Deficitly
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Macro calculator
A macro calculator splits your daily calories into protein, carbs and fat. Deficitly sets protein first (1.8 g per kg of a healthy weight while losing fat, 1.6 when maintaining), keeps fat at about 30% of calories for women (25% for men) and never below 0.8 g per kg for women, and gives carbs the rest. For a 40-year-old woman of 70 kg (154 lb) and 165 cm at 8,000 steps a day, losing fat: 1,500 calories = 125 g protein, 130 g carbs, 55 g fat.
Macros for losing fat
| Person | Calories | Protein | Carbs | Fat |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Woman, 60 kg 132 lb | 1,400 | 110 g | 135 g | 50 g |
| Woman, 70 kg 154 lb | 1,500 | 125 g | 130 g | 55 g |
| Woman, 85 kg 187 lb | 1,650 | 125 g | 165 g | 55 g |
| Man, 75 kg 165 lb | 1,870 | 135 g | 215 g | 50 g |
| Man, 90 kg 198 lb | 2,020 | 145 g | 235 g | 55 g |
| Man, 110 kg 243 lb | 2,220 | 145 g | 275 g | 60 g |
Macros for maintaining
| Person | Calories | Protein | Carbs | Fat |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Woman, 60 kg 132 lb | 1,730 | 95 g | 205 g | 60 g |
| Woman, 70 kg 154 lb | 1,890 | 110 g | 220 g | 65 g |
| Woman, 85 kg 187 lb | 2,120 | 110 g | 260 g | 70 g |
| Man, 75 kg 165 lb | 2,280 | 120 g | 310 g | 65 g |
| Man, 90 kg 198 lb | 2,520 | 125 g | 345 g | 70 g |
| Man, 110 kg 243 lb | 2,830 | 125 g | 405 g | 80 g |
How the calculator sets your macros
- Calories: your maintenance from your steps and exercise (see the maintenance calorie calculator), minus about 0.5% of your weight a week to lose fat (compare paces in the calorie deficit calculator), or plus about 0.25% a week to build muscle.
- Protein: 1.6–2.2 g per kg of a reference weight: your goal weight, or the weight for a BMI of 25 if that's lower. Extra body fat doesn't need extra protein.
- Fat: 30% of calories for women and 25% for men, but at least 0.8 g per kg (women) or 0.6 g per kg (men).
- Carbs: whatever calories are left. If that drops very low, fat and then protein give way a little, so carbs never fall under 50 g.
Is there a best macro ratio?
Not really. Ratios like 40/30/30 or 50/25/25 are starting points. What decides whether you lose or gain weight is total calories; what decides how much of it is fat or muscle is mostly protein and training. Once protein is covered and fat isn't too low, split the rest between carbs and fat however suits your appetite and your training. New to this? Start with what macros are and how to count them, and see how much protein you need.
Macros for women
Women need a little more care with fat: very low-fat diets can upset hormones and the menstrual cycle, so the calculator never lets fat drop under 0.8 g per kg of a healthy weight; carbs give way first when calories are tight. At low intakes, protein can be a third or more of everything you eat. See how many calories a woman should eat and whether 1,200 calories is safe.
Macros for building muscle
To build muscle with as little fat as possible (see how many calories to build muscle), eat a small surplus (about 0.25–0.5% of your weight a week), keep protein at 1.6–2.2 g per kg, and let the extra calories go mostly to carbs, which fuel hard training. Lifting is what tells your body to use the protein: see calories burned lifting weights. Losing fat and building muscle at the same time is possible too: body recomposition.
Low-carb and keto
If you prefer fewer carbs, swap some carb calories for fat and keep protein where it is; more in how many carbs a day to lose weight. The calculator notes when carbs fall under 130 g a day, the amount the brain normally runs on; going lower is fine for many people but can feel hard during heavy training.
How to hit your macros
Build each meal around 25–40 g of protein (a chicken breast is about 45 g, a 200 g pot of Greek yogurt about 20 g, two eggs about 12 g), add vegetables and some carbs, and use fats like oil, nuts and cheese sparingly, since they add up fast. Tracking for a few weeks teaches you the portions; after that, most people can eat by habit. Aim for about 14 g of fibre per 1,000 calories.