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Macro Calculator (Carbs, Protein, Fat)

Daily carbs, protein, and fat targets for any goal (cut, maintain, bulk, keto, high-protein, endurance). Uses Mifflin-St Jeor BMR + activity multiplier.

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Daily carbs, protein, and fat targets in grams and calories, sized to your bodyweight, activity level, and goal. Uses the Mifflin-St Jeor BMR equation - the most accurate among 30+ published BMR formulas - then applies an activity multiplier and adjusts for cut, maintain, or bulk.

Pipeline: BMR (Mifflin-St Jeor, male: 10·kg + 6.25·cm - 5·age + 5; female: same - 161) → TDEE = BMR × activity factor (1.2 to 1.9) → target calories = TDEE × (1 + goal adjustment, -20% to +20%) → macro grams = (target × split %) / kcal per gram, where protein and carbs are 4 kcal/g and fat is 9 kcal/g. Standard splits: balanced 40C/30P/30F, high-protein 40C/40P/20F, keto 5C/25P/70F.

Disclaimer: Equations estimate average response. Individual metabolism varies ±10-15%. Track 2-3 weeks and adjust by 100-200 kcal if weight is not moving as expected. Not medical advice.

Calculator information

How to use this calculator

  1. Open the Calculate Macros tab and enter sex, age (years), height (inches or cm), weight (pounds or kg), and activity level (sedentary to very active).
  2. Choose your goal: cutting (500 kcal deficit), maintenance, or bulking (300-500 kcal surplus); the calculator computes TDEE and target calories.
  3. Pick a macro distribution preset: balanced (40C/30P/30F), high protein (30C/40P/30F), low carb (20C/40P/40F), or custom.
  4. Results display daily grams of protein, carbohydrate, and fat along with calories per gram.
  5. Food Macro Check tab: log foods eaten today and serving counts; the calculator accumulates total macros versus the target.
  6. Calorie Conversion tab: enter grams of a specific food and get the calories (1g carb = 4 kcal, 1g protein = 4 kcal, 1g fat = 9 kcal).
  7. Per Meal Distribution tab splits total macros across 3-6 meals for daily meal-prep planning.

Macronutrient Distribution from TDEE

TDEE = BMR x Activity_Factor; Protein_g = (TDEE x %P) / 4; Carbs_g = (TDEE x %C) / 4; Fat_g = (TDEE x %F) / 9
  • BMR (Mifflin-St Jeor, men) = 10W + 6.25H - 5A + 5
  • BMR (women) = 10W + 6.25H - 5A - 161, where W = weight in kg, H = height in cm, A = age in years
  • Activity factor: sedentary 1.2, light 1.375, moderate 1.55, active 1.725, very active 1.9
  • %P, %C, %F = percent of calories from protein, carbs, and fat (sum to 100%)
  • 4 and 9 = calories per gram (Atwater factors)

USDA Dietary Reference Intakes: protein 10-35% of calories, carbs 45-65%, fat 20-35%. Strength athletes typically need 1.6-2.2 g protein per kg body weight. For cutting, a 500 kcal/day deficit produces about 1 lb/week loss (1 lb fat ~ 3,500 kcal).

Worked example: Male, 30 years old, 165 lb (75 kg), 5'9" (175 cm), moderate activity, cutting

Given:
  • BMR = 10(75) + 6.25(175) - 5(30) + 5 = 750 + 1,093.75 - 150 + 5 = 1,698.75 kcal
  • Activity factor: 1.55 (exercise 3-5x/week)
  • Goal: cutting, 500 kcal deficit
  • Distribution: high protein 30C/40P/30F
Steps:
  1. TDEE = 1,698.75 x 1.55 = 2,633 kcal
  2. Cutting calories = 2,633 - 500 = 2,133 kcal
  3. Protein = (2,133 x 40%) / 4 = 853.2 / 4 = 213 grams
  4. Carbohydrate = (2,133 x 30%) / 4 = 639.9 / 4 = 160 grams
  5. Fat = (2,133 x 30%) / 9 = 639.9 / 9 = 71 grams

Result: Daily target: 2,133 kcal with 213g protein, 160g carbs, 71g fat.

Frequently asked questions

What is the difference between calories and macros?
Calories are total food energy, while macros (macronutrients: protein, carbohydrate, fat) are the sources of that energy. Two foods can share 500 kcal but have very different macro splits - 500 kcal from chicken and rice behaves very differently from 500 kcal of donuts. Macro composition drives satiety, blood sugar response, and body composition.
How much protein per kg do I need for fitness?
It depends on your goal. Sedentary adults need only 0.8 g/kg (the RDA). Regularly active people need 1.2-1.6 g/kg. Strength athletes and those bulking need 1.6-2.2 g/kg. Aggressive cutting while preserving muscle may justify 2.0-2.4 g/kg. Helms et al. (2014) found no additional muscle-building benefit above about 2.2 g/kg.
Low carb or high carb for dieting?
It depends on preference and how your body responds. Low-carb diets (50-100g/day) often produce fast initial weight loss because of water retention reduction. Moderate-to-high carb diets (45-65% of calories) better support intense exercise performance. What really drives fat loss is total calorie deficit, not macro distribution.
How do I check macros for common American foods?
Use the USDA FoodData Central database or apps like MyFitnessPal, Cronometer, or FatSecret. Examples: 1 cup cooked white rice (158g) = 205 kcal/45g carb/4g protein/0g fat; 4 oz (113g) skinless chicken breast = 187 kcal/0 carb/35g protein/4g fat; 1 large egg = 72 kcal/0.4g carb/6g protein/5g fat.
Do I need to track macros every day?
No. Strict tracking (weighing food) is useful for 2-4 weeks to build portion intuition. After that, many people succeed with eyeballing (visual estimation) or tracking only protein. Obsessive long-term tracking can foster an unhealthy relationship with food.

Last updated: May 11, 2026

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