Meal Macros & Calorie Budget Planner
Calculate personalized calorie and macro targets for protein, fats, and carbs based on goals. Enter values for instant results with step-by-step formulas.
Worked Examples
Example 1: Fat Loss Macro Plan
Problem:30-year-old male, 80kg, 175cm, moderately active, wants to lose fat. Calculate calorie target and macro split for 0.5kg/week loss.
Solution:BMR Calculation (Mifflin-St Jeor):\nBMR = (10 × 80) + (6.25 × 175) - (5 × 30) + 5\nBMR = 800 + 1,094 - 150 + 5 = 1,749 calories\n\nTDEE:\n1,749 × 1.55 (moderate activity) = 2,711 calories\n\nFat Loss Target:\n- 0.5 kg/week requires 3,850 cal deficit/week\n- 3,850 / 7 = 550 cal deficit/day\n- Target: 2,711 - 550 = 2,161 calories/day\n\nMacro Split (High Protein for Preservation):\n- Protein: 35% = 756 cal / 4 = 189g (2.4 g/kg) ✓\n- Fat: 25% = 540 cal / 9 = 60g (0.75 g/kg) ✓\n- Carbs: 40% = 864 cal / 4 = 216g\n\nPer-Meal Targets (3 meals):\n- Calories: 720 per meal\n- Protein: 63g per meal\n- Fat: 20g per meal\n- Carbs: 72g per meal\n\nExpected Outcome:\n- 0.5 kg fat loss per week\n- High protein preserves muscle\n- Sustainable deficit (not too aggressive)
Result:2,161 cal/day | 189g protein, 60g fat, 216g carbs | 0.5kg/week loss | Sustainable plan
Example 2: Muscle Gain Macro Plan
Problem:25-year-old female, 60kg, 165cm, very active (lifting 5x/week), wants to gain muscle. Calculate surplus and macros.
Solution:BMR Calculation:\nBMR = (10 × 60) + (6.25 × 165) - (5 × 25) - 161\nBMR = 600 + 1,031 - 125 - 161 = 1,345 calories\n\nTDEE:\n1,345 × 1.9 (very active) = 2,556 calories\n\nMuscle Gain Target:\n- Moderate surplus: 200-300 cal\n- Target: 2,556 + 250 = 2,806 calories/day\n\nMacro Split (High Protein for Muscle):\n- Protein: 30% = 842 cal / 4 = 210g (3.5 g/kg—very high)\n - Adjust: 2.0 g/kg = 120g is sufficient\n - Revised: 120g × 4 = 480 cal (17%)\n- Fat: 30% = 842 cal / 9 = 94g (1.6 g/kg) ✓\n- Carbs: 53% = 1,487 cal / 4 = 372g (high for training)\n\nPer-Meal (4 meals for athletes):\n- Calories: 700 per meal\n- Protein: 30g per meal\n- Fat: 23g per meal\n- Carbs: 93g per meal\n\nExpected Outcome:\n- 0.25-0.5 kg gain per month\n- High carbs fuel training\n- Adequate protein for muscle synthesi
Result:2,806 cal/day | 120g protein, 94g fat, 372g carbs | 0.25kg/month gain | Lean bulk
Frequently Asked Questions
What are macros?
Macronutrients (macros) are protein, carbohydrates, and fats—the three nutrients that provide calories. Protein and carbs provide 4 calories per gram; fat provides 9 calories per gram. Balancing macros affects body composition, performance, and satiety beyond just total calories.
How do I calculate calorie deficit for fat loss?
500-calorie daily deficit = ~0.5 kg (1 lb) fat loss per week. 1,000-calorie deficit = ~1 kg/week (aggressive). Don't exceed 1,000 cal deficit—excessive deficits cause muscle loss and metabolic slowdown. Combine moderate deficit (300-500 cal) with strength training to preserve muscle.
Should I track macros or just calories?
Beginners: track calories first; easier and covers 80% of results. Intermediate: add protein tracking (most important macro). Advanced: track all three macros for optimization. Tracking macros is more work but enables better body composition—more muscle, less fat at same weight.
How do I adjust macros for training days vs rest days?
Option 1: Same macros daily (simpler). Option 2: Carb cycling—higher carbs on training days, lower on rest (fat increases to maintain calories). Athletes may benefit from carb cycling. Casual exercisers: same macros daily is easier and works fine. Test both; adherence matters more than optimization.