(If the calculator hasn’t loaded above, please reload the page.)
MAKE SURE YOU SPEND 2 MINUTES TO READ THE NOTES BELOW AFTER USING IT!
1. “Does this Macro Calculator work?” — To address your first likely concern…
Yes, the macro calculator ‘works’ for weight loss, fat loss, bodybuilding/muscle building. I’ve been coaching online as a full-time job since 2011. If I didn’t get results (view over 100 client results photos here), I’d get fired.
And yes, they are very well thought out — they’re based on the recommendations in my book, The Muscle and Strength Nutrition Pyramid, which is a 290-page, fully-referenced guide for powerlifters and physique athletes.
Regardless of your body type, if you’re a vegan, and whatever your fitness goals, this is my recommended starting point to calculate your macro intake.
But wondering whether your calculations are ‘correct’ is the wrong way to approach things, because…
2. You will need to adjust these Macros sooner or later to achieve the desired rate of weight change.
Why sooner? Because the calculations are based on equations derived from group averages. You might be either side of this average, so consider them a start point from which to adjust. (Additionally, your meal prep may be inaccurate also.)
Why later? Because energy needs change over time as we diet and bulk. Your metabolism will gradually adapt to fight a caloric deficit, and energy needs increase when we gain weight. These things happen for some people more than others and this is not something a calculator can predict for.
However, knowing how impatient people are to see results, I’ve factored this into the macro calculations…
But Before we get into that…
People consistently make the same simple mistakes when acting on these calculations. So I have built a free, 7-lesson email course that has helped 80,000 people so far avoid them.
May I send you my email course and free nutrition ebook to help you get the most out of this macro calculator?
It’ll be in your inbox by the time you’ve finished reading these notes.
Note: Your email won’t be shared, sold, or abused – ever.
So as I was saying, I’ve factored the energy need adaptions into the calculations in the following couple of ways…
3. For those cutting, THE MACRO CALCULATOR SETS energy intake at a level where bodyweight losses would be 0.75% per week, were the metabolism not to adapt.
But it will, and many people will find their resulting weight loss to be around 0.5%, which from experience, seems to be the sweet spot for busy individuals with real lives who can’t afford the brain fog that comes with higher caloric deficits.
Additionally, the total nerds among you (love you guys!) who have been getting your macro calculators out to check my math, may have noticed that…
4. For those bulking, I’ve upped the caloric surplus by 50% to anticipate some of the increased energy needs when bulking.
This is not an extreme change. For a 30-year-old, 6ft, 200 lb novice male, their daily intake will change from 3070 kcal to 3245 kcal because of this.
Unfortunately, there’s a tricky little bitch called NEAT which can impact energy needs way more from person to person, especially when bulking.
NEAT is the nickname for ‘non-exercise activity thermogenesis’. It is the energy expended for everything we do that is not sleeping, eating, or sports-like exercise. It ranges from the energy expended walking to work, typing and texting friends, shaking up a protein shake, performing yard work, and fidgeting.
Some people ramp up NEAT much more than others which explains those who claim not to be able to gain weight. These people are commonly referred to as ‘hardgainers’, but there is nothing wrong, they need to eat more.
This cannot be factored into the macro calculator either, which is why tracking average weight change and then adjusting caloric intake based on the outcome is so critical.
5. So now you’re probably wondering, “What is a desirable rate of weight loss or gain?”
Weight loss: I recommend 0.5–1% of body weight loss per week when cutting. — The leaner you get, the slower you should take it.
Weight gain: I recommend 0.5–2% of body weight gain per month when bulking. — The more experienced a trainee you are, the closer you are likely to your genetic potential, so the slower you should take things:
- Beginner — 2%
- Novice — 1.5%
- Intermediate — 1%
- Advanced — 0.5%
This is the upper end of the ranges recommended in my book, The Muscle and Strength Nutrition Pyramid, which makes changes easier to track, especially when you aren’t working with a coach and are doing things yourself.
6. Most people will have a jump in scale weight in the first week.
This will be due to the change in gut content, water, and muscle glycogen in your body. It happens whenever you change the number of carbohydrates you eat or the total food intake in general.
So, before deciding you need to adjust, track for several weeks first, taking the average scale weight each day, and ignore the first week of data.
7. To make a Macro adjustment to get your body weight change on track…
If you are cutting, multiply the amount you are off your weekly weight change target by 500 kcal (or 1100 kcal for those using kg). Add or subtract that from your caloric intake each day accordingly. Here are some examples:
- If you’re losing weight 0.5 lbs slower than your target each week, reduce daily caloric intake by 250 kcal (500*0.5). — This is approximately one cup of uncooked rice or 3 cups of cooked rice.
- If you’re losing weight 0.3 lbs faster than your target each week, increase your daily caloric intake by 150 kcal daily (0.3*500). — This is approximately a 2 oz portion of uncooked pasta.
If you are bulking, multiply the amount you are off your monthly weight change target by 150 kcal (or 330 kcal for those using kg). (These numbers are explained in my mega-guide on bulking). Here are some examples:
- If you’re gaining weight 1.5 lb slower than your target each month, increase daily caloric intake by 225 kcal (150*1.5).
- If you’re gaining weight 0.5 kg faster than your target each month, reduce daily caloric intake by ~165 kcal (330*0.5).
Make this caloric change via fat and carb changes per your preferences. This is as simple as follows:
Leave protein intake as is, unless you have a lot of body fat to lose. (More on this in a moment.)
8. Before making any adjustments, make sure your adherence is on point.
If your adherence is not on point, fix that before adjusting your macros. Solid adherence in the week only to throw it away on the weekends is the most common pattern people follow. This includes adherence to your workouts — your training routine needs to be routine; plans don’t mean anything if they aren’t followed through.
9. Double-check that you are tracking things accurately.
Here’s my guide to counting macros and making meals out of them. (The simplified counting rules in this guide are what gave the food value estimations you saw the end of the calculator.)
But despite guides like that trying to simplify, studies consistently show that people are terrible at tracking things. So, if you’re not losing weight at the rate desired and you’re concerned that your macros look low, swallow your ego and consider the possibility that you’ve screwed something up.
Log everything that passes your lips into a nutritional calculator for 2 weeks. This will tell you if you have an issue.
10. Protein intake is calculated based on body weight rather than lean body mass.
This is much easier than requiring people to estimate their body-fat percentage first, and the results are roughly the same anyway. Plus, all the methods we have available for estimating body-fat percentage are prone to chuckle-worthy levels of error. I recommend you do not attempt it.
11. Importantly, those with a lot of body fat to lose will need to adjust Protein Intake Down A Little, Swapping for Carbs or Fats.
While a good heuristic for many, the “1 g per lb rule” will set protein intake too high for overweight or obese people. I’d suggest you set your protein intake as per your height using the chart above.
So, if you’re 260 lbs and 6’0, instead of consuming ~260 g of protein as I have in the calculator, consume 180 g and swap the 80 g remaining for carbs to maintain the calorie balance. This will be better for satiety, diet variety, and training quality.
Some people may argue that this protein figure is a little too low to be protective of muscle mass when dieting.
I disagree.
Having a lot of fat mass is protective of muscle mass. This makes sense when you think about it from a survival perspective. When the body comes to choose between releasing fatty acids or breaking down muscle into amino acids for fuel, the smarter decision for survival is to burn off fat when there is an abundance of it. Therefore, protein needs are likely a bit lower for the 260 lb guy with 160 lbs of muscle mass vs. the 200 lb guy with the same muscle mass.
Using whey protein to help you meet your numbers is fine, but real food tends to be more filling. Speaking about food, don’t worry about “complete” and “incomplete” proteins — whey and animal products may be the most “complete” proteins, but as long as you hit your targets by the end of the day it won’t make a difference.
12. Too many people make calorie and macro calculations, wait two weeks, then decide that they “don’t work” if they don’t see the calculated for scale weight change.
They then move to another macro calculator (or diet method entirely).
This is sadly common. Don’t be this person.
A simple adjustment of your caloric intake up or downwards is all that will be needed. (Reasons 2-4, at rates described in 5, in the manner described in 7.) Don’t make this mistake.
13. If you have already calculated your macros elsewhere and they aren’t radically different, I don’t suggest you change them.
The key, as I’ve covered, is that you track your progress and adjust based on the outcome.
MACRO CALCULATOR FAQ
TAKE CONTROL OF YOUR NUTRITION AND START SEEING RESULTS
Enter your email to join 100,000 others and download the brand new March 2020 version of the guide.
I’ll also teach you the most common progress-killing nutrition mistakes with my 7-day email course.
Note: Your email won’t be shared, sold, or abused – ever.
Please keep questions on topic, write clearly, concisely, and don't post diet calculations.
Privacy policy.
Hi Andy, rippedbody is just awesome, but I was wondering, should I eat 1 g of protein per pound of body weight o should I eat 1 g per pound of lean mass. It’s just that I keep listening this situation all the time and it is difficult to know what to do.
This article is great and has really helped with my bulk. Now I want to do a cut and it says my maintenance is 2877 calories and the recommended cut is 2093. That seems like a huge deficit all at once, would you recommend I start with something smaller, like a 500 calorie deficit?
Hi Aaron, from the newly released third edition of my book, The Diet Adjustments Manual.
THE STEPS TO TRANSITION TO A CUT
The transition from a bulk to a cut can be achieved in the following steps:
1. Estimate the calorie reduction needed to approximate maintenance and subtract that from your daily intake.
2. Wait two weeks.
3. Calculate the calorie deficit needed to cut at the rate you’re targeting. Subtract that from your daily intake to commence your cut.
4. Wait four weeks.
5. Make an adjustment, if necessary, to get yourself on track with your target rate of weight loss.
If you are transitioning to a cut from maintenance, skip the first two steps.
CALCULATIONS TO TRANSITION TO A CUT
As with the Transitioning To A Bulk chapter, there are three things we need from earlier in the book to know how to transition:
• Reduction of calories needed to approximate maintenance = average weekly weight change in pounds x 500 + weight in pounds (For metric users, change the last part to: “x 1100 + weight in kilograms x 2.2”.)
• To lose 1 lb of weight per week, subtract 500 kcal each day (550 kcal for 0.5 kg).
• Make the calorie subtractions in a 2:1 ratio of carbs to fats.
EXAMPLE TRANSITION TO A CUT
Tom weighs 200 lbs. The calorie intake at the end of his bulk is 3600 kcal. He has been gaining 0.5 lbs per week and wishes to target 0.5% of his body weight per week (1 lb) when cutting.
1. Tom will first reduce his calorie intake by 450 kcal (0.5*500 + 200). He’ll do this by subtracting 80 g of carbs and 15 g of fats from his daily macros.
2. He’ll wait two weeks.
3. Tom will then reduce his calorie intake by 500 kcal (1*500) to commence his cut. He’ll do this by subtracting an additional 20 g of fat and 80 g of carbs from his daily macros.
4. He’ll wait four weeks.
5. If Tom finds that he is losing weight 0.5 lbs per week short of his target, he’ll reduce his calorie intake by an additional 250 kcal per day. He does this by reducing carbs by 40 g and fat by 10 g.
Your transition to a cutting phase is now complete. From here, just follow the guidelines in the How To Make Mid-diet Adjustments When Cutting chapter to complete your cut successfully. Once the cut is done, follow the instructions in the Transitioning to Maintenance or Transitioning To A Bulk chapters, based on your goal.
Hi Andy,
I’m currently trying to lose fat and gain muscle. I have a very hard time reaching my protein goal each day. On average I am getting about 100g of protein with a goal of 165g (calculated from this site). How critical is it that I reach 165g?
Hi BC, thanks for the question. Perhaps you’ve overestimated the difficulty.
That’s two large chicken breasts (or any other lean meat of a similar size) and a scoop of protein powder daily. Shouldn’t be too hard to achieve. My article here may be helpful: How To Count Macros and Make Meals
Hi Andy,
If I sit down all day for work, train 6 times a week and to get to work i cycle (hour total) would this make me lightly active or mostly sedentary?
Hi Emilie, I’d say lightly active.
Hi Andy, I’ve been cutting since 3 weeks now and at a body fat percentage of 14%, should I start my bulk or wait for it to get down to 12%, coz I really wanna gain muscle !
Hi Trishant, thank you for the question.
Here’s my guide covering when to choose and change between cut and bulk phases.
How to safely transition from a cut to a bulk ?
Hi Andy, I’ve been eating about the same number of calories for the last 4 months, and my weight is maintained. But since the last 2 weeks, my weight has almost gone down almost 2 pounds if I take the weekly average, so, is it because I’m losing muscle or fat??
Hi Trishant,
Unless you’ve suddenly increased your energy expenditure (by 500 kcal each day), it’ll be due to a water fluctuation.
If it is because you’ve suddenly increased your energy expenditure (lockdown has ended, and you’re now cycling to work every day, for example), then it’s unlikely you’ll lose any muscle mass unless you aren’t training and your protein intake is inadequate.
My training routine is more or less the same it was in February… Weight Training 6 days a week and 3 days Light Cardio…
But it’s just that I spend most of the day standing,cooking, doing the dishes and I walk halfway to my home from the gym, and just sit to have a meal, could that be making a difference !
Hi, Andy!
thanks for all you work! the provided info is gold!
I’m not sure about the protein adjustment. you said’ While a good heuristic for many, the “1 g per lb rule” will set protein intake too high for overweight or obese people. I’d suggest you set your protein intake as per your height using the chart above.’
I don’t know what to do. I’m 5’5 and I have 187lb. The calculator, for a lightly active person, says the protein intake should be 187g, according to the 1g per lb rule. But the height chart indicates approx 135g of protein. I need you advice, please! my choose should be the same if I calculate for a mostly sedentary person?
Thank you a lot!
Hi Dada, thank you for the question. Glad you find my writing helpful so far.
We don’t base protein intake on activity levels, just bodyweight or height. You’re overweight, so going with the latter would be more appropriate. But you can eat a little more if you wish. More on protein and other macronutrient settings here: How To Set Your Macros for Fat Loss and Muscle Growth
Hi Andy!
Thank you for your amazing work! It helps me so much
I have a doubt, which activity level should I pick?
I workout 5 times per week with weights, 7-10k steps per day and I keep myself active during the weekends (hikes, longer walks or bike)
Thank you so much!
Hi Andrea, I’d go with lightly active.
Hi Andy,
In your book the last shred there is reference to ‘Only count a ‘real change’ as spmething more than 2 SD’s’ (standard deviation’. Can you elaborate on this a little with a working example.
Would be extremely grateful.
Thanks
I wouldn’t bother with that. It was a suggestion to add in by my co-author on The Muscle and Strenght Pyramid books. I have never used the calculation and I’ve taken it out of the draft for the third edition I’m working on.
Hi Andy – I just calculated my macros for today – Protein – 171g, Fat 60g, Carbs 240g. This is aligned with defined goals. However, my fiber was 63g (yikes), comprised of Oats, Broccoli, Cauliflower, Lavash bread, beans, carrots, chia seeds. Besides concerns about spending all day on the toilet, am I causing any nutrient issues with macros or micros?
Hi Steve,
Sorry, I don’t comment on anyone’s specific calculations. You’ll see my guidelines for fiber intake in my article on macros: How To Set Your Macros for Fat Loss and Muscle Growth
Hi Andy,
Sorry for including macros – my mistake. The article you shared discussed macros, but didn’t describe why too much fiber is bad. Can you share some insight on the negative effects of too much fiber?
Sure. Bloating, gas, and constipation. It can also interfere with proper nutrient absorption.
My apologies, Steve. I just realized that I put the information on fiber in the micronutrition article: How To Cover Your Micronutrient Needs
Hi Andy,
This may be a daft laddie question, so here goes.
To put on a pound of muscle (roughly speaking) one has to consume 2500 excess calories a week.
If one is on the Keto diet and fat adapted, does one still have to consume a 2500 calorie surplus to build muscle? I am thinking if one has fat stores to utilise for energy, these can be used and should be adequate enough without consuming the extra calories?
Hope this makes sense.
Hi Tom, thank you for the question.
You can gain muscle and lose fat without being in a calorie surplus in certain circumstances (see: Should I Bulk vs Cut (or Recomp)?). Keto has nothing to do with it.
But as you’ll read, past a certain point, simultaneous muscle gain and fat loss will no longer happen. At that point, you need to choose whether to cut or bulk. If you bulk, the best outcome it is reasonable to expect is 50:50 muscle/fat gain. In that case, a 3000 calorie per pound heuristic is more appropriate (2500 for the muscle + 3500 for the fat, divided by two).
However, if you have the majority of that surplus from fat rather than carbs, you’ll likely gain more fat than this 50:50 ratio. More here if it interests you: How to Systematically Test if Keto is Right for You
Great calculator, really easy to follow.
I understand the calculations from reading your book, however the number it gives me for TDCI (1713) is less than my BMR (1758).
I appreciate that this is an estimate and we are only talking about 45 calories, but would you generally suggest that the TDCI should be higher than the ‘lie in a coma’ BMR.
Or do I just need to not worry about it as my BMR will reduce as I lose weight?
Thanks
Hi Robert, thank you for the question.
Your daily energy needs are a function of your basal metabolic rate (BMR) and then activity levels on top.
To lose fat at the target rate of 0.5% per week, we need a calorie deficit.
That deficit is going to be around 500-750 kcal for most people using the calculator. If activity levels are low, the target daily intake may be under BMR. This is normal in this situation and nothing to worry about. We’re trying to get the body to fuel itself off of the fat stores. The body doesn’t suddenly slam on the brakes or self destruct if the energy intake is less than the BMR, which is where this myth comes from.
Thanks very much Andy for the comprehensive reply, much appreciated. That does break a myth I’ve held for a long time that the TDCI needed to be ~500cal less than TDEE and higher than the ‘essential to survive’ BMI. Thanks again, I’m enjoying the book and resistance band exercises 👍
Most welcome, Robert.
Hi Andy,
2 questions here:
1.-
Which activity level on the calculator would you choose with:
3 Days/week: Calisthenics (in the afternoon)
2 Days/week: Barbell/Weight Workout
Also, on two of the calisthenics days i also do functional training (45min at late evening)
Less than 2000 steps/day
2.-
In Martin’s book, he talks about 60% of protein in the ratios (if i’m not wrong). With your calculator i’m somewhere between 26-27%. Any clarifying thoughts?
Thank you,
Raúl.
Hi Raúl, thank you for the questions.
1. Mostly sedentary.
2. It’s not my place to speak for someone else’s recommendations, I can only speak for my own:
Protein intake should be set based on body weight or height, not percentage of calorie intake. Otherwise, as calorie intake is gradually reduced over time during a diet phase, it will be under-consumed. Then when bulking, it will be overconsumed.
More on this in these two articles:
• Why The ‘Best’ Macronutrient Ratio Does Not Exist
• How To Set Your Macros for Fat Loss and Muscle Growth
Hi Andy!
First of all I want to thank you for the massive work you put in to the page. It is awesome!
I read it your guide about macros and I decided to reduce some weight. My question is what activity should I set up if I train kettlebell swing from Monday to Friday, perform weighted Pull-ups three days a week?
Would be appreciate form any tips from you.
Mike.
Hi Mike, thank you.
The daily kettlebell swings won’t burn enough calories to justify upping your activity levels from whatever you’d set it at otherwise based on the description.
Andy,
This is a fantastic resource. Thank you!
I work out about 3x a week (barbells at the gym), and I do some light exercise every day (stretching, bodyweight – not to failure), plus 10K steps a day. I otherwise work in an office.
Is this mostly sedentary? Or lightly active?
Appreciate it!
Graham
Hi Graham, you sound lightly active.
Thanks, Andy!
Hey andy my brother is about 160 Ib or 72kg and concumes about 1g per Ib of bw but drinks like 1.5 liters of water per day. so is a relatively high protein diet with that of a small water intake (wich I’m pretty sure is probably not enough for a man of his size) could be very problematic for his health long term and any tips to increase his water intake
Hi Ali, thank you for the question.
You’ll see my recommendations for water intake in the FAQ. As for encouraging him to actually act on that information, tell him that his gym performance may improve, so it may help him get more jacked. That should do the trick. 🙂
Hi Andy,
Thanks for this, fantastic breakdown.
I’m WFH but doing basic dumbbell home workouts each morning with a walk in the afternoon (currently averaging 7k total steps per day). Would you pick ‘sedentary’ or ‘light’?
I’m 6″4 201lb aiming to recomp. Usually train 5 days a week but COVID put a halt to all of that in 2020. As a result body fat % has increased and muscle mass has somewhat decreased.
Thanks,
Matt
Hi Matt. Mostly sedentary.
At what point would you adjust your protein intake? After you lose 5 lbs? 10 lbs? 20 lbs?
After you make your 4 week adjustment, do you adjust again in another 4 weeks?
Hi Carly, I don’t usually adjust protein intake. This is because I set protein intake for clients based on the level of muscle mass I estimate they have, which means I won’t set it higher than necessary in the first place. But I have 10 years of experience, readers don’t have that, so what I do and what I recommend readers do, has to differ.
If you’re considerably above the line in note 11, you can reduce it. Regarding the frequency of adjustments, see my guide: How To Adjust Macros As You Diet To Keep Progressing
Hey, Andy. Thanks for the content.
In the past I used calculator at sareyko.net, until it was taken down. The split there between workout days and rest days was different in terms of how much fat there was on rest days. It was something like zero carbs, 2g of prot per kg of lean weight, and the rest were fats.
Is this a viable option?
You could do that when dieting, but it’s better to avoid extremes. You’d certainly want to avoid such a low carb intake when bulking. More on this here: How To Set Your Macros for Fat Loss and Muscle Growth
Hey Andy, thanks so much for your content. I downloaded yout diet set up guide a few years prior, which was a tremendous help! Unfortunately I wasn’t able to download the updated guide. I already tried out 2 of my email-adresses and so far I haven’t received it yet.
Do you happen to know what could cause this issue or by any chance send it to me manually? Please let me know 🙂
Hi Stanley, I’ve just sent you an email. Apologies for the inconvenience.