Macro Calculator
Get your daily protein, carbs, and fat targets based on your goals.
Precision Fitness Calculators
Get your daily protein, carbs, and fat targets based on your goals.
cal/day
Use the TDEE Calculator tab if you don't know your maintenance calories
Diet Style
lbs
Scientific Reference
Macronutrient distribution is based on established nutritional science. Each macronutrient provides a specific caloric value per gram.
Caloric Values
- Protein: 4 calories per gram
- Carbohydrates: 4 calories per gram
- Fat: 9 calories per gram
Recommended Protein Intake
- Sedentary adults: 0.8 g/kg body weight/day (RDA minimum)
- Active individuals: 1.2–1.7 g/kg/day
- Muscle gain: 1.6–2.2 g/kg/day
- Fat loss (preserving muscle): 1.8–2.7 g/kg/day
Goal-Based Calorie Adjustments
- Weight loss: 80% of TDEE (moderate deficit of ~500 cal/day)
- Maintenance: 100% of TDEE
- Lean bulk: 110% of TDEE (surplus of ~250 cal/day)
- Aggressive bulk: 120% of TDEE (surplus of ~500 cal/day)
Why macros beat calorie-counting alone
Calories decide whether you gain or lose weight; macronutrients decide what that weight is made of. Protein provides 4 calories per gram and is the lever that preserves muscle in a deficit — research supports 1.6–2.2 g per kg of body weight for muscle gain and up to 2.7 g/kg when cutting hard. Carbohydrates (4 kcal/g) fuel training, and fat (9 kcal/g) supports hormone production, with roughly 0.5–1 g/kg as a sensible floor.
This calculator sets calories from your TDEE and goal — a 20% deficit for weight loss, maintenance, or a 10–20% surplus for bulking — then allocates protein first, fat second, and fills the remainder with carbs. That protein-first ordering is what most generic macro splits get wrong.
From numbers to plates
Gram targets only matter if you can eat them. The built-in Meal Plan Generator splits your day across 3–4 meals (with optional snacks weighted at half a meal), following the evidence that distributing protein across at least three meals stimulates muscle protein synthesis better than loading it into dinner.
The "what that looks like on a plate" guide converts each meal target into actual servings, with a vegetarian mode built around South Asian staples — paneer, moong dal, soy chunks, roti, millet — because hitting 120 g of protein on a vegetarian diet takes planning, not luck. The interactive Macro Visualizer then lets you drag sliders across common foods (eggs, rice, oats, olive oil) and watch your daily bars fill, which teaches food composition faster than any table.
Two practical notes on sticking with it. First, you do not need to weigh food forever — most people who track for 3–4 weeks internalise portion sizes well enough to estimate accurately afterwards, and the calculator is best used as a training tool rather than a permanent obligation. Second, protein is the target to defend when life gets busy: if you hit protein and roughly land on calories, the day was a success even if the carb and fat split drifted. Vegetarian and Indian diets in particular tend to arrive carb-heavy by default, so building each meal around a protein anchor first, then filling in rice or roti, fixes most macro problems before they happen.
Frequently Asked Questions
What macro split is best for fat loss?
Protein is the non-negotiable: 1.8–2.7 g per kg of body weight preserves muscle in a deficit. After setting protein and a fat floor of about 0.5–1 g/kg, the carb-versus-fat balance is personal preference — total calories and protein drive results, not the exact ratio.
How much protein do I need per day?
Sedentary adults need a minimum of 0.8 g/kg, but anyone training should target 1.6–2.2 g/kg per the ISSN position stand. An 80 kg lifter therefore wants roughly 130–175 g daily, spread over 3–4 meals.
Can vegetarians hit high protein targets?
Yes, with structure. Paneer (18 g/100 g), moong dal, soy chunks (52 g/100 g dry), Greek yogurt, tofu and whey cover the gap. The vegetarian mode of the meal planner builds each meal around one of these anchors so the daily target arrives by design.
Do I need to hit my macros exactly every day?
No. Within ±5–10 g per macro is precision beyond what the food labels themselves achieve. Consistency across weeks beats daily perfection — prioritize the protein target and total calories, and let carbs and fat flex.