Macro Calculator
Calculate daily protein, carb and fat targets from your calorie goal.
Once you know your daily calorie target, splitting it into protein, carbs, and fat — your macronutrients — shapes how those calories actually support your goals, whether that's muscle building, fat loss, or general health.
How the split presets work
A "balanced" 40/30/30 split (carbs/protein/fat by calorie percentage) works for general health. A higher-protein split supports muscle retention during a calorie deficit or muscle building during a surplus. A higher-fat, lower-carb split is common in specific approaches like low-carb or ketogenic eating. There's no single correct split — it depends on your goal and what's sustainable for you.
Why protein often gets prioritized
Protein has the highest satiety (fullness) effect per calorie and is essential for preserving muscle mass, especially during weight loss. Many nutrition coaches recommend setting protein first as a fixed target, then splitting the remaining calories between carbs and fat based on preference and performance.
Frequently asked questions
Do I need to hit my macros exactly every day?
No — getting reasonably close consistently matters far more than hitting an exact number every single day. Small day-to-day variation averages out over a week.
Why is protein 4 calories per gram but fat is 9?
This reflects the actual energy density of each macronutrient — fat contains more than twice the calories per gram compared to protein or carbohydrates, which is why fat-heavy foods are more calorie-dense for the same weight.