Macro Calculator
Split your daily calories into protein, carbs, and fat grams.
Input sheet
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Once you know your daily calorie target, the next decision is how to split those calories across the three macronutrients — protein, carbohydrate, and fat. This calculator converts a percentage split into the gram targets you actually track on a food label or in an app.
How it works
Each macro's calories = total calories × its percentage. Divide by 4 (protein, carbs) or 9 (fat) to get grams.
The split is driven entirely by the percentages you enter. Each macro's share of calories is its percentage of the total, and that calorie figure is then converted to grams using the energy density of that macro. Because protein and carbohydrate carry about 4 calories per gram while fat carries about 9, the same percentage produces very different gram counts — a 30% fat target always yields far fewer grams than a 30% protein target.
There is no single correct split. A common balanced starting point is 30% protein, 40% carbohydrate, 30% fat, but higher-protein cutting plans, lower-carb approaches, and endurance-fueling plans all shift the ratios. The math is the same regardless; only the inputs change.
Protein grams = (calories × protein% ÷ 100) ÷ 4. Carb grams = (calories × carb% ÷ 100) ÷ 4. Fat grams = (calories × fat% ÷ 100) ÷ 9. The three percentages should total 100.
Worked examples
2,200 calories split 30% protein, 40% carbs, 30% fat. → 165 g protein, 220 g carbs, 73 g fat.
Protein: 2,200 × 0.30 = 660 cal ÷ 4 = 165 g. Carbs: 2,200 × 0.40 = 880 cal ÷ 4 = 220 g. Fat: 2,200 × 0.30 = 660 cal ÷ 9 = 73 g.
1,800 calories on a higher-protein cut: 40% protein, 30% carbs, 30% fat. → 180 g protein, 135 g carbs, 60 g fat.
Protein: 1,800 × 0.40 = 720 ÷ 4 = 180 g. Carbs: 1,800 × 0.30 = 540 ÷ 4 = 135 g. Fat: 1,800 × 0.30 = 540 ÷ 9 = 60 g.
Tips & gotchas
- Anchor protein first. Many people set protein by body weight (roughly 0.7–1.0 g per pound of bodyweight) and then divide the remaining calories between carbs and fat to taste.
- Keep fat from dropping too low — very low fat intake can affect hormones and satiety. A floor near 20–25% of calories is a common guideline.
- Use carbs as your adjustable lever. Around training, more carbs help performance; on rest days, many people pull carbs down and nudge fat up.
- Re-run the numbers whenever your calorie target changes. The gram targets scale with total calories, so a deficit or surplus shifts every macro.
FAQ
What if my percentages don't add to 100?
Then the gram totals won't match your calorie target — adjust the splits so they sum to 100%.
Does the order I hit my macros during the day matter?
For body composition, total daily intake matters most. Timing is a smaller lever — spreading protein across meals and placing more carbs around training can help, but hitting your daily gram targets is the priority.
Should I track net carbs or total carbs here?
This calculator outputs total carbohydrate grams. If you prefer to track net carbs (total minus fiber), treat the result as a total-carb ceiling and subtract fiber separately.
How precise do I need to be with these grams?
Within about 5–10 grams per macro per day is plenty for most goals. Chasing exact numbers adds stress without meaningfully changing results.
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