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Why I Created This Macro Calculator
So many of you have asked me about how many calories, carbs, protein, and fat to eat. Calculating the macronutrients you need can be overwhelming and time-consuming, which is why I created this free macro calculator to make it easy!
Just input a few details and it will tell you exactly what to do. And what makes my calculator different from most is that you can choose what lifestyle you want to follow — a keto diet, a more flexible low carb approach, or simply balanced healthy eating.
I’ve followed all these at some point, and found this calculator helped to confirm I’m on the right track. Try it with me!
How To Calculate Macros
Calculating macros starts with the base daily calories you burn (based on factors like age, gender, and weight) and then factors in other variables (like activity level and your fitness goals for fat loss or muscle building). If you want to learn more about macros and how to calculate them manually, check out my article about macros here.
My free macro calculator will calculate your calorie intake, plus the macro breakdown that’s right for you. Just fill out the form below and hit “Calculate Macros”!
Free Macro Calculator
Have questions? Check the FAQ below!
Free Printable: Low Carb & Keto Food List
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Free Macro Calculator
Answers To Your Macro Questions
I get a lot of questions about macros and this calculator. Feel free to leave me a note in the comments at the bottom of this page, but first, check this FAQ because I’ve got a lot of info right here already!
What are macros?
Macros is short for macronutrients: fat, protein and carbohydrates. These are the building blocks of the foods we eat. All of them have calories: Fat has 9 calories per gram, and protein and carbs have 4 calories per gram. You can read more about how macros work here.
There are also micronutrients, which are vitamins and minerals essential for balanced nutrition, but macro calculators (including mine) don’t typically cover these.
Do I have to calculate my macros, or can I just eat the right foods?
You don’t have to calculate your macros, and many people have success by simply eating healthier or low carb foods. (In fact, after years of doing so, I decided not to anymore.)
But, if you are just starting out, have not achieved the results you want by just choosing your foods, are already relatively close to goal weight, or want to follow a more strict low carb or keto diet, then getting your exact macro requirements can help you. And my free macro calculator is the easiest way to get them!
What is the difference between low carb, keto, and balanced in the macro calculator?
Your calorie needs are generally the same regardless of how you eat, but the macro split of carbs, fat, and protein will vary depending on the lifestyle you choose:
- Keto: My macro calculator will set your carbohydrates to a limited amount first, because the primary goal is ketosis and restricting carbohydrates will achieve this. (The default is 25 grams, but you can change it.) Then, it calculates your protein requirement, which is based on your lean body mass and a protein ratio based on your activity level. The remaining calories come from fat.
- Low carb: The calculator will determine your macros by taking recommended percentages of total calories from fat, protein, and carbohydrates. You can adjust the percentages if you want to.
- Balanced: This works the same as low carb (above), but defaults to a higher percentage of carbs. Again, you can change it to your preference.
How many calories should I eat a day?
Calories to eat daily is one of the main components of my macro calculator. It calculates your Total Daily Energy Expenditure (TDEE) first, which is the number of calories you burn per day. This is determined by your gender, age, height, weight, and activity level.
I use the Mifflin-St. Jeor equation for calculating Basal Metabolic Rate (BMR), which is the number of calories you burn for basic, life-sustaining functions. According to this study on PubMed, this formula has been shown to be most accurate. Then, your activity level combined with BMR determines your TDEE.
If you want to lose weight or build muscle, the macro calculator adds or subtracts calories to/from your TDEE to help you reach your goals.
How are macros calculated? Are you sure the calculation is right?
Please see the question above about calories to eat in a day — the answer is the same.
What percentages should I select in the macro calculator?
My free macro calculator will automatically pre-fill recommendations for your lifestyle — keto, low carb, or balanced — based on your inputs and activity level. You can modify them to suit your needs if you want to, but if you’re unsure, these macronutrient ratios are a good place to start:
- Keto: 25g net carbs (typically between 20g and 30g is a good starting point), 0.6 protein ratio if you are sedentary (higher if you are active)
- Low carb: 40-70% fat, 15-30% protein, 15-30% net carbs
- Balanced: 20-35% fat, 15-30% protein, 40-60% net carbs
Should I count total carbs or net carbs?
I recommend using net carbs for the foods you’re eating, because this makes it easier to fit in plenty of vegetables, so you get enough fiber and micronutrients.
However, some people get better results counting total carbs. If you’re diabetic, the ADA recommends counting total carbs as well. You can learn more about total carbs vs. net carbs here.
What is the protein ratio?
The protein ratio determines your ideal protein intake per day. It’s calculated based on grams of protein in relation to your lean body weight (meaning everything except fat), so it depends on your body composition (how much fat, muscle, bone, and water your body has).
My macro calculator only uses protein ratio for a keto diet; other diets use percentages instead. For keto, while it’s important to meet your daily protein goal, too much can kick you out of ketosis.
Below are the general guidelines for protein ratio based on activity level, according to this NIH article. But you don’t have to figure this out — my free macro calculator automatically does it for you!
- Sedentary – 0.6g to 0.8g protein per pound of lean body mass
- Lightly Active – 0.7g to 0.9g protein per pound of lean body mass
- Moderately Active – 0.8g to 1g protein per pound of lean body mass
- Very Active – 1.0 to 1.2g protein per pound of lean body mass
- Athlete / Body Builder – 1.2g protein per pound of lean body mass
Notice that each has a range, and you can experiment with what feels comfortable for you and gets you the results you want.
What about your lean body mass — how do you figure out what that is? This is the weight of everything in your body that isn’t fat. The calculator will automatically figure this out, but you can also manually calculate it:
Lean Body Mass = Your Total Weight – (Your Total Weight X Your Body Fat %)
How do I get my body fat percentage?
Body fat percentage can be calculated using various scanners (like a DEXA scan at a gym or doctor’s office) for the highest accuracy, or you can measure using skin calipers at home.
The most convenient way, though, is to simply compare how you look visually to these pictures:
Image source: https://www.builtlean.com/2012/09/24/body-fat-percentage-men-women/
What does the “Deficit” or “Gain” in the macro calculator mean?
This is the percentage of calories that you want to go over or under what you’d need to maintain your weight, depending on your goal.
- To lose fat: Select “Lose Fat” as your goal, then specify the deficit. The generally accepted calorie deficit for weight loss is 500-750 calories per day, which typically amounts to 10-15% of calories you burn (sources here and here). With a higher deficit, you might lack nutrients or lose muscle mass.
- To gain muscle: Select “Gain Muscle” as your goal, then specify the gain (calorie surplus %). Eating more calories than you need will result in weight gain, which will be in the form of muscle growth if you do strength training. I don’t recommend a surplus higher than 10%, because more can result in fat gain.
- To maintain your weight: Select “Maintain Weight” as your goal in the free macro calculator. You won’t need a deficit or gain.
Where can I find macro-friendly recipes?
I’ve got over 1000 healthy, macro-friendly recipes right here on Wholesome Yum! You can find my low carb recipes here and my balanced healthy recipes here. Some of them overlap, of course.
Where can I get support or specific questions about my macros answered?
The best place to get support is in my healthy support group here. It’s FREE and I’d love to have you in our community!
Use My Meal Plan To Hit Your Macros
So, how do you plan your meals to actually meet your macros? I designed my Wholesome Yum App to do just that. You can also reference my low carb food list if you’re aiming to follow low carb or keto macros.
The app will calculate your macros for you based on the lifestyle you choose — low carb, keto, or balanced — and build a custom weekly meal plan to help you reach your goals! 🎯
You can customize the plan with over 1000 easy, healthy recipes, and it’ll even build your grocery list for you. Plus, it works on your iPhone, Android, or desktop computer, and will sync across your devices, so it’s ready wherever and whenever you are.
212 Comments
Dora
0I’m confused by the low carb macros. My results say that my net carbs need to be at 62 grams. So what are the total carbs? When I did the math with a macros about the calculator gave meoh, the net carbs plus the protein plus the fat came out to the calories that the calculator suggested. But net carbs suggests that there are actually more total carbs. So this doesn’t seem correct. If I add up the net carbs plus the protein plus the fat I get to 1650 calories recommended. It seems like there is no account for the total carbs. That would either add more calories if I included them. Or if I just assumed the net carbs are the total carbs then the calorie count could be off.
Wholesome Yum M
0Hi Dora, This article about net carbs will answer your question.
Donna Moses
0Entry of current wgt. is not efficient…..scrolling from 80.00 pounds to 220 is very time consuming when it only moves in increments of .01…..need to change it up please…will be using another macro calculator for that reason.
Wholesome Yum A
0Hi Donna, you don’t need to use the arrow buttons if they’re too slow. Simply type the weight into the text field.
Aeron
0Hi Maya, I have been eating keto for 3 months, and I’m very pleased with my 15-lb weight loss so far. But I still don’t understand how macros work. I recalculated my macros today and the calculator says I should eat 66g of daily protein. But that is just 2 ounces, which is miniscule. And I don’t understand how the 4 ounces of tilapia I had for dinner today shows up as just 20g of protein, when I plug the information into MyFitnessPal. Can you explain? I feel healthy, and I am not hungry. Generally, I have about 6-7 ounces of protein per day.
Wholesome Yum M
0Hi Aeron, Meats are not 100% protein. For example, a ribeye steak has 7g of protein per ounce, so 66g of protein would equate roughly a 9.5 oz steak if you were to consume all your protein in one serving. I hope this helps to clarify things.
Patricia
0I just adore the recipes that are giving out on this program they are so easy to prepare I must admit though some items can be a lot in the long run it is well worth it. since I have started taking on the recipes I have found that no doubt I feel better for the recipes I have done, not only do they taste great but are completely different in flavour as well.
Christina
0This is great. Thank you so much! Any suggestions for meeting fat macros?
Will I interrupt losing weight if I eat under the suggested fat macros by like 10-15 grams?
Thanks so much,
Christina
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0You’re very welcome, Christina! Going under fat will not interrupt weight loss, you just need to eat enough fat to stay satisfied.
Sandy
0Years ago I was on Atkins diet for 6 months. I lost weight but then I got acute kidney failure. Had to be hospitalised with iv therapy and careful blood monitoring. My bun ( blood urea nitrogen) and creatinine was abnormally high. An indicator of kidney function. I was taken off the Atkins diet. Since then my BUN has been high showing a permanent effect on kidney function. I was worried that the keto or low carb diet could put me in jeopardy. What do you think about appropriateness of the diets for me?. Now I am Pre diabetic and obese. I was not ten years ago when on the diet
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0Hi Sandy, I’m not a doctor so cannot give medical advice, but do have years of research and experience in this lifestyle. Kidney failure can happen due to excessive protein intake, which was more prevalent on older versions of the Atkins diet. This is a common misconception with low carb and keto diets – that they have to mean high protein – and they shouldn’t be. If you keep your protein in check, it shouldn’t be an issue. But, I would definitely consult with your doctor since you have had issues with this.
Megan
0People keep asking what the deficit is and you keep says it’s in the faq section. I don’t see it. I’ve read it 3 times. Perhaps you forgot it. I want to know how that’s determined and how much weight loss per week that equals out to. Thanks.
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0Hi Megan, Sorry about that – there was an issue with that section and you should now see it in the FAQ above, explaining how it’s determined. The weight loss per week will depend on how much weight you have to lose, as weight loss happens more rapidly the more overweight you are. But in general, between 0.5 and 2 pounds loss per week is reasonable.
Torri
0Can I eat less fat?
Wholesome Yum L
0Hi Torri, the keto diet is a high fat, moderate protein, and low carbohydrate diet. Make sure to use our Keto Macro Calculator to determine how much of each you should be eating based on your goals.
Sheri
0When I used the calculator it tells me -15% in grams of fat. How did I get a negative?
Wholesome Yum L
0Hi Sheri, I’m not sure how you got -15%. I would need to know more info about the other stats you input into the calculator.
Caroline Reliford
0Thanks For all your hard work to making all this information available. I am new to Keto and my question is what is the easiest and quickest way to meet my fat requirements daily? I can figure from the nutrition facts info how many carbs I am eating but when you say 69% fats for a day I am confused how do I figure that? Same thing with the protein.
Wholesome Yum
0Hi Caroline, the calculator has a default setting for fat, protein, and carb percentages based on the general recommended amounts for a keto or low carb diet. You can also adjust them, if you prefer. When you hit the “calculate” button, you’ll see those percentages converted into grams (the same unit you’ll see on nutrition labels).
Jo-Ann Rosen
0What is the deficit?
Carol Goyer
0How do I know what deficit to put in?
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0Hi Carol, There’s a section on this in the FAQ above. I recommend 15% to start.
Wholesome Yum
0Hi Jo-Ann, deficit refers to the caloric deficit in your diet (the percentage fewer calories you’ll consume). You’ll lose weight by consuming fewer calories than you need.
Lauri Bosma
0Why is the Deficit recommended only 10% to 20%? Why not more?
Wholesome Yum M
0Hi Lauri, A gradual deficit is the best way to get your body to work with you. It needs time to adjust to burning fat for fuel and to heal itself from whatever your diet was before keto. At too much of a deficit, you may find yourself undernourished and not losing weight, especially at the beginning of a diet change.
Bonnie French
0If you are 170 pounds and want to know how many calories you should have daily where to you look?
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0Hi Bonnie, If you fill out the calculator above it will tell you!
Patsy
0Hi
My daughter is on diet and using MCT oil to boost her fat/protein ratio. She has had success in maintaining higher levels of ketosis than me. Your thoughts on MCT usage?
Wholesome Yum
0I use MCT as a source of fat. You can find it in my version of Bulletproof Coffee, for instance. 🙂
Ashley
0I used your calculator for my husband and his info says he needs to eat 2500 or so calories a day. How can he lose weight while eating that much?
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0Hi Ashley, It’s hard to answer that questions without seeing the inputs. The calculator is accurate based on the information entered into it. If your husband is heavy, or if you didn’t select a deficit, it’s possible you’d get a number like that. I’d check to make sure you selected a deficit of 15% if weight loss is the goal.
Caroline
0Hi. When using the calculator the choices for activity only consider what type of “job” or lifestyle you have. I am back in school, so mostly sedentary but I work out at least 5 days a week eithere circuit training cardio/weights, body pump class, or stairmaster for 45 min to an hour. Does that not count toward anything? Is that still considered sedentary? Thanks!
Wholesome Yum M
0Hi Caroline, It is up to you to decide how active you are. All sorts of movement will count. Do you bike to school? Walk home from the bus? Is your campus walk particularly long? Working out 5 days a week is at least ‘lightly active,’ but be sure to include movement that happens throughout your day as well.
Margie
0Don’t I need the number of calories I should eat each day on a keto plan. How do I figure that?
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0Hi Margie, Yes, if you fill out the info in the calculator, it will give you all your macros and calories to eat daily as well.
Michelle Mathewson
0Hi
I have been on the Keto diet close to 3 months now, and I have slowly stopped loosing weight! I’m thinking I’m not understanding the macro’s? Don’t I need to eat the full daily macro’s to go into Ketosis and stay in ketosis? But then you say don’t eat if your not hungry? Not sure what I should do?
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0Hi Michelle, You don’t necessarily have to “hit” macros to get into ketosis. Ketosis is achieved by restricting carbohydrates, that’s it. Fat is needed for satiety and protein is needed to prevent muscle loss. So make protein a goal and carbs a limit, then eat enough fat to stay satisfied and don’t go over your macros. You can get more individual help in our support group.
Laurie English
0Can I use Splenda?
Can I eat too much fat?
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0Hi Laurie, I only recommend Splenda Naturals from the Splenda brand, as the original Splenda is artificial and don’t recommend artificial sweeteners. Yes, it’s possible to eat too much on any diet – even keto. The best place to get individual questions answered is in our support group.
Fran
0I have been with the Keto diet for about 3 weeks. It is a learning curve. I am learning new stuff every day. Your website is the best for me. I love your recipes and free information. I feel like I need to start counting my Macros. I use your recipes but I like to change things up a bit to suit my taste, like adding more veggies, switching out the almond milk for cream. How can I get counts for the recipes when I do substitutions?
PS I did make your almond milk. My daughter said it was amazing
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0Thank you so much, Fran! If you make substitutions, you’d need to either recalculate macros manually or use an online calculator.