Macro Calculator

How to Use the Macro Calculator

This macro calculator helps you estimate your daily calorie target, BMR, TDEE, and recommended macronutrients based on your body information, activity level, and fitness goal. The results are not a record of what you currently eat.

Instead, they are suggested daily targets for calories, protein, carbohydrates, and fats that you can use when planning meals, tracking food, losing fat, maintaining weight, or building muscle.

What Information Do You Need to Enter?

Start by choosing your preferred unit system: imperial or metric. Then enter your sex, age, weight, and height. These details are used to estimate your Basal Metabolic Rate, also known as BMR. BMR is the number of calories your body may burn at rest to support basic functions such as breathing, circulation, body temperature, and normal organ function.

You can also enter your body fat percentage if you know it. This field is optional. It is only required if you choose the Katch-McArdle formula, which uses lean body mass instead of total body weight. If you do not know your body fat percentage, you can leave that field blank and use the Mifflin-St Jeor formula, which is the default option.

BMR Formulas Used by This Calculator

The calculator includes multiple BMR formula options. The default option is Mifflin-St Jeor, which is commonly used for general calorie estimates.

Mifflin-St Jeor Formula

For men:

BMR = 10 × weight in kg + 6.25 × height in cm − 5 × age + 5

For women:

BMR = 10 × weight in kg + 6.25 × height in cm − 5 × age − 161

Revised Harris-Benedict Formula

The Revised Harris-Benedict formula is another calorie estimation method based on sex, weight, height, and age. It may give slightly different results than Mifflin-St Jeor because it uses a different equation.

Katch-McArdle Formula

The Katch-McArdle formula uses lean body mass instead of total body weight. This can be useful for people who know their estimated body fat percentage.

Katch-McArdle Formula:

BMR = 370 + 21.6 × lean body mass in kg

What Is TDEE?

TDEE stands for Total Daily Energy Expenditure. It estimates how many calories you burn in a full day after your activity level is included. Your TDEE is calculated by multiplying your BMR by an activity multiplier.

TDEE Formula:

TDEE = BMR × Activity Multiplier

For example, someone who trains 3–5 days per week may choose the moderate activity setting. A sedentary person should choose little or no exercise, while athletes or people with physical jobs may need a higher activity setting.

Choosing Your Goal

The goal setting adjusts your calories up or down. A calorie deficit is used for fat loss, maintenance keeps calories near your estimated TDEE, and a calorie surplus is used for muscle gain. This calculator uses percentage-based adjustments because they scale better for different body sizes than fixed calorie changes.

Target Calories Formula:

Target Calories = TDEE × Goal Adjustment

For example, a 20% deficit may be used for fat loss, while a 5–10% surplus may be used for lean muscle gain.

What Are Protein, Carbs, and Fat?

Protein, carbohydrates, and fat are macronutrients. Protein supports muscle repair, recovery, and lean muscle maintenance. Carbohydrates provide energy for workouts, training performance, and daily activity. Dietary fat supports hormone production, joint health, nutrient absorption, and overall health.

After your calorie target is calculated, the tool divides those calories into macro targets.

Calories per gram:

Protein = 4 calories per gram
Carbs = 4 calories per gram
Fat = 9 calories per gram

These numbers are recommended daily targets, not your current food intake. To compare your actual diet with these targets, track your meals using a food diary or nutrition tracking app.

Macro Strategy Options

The calculator includes different macro strategies depending on your goal. A balanced approach is useful for general fitness and maintenance. A high-protein option may be helpful during fat loss because protein supports fullness and muscle maintenance. A performance or higher-carb option may suit people who train hard and need more workout fuel. A lower-carb option gives more calories to fat while reducing carbohydrates. The custom option allows you to choose your own protein and fat settings.

How to Use Your Results

Use your results as a starting point for 2–3 weeks. Track your food intake, body weight, measurements, gym performance, hunger, and energy levels. If your weight is not changing as expected, adjust calories gradually. For fat loss, you may reduce calories slightly. For muscle gain, you may increase calories slowly.

This calculator provides estimates for general fitness use only. It is not medical advice. Individual calorie and macro needs can vary based on metabolism, training style, sleep, stress, medication, dieting history, medical conditions, and consistency.