Macro Calculator – Daily Nutrition

A Macro Calculator can be a great tool to help you calculate how much protein, carbohydrates and fats you should be eating on a daily basis based on your personal details, activity levels and fitness goals. This can help you understand how much you should be eating to help you lose weight, gain muscle, maintain your weight or improve your overall nutrition.

Macros (macro-nutrients) are the nutrients you need in larger quantities to provide you with energy and help with essential bodily functions. There are three main types of macronutrients:

• Protein – Helps with muscle growth, tissue repair and recovery.
• Carbohydrates – Help to give you energy for daily living, exercise and brain function.
• Fats – Help with hormone production, absorbing nutrients and overall health.

Your ideal macro split will depend on your age, sex, height, weight, activity level and fitness goals.

The Macro Calculator will help you calculate your calorie requirements and how much of each macronutrient you should be eating. This will allow you to create a balanced eating plan.

This calculator is a great way to help keep track of your macros whether you’re eating a high protein diet, balanced diet or low carb.

How To Use The Macro Calculator

To use the Macro Calculator simply enter your personal details and fitness preferences.

• Select your sex.
• Enter your age.
• Enter your weight (kg or lbs).
• Enter your height (feet & inches or cm).
• Select your activity level.
• Select your fitness goal.
• Select your favourite macro split (if available).
• Click calculate.

You’ll then see how many calories you should be eating daily and how much of each macronutrient you should be eating.

Use this as a guide and adapt your nutrition based on how you are doing, your energy levels and your own individual requirements.

Macro Calculator Formula

Most Macro Calculators will use the following formula:

Calculate Basal Metabolic Rate (BMR)

This will give you an indication as to how many calories you need to consume whilst at rest.

A popular formula to use is the Mifflin-St Jeor equation.

For males:

BMR = (10 x W) + (6.25 x H) – (5 x A) + 5

For females:

BMR = (10 x W) + (6.25 x H) – (5 x A) – 161

Where:

W = Weight in kg.

H = Height in cm.

A = Age in years.

Calculate Total Daily Energy Expenditure (TDEE)

This will give you an indication of how many calories you should be eating based on your physical activity.

TDEE = BMR x Activity Factor.

Activity Multipliers:

Activity Level Multiplier Sedentary 1.20 Lightly Active 1.375 Moderately Active 1.55 Very Active 1.725 Extra Active 1.90

Calculate Macronutrient Requirements.

Once you know how many calories you should be eating, you can work out how much protein, carbs and fats you should be eating. Protein and Carbs both contain 4 calories per gram. Fat contains 9 calories per gram. The formulas are:

Protein (g) = Protein Calories ÷ 4

Carbs (g) = Carbohydrate Calories ÷ 4

Fat (g) = Fat Calories ÷ 9

Example

Let’s say a 30 year old male wants to lose weight but keep their muscle mass.

Their details:

Details Value Age 30 Weight 80kg Height 180cm Activity Level Moderately Active Fitness Goal Weight Loss

Calculate BMR:

(10 x 80) + (6.25 x 180) – (5 x 30) + 5 =

1,780 calories.

Calculate TDEE:

1,780 x 1.55 =

2,759 calories.

Set Weight Loss Target.

Let’s say we want to create a 500 calorie daily deficit:

2,759-500=2,259 calories.

Calculate Macro Split.

Let’s say we want to eat:

Protein = 30%.

Carbs = 40%.

Fat = 30%.

Protein:

(2,259 x 0.30) ÷ 4 = 169.4g

Carbs:

(2,259 x 0.40) ÷ 4 = 225.9g

Fat:

(2,259 x 0.30) ÷ 9 = 75.3g

Target = 2,259 calories.

Based on the above calculations, you should aim to eat approximately 169g protein, 226g carbs and 75g fat per day.

Note: This is an example only. Your personal calorie and macro requirements will vary depending on your health, training and nutrition requirements.

Understanding The Results From Your Macro Calculator

After entering your details, the Macro Calculator will give you an indication as to how many calories you should be eating and how much of each macronutrient you should be eating.

• Calories: How many calories you should be eating to help you achieve your fitness goal.
• Protein: How many grams of protein you should be eating. Helps to repair, recover and maintain muscles.
• Carbs: How many carbohydrates you should be eating. Provides energy for physical activity and daily living.
• Fat: How much fat you should be eating. Helps to produce hormones and absorb fat soluble vitamins.
• BMR: How many calories your body would burn whilst at rest.
• TDEE: How many calories your body would use throughout the day.

Your target macros should all work together to form a balanced nutrition plan.

Factors That Influence Your Macronutrient Requirements

There are a number of factors that will impact how much protein, carbs and fat your body will need:

• Age – As we age our metabolism, muscle mass and nutrition requirements may change.
• Body Weight – Your current weight will impact your calorie requirements which may impact your protein requirements.
• Height & Body Composition – Your height and lean body mass may impact your energy requirements.
• Physical Activity – If you are regularly exercising or doing physically demanding work you may need more calories and carbohydrates.
• Fitness Goals – Generally different calorie requirements will be required if you want to lose weight, gain muscle or maintain your weight.
• Type Of Exercise – Different exercises will put different demands on your body such as strength training, endurance and leisure activities.
• Health – Certain health conditions can impact your nutrition requirements. You may want to consult a professional for advice on your diet.
• Food Preferences – Your food preferences may impact how you split your macros such as being vegetarian/vegan, low carb etc.

Benefits & Real World Applications Of Using A Macro Calculator

A Macro Calculator can help you understand your nutrition requirements. Benefits include:

• Help With Weight Loss – Give you an indication as to how many calories/macros you should be eating to help you stay in a calorie deficit.
• Gain Muscle – Help plan your protein and calorie intake.
• Maintain Weight – Give you an indication as to how much nutrition you should be eating.
• Understand Your Food – Help you understand the nutritional breakdown of your food.
• Improve Workout Performance – Help you plan your carbs and protein intake.
• Keep Track Of Your Nutrition – Help you keep track of what you’re eating.
• Balanced Meal Plan – Help you balance your protein, carbs and fats.

If you’re looking to gain muscle, this can help you understand how much protein and calories you should be eating.

Accuracy & Assumptions

A Macro Calculator will give you an indication of your nutrition requirements based on the information you enter. It is a planning tool and not a medical assessment.

It will generally assume your activity level and average energy expenditure is fairly consistent.

Your nutrition requirements may vary due to:

• Different metabolisms and body compositions.
• Changes in activity levels and intensity of exercise.
• Health issues.
• Hormones and age related factors.
• Differences in how you digest your food.
• Different energy expenditure.
• Changes in weight and fitness goals.

The Mifflin-St Jeor equation is an estimation of your energy expenditure at rest and will not provide an accurate measurement of your metabolism. Activity multipliers will also give you an approximation.

You may find that you actually need more/less calories than the calculator suggests. Monitor your progress over a few weeks and adjust your intake when required.

If you have any medical conditions, are pregnant/breastfeeding or have specific dietary requirements, speak to a registered dietician or qualified health professional.

FAQ’S

What Is A Macro Calculator?

A Macro Calculator is an online tool that can help you calculate how much protein, carbs and fats you should be eating per day. It uses your personal details such as age, height, weight, activity level and fitness goals to calculate an estimate of your calorie and macro requirements.

What Are The Three Main Macronutrients?

There are three main macronutrients: Protein, Carbohydrates and Fats. Protein helps repair and grow muscles, Carbohydrates help give you energy and Fats help with hormone production and absorbing nutrients. They all play an important role in keeping you healthy.

What Is A Good Macro Split For Weight Loss?

A good balanced macro split for weight loss will depend on your body composition, activity level, food preferences and nutrition requirements. Some people use a 30% protein, 40% carbs and 30% fat split but there is no one ‘ideal’ macro split.

How Much Protein Should I Be Eating?

Protein requirements will depend on your weight, activity level, health and fitness goals. The general RDA for healthy adults is 0.8g per kg of body weight. If you’re regularly exercising or doing strength training you may want to increase your protein intake based on your individual requirements.

How Many Calories Should I Be Eating To Lose Weight?

Generally you should be eating less calories than you’re using. A common starting point is to create a moderate calorie deficit (usually around 500 calories). However this will depend on your individual circumstances. Don’t go too low with your calorie intake.

Should I Track My Macros Or Just Calories?

Tracking your calories will help you understand how much energy you’re consuming. Tracking your macros will give additional information to help you understand your protein, carbs and fats. Both can be beneficial. Tracking your macros may be more beneficial if you’re looking to help with muscle development, improve your performance in the gym or keep a balanced diet.

Can I Use A Macro Calculator For Gaining Muscle?

Yes! A Macro Calculator can help you understand how much calories and macros you should be eating to help grow your muscles. In order to gain muscle you generally need enough protein, enough calories and regular resistance training. Depending on your body composition and fitness goals you may want to be eating a slight surplus.