Macro Calculator
Calculate your daily protein, carbohydrate, and fat targets based on your body weight and fitness goals.
Sedentary (little to no exercise)
Lightly Active (light exercise/sports 1-3 days/week)
Moderately Active (moderate exercise/sports 3-5 days/week)
Very Active (hard exercise/sports 6-7 days/week)
Extra Active (very hard exercise/sports & physical job)
Maintain Weight
Muscle Gain
Fat Loss
Your Daily Macronutrient Targets:
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Protein (g)—
Carbohydrates (g)—
Fat (g)Understanding Macronutrient Calculation
Macronutrients, or "macros," are the nutrients your body needs in large amounts to function: protein, carbohydrates, and fats. They provide energy (calories) and are essential for building and repairing tissues, regulating bodily processes, and maintaining overall health.
Calculating your target macronutrient intake is a fundamental step in achieving specific fitness and body composition goals, whether it's building muscle, losing fat, or simply maintaining your current physique.
How Your Macros Are Calculated
This calculator uses a common approach to estimate your daily macronutrient needs. The process typically involves these steps:
- Basal Metabolic Rate (BMR) Estimation: While this calculator simplifies it, BMR is the number of calories your body burns at rest. It's influenced by factors like age, sex, weight, and height.
- Total Daily Energy Expenditure (TDEE) Calculation: This takes your BMR and multiplies it by an activity factor to estimate the total calories you burn in a day, considering your exercise and daily movement. The activity levels are categorized as follows:
- Sedentary: BMR x 1.2
- Lightly Active: BMR x 1.375
- Moderately Active: BMR x 1.55
- Very Active: BMR x 1.725
- Extra Active: BMR x 1.9
For simplicity, this calculator directly estimates calories based on weight and activity level, approximating TDEE.
- Calorie Adjustment for Goals:
- Maintenance: Calories are set around TDEE.
- Muscle Gain: A surplus of 250-500 calories is added to TDEE.
- Fat Loss: A deficit of 250-500 calories is created from TDEE.
- Macronutrient Distribution: Once a target daily calorie intake is determined, it's broken down into protein, carbohydrates, and fats based on recommended ratios, which vary by goal.
- Protein: Crucial for muscle repair and growth. A common target is 1.6 to 2.2 grams per kilogram of body weight, or a percentage of total calories.
- Fat: Essential for hormone production and nutrient absorption. Typically set at 20-30% of total calories.
- Carbohydrates: Provide the primary source of energy. The remaining calories after protein and fat are allocated to carbohydrates.
Example Calculation
Let's consider a person who weighs 75 kg, is moderately active, and wants to build muscle.
- Body Weight: 75 kg
- Activity Level: Moderately Active
- Goal: Muscle Gain
The calculator might estimate a TDEE of around 2600 calories. For muscle gain, it adds a surplus, bringing the target to approximately 2900 calories.
Using common ratios:
- Protein: Let's aim for 2.0g per kg of body weight. 75 kg * 2.0 g/kg = 150 g of protein. (150g * 4 calories/g = 600 calories)
- Fat: Let's target 25% of total calories. 2900 calories * 0.25 = 725 calories. (725 calories / 9 calories/g ≈ 81 g of fat)
- Carbohydrates: Remaining calories. 2900 total calories – 600 protein calories – 725 fat calories = 1575 calories. (1575 calories / 4 calories/g ≈ 394 g of carbohydrates)
Result for this example: Approximately 150g Protein, 394g Carbohydrates, and 81g Fat.
Important Considerations:
- This calculator provides an estimation. Individual metabolic rates and responses can vary.
- It's recommended to consult with a registered dietitian, nutritionist, or healthcare professional for personalized advice.
- Adjust your intake based on how your body responds, your energy levels, and your progress towards your goals.
- Focus on nutrient-dense whole foods to meet your macro targets.