Macro Calculator
Your daily protein, carbs, and fat in grams — for any diet style — with a no-scale hand-portion plan.
About you
Add it to switch to the lean-mass Katch-McArdle formula.
Activity
Goal & nutrition
Used for your timeline estimate.
Daily calories to lose
−490 cal vs maintenance
Protein
38%
Carbs
35%
Fat
27%
Meal split
How it works
Macros are how your calorie target is split between the three energy-yielding nutrients: protein (4 cal/g), carbs (4 cal/g), and fat (9 cal/g). We anchor protein to your bodyweight, set fat from your diet style above a health floor, and assign the rest to carbs — so the grams always add back up to your calorie goal.
Calories per macro
calories = 4·protein(g) + 4·carbs(g) + 9·fat(g)
- protein
- 1.6–2.2 g/kg bodyweight (set first)
- fat
- 20–40% of calories by diet style, ≥0.5 g/kg
- carbs
- fills the remaining calories
Worked example
- 2,200 cal target, 80 kg, balanced diet
- Protein 2.2 g/kg → 176 g (704 cal)
- Fat 27% → 66 g (594 cal)
- Carbs = (2,200 − 704 − 594) / 4
≈ 176 g protein, 225 g carbs, 66 g fat.
Good to know
- Protein is the macro to prioritize — it preserves muscle in a deficit and is the most satiating, which makes any diet easier to stick to.
- Fat has a floor (about 0.5 g/kg) for hormone health; do not drive it to zero even on a high-carb plan.
- These are starting targets. Track for two weeks, then adjust the protein slider or diet style to fit your appetite and performance.
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Frequently Asked Questions
How are my macros calculated?
We set protein first, on a grams-per-bodyweight basis (it has a real per-kg requirement), then set fat from your chosen diet style with a healthy minimum, and fill the remaining calories with carbohydrates. Keto instead fixes carbs very low and lets fat take the rest. Everything is shown in grams, not just percentages.
How much protein do I need?
For active people aiming to keep or build muscle, 1.6–2.2 g per kilogram of bodyweight (roughly 0.7–1.0 g per pound) is well supported by research. The higher end is protective during a fat-loss phase. Use the protein slider to dial it in.
What macro split is best for fat loss?
There is no magic ratio — total calories and protein matter most. A common, effective split is higher protein with moderate carbs and fat. Pick the diet style that you can actually stick to; adherence beats the “optimal” numbers.
Do I need to hit my macros exactly?
No. Aim to land within about 5–10 g of protein and fat, and let carbs absorb the rest. Consistency over a week matters far more than perfection at any single meal.
What are the hand portions for?
They translate your gram targets into palm, cupped-hand, and thumb-sized servings so you can eat to your macros without a food scale — useful for restaurants and travel. See the Portions tab.