🥗 Macros
🆓 Free
8 Diet Presets
🥗 Macro Calculator
Enter your daily calorie target and choose a diet preset to instantly see your protein, carb, and fat targets in grams. Pick from 8 presets - Balanced, High-Protein, Low-Carb, Keto, Zone, Carnivore - or dial in a custom split with live percentage sliders. The Meal Split tab divides your macros across 2–6 meals per day.
🥗 Set Your Targets
Choose a Diet Preset
Customise Split - must total 100%
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g Protein
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g Carbs
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g Fat
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Total kcal
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Protein/kg
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Min Fibre
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Min Water
🍽️ Meal-by-Meal Macro Split
Calculate first to see your meal split. Macros divided equally across all meals.
Run the calculator first to see your meal split.
How Macros Are Calculated
Calorie to Gram Conversion
Protein: 1g = 4 kcal grams = (calories × P%) ÷ 4
Carbs: 1g = 4 kcal grams = (calories × C%) ÷ 4
Fat: 1g = 9 kcal grams = (calories × F%) ÷ 9
Example: 2200 kcal, 30% Protein / 40% Carbs / 30% Fat
Protein: (2200 × 0.30) ÷ 4 = 165g 660 kcal
Carbs: (2200 × 0.40) ÷ 4 = 220g 880 kcal
Fat: (2200 × 0.30) ÷ 9 = 73g 660 kcal
Total: = 2200 kcal
Protein Targets by Goal
Sedentary / general health: 0.8g per kg body weight
Recreational fitness: 1.2–1.6g per kg
Muscle building / body recomp: 1.6–2.2g per kg OPTIMAL
High-intensity athlete: 2.2–3.0g per kg
Cutting (fat loss, preserve muscle): up to 2.5g per kg
Example: 80kg person building muscle
Protein target: 80 × 1.8 = 144g 576 kcal
As % of 2200 kcal: 576 ÷ 2200 = 26%
8 Diet Presets Explained
Balanced (30P/40C/30F) - General health, flexible eating
High-Protein (40P/30C/30F) - Muscle gain, satiety, body recomp
Low-Carb (35P/20C/45F) - Weight loss, blood sugar control
Keto (25P/5C/70F) - Ketosis, fat adaptation, <50g net carbs
Endurance (20P/55C/25F) - Marathon/cycling, high glycogen needs
Zone (30P/40C/30F) - Hormonal balance (Barry Sears protocol)
Paleo (30P/25C/45F) - Whole foods, no grains/legumes
Custom - Set your own split with sliders
Fibre & Water Recommendations
Dietary Fibre: 25–38g/day (WHO)
= roughly 14g per 1000 kcal
Minimum shown = calories ÷ 1000 × 14
Hydration: Base 2.5L + 0.5L per hour of exercise
Minimum shown = 2.5L daily baseline
(Protein oxidation increases water needs)
Frequently Asked Questions
Macros (macronutrients) are the three main nutrient categories: protein (4 kcal/g), carbohydrates (4 kcal/g), and fat (9 kcal/g). Tracking macros gives precise control over body composition - not just body weight. Two diets with identical calorie totals can produce very different results if their macros differ. Higher protein preserves muscle during fat loss. Adequate carbs fuel training. Fat supports hormones. Simply counting calories ignores these effects, which is why macro tracking produces better results for most fitness goals.
The RDA of 0.8g/kg is the minimum to avoid deficiency - not an optimal intake. For fitness goals: recreational gym-goers need 1.2–1.6g/kg. For muscle building: 1.6–2.2g/kg (supported by meta-analyses). For fat loss with muscle preservation: up to 2.5g/kg. For a 75kg person building muscle: 75 × 1.8 = 135g protein/day. Protein is the most important macro to get right - it drives muscle protein synthesis, satiety, and the thermic effect (protein burns approximately 25% of its own calories during digestion).
Low-carb typically means 20–100g carbs/day (10–25% of calories). Keto is much stricter: under 50g total carbs/day (often 20g net carbs) - typically 5% of calories. The goal of keto is to induce ketosis, where fat becomes the primary fuel source (as ketone bodies). Low-Carb preset = 35P/20C/45F; Keto preset = 25P/5C/70F. At 2,000 kcal on keto: 5% carbs = 25g total carbs/day. Strict tracking is essential on keto - even vegetables add up quickly.
Net carbs = Total carbs − Fibre − Sugar alcohols. Fibre does not raise blood glucose and is generally excluded from carb counts for metabolic purposes. For general fitness and low-carb: tracking total carbs is simpler and typically fine. For keto: most practitioners track net carbs to allow vegetables and high-fibre foods without using up the carb budget on indigestible fibre. This calculator shows total carbs. If on keto, aim to get 25g+ fibre from your carb allowance via non-starchy vegetables, seeds, and nuts.
Equal distribution across meals is a reasonable starting point. Research suggests 0.3–0.4g/kg protein per meal optimally stimulates muscle protein synthesis - for a 75kg person, that is 22–30g protein per meal. Doses above 40g protein per meal show diminishing marginal returns per meal (though total daily protein still matters). For carbs: eating more around workouts (pre- and post-training) improves performance and glycogen recovery. Fat has no specific timing requirement. The biggest determinant of results is total daily intake - meal timing is secondary.
The Zone Diet (Dr. Barry Sears) uses a 30% protein / 40% carbs / 30% fat split. The theory is that this ratio optimises hormonal response - particularly the insulin-to-glucagon ratio - which purportedly reduces inflammation and improves body composition. Clinical evidence for the specific hormonal mechanism is limited, but the 30/40/30 split is essentially a 'Balanced' approach and many people find it practical and sustainable. It performs well for general health and body composition, similar to any other moderate-macro balanced diet.
For weight loss (calorie deficit): prioritise higher protein (35–40%) to preserve muscle. Reduce carbs moderately. Keep fat at minimum 20% for hormonal health. A deficit with high protein loses more fat and less muscle than a deficit with low protein. For muscle gain (calorie surplus): protein 25–30%, higher carbs (45–55%) fuel training intensity and glycogen, moderate fat (20–25%). In both cases, the calorie amount determines direction (loss or gain), while the macro split determines body composition - the ratio of fat vs muscle in the change.
Fibre is technically a carbohydrate but behaves very differently - it is indigestible, does not raise blood glucose, and feeds beneficial gut bacteria. Minimum recommendations: 25g/day for women, 38g/day for men (WHO/DRI). A practical target: 14g per 1,000 kcal of intake. High-fibre foods (vegetables, legumes, oats, fruits, seeds) slow digestion, increase satiety, improve gut health, and stabilise blood sugar. On keto, getting adequate fibre (from non-starchy vegetables, chia seeds, flaxseeds) requires deliberate planning since grain-based fibre sources are excluded.
Macro Calculator - Protein, Carbs & Fat Targets for Any Diet Goal
Health note: Macro targets are general guidelines for healthy adults. Individual needs vary based on genetics, medical history, and health conditions. Consult a registered dietitian or healthcare professional before making significant dietary changes, especially if you have any health conditions.
Tracking macros goes one step beyond calorie counting. Two diets with the same calorie total can produce very different results: 2,000 calories split 40% protein / 30% carbs / 30% fat will preserve more muscle during weight loss than 2,000 calories at 15% protein / 55% carbs / 30% fat - even though both create identical deficits. The source of your calories shapes your body composition, hunger levels, and energy, not just the number.
Calorie density of each macro: Protein = 4 kcal/g. Carbohydrates = 4 kcal/g. Fat = 9 kcal/g. Alcohol = 7 kcal/g (not tracked here). At 2,000 kcal with a 30P/40C/30F split: Protein = 2,000 × 0.30 ÷ 4 = 150g. Carbs = 2,000 × 0.40 ÷ 4 = 200g. Fat = 2,000 × 0.30 ÷ 9 = 67g.
The 8 Diet Presets - What Each One Is Designed For
Weight Loss & General Health
- Balanced (30/40/30): Moderate of everything. Good for maintenance, general health, and beginners who want a sustainable split.
- High-Protein (40/30/30): Prioritises muscle preservation during fat loss. Higher satiety. Ideal for anyone in a calorie deficit who trains.
- Low-Carb (35/20/45): Reduces insulin response, improves metabolic markers for some people. Good for fat loss without extreme carb restriction.
- Zone (30/40/30): Dr. Barry Sears' framework for hormonal balance. Essentially similar to Balanced - practical and sustainable.
Performance & Therapeutic
- Keto (25/5/70): Under 50g carbs/day shifts the body into ketosis. Therapeutic for epilepsy; popular for fat loss and mental clarity.
- High-Carb (25/55/20): Endurance athletes and high-volume trainers who need glycogen. Maximum fuel for cardio-heavy training.
- Muscle Gain (30/50/20): Higher carbs to fuel training intensity and recovery. Protein at muscle-building level. Best in calorie surplus.
- Carnivore (~35/0/65): Zero-carb animal-based diet. Niche, high adherence for some. Eliminates all plant foods.
Protein - The Most Important Macro to Get Right
Of the three macronutrients, protein consistently shows the strongest dose-response relationship with body composition outcomes. Research supports:
- Muscle protein synthesis: The anabolic response (muscle building signal) requires adequate leucine, typically found in a meal with 25–40g of protein. Meals below 20g protein may not fully trigger muscle protein synthesis in many individuals.
- Satiety: Protein is more satiating per calorie than carbs or fat - it reduces ghrelin (hunger hormone) and increases peptide YY (fullness hormone). High-protein diets consistently reduce spontaneous calorie intake.
- Thermic effect: About 25–30% of protein calories are burned during digestion (vs 6–8% for carbs and 2–3% for fat). This means high-protein diets boost metabolic rate slightly.
- Muscle preservation during fat loss: Without adequate protein, a calorie deficit causes muscle loss alongside fat loss. Higher protein (2.0–2.4g/kg) preserves muscle mass even in aggressive deficits.
Timing Your Macros Around Workouts
While total daily macros matter most, distributing them around training has measurable (if modest) additional benefits:
- Pre-workout (1–2 hours before): 25–40g protein + moderate carbs (30–60g). Provides amino acids and glycogen for training. Fat intake slows gastric emptying - keep it low if training within 1 hour.
- Post-workout (within 2 hours): 25–40g protein. The "anabolic window" is larger than traditionally thought - up to 2 hours post-workout, not just 30 minutes. Carbs help replenish glycogen for the next session.
- Before sleep: 30–40g of slow-digesting protein (casein or cottage cheese) before bed may improve overnight muscle protein synthesis - particularly relevant for people training daily.
- Fat and fibre: Have no specific timing requirements. Spread them throughout the day naturally.
How this calculator works, and where the numbers come from
The Macro Calculator applies the standard formula for this calculation to the values you enter and updates the result as you type. The calculation itself happens in your browser, and the page explains the method so you can check any result by hand.
Please note: This tool gives general estimates based on published population formulas. It is not medical advice and does not replace assessment by a doctor, dietitian or other qualified professional.
Sources and further reading
- Mifflin et al. (1990), A new predictive equation for resting energy expenditure - PubMed
- National Institutes of Health
Learn more
Read our guide: What BMI Tells You, and What It Quietly Misses