Tools · Macro calculator
Macro calculator: protein, carbs and fat for your calories
Set a calorie target, choose protein and fat, and carbohydrate fills the rest. Everything is shown in grams you can log.
- Free
- Every number sourced
- No sign-up
Moderate exercise 3–5 days a week
Fine-tune your split
0.8 is the RDA; 1.4–2.0 for people who exercise.
The National Academies range is 20–35%.
How the split is built
- Calories come from your TDEE and goal, using the Mifflin-St Jeor equation (see the TDEE calculator).
- Protein is set by body weight, in grams per kg, using the same ranges as the protein calculator.
- Fat is a share of calories. The National Academies range for adults is 20–35%.
- Carbohydrate fills what is left. Protein and carbohydrate have about 4 calories per gram, and fat about 9.
Reading the result
The National Academies ranges for adults are 45–65% of calories from carbohydrate, 20–35% from fat and 10–35% from protein. The tool tells you whether your split is inside them. Sitting outside them is not an error, and can suit some athletes, but it is worth knowing.
Macro targets are a tool for planning meals, not a score. Hitting your calories and protein most days matters more than the last gram.
A reminder
These tools give general estimates for healthy adults, not medical advice. If you are pregnant, under 18, have a medical condition or a history of disordered eating, talk to a doctor or dietitian first.
Quick answers
How many calories are in a gram of protein, carbs and fat?
About 4 calories per gram of protein, 4 per gram of carbohydrate and 9 per gram of fat.
What is a good macro split?
There is no single best split. The National Academies give acceptable ranges for adults: 45–65% carbohydrate, 20–35% fat and 10–35% protein.
Do I need to hit my macros exactly?
No. Day-to-day variation is normal, and the numbers are estimates. Aim to be close on most days.
Sources
- StatPearls: Calories (9 calories per gram of fat, 4 per gram of carbohydrate and protein)
- National Academies, Dietary Reference Intakes for Energy, Carbohydrate, Fiber, Fat, Fatty Acids, Cholesterol, Protein, and Amino Acids (the acceptable macronutrient distribution ranges)
- Jäger et al. (2017), ISSN position stand: protein and exercise
More calculators
- CalculatorProtein calculatorPick your goal and your weight. The range comes from published guidance, not from a guess.
- CalculatorTDEE calculatorYour total daily energy expenditure is the calories you burn in a typical day. It is the number to anchor any calorie target to.
- CalculatorCalories burned calculatorPick an activity, enter your weight and the time. The numbers scale the Harvard Health chart to your body weight.