Macro Calculator
Your optimal daily macros depend on your calorie target and fitness goal. For a 2,000-calorie diet with a balanced split, the target is 150g protein, 200g carbs, and 67g fat. This calculator finds the exact grams of protein, carbs, and fat for your body, goal, and preferred diet type, whether that is balanced, low-carb, high-protein, or keto.
How This Macro Calculator Works
The calculator follows a three-step process used by dietitians and sports nutritionists: estimate your daily calorie needs, adjust for your goal, then divide those calories across protein, carbs, and fat based on your chosen diet type.
Step 1: Start With Your TDEE
Your Total Daily Energy Expenditure (TDEE) is the total number of calories you burn in a day, including your resting metabolism, daily movement, and exercise. You can enter it directly if you already know it, or the calculator will estimate it for you using the Mifflin-St Jeor equation along with an activity multiplier. If you are not sure of your TDEE, our TDEE calculator can help.
Step 2: Apply a Goal Modifier
Once your TDEE is known, the calculator adjusts your daily calories based on your selected goal:
- •Lose Weight: TDEE minus 500 calories. This creates roughly a 1 lb per week fat loss rate, which is considered safe and sustainable.
- •Maintain Weight: Calories equal your TDEE. You eat as much as you burn.
- •Gain Weight: TDEE plus 300 calories. A moderate surplus that supports muscle growth without excessive fat gain.
Step 3: Split Calories Into Macros
Your target calories are divided into protein, carbs, and fat using a percentage split that depends on your selected diet type. The calculator converts percentages into grams using standard calorie-per-gram values: protein has 4 calories per gram, carbohydrates have 4 calories per gram, and fat has 9 calories per gram.
| Diet Type | Protein | Carbs | Fat | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Balanced | 30% | 40% | 30% | General health, most people |
| Low Carb | 35% | 25% | 40% | Appetite control, blood sugar |
| High Protein | 40% | 30% | 30% | Muscle building, resistance training |
| Keto | 30% | 5% | 65% | Ketosis, fat-adapted athletes |
Macro Calculation Examples
Here are three worked examples showing the full math from calorie target to grams of each macro. These use the exact same formulas as the calculator above.
Cutting Weight on a Balanced Diet
A 170 lb woman with a TDEE of 2,500 calories wants to lose weight. She chooses the Balanced diet type (30/40/30 split).
Calorie target: 2,500 - 500 = 2,000 calories/day
Protein (30%): 2,000 x 0.30 = 600 calories / 4 cal per gram = 150g protein
Carbs (40%): 2,000 x 0.40 = 800 calories / 4 cal per gram = 200g carbs
Fat (30%): 2,000 x 0.30 = 600 calories / 9 cal per gram = 67g fat
At 150g of protein, she is getting about 0.88g per pound of body weight, which is within the recommended range for preserving muscle during a cut.
Building Muscle on a High-Protein Diet
A 185 lb man with a TDEE of 2,500 calories wants to gain muscle. He chooses the High Protein diet type (40/30/30 split).
Calorie target: 2,500 + 300 = 2,800 calories/day
Protein (40%): 2,800 x 0.40 = 1,120 calories / 4 cal per gram = 280g protein
Carbs (30%): 2,800 x 0.30 = 840 calories / 4 cal per gram = 210g carbs
Fat (30%): 2,800 x 0.30 = 840 calories / 9 cal per gram = 93g fat
280g of protein is about 1.5g per pound, which is on the higher end. Some people may prefer to bring protein down to 1g per pound (185g) and redistribute the extra calories to carbs for better workout performance. Either approach supports muscle growth.
Weight Loss on a Keto Diet
A 150 lb woman with a TDEE of 2,300 calories wants to lose weight on keto. She chooses the Keto diet type (30/5/65 split).
Calorie target: 2,300 - 500 = 1,800 calories/day
Protein (30%): 1,800 x 0.30 = 540 calories / 4 cal per gram = 135g protein
Carbs (5%): 1,800 x 0.05 = 90 calories / 4 cal per gram = 23g carbs
Fat (65%): 1,800 x 0.65 = 1,170 calories / 9 cal per gram = 130g fat
At just 23g of carbs, she would need to get nearly all her carbs from vegetables and avoid grains, fruit, and starchy foods entirely. This level of restriction is what triggers ketosis, where your body switches to burning fat for fuel.
How to Actually Hit Your Macros
Knowing your macro targets is only half the equation. Here is how to consistently meet them in practice.
Hitting Your Protein Target
Protein is the macro most people fall short on, and it is the most important one to get right. Higher protein intake preserves muscle mass during weight loss, increases satiety, and has the highest thermic effect of any macro (your body burns 20-30% of protein calories just digesting it).
- •Spread it across meals. Aim for 25-40g of protein per meal rather than trying to eat 150g at dinner. Your body can only use so much protein for muscle synthesis at once.
- •Anchor every meal with a protein source. Build each meal around chicken, fish, eggs, Greek yogurt, tofu, or legumes first, then add carbs and fat around it.
- •Use high-protein snacks to fill gaps. If you are 30g short at the end of the day, a protein shake, cottage cheese, or beef jerky can close the gap without adding much fat or carbs.
What to Do When You Are Consistently Off
If you track for a week and notice a pattern, here are common fixes:
- •Too much fat, not enough protein: Swap higher-fat protein sources (ribeye steak, whole eggs, peanut butter) for leaner options (chicken breast, egg whites, whey protein). Fat is calorie-dense, so small swaps make a big difference.
- •Too many carbs, not enough fat: Replace some bread, rice, or pasta servings with avocado, nuts, or olive oil. You will often feel more satisfied with fewer total calories.
- •Always over on everything: The issue is likely total portion sizes, not macro ratios. Try measuring your most common foods for a few days to recalibrate your sense of portion size.
Why Macros Matter Beyond Just Calories
Two people can eat the same number of calories and get very different results. Someone eating 2,000 calories mostly from protein and whole foods will preserve more muscle, feel fuller, and have more energy than someone eating 2,000 calories from refined carbs and added fats. The total matters, but the composition shapes your body composition, energy levels, and how sustainable the diet feels.
That said, do not let the perfect be the enemy of the good. Getting within 10% of your macro targets on most days is more than enough for results. Weekly averages matter far more than any single day.
When to Recalculate Your Macros
Your macro targets are not set in stone. You should recalculate them when:
- •Your weight changes by 10+ pounds. A lighter body burns fewer calories at rest, so your TDEE drops and your macros should adjust accordingly.
- •Your goal changes. Switching from weight loss to maintenance, or from maintenance to muscle building, requires different calorie and macro targets.
- •Your activity level changes significantly. Starting a new training program, switching to a desk job, or training for a marathon all shift your TDEE and how many carbs and calories you need.
- •You hit a plateau lasting more than 2-3 weeks. If the scale has not moved and your measurements have not changed, it may be time to recalculate. Check our calorie deficit calculator for help setting a new target.
Learn More About Macros
Dive deeper into macronutrients with these guides from the Kalo blog.
How to Calculate Your Macros for Weight Loss
A step-by-step guide to finding the right protein, carb, and fat split for fat loss.
How Much Protein Do I Need Per Day?
Find your exact protein target based on your body weight and goal.
How Many Carbs Should I Eat Per Day?
A guide to daily carb intake based on your activity level and goals.
How Much Fat Should I Eat Per Day?
A guide to finding your ideal daily fat intake for health and performance.
Why You Are Not Hitting Your Protein Goals
The 5 invisible barriers sabotaging your protein intake, and how to fix them.
Best Foods to Eat in a Calorie Deficit
High-volume, low-calorie foods that keep you full while losing weight.