Macro Calculator - Free Macros Calculator for Weight Loss, Maintenance & Muscle Gain

Macros (short for macronutrients) are the three nutrients that supply almost all of your calories: protein, carbohydrates and fat. Every food is some mix of the three. A bowl of dal is mostly carbs with a good amount of protein, paneer is mostly fat and protein, and rice is mostly carbs.

Counting macros goes one step past counting calories. Two diets with the same calories can feel very different if one is low in protein. Getting the split right helps you stay full, keep muscle while you lose fat, and have energy for training. For a deeper look, read our guide to balancing protein, carbs and fats.

This free macro calculator uses the same calorie maths as our Calorie Deficit Calculator and the same protein rules as our Protein Calculator, so all three tools agree for the same inputs. It works in four steps:

When you are cutting, calories decide whether you lose weight and protein decides how much of that loss is fat rather than muscle. Choose Cut (lose fat) and a weekly rate. A moderate 0.5 kg (1 lb) a week suits most people.

The maths is the same for everyone, but women usually get a smaller calorie target because the Mifflin-St Jeor equation gives a lower BMR at the same weight and height. That changes how much room there is for a deficit. A few things matter more for women using a macro calculator:

• Don't go below the safe minimum. This calculator never plans under 1,200 kcal a day for women (or 1.2× BMR if higher). If a fast rate is capped, pick a slower rate or add daily activity instead of eating less.
• Keep fat at 20% of calories or more. Very low-fat diets can disturb hormones and menstrual cycles. The fat options here start at 20% for that reason.
• Protein is set by body weight. A 60 kg woman cutting at a moderate activity level gets about 85 g of protein a day (1.4 g/kg), not a generic "high protein" number.
• Pregnancy and breastfeeding change everything. Needs go up, and a deficit is usually not advised. Speak to your doctor or a dietitian instead of using a standard calculator.

Here is how the calculator splits three common calorie targets. These examples assume 120 g of protein (1.6 g/kg for a 75 kg / 165 lb person) and 25% of calories from fat, with carbs filling the rest.

Notice that protein stays fixed in grams while its percentage changes. That is why this calculator sets protein by body weight rather than a fixed ratio like 40/30/30: a percentage-based split gives a small person too little protein on a low calorie target and a large person more than they need.

A typical Indian vegetarian meal of roti, rice, dal and sabzi is easy on carbs and fat but often short on protein. A few swaps close the gap without giving up home food: