worldofcalcsMacro Calculator 🥗
Daily Macros
What are macros?
Macros, short for macronutrients, are the three nutrients that give you energy: protein, carbohydrates and fat. This calculator works out your daily calories and splits them into grams of each, so you can plan meals for losing weight, keeping it steady or building muscle.
How your macros are worked out
First your daily calories: BMR from the Mifflin-St Jeor equation × your activity multiplier, minus 500 kcal to lose weight or plus 500 to gain. Protein is set by body weight: 1.6 g per kg while losing weight (to protect muscle) or building muscle, and 1.2 g per kg to maintain. Fat is 30% of calories. Carbohydrates fill the remaining calories. Protein and carbs have 4 kcal per gram and fat has 9.
Hitting your macros on an Indian diet
- Protein is the hardest target on a typical Indian vegetarian diet. Good sources: paneer (about 18 g per 100 g), soya chunks (about 52 g per 100 g dry), dal (about 7–9 g per cooked katori), curd, milk, eggs, chicken and fish.
- Spread protein across meals, about 25–30 g at each, rather than eating most of it at dinner.
- Most carbs come from rice, roti, poha and fruit. Choose whole grains, millets and dal for steady energy and more fibre.
- Fat includes cooking oil and ghee. One tablespoon of oil is about 120 kcal and 14 g of fat, so measure it if you are trying to lose weight.
- The split is a starting point. Total calories matter most for weight; protein matters most for keeping muscle.
- These are estimates for healthy adults. Speak to a doctor or dietitian if you are pregnant, have a medical condition or plan a big change in diet. People with kidney disease should check protein targets with their doctor.
Worked example
- A 30-year-old man, 70 kg and 170 cm, exercising 3–5 days a week, who wants to lose weight
- Calories: 2,507 kcal maintenance − 500 = 2,007 kcal a day
- Protein: 70 kg × 1.6 g = 112 g (448 kcal, 22%)
- Fat: 30% × 2,007 = 602 kcal ÷ 9 = 67 g
- Carbs: 2,007 − 448 − 602 = 957 kcal ÷ 4 = 239 g (48%)
Daily macros by goal
For a 30-year-old man (70 kg, 170 cm) and woman (60 kg, 160 cm) who exercise 3–5 days a week.
| Person and goal | Calories (kcal) | Protein | Carbs | Fat |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Man, lose weight | 2,007 | 112 g | 239 g | 67 g |
| Man, maintain | 2,507 | 84 g | 355 g | 84 g |
| Man, gain muscle | 3,007 | 112 g | 414 g | 100 g |
| Woman, lose weight | 1,498 | 96 g | 166 g | 50 g |
| Woman, maintain | 1,998 | 72 g | 278 g | 67 g |
| Woman, gain muscle | 2,498 | 96 g | 341 g | 83 g |
Protein is 1.6 g per kg to lose weight or gain muscle and 1.2 g per kg to maintain; fat is 30% of calories; carbs are the rest.