Macro Calculator

How to Calculate Macros

Calculating your macronutrient ratios involves several steps that take into account your individual characteristics and goals. This process provides personalized recommendations for your daily intake of proteins, fats, and carbohydrates. Here's a detailed explanation of how to calculate your macros:

Macro Calculation Formula

The macro calculation involves several formulas:

1. Calculate Basal Metabolic Rate (BMR) using the Mifflin-St Jeor Equation:
   • For males: $$BMR = 10 * weight + 6.25 * height - 5 * age + 5$$
   • For females: $$BMR = 10 * weight + 6.25 * height - 5 * age - 161$$
   Where weight is in kg, height is in cm, and age is in years.
2. Calculate Total Daily Energy Expenditure (TDEE): $$TDEE = BMR * Activity Factor$$
3. Adjust calories based on goal (e.g., 15% deficit for weight loss)
4. Calculate macronutrients:
   • Protein: 2.2g per kg of body weight
   • Fat: 25% of total calories
   • Carbohydrates: Remaining calories after protein and fat

Calculation Steps

1. Input personal data: age, gender, height, weight, activity level, and goal.
2. Calculate BMR using the appropriate formula based on gender.
3. Multiply BMR by activity factor to get TDEE.
4. Adjust calories based on goal (deficit for weight loss, surplus for weight gain).
5. Calculate protein intake based on body weight.
6. Calculate fat intake as a percentage of total calories.
7. Calculate carbohydrate intake to fill the remaining calories.
8. Convert grams to percentages of total calories for each macronutrient.

Example Calculation

Let's calculate the macros for a 30-year-old female who is 165 cm tall, weighs 70 kg, has a moderately active lifestyle, and wants to lose weight.

Step 1: Calculate BMR

$$\begin{align} BMR &= 10 * 70 + 6.25 * 165 - 5 * 30 - 161 \\ &= 700 + 1031.25 - 150 - 161 \\ &= 1420.25 \text{ calories/day} \end{align}$$

Step 2: Calculate TDEE (moderately active = 1.55)

$$\begin{align} TDEE &= 1420.25 * 1.55 \\ &= 2201.39 \text{ calories/day} \end{align}$$

Step 3: Adjust calories for weight loss (15% deficit)

$$\begin{align} Calories &= 2201.39 * 0.85 \\ &= 1871.18 \text{ calories/day} \end{align}$$

Step 4: Calculate macronutrients

Protein: $$70 * 2.2 = 154 \text{ g}$$

Fat: $$\frac{1871.18 * 0.25}{9} = 51.98 \text{ g}$$

Carbs: $$\frac{1871.18 - (154 * 4 + 51.98 * 9)}{4} = 174.31 \text{ g}$$

Final Macronutrient Breakdown:

• Protein: 154g (33% of calories)
• Fat: 52g (25% of calories)
• Carbohydrates: 174g (42% of calories)

Visual Representation

This pie chart illustrates the macronutrient distribution for our example calculation. The balanced approach shows a higher protein intake to support weight loss and muscle maintenance, moderate carbohydrates for energy, and sufficient fat for hormonal balance and nutrient absorption.