Macro Calculator
Enter your daily calories and pick a split. You get the grams of carbohydrate, protein and fat to aim for.
This is an estimate for general information and is not medical advice. Needs vary with health, age and activity. A dietitian can tailor a plan if you have a medical condition.
Worked examples
UK balanced
2,000 kcal at 50 / 20 / 30
250 g carbohydrate, 100 g protein, 67 g fat
1,000 / 4, 400 / 4 and 600 / 9.
About Macro Calculator
A macro calculator turns a calorie target into grams of the three macronutrients: carbohydrate, protein and fat. Food labels list grams, not percentages, so a gram target is much easier to use when you shop and cook. Enter your daily calories, choose a split, and the page shows how many grams of each to aim for, with the calories they supply.
The first preset follows the shape of UK government advice: about half of energy from carbohydrate and no more than 35% from fat. The others give more weight to protein, and you can type your own percentages as long as they add up to 100. Carbohydrate and protein supply 4 calories a gram, and fat supplies 9. This is an estimate and not medical advice.
How to use Macro Calculator
- Type your daily calories. Use the calorie calculator if you do not know them.
- Choose a split, or pick "My own" and enter percentages that add up to 100.
- Add your weight if you would like grams of protein for each kilogram.
- Read the grams for carbohydrate, protein and fat.
Common uses
- Setting gram targets for a food tracking app
- Planning higher protein meals while training
- Comparing a balanced split with a lower carbohydrate one
- Checking that a plan adds up to your calories
Frequently asked questions
What are macronutrients?
Macronutrients are the nutrients that supply calories: carbohydrate, protein and fat. Alcohol also supplies energy, at 7 calories a gram, but is not counted as a macronutrient here. Fibre supplies a little energy and is usually included in carbohydrate.
How many calories are in a gram of each?
Carbohydrate and protein have about 4 calories a gram. Fat has about 9. These are the standard Atwater values used to work out energy on food labels, and they are close enough for planning.
What is the UK balanced split?
UK reference values suggest that carbohydrate provides about 50% of food energy and fat no more than about 35%, with protein making up the rest. The preset uses 50, 15 and 35 as a simple example of that.
Do I need to hit my macros exactly?
No. Day-to-day variation is normal, and food labels are approximate. Aim to be roughly right over the week, and choose mostly whole foods. If you have a medical condition, a dietitian can tailor targets for you.
Why does it say my percentages do not add up?
The three percentages must total 100, because together they account for all of your calories. Change one of them until the total is right.