Macro Calculator
Estimate your daily calorie, protein, carbohydrate and fat targets based on your age, body size, activity level and goal.
Calculate Your Daily Macros
Enter your details below to estimate your daily calorie and macronutrient targets.
Your results will appear here
Complete the calculator to see your estimated daily calorie, protein, carbohydrate and fat targets.
Your Daily Macros
Based on the information you entered.
What Do Your Macro Targets Mean?
Macronutrients are the nutrients your body needs in relatively large amounts. Protein, carbohydrates and fat each contribute energy and perform different roles in your body.
Protein
Protein provides amino acids used throughout the body and is particularly important for maintaining and repairing muscle and other tissues.
Carbohydrates
Carbohydrates provide glucose that can be used for energy. Individual carbohydrate requirements can vary with activity, training demands and dietary preference.
Fat
Dietary fat provides essential fatty acids, supports normal cell function and helps the body absorb the fat-soluble vitamins A, D, E and K.
There is no single macronutrient ratio that is ideal for everyone. Your needs can change with your goals, activity, health, training and dietary preferences.
How Does the Macro Calculator Work?
The calculator first estimates how much energy your body may use each day, adjusts that estimate for your selected goal, and then divides your calorie target between protein, carbohydrates and fat.
Estimate Resting Energy
Your age, sex, height and weight are used to estimate your basal metabolic rate (BMR) with the Mifflin–St Jeor equation.
Account for Activity
Your estimated BMR is multiplied by the activity level you select to produce an estimate of your daily maintenance energy needs.
Calculate Your Macros
The calculator adjusts estimated calories for your goal and divides those calories across protein, carbohydrates and fat using your selected macro preference.
Mifflin–St Jeor Equation
The calculator uses the Mifflin–St Jeor equation to estimate resting energy expenditure. It is an estimation formula, so actual energy requirements can differ between individuals.
Male: BMR = (10 × weight in kg) + (6.25 × height in cm) − (5 × age) + 5
Female: BMR = (10 × weight in kg) + (6.25 × height in cm) − (5 × age) − 161
Choosing the Right Macro Goal
Your selected goal changes the estimated calorie target used to calculate your macros. Choose the option that most closely reflects what you are currently trying to achieve.
Lose Weight
The calculator creates a moderate estimated calorie deficit below your calculated maintenance needs while still providing targets for protein, carbohydrates and fat.
Maintain Weight
This option uses your estimated maintenance energy needs without deliberately adding or subtracting calories for a weight-change goal.
Gain Weight
The calculator adds a modest calorie surplus to your estimated maintenance needs to provide a starting target for gradual weight gain.
Use the Result as a Starting Point
Energy expenditure cannot be measured precisely by an online calculator. Your real-world progress can help you judge whether the estimate is reasonably suited to you.
Be consistent. Give yourself enough time to observe a meaningful trend rather than reacting to normal day-to-day weight changes.
Consider your activity. A substantial change in exercise, work or daily movement can change your energy requirements.
Recalculate when needed. Changes in body weight, activity or goals can make your previous estimate less representative.
Which Macro Split Should You Choose?
The calculator offers four preset macro distributions. These are practical starting points rather than rules, and the best choice can depend on your preferences, training and overall eating pattern.
Balanced
A moderate distribution across all three macronutrients. This is a simple starting option if you do not have a strong preference for higher protein, lower carbohydrate or higher carbohydrate intake.
Higher Protein
This preset allocates a larger share of daily calories to protein while keeping carbohydrate and fat intake moderate. It may appeal to people who prefer a higher-protein eating pattern.
Lower Carbohydrate
This option reduces the percentage of calories coming from carbohydrates and allocates more to protein and fat. It is not intended to represent a ketogenic diet.
Higher Carbohydrate
This preset allocates a larger share of calories to carbohydrates while keeping protein and fat moderate. It may suit people who prefer carbohydrate-rich foods or have substantial training demands.
Foods That Can Help You Reach Your Macro Targets
Macro targets are easier to use when you know which foods commonly contribute protein, carbohydrates and fat. A balanced eating pattern will usually include foods from several groups rather than relying on one source.
Protein-Rich Foods
Protein can come from both animal and plant foods.
- ✓ Chicken, turkey and lean meats
- ✓ Fish and seafood
- ✓ Eggs
- ✓ Greek yoghurt, milk and cottage cheese
- ✓ Beans, lentils and chickpeas
- ✓ Tofu, tempeh and other soy foods
Carbohydrate-Rich Foods
Carbohydrates are found in many staple foods and plant foods.
- ✓ Oats and whole-grain cereals
- ✓ Rice, pasta and whole-grain bread
- ✓ Potatoes and sweet potatoes
- ✓ Fruit
- ✓ Beans and lentils
- ✓ Milk and yoghurt
Fat-Rich Foods
Dietary fat is concentrated in oils, nuts, seeds and several whole foods.
- ✓ Olive oil and other plant oils
- ✓ Avocado
- ✓ Nuts and nut butters
- ✓ Seeds such as chia, flax and sunflower
- ✓ Salmon and other oily fish
- ✓ Eggs and dairy foods
Hitting a macro target does not automatically make a diet nutritionally complete. Fruits, vegetables, whole grains, legumes and other nutrient-dense foods also provide fibre, vitamins, minerals and beneficial plant compounds.
How to Track Your Macros More Accurately
Macro tracking does not need to be perfect, but consistent measurements and serving estimates can make your daily totals more useful.
Check Serving Sizes
Nutrition labels usually list calories and macros for a specific serving size. Compare that serving with the amount you actually eat.
Measure Consistently
Using the same measuring method each time can reduce variation. A kitchen scale can be useful when greater accuracy is important.
Include Oils, Sauces and Drinks
Cooking oils, dressings, sauces, milk, juice and other drinks can contribute meaningful calories and macros even when they seem like small additions.
Look at Weekly Patterns
One meal or one day does not determine your overall nutrition. Looking at patterns across several days can be more useful than expecting every day to match perfectly.
Accuracy Matters More at the Beginning
Tracking carefully for a period of time can help you learn the approximate portions and macro content of foods you eat regularly. Over time, many people become better at making reasonable estimates without measuring every ingredient.
You Do Not Need to Hit Every Number Exactly
Macro targets are estimates, not exact daily requirements. Small differences from your calculated protein, carbohydrate or fat targets are normal and do not mean the day has been unsuccessful.
Why Your Macro Estimate May Not Match Your Real Needs
A macro calculator can provide a useful starting estimate, but several common input and tracking mistakes can make the result less representative of your actual energy needs.
Choosing Too High an Activity Level
It is easy to overestimate activity, especially when exercise is intense but the rest of the day is mostly sedentary.
Treating the Result as an Exact Number
Equations estimate energy expenditure from population data. They cannot measure your individual metabolism directly.
Forgetting Hidden Calories
Oils, sauces, dressings, snacks and drinks can add calories that are easy to overlook when tracking food.
Changing Your Target Too Quickly
Body weight can fluctuate from water, food volume, sodium, carbohydrate intake and other short-term factors.
Real-World Results Matter
If your body weight, energy levels and training performance consistently move differently from what you expected, your actual needs may differ from the calculator estimate.
When to Recalculate
Consider recalculating after a meaningful change in body weight, activity level, training volume or goal, rather than repeatedly changing the numbers from day to day.
Macro Calculator FAQs
Find answers to common questions about daily macro targets, calorie estimates and using your results.
What are macros?
“Macros” is short for macronutrients. The three main energy-providing macronutrients are protein, carbohydrates and fat. Protein and carbohydrates provide approximately 4 calories per gram, while fat provides approximately 9 calories per gram.
How many macros should I eat per day?
There is no single macro target that is appropriate for everyone. Your estimated needs depend on factors such as total energy requirements, body size, activity, goals and dietary preferences. This calculator provides a starting estimate based on the information you enter.
Which macro split is best for weight loss?
There is no universally best protein, carbohydrate and fat percentage for weight loss. A sustainable calorie deficit is generally more important than achieving one exact macro ratio. Protein intake, food quality, nutritional adequacy and personal preference should also be considered.
Do I need to hit my macros exactly every day?
No. Macro targets are estimates rather than precise daily requirements. Small variations are normal. Looking at your overall dietary pattern can be more useful than trying to make every day’s numbers identical.
Are macro calculators accurate?
Macro calculators provide estimates. They use equations and activity assumptions to estimate energy needs, but they cannot directly measure your metabolism or exact daily energy expenditure. Your actual requirements may therefore be higher or lower than the calculated result.
Should I count calories or macros?
Calories describe the amount of energy provided by food, while macro tracking also considers where those calories come from. Tracking macros therefore provides information about protein, carbohydrate and fat intake in addition to total energy.
How often should I recalculate my macros?
You generally do not need to recalculate your macros every day or week. Recalculating may be useful after a meaningful change in body weight, activity level, training demands or your overall goal.
Can teenagers use this macro calculator?
This calculator is designed for adults. Children and teenagers are still growing and have nutrition and energy requirements that differ from those of adults. Individual advice should come from an appropriately qualified health professional when calorie or macro guidance is needed for someone under 18.
This calculator and its results are educational estimates and are not a substitute for personalised medical or nutrition advice.
Sources and References
This calculator uses established energy-estimation methods and general nutrition references. The sources below provide background for the calculation method and educational information presented on this page.
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Mifflin MD, St Jeor ST, Hill LA, Scott BJ, Daugherty SA, Koh YO
A new predictive equation for resting energy expenditure in healthy individuals. The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition. 1990;51(2):241–247. View on PubMed
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National Academies — Dietary Reference Intakes
Reference material covering energy and macronutrients, including carbohydrate, fibre, fat, fatty acids, protein and amino acids. View the report
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World Health Organization — Healthy Diet
General guidance on healthy dietary patterns, including carbohydrates, dietary fats, fruit, vegetables and other aspects of diet quality. Read WHO guidance
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U.S. Department of Agriculture — Dietary Guidelines for Americans
Evidence-based dietary guidance covering healthy eating patterns, nutrient-dense foods and overall dietary quality. Visit DietaryGuidelines.gov
We aim to explain the assumptions and formulas behind our tools rather than presenting estimates as exact measurements. You can learn more on our How Our Calculators Work page.
Ready to Calculate Your Daily Macros?
Use the calculator above to estimate your daily calories, protein, carbohydrates and fat based on your details, activity level and goal.