goal | Calories | Protein | Carbs | Fat |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fat loss | 2,120 kcal | 160 g | 206 g | 66 g |
| Maintenance | 2,650 kcal | 128 g | 299 g | 82 g |
| Muscle gain | 2,915 kcal | 144 g | 338 g | 91 g |
Which macros actually matter
In order of impact: total calories decide the direction of weight change, protein decides how much of that change is muscle, and the carbohydrate to fat ratio mostly affects how you feel while doing it. People spend the most energy arguing about the variable that matters least.
Adherence beats optimisation. A split you can follow for six months outperforms a theoretically superior one you abandon in three weeks, which is why appetite and food preference are legitimate reasons to pick one ratio over another.
Macro content of common foods
| Food | Serving | Protein | Carbs | Fat |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chicken breast | 100 g | 31 g | 0 g | 4 g |
| White rice, cooked | 100 g | 3 g | 28 g | 0 g |
| Oats, dry | 50 g | 7 g | 30 g | 4 g |
| Whole egg | 1 large | 6 g | 1 g | 5 g |
| Olive oil | 1 tbsp | 0 g | 0 g | 14 g |
| Greek yogurt | 170 g | 17 g | 6 g | 4 g |
| Almonds | 30 g | 6 g | 6 g | 15 g |
| Lentils, cooked | 100 g | 9 g | 20 g | 0 g |
Frequently asked questions
What is the best macro split?
Do I need to track macros to lose fat?
Why is my carb number so low on lower carb?
Should macros change on training days?
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General information, not medical advice. Consult a qualified professional before changing your diet, especially with a medical condition.