How to Calculate Your Macros: Step-by-Step Guide

Macros are just a way of splitting your calories into protein, fat and carbohydrates. Once you know the order to set them in, the math takes five minutes.

Step 1: Find your maintenance calories

Start with your basal metabolic rate (BMR), the energy your body uses at rest. The Mifflin-St Jeor equation is one of the most accurate formulas for most adults. Men: 10 × weight in kg + 6.25 × height in cm − 5 × age + 5. Women: the same, but subtract 161 instead of adding 5.

Multiply BMR by an activity factor, from about 1.2 for a desk job with no exercise to about 1.725 for hard daily training. The result is your total daily energy expenditure (TDEE), or maintenance calories.

Step 2: Adjust for your goal

To lose fat, subtract about 300-500 calories. To gain muscle with little fat, add about 200-350. To maintain, change nothing. Our calorie calculator does steps 1 and 2 for you.

Step 3: Set protein first

Multiply your bodyweight in kg by 1.6-2.2 (or bodyweight in lb by 0.7-1.0). Use the higher end when cutting. Each gram of protein has 4 calories.

Step 4: Set fat

Give fat about 20-35% of total calories. Going much lower for long periods can affect hormone production and makes meals less satisfying. Each gram of fat has 9 calories, so divide the fat calories by 9.

Step 5: Fill the rest with carbohydrates

Subtract protein and fat calories from your total and divide what is left by 4. Carbohydrates fuel hard training, so lifters and endurance athletes often feel best with a good share of them.

Worked example

A 30-year-old man, 80 kg and 180 cm, training four times a week. BMR = 800 + 1,125 − 150 + 5 = 1,780 calories. TDEE = 1,780 × 1.55 ≈ 2,760. For a lean bulk he adds 300, giving about 3,060 calories.

Protein: 80 × 1.8 = 144 g (576 calories). Fat: 25% of 3,060 = 765 calories, or 85 g. Carbohydrates: 3,060 − 576 − 765 = 1,719 calories, or about 430 g.

Step 6: Adjust with real data

Any formula is an estimate. Weigh yourself several mornings a week and compare weekly averages. If the trend does not match your goal after two to three weeks, change calories by 100-200 per day, mostly from carbohydrates or fat, and keep protein steady.

Frequently asked questions

Do I have to hit my macros exactly?

No. Being within about 5-10 g of protein and within 100 calories of your target most days is more than good enough.

What about fiber?

Aim for roughly 14 g per 1,000 calories from vegetables, fruit, legumes and whole grains.

Sources

Mifflin MD et al. (1990). A new predictive equation for resting energy expenditure in healthy individuals. American Journal of Clinical Nutrition.
Iraki J et al. (2019). Nutrition recommendations for bodybuilders in the off-season: a narrative review. Sports.
U.S. Department of Agriculture, FoodData Central (fdc.nal.usda.gov).

Last updated 2026-10-22. Written for Elyqentra following our editorial policy. This article is general information, not medical advice.

Put it into practice

Get your calorie and macro targets with the calorie calculator, look up foods in the nutrition table, or start a plan in the workout tracker.