Macro Calculator
This macro calculator splits a daily calorie goal into grams of protein, carbohydrate and fat. Pick your objective, enter your target, and you get numbers you can actually shop and cook against.
Daily Gram Targets
How to Use This Macro Calculator
If you already know your TDEE, enter it directly. If you do not, use the TDEE Calculator first to find your maintenance calorie number. Then choose your nutrition goal from the dropdown.
Maintenance gives you a balanced macro split suitable for holding your current weight. Cutting increases protein and reduces carbs, which helps preserve muscle while losing fat. Bulking raises carbohydrates to fuel training and recovery while keeping protein high enough to support muscle growth.
The gram targets update instantly. Track these numbers using a food diary app like Cronometer or MyFitnessPal by scanning barcodes or searching foods.
How Macro Splits Are Calculated
Each macronutrient provides a set amount of energy per gram. Protein delivers 4 calories per gram. Carbohydrates also deliver 4 calories per gram. Fat delivers 9 calories per gram, which is why fat-heavy foods are so calorie-dense.
The calculator assigns a percentage of your total calories to each macro based on your goal, then divides the calorie allocation by the energy per gram to get the gram target.
Maintenance split: roughly 30% protein, 40% carbs, 30% fat.
Cutting split: roughly 40% protein, 30% carbs, 30% fat. Higher protein helps prevent muscle loss on a calorie deficit.
Bulking split: roughly 25% protein, 50% carbs, 25% fat. More carbs to fuel intense training sessions and glycogen replenishment.
Macro Examples
- Cutting, 2,000 calories: Protein 200g (800 kcal, 40%), Carbs 150g (600 kcal, 30%), Fat 67g (600 kcal, 30%). This is a high-protein cut that protects lean mass during a calorie deficit.
- Maintenance, 2,500 calories: Protein 188g (750 kcal, 30%), Carbs 250g (1,000 kcal, 40%), Fat 83g (750 kcal, 30%). A balanced split for active people maintaining their current weight.
- Bulking, 3,000 calories: Protein 188g (750 kcal, 25%), Carbs 375g (1,500 kcal, 50%), Fat 83g (750 kcal, 25%). Emphasizes carbohydrates to support heavy training volume.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many grams of protein do I need per day?
A general starting point is 1.6 to 2.2 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight for active people doing regular resistance training. At the lower end suits people in maintenance; the higher end suits those actively trying to build muscle or cut fat while preserving mass. The macro calculator uses your calorie targets to derive a gram number aligned with your goal.
Do I need to hit my macros exactly every day?
Hitting them closely matters more than hitting them exactly. Being within 5 to 10 grams of each target consistently over a week produces the same results as perfection would. Focus on the weekly average rather than treating every single day as pass or fail.
What is the best macro split for weight loss?
Higher protein and moderate fat with lower carbs is what research generally supports for fat loss while preserving muscle. The cutting split in this calculator applies roughly a 40/30/30 protein/carbs/fat ratio. That said, the total calorie deficit matters far more than the exact split. You will lose fat at any macro ratio as long as you are eating fewer calories than you burn.
Should I use net carbs or total carbs?
Total carbs are what the macro calculator uses. If you follow a keto diet you would track net carbs, which subtract fiber from the total since fiber is not absorbed the same way. For most non-keto approaches total carbohydrates is the relevant number to track.
Guides for the Macro Calculator
Longer reads on the maths and the practical side of this tool.