Nutrition
How to Calculate Macros: Protein, Carbs and Fat by Goal
Published October 20, 2026
To calculate your macros, start with your daily calorie target, set protein first (about 0.7-1 g per lb / 1.6-2.2 g per kg of body weight), set fat at roughly 0.35-0.45 g per lb (0.8-1 g/kg), and give the remaining calories to carbs. Then adjust every two weeks based on your actual weight trend.
Step 1: Calories
| Goal | Calories |
|---|---|
| Lose fat | TDEE − 300 to 500 |
| Maintain | TDEE |
| Build muscle | TDEE + 200 to 300 |
How to estimate TDEE: TDEE.
Step 2: Protein (4 kcal per gram)
| Situation | Per lb of body weight | Per kg |
|---|---|---|
| Lifting, maintenance or gaining | 0.7-0.9 g | 1.6-2.0 g |
| Fat loss (deficit) | 0.8-1.1 g | 1.8-2.4 g |
| Older adult keeping muscle | 0.55-0.7 g | 1.2-1.6 g |
The ISSN position stand recommends 1.4-2.0 g/kg/day for most exercising people (Jäger et al., 2017), and evidence-based recommendations for natural bodybuilders in a diet go higher, up to 2.3-3.1 g per kg of lean mass (Helms et al., 2014).
Step 3: Fat (9 kcal per gram)
0.35-0.45 g per lb (0.8-1 g/kg), or about 20-35% of calories. Avoid staying below about 0.25 g/lb (0.6 g/kg) for long.
Step 4: Carbs (4 kcal per gram)
Carbs (g) = (calories − protein g × 4 − fat g × 9) ÷ 4.
Worked examples
| Person | Calories | Protein | Fat | Carbs |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Man, 180 lb (82 kg), cutting | 2,300 | 170 g | 70 g | 248 g |
| Woman, 140 lb (64 kg), maintaining | 2,000 | 115 g | 60 g | 250 g |
| Man, 155 lb (70 kg), bulking | 2,900 | 140 g | 75 g | 416 g |
Check: 170 × 4 + 70 × 9 + 248 × 4 = 680 + 630 + 992 = 2,302 kcal.
Do you need to weigh everything?
| Method | When |
|---|---|
| App + food scale for 2-3 weeks | To learn portion sizes |
| Hand method (palm protein, fist carbs, thumb fats) | Day to day |
| Precise tracking | Contest prep, plateaus |
Adjusting
| What you see over 2 weeks | Change |
|---|---|
| Cutting, losing < 0.5% body weight/week | −150 kcal (carbs or fat) |
| Cutting, losing > 1%/week | +150 kcal |
| Bulking, waist growing fast | −150 kcal |
| Strength dropping | More carbs around workouts |
Common mistakes
| Mistake | Fix |
|---|---|
| Obsessing over perfect ratios | Calories and protein matter most |
| Cutting all carbs | They fuel training |
| Forgetting cooking oil | 1 tbsp ≈ 120 kcal |
| Changing numbers every few days | Judge 2-week averages |
Diet guides: cutting diet, how to bulk.