Step 1: Calculate Your Calorie Needs

Macro Calculator

To calculate your overall calorie needs, you need to determine resting energy expenditure and non-resting energy expenditure.

Age:

Gender:

Male Female

System:

Imperial Metric

Height:

ft in

cm

Weight:

lbs

kgs

How would you describe your normal daily activities?

Sedentary: Limited exercise

Light Activity: Light exercise less than three days per week

Moderately Active: Moderate exercise most days of the week

Very Active: Hard exercise every day

Extra Active: Strenuous exercise two or more times per day

Your TDEE is: Calories/Day

Calories can either be added or subtracted from your total expenditure to reach different goals. In other words, those trying to lose weight should consume fewer calories than they expend, while those looking to gain muscle mass should increase calories.

Step 2: Decide Your Ideal Macronutrient Breakdown

After determining how many calories to consume each day, the next step is to decide what macronutrient ratio works best for you.

Protein:	Carbs:	Fat:
35%	35%	30%
of total calories	of total calories	of total calories

Keep in mind that these recommendations may not fit your specific needs. Your ratio can be fine-tuned to achieve specific objectives.

For example, a person who wants to lose excess body fat may excel on a meal plan consisting of 35% protein, 35% carbs and 30% fat.

A person who wants to add bulk/increase muscle may excel on a meal plan consisting of 30% protein, 45% carbs and 25% fat.

Your TDEE:	Your ideal macros based on the Mifflin Equation are:
Protein: %	175 g of Protein
Carbs: %	175 g of Carbs
Fat: %	67 g of Fat

Step 3: Track Your Macros and Calorie Intake

Next, it’s time to start tracking your macros. The term “tracking macros” simply means logging the foods you eat on a website, app, or food journal.

The most convenient way to track macros is through an app like Cronometer which features a barcode scanner that automatically inputs a serving of a scanned food into your macro log. You can also hand-write macros into a physical journal.

The method depends on your individual preference. Keep in mind that it’s not necessary to hit your macro targets exactly. You can still meet your goals even if you go a few grams over or under each day.