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Macro Calculator
Protein, carbs and fat from your calorie target.
What it does. Macros convert a calorie target into grams: protein and carbohydrate are about 4 calories per gram, fat about 9, alcohol about 7. Protein has the best evidence behind a specific target. The carbohydrate and fat split between them matters far less than most plans imply.
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How to use Macro Calculator
- Enter your calorie target and body weight.
- Choose a goal and protein level.
- Read gram targets, with the calories each contributes.
Protein is the number worth getting right
For people training with resistance and eating at or below maintenance, the evidence supports roughly 1.6 to 2.2 grams per kilogram of body weight per day. Above that, added benefit is hard to detect.
It matters most in a deficit, where adequate protein plus resistance training is what preserves lean mass while you lose fat.
If you are carrying a lot of fat, scaling protein to lean mass or to a target weight rather than current weight gives a more sensible number — otherwise the target inflates with body fat that does not need feeding.
The rest of the split is mostly preference
Once calories and protein are set, moving calories between carbohydrate and fat has a small effect on body composition for most people. The research on this is consistent and unglamorous.
What it does affect is adherence, training quality and how you feel — which is not nothing, since a plan you abandon has an effectiveness of zero.
Practical floors are worth respecting: fat around 0.5 to 0.8 g/kg supports hormone production and fat-soluble vitamin absorption, and endurance training benefits from carbohydrate that low-fat targets tend to squeeze out.
Calories per gram
| Macronutrient | Calories per gram | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Protein | 4 | Highest satiety per calorie |
| Carbohydrate | 4 | Primary fuel for hard training |
| Fat | 9 | Hormone production, vitamin absorption |
| Alcohol | 7 | Contributes calories, not nutrition |
| Fibre | ~2 | Partly fermented, often counted as carbohydrate |
Alcohol is the row people forget. It carries almost as many calories per gram as fat and appears in no macro split, which is a common reason a carefully tracked week does not add up.
Frequently asked questions
How much protein do I need?
For resistance training at or below maintenance, roughly 1.6 to 2.2 grams per kilogram of body weight daily. Above that range, added benefit is hard to detect in the research.
What is the best macro split?
Once calories and protein are set, the carbohydrate and fat split has a small effect on body composition for most people. Choose what you can sustain — adherence beats optimisation.
Should I calculate protein from current or goal weight?
If you are carrying substantial fat, use lean mass or a target weight. Scaling to current weight inflates the target with tissue that does not need the protein.
Do I need to hit my macros exactly?
No. Food labels carry their own tolerance, portion estimates vary, and daily intake naturally fluctuates. Consistency across a week matters more than precision on any day.
Why do my tracked calories not add up?
Alcohol is the usual answer — about 7 calories per gram, and it appears in no macro split. Cooking oil and unlogged tastes while cooking are the next two.