Macro Calculator

Enter your daily calorie target, pick a goal, and get your exact protein, carbs, and fat targets in grams. Includes presets for cutting, bulking, keto, and custom splits.

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Goal

Enter calories and select a goal.

How it works

Calories to grams in three steps.

  1. 01

    Set your calorie target

    Use your TDEE as a baseline. Subtract 300–500 cal/day for fat loss, add 200–300 for muscle gain. For a 2,500 cal/day TDEE person cutting at −500: target = 2,000 cal. This creates a ~1 lb/week deficit (3,500 cal = ~1 lb fat). Never go below BMR (typically 1,400–1,800 cal for most adults) for extended periods.

  2. 02

    Choose a macro split

    Cutting (40/35/25 P/C/F): maximizes protein to preserve muscle during deficit. Maintenance (30/45/25): balanced — good default for most people. Lean Bulk (25/50/25): extra carbs fuel training intensity and glycogen. Keto (25/5/70): forces fat adaptation, eliminates insulin spikes. All are valid — pick one you can sustain, not one that sounds optimal.

  3. 03

    Convert percentages to grams

    Protein and carbs = 4 kcal/g; fat = 9 kcal/g. Formula: grams = (calories × macro%) ÷ kcal-per-gram. Example, 2,000 cal cutting split 40P/35C/25F: Protein = 2000×0.40÷4 = 200g. Carbs = 2000×0.35÷4 = 175g. Fat = 2000×0.25÷9 = 55.6g ≈ 56g. Track grams, not percentages — food labels show grams.

FAQ

Frequently asked questions.

How do I calculate my macros from calories?

Macros = calories × percentage ÷ calories-per-gram. Protein and carbs each provide 4 cal/g; fat provides 9 cal/g. Example on 2,000 calories with a 40/35/25 (P/C/F) split: Protein = 2000 × 0.40 ÷ 4 = 200g. Carbs = 2000 × 0.35 ÷ 4 = 175g. Fat = 2000 × 0.25 ÷ 9 = 55.6g ≈ 56g. Check: 200×4 + 175×4 + 56×9 = 800 + 700 + 504 = 2,004 cal (rounding adds ~4 cal).

What are the best macros for weight loss?

Higher protein (35–40%) preserves muscle during a calorie deficit. A common cutting split is 40% protein / 35% carbs / 25% fat. On 1,600 calories: 160g protein, 140g carbs, 44g fat. Research consistently shows protein above 1.6 g/kg body weight is the strongest lever for maintaining lean mass while losing fat. Carbs and fat ratio can flex based on personal preference — low-carb (e.g., 40P/20C/40F) works equally well for fat loss if total calories stay in deficit.

What is the 40/30/30 macro split?

The 40/30/30 split means 40% carbs, 30% protein, 30% fat — sometimes called the "Zone Diet" ratio. On 2,000 calories: Carbs = 200g, Protein = 150g, Fat = 67g. It balances moderate protein for muscle retention, moderate fat for hormones and satiety, and moderate carbs for energy. Good default for maintenance or mild deficit. For active athletes, a higher-carb (50%+) split may better support training intensity.

How many grams of protein, carbs, and fat per day?

General guidelines per day: Protein: 1.6–2.2 g per kg body weight (0.7–1.0 g/lb) for active people; minimum 0.8 g/kg for sedentary adults. Fat: at least 0.5 g/kg (15–25% of total calories) for hormone health. Carbs: fill remaining calories after protein and fat targets are set. For a 75 kg active person on 2,400 cal: 150g protein (600 cal), 70g fat (630 cal), 293g carbs (1,170 cal) ≈ 25P/49C/26F split.

What macros should I eat to build muscle?

For muscle gain (lean bulk): aim for a 200–500 calorie surplus over TDEE with protein at 1.6–2.2 g/kg. A common split: 25% protein / 50% carbs / 25% fat. Carbs fuel training and aid recovery; protein prevents muscle breakdown. On 2,800 calories: Protein = 175g, Carbs = 350g, Fat = 78g. Excess calories beyond ~300/day mostly add fat, not muscle — lean bulking at +200–300 cal/day gives the best muscle-to-fat gain ratio.

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Last updated: July 18, 2026