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- Macro Calculator: Protein, Carbs and Fat for Your Goal
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Macro Calculator: Protein, Carbs and Fat for Your Goal
This macro calculator gives you a daily calorie target plus grams of protein, carbohydrates, fat and a fibre minimum, matched to your goal and preferred diet style. Each macro also shows its share of your calories.
Journals that use this number
Every number calculated by code from published formulas.
- High-protein fat-loss meal planfrom €19Enter your body, activity and food preferences and get a printable journal with your calorie, protein and fibre targets, 14 days of portion-sized menus, weekly shopping lists and a 4-week habit tracker.
- 12-week gym plan for womenfrom €19Answer a few questions about your experience, schedule and gym, and get a printable 12-week journal with every exercise, set, rep and effort level chosen for you, plus logs that tell you exactly when to add weight.
- GLP-1 muscle-protection planfrom €19Your journal turns your height, weight, appetite and training set-up into a daily protein number, a per-meal target and a 12-week strength plan you tick off week by week, alongside your prescriber's care.
How it's calculated
First it estimates your maintenance calories with the Mifflin–St Jeor equation and your activity multiplier (1.2 to 1.9), exactly as the calorie calculator does. Your goal then sets the daily target: maintenance for maintain, maintenance minus 500 kcal to lose fat, or plus 250 kcal to build muscle. The target never drops below 1,200 kcal for women or 1,500 kcal for men.
Protein is set per kilogram of body weight, not as a percentage, because your needs depend on your size and training rather than on how much you eat: 1.6 g/kg for balanced, 2.0 g/kg for high protein and 1.8 g/kg for lower carb, rounded to the nearest 5 g. These sit within the 1.6–2.2 g/kg range that research supports for people who train and want to keep or build muscle.
Fat is a share of your calories: 28% for balanced, 27% for high protein and 40% for lower carb, converted at 9 kcal per gram. Carbohydrates fill whatever calories remain at 4 kcal per gram, with a floor of 40 g a day. Fibre is set at 14 g per 1,000 kcal, and never less than 25 g, in line with common dietary guidance.
One honest limit: protein is based on total body weight. If you carry a lot of body fat, that can overstate what you need; using your goal weight instead is a sensible adjustment. For a range rather than a single number, use the protein calculator.
Use the grams as daily targets rather than exact rules. Hit protein and calories most days, and let carbs and fat flex between days as long as the weekly average lands near target. Diet style matters less than consistency: pick the one you can keep. If you want a structured way to eat this way, the high-protein meal plan builds meals around these numbers.
| Diet style | Protein | Fat | Carbohydrates |
|---|---|---|---|
| Balanced | 1.6 g per kg body weight | 28% of calories | Remaining calories (min. 40 g) |
| High protein | 2.0 g per kg body weight | 27% of calories | Remaining calories (min. 40 g) |
| Lower carb | 1.8 g per kg body weight | 40% of calories | Remaining calories (min. 40 g) |
Frequently asked questions
What are macros?
Macros, short for macronutrients, are the three nutrients that supply calories: protein (4 kcal per gram), carbohydrates (4 kcal per gram) and fat (9 kcal per gram). Alcohol also provides calories but is not counted as a macro you need. Tracking macros means aiming for a set number of grams of each, rather than only counting total calories.
What is the best macro ratio for fat loss?
There is no single best ratio for fat loss; your calorie deficit drives the loss, and protein protects your muscle. Aim for roughly 1.6–2.2 g of protein per kg of body weight, keep fat at a level you can sustain, and fill the rest with carbs. Higher-protein or lower-carb styles work if they help you stick to your calories.
Should I count macros or just calories?
Counting calories alone is enough to change your weight. Adding a protein target is the most useful next step, because it affects how much muscle you keep and how full you feel. Full macro tracking helps if you want tighter control or are preparing for a performance goal. Many people do well tracking calories and protein only.
How many grams of protein, carbs and fat should I eat a day?
It depends on your calories, body weight and goal. As a guide, protein around 1.6–2.2 g per kg, fat around 25–40% of calories, and carbohydrates for the remainder. A 70 kg person eating 2,000 kcal on a balanced split would get about 110 g protein, 62 g fat and 250 g carbs. The calculator does this for you.
Is a low-carb diet better for losing weight?
Not reliably. When calories and protein are matched, low-carb and higher-carb diets produce similar fat loss over the long term. Low-carb can cause faster early weight loss, but much of that is water stored with glycogen. Choose lower carb if it reduces your hunger or suits your food preferences, not because it burns fat faster.
Do I need to hit my macros exactly every day?
No. Getting within about 5–10 g of protein and within 100 kcal of your calorie target most days is plenty precise. Carbs and fat can swing more from day to day without affecting results, as long as the weekly average is close. Consistency over weeks matters far more than perfection on any single day.
How much fibre should I eat a day?
A common guideline is about 14 g of fibre per 1,000 calories, which is roughly 25–38 g a day for most adults. Many people eat far less. Fibre supports digestion and fullness, which helps when you are in a calorie deficit. Increase it gradually with vegetables, fruit, legumes and whole grains, and drink enough water as you do.
Other calculators
- Calorie Calculator: Your Maintenance Calories (TDEE)
- Heart Rate Zone Calculator: Find Your Zone 2 and All Five Zones
- Body Fat Calculator: US Navy Tape-Measure Method
- Water Intake Calculator: How Much Water Should You Drink?
- Protein Calculator: How Much Protein Do You Need?
- BMI Calculator with Waist-to-Height Ratio
General fitness information, not medical advice. Check with a doctor if you have a medical condition, are pregnant or have an injury.