Calculate your daily protein, fat, and carbohydrate targets based on your body stats, daily movement, training, and fitness goal. Includes per-meal breakdowns.
Recommended for most people. Smaller deficits suit lean starting points; larger suit higher body fat.
High deficit warning
Hard, Very Hard, and Very Aggressive cuts are short-phase settings. Keep protein high, keep lifting, and avoid pushing below minimum calories without medical guidance.
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Macronutrients are the three types of nutrients that provide calories: protein, carbohydrates, and fat. Each plays a different role in your body. Protein builds and repairs muscle tissue (4 calories per gram). Carbohydrates are your body's preferred energy source, especially during exercise (4 calories per gram). Fat supports hormone production, nutrient absorption, and brain function (9 calories per gram).
"Counting macros" means tracking how many grams of each macronutrient you eat per day. This approach (also called IIFYM, "If It Fits Your Macros") gives you more flexibility than strict meal plans because you can eat any foods as long as you hit your targets.
This calculator sets macros based on research-backed guidelines:
BMR (Katch-McArdle)
370 plus 21.6 times your lean body mass in kg. More accurate than height and age based formulas because lean tissue is what drives resting metabolism.
Activity
This calculator separates daily movement from training. A desk worker who lifts 4 days per week should not get the same calorie target as someone with a physical job and no gym sessions.
Protein
Cutting protein scales with deficit size: 2.3g per kg of lean mass at a 15% Gentle deficit, up to 3.1g per kg at a 40% Very Aggressive deficit. Bulking and maintenance use 2.3g per kg lean mass.
Fat
Cutting fat scales 25% to 30% of calories with deficit size for hormonal protection. Bulking and maintenance use 25% fixed. Floor: the larger of 0.5g per kg body weight or 20% of calories.
Carbs
Fills the remaining calories after protein and fat are set, with a 50g minimum for brain function. Place most carbs around training.
This methodology was developed by Andrew Menechian, FitCommit's Head of Fitness. Read more on his author page. The static macro guide pages use one activity-level estimate for SEO readability; this calculator is the more precise version.
Read the body weight methodology for how FitCommit connects lean mass, body fat percentage, BMI, and healthy-weight ranges before setting calorie and macro targets.
While total daily intake matters most, spreading your protein across 3-6 meals helps maximize muscle protein synthesis. Research suggests 20-40g of protein per meal is optimal. Beyond meal frequency, consider:
Macros (macronutrients) are the three main nutrients that provide calories: protein (4 cal/g), carbohydrates (4 cal/g), and fat (9 cal/g). While total calories determine whether you gain or lose weight, your macro split affects body composition, energy levels, and performance. Higher protein preserves muscle during a cut. Adequate fat supports hormones. Carbs fuel training.
This calculator uses Andrew Menechian's framework: protein per kg of lean body mass, not total body weight. Cutting protein scales with deficit size, from 2.3g per kg lean mass at a Gentle (15%) deficit to 3.1g per kg at Very Aggressive (40%). Bulking and maintenance use 2.3g per kg lean mass. Lean mass is more relevant than total weight because two people at 200 lbs with different body fat have very different protein needs.
For fat loss, a common effective split is approximately 40% protein, 25% fat, and 35% carbs. However, the most important factor is total calorie intake (eating in a deficit) and hitting your protein target. Beyond that, you can adjust fat and carb ratios based on personal preference and how you feel during training.
Total calories are the primary driver of weight change. You cannot out-macro a calorie surplus if your goal is fat loss. However, macros matter for body composition. Two people eating the same calories will have different results if one eats adequate protein and the other does not. Think of calories as the "how much" and macros as the "what kind."
Use a food tracking app like FitCommit, which scans food with your phone camera for instant macro logging. Alternatively, you can use a food scale and manual entry. Start by tracking protein only (the most impactful macro), then add fat and carb tracking as you get comfortable. Most people see results within 2-3 weeks of consistent tracking.
FitCommit calculates your macros from AI body composition analysis, then tracks them with camera-based food scanning. No manual logging. Free trial.
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