Free Macro Calculator
Plan daily and per-meal protein, carbohydrate and fat examples using editable calories, goals and calorie percentages. Use advanced options and copy or download your results. Browser-based and no signup required.
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How to use the macro calculator
Plan daily and per-meal protein, carbohydrate and fat examples using editable calories, goals and calorie percentages. No signup required.
- Enter adult body measurements and select the resting-energy equation, or choose your own daily calorie amount.
- For estimated calories, select an activity factor and an illustrative maintenance, modest deficit or surplus adjustment.
- Set protein and fat calorie percentages; carbohydrates receive the remainder. Choose the number of meals.
- Review daily grams, equal per-meal grams and protein per kilogram, then copy or download the example plan.
Who a macro planner helps
Macros are the three energy nutrients in food: protein, carbohydrate and fat. People use a macro plan to turn a daily calorie figure into gram targets they can track in a food log. Common cases include someone starting a training program, a home cook planning weekly meals, or a person who wants to see what a higher protein share would look like in grams.
This page is for healthy adults doing general planning. It is not suitable for pregnancy, breastfeeding, people under 18 or anyone with a medical diet, and a registered dietitian is the right person for individual advice.
A worked example with real numbers
Take a 35-year-old using the female formula, 65 kg and 165 cm, with Mifflin-St Jeor selected. Resting energy is 10 x 65 + 6.25 x 165 - 5 x 35 - 161 = 1,345.25 kcal. With the Moderate activity factor of 1.55 and no adjustment, the illustrative daily figure is about 2,085 kcal.
At 25 percent protein and 25 percent fat, carbohydrate gets the remaining 50 percent. Protein is 2,085 x 0.25 / 4 = about 130.3 g, carbohydrate is 2,085 x 0.50 / 4 = about 260.6 g and fat is 2,085 x 0.25 / 9 = about 57.9 g. Split over three meals, that is roughly 43.4 g protein, 86.9 g carbohydrate and 19.3 g fat per meal. Protein relative to body weight is about 2.0 g per kg.
How the numbers are calculated
Calories come from one of two sources. In estimated mode the tool multiplies resting energy, from Mifflin-St Jeor or the revised 1984 Harris-Benedict equation, by an activity factor from 1.2 to 1.9, then adds your adjustment of between -500 and +500 kcal. In manual mode you type a daily amount between 1,000 and 6,000 kcal.
Grams are then calculated with the standard energy values of 4 kcal per gram for protein and carbohydrate and 9 kcal per gram for fat. Meals can be set from one to eight, and each meal gets an equal share. The three presets load example settings for maintenance, a 250 kcal deficit with 30 percent protein, or a 250 kcal surplus.
Common mistakes to avoid
Entering protein and fat shares that add up to more than 100 percent leaves nothing for carbohydrate, so the tool stops and asks you to correct them. Also double check the unit system, because weight and height switch between kilograms and centimeters and pounds and inches.
Do not treat the result as a prescription. Population equations can be off for any one person, and the activity factor is a broad estimate. Track how you feel and how your weight changes, and ask a dietitian or doctor before making large changes.
Finally, rounding matters for tracking apps. Small differences of a gram or two between the planner and your food labels are normal and not worth worrying about.
Useful tips and limitations
- Protein and carbohydrate use 4 kcal per gram; fat uses 9 kcal per gram.
- The presets are examples rather than personalized dietary recommendations. Discuss medical nutrition needs with a dietitian.
- Use the copy or download option to save the plan before you change percentages, so you can compare two versions side by side.
- If your meals are uneven, use the daily gram totals as the target and treat the per-meal split only as a rough guide.
Common questions
How are carbohydrates calculated in this macro planner?
Carbohydrate calories receive 100% minus the entered protein and fat percentages. The calculator rejects a combined protein/fat share over 100%.
Can I enter my own calories in the macro calculator?
Yes. Select the manual calorie source and enter an amount within the supported planning range. Body weight remains relevant to the protein-per-kilogram display.
Does an available macro result prove that the diet is suitable?
No. The calorie range and population equations do not establish suitability. This adult planning tool is not for pregnancy, breastfeeding, children or medical dietary needs.
Which resting-energy equation should I choose?
Mifflin-St Jeor is the default and is widely used for adults. The revised Harris-Benedict option gives a comparison, and the two usually differ by a modest amount.
Why does the manual calorie option still ask for my weight?
Body weight is used for the protein per kilogram figure, and the body measurements are still checked even when you type your own calorie amount.
Does the calculator account for fiber or alcohol?
No. It splits calories only into protein, carbohydrate and fat using 4, 4 and 9 kcal per gram.
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