Macro Calculator
Turn your daily calories into grams of protein, carbs and fat, per day and per meal.
Results
| Macro | Share | Calories | Grams per day | Grams per meal |
|---|
Quick Answer
To find macros, multiply your daily calories by each percentage, then divide by calories per gram: 4 for protein, 4 for carbs and 9 for fat. On 2,000 calories with 20% protein, 50% carbs and 30% fat, that is 100 g of protein, 250 g of carbs and about 67 g of fat a day.
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Table of Contents
How This Macro Calculator Works
Macros, short for macronutrients, are protein, carbohydrates and fat. They supply the calories in food. This calculator splits your daily calories between them and shows grams per day and per meal.
Quick explanation: grams = calories × macro percentage ÷ calories per gram.
- Protein: 4 calories per gram.
- Carbs: 4 calories per gram.
- Fat: 9 calories per gram.
Core Formulas
- Macro calories: daily calories × percentage ÷ 100
- Protein or carbs (g): macro calories ÷ 4
- Fat (g): macro calories ÷ 9
- Grams per meal: grams per day ÷ meals
| Macro | Usual adult range |
|---|---|
| Protein | 10-35% of calories |
| Carbohydrate | 45-65% of calories |
| Fat | 20-35% of calories |
These are the Acceptable Macronutrient Distribution Ranges from the US Dietary Reference Intakes. The calculator shows a note if your split falls outside them.
Worked Example
You eat 2,400 calories a day on the higher-protein plan (30% protein, 40% carbs, 30% fat), over 4 meals.
- Protein: 2,400 × 30% = 720 calories, or 180 g a day (45 g a meal)
- Carbs: 2,400 × 40% = 960 calories, or 240 g a day (60 g a meal)
- Fat: 2,400 × 30% = 720 calories, or 80 g a day (20 g a meal)
Using Your Macros
- Start with calories: macros depend on the right calorie target for you.
- Treat them as a guide: being a few grams over or under is normal.
- Check food quality: macro numbers do not show vitamins, minerals or fiber.
- Get advice if needed: people with health conditions should check with a doctor or dietitian.
Frequently Asked Questions
Choose your daily calories and macro split. Multiply calories by each percentage, then divide protein and carbs by 4, and fat by 9.
US guidelines suggest 10-35% protein, 45-65% carbs and 20-35% fat for adults. The right split within those ranges depends on your goals and health.
30% of 2,000 calories is 600 calories. Divide by 4 to get 150 g of protein a day.
Fat has 9 calories per gram, while carbs and protein have 4. The same calories therefore come to fewer grams of fat.
It sits outside the usual adult ranges, so the calculator shows a note. Speak to a doctor or dietitian before a big diet change.
References & Sources
| Source | Used For | Link |
|---|---|---|
| National Academies, Dietary Reference Intakes: Macronutrients | Acceptable macronutrient ranges for adults. | https://www.nationalacademies.org/cdn/materials/9fb9fae1-63a0-4048-88ad-3f972639149a |
| Phillips SM et al., Optimizing Protein Intake in Adults (PMC) | Protein range as a share of calories. | https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC5347101/ |
| NCBI Bookshelf, Dietary Reference Intakes | Background on the reference intakes. | https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK208879/ |