What is a good macro split for fat loss?

For fat loss, a high-protein split is most effective: 40% protein, 30% carbs, 30% fat. Higher protein preserves muscle mass during a calorie deficit and increases satiety. This translates to approximately 1g of protein per pound of bodyweight. Carbohydrates fuel exercise performance and fat supports hormonal health. Avoid dropping fat below 20% of calories for extended periods.

What is a good macro split for muscle gain?

For muscle gain, a high-protein split in a calorie surplus: 35-40% protein, 40-45% carbs, 20-25% fat. Protein target of 0.8-1g per pound of bodyweight. Higher carbohydrates support training intensity and muscle glycogen. A surplus of 200-500 kcal/day above TDEE promotes muscle growth without excessive fat gain.

TDEE (Total Daily Energy Expenditure) is the total number of calories your body burns per day, accounting for your basal metabolic rate (BMR) plus physical activity. BMR is what you burn at complete rest. TDEE multiplies BMR by an activity factor: 1.2 for sedentary (desk job, no exercise), 1.375 for lightly active (1-3 days/week), 1.55 for moderately active (3-5 days/week), 1.725 for very active (6-7 days/week), 1.9 for extremely active (physical job plus training).

How many grams of protein do I need per day?

General recommendations: 0.7g per pound of bodyweight (1.6g/kg) for maintenance and general health. 0.8g per pound (1.8g/kg) for fat loss to preserve muscle. 1.0g per pound (2.2g/kg) for muscle gain or strength training. For a 160 lb person: 112g for maintenance, 128g for fat loss, 160g for muscle building. This calculator checks whether your chosen macro split meets the minimum protein target for your goal and flags it if not.

What are the best macros for keto?

A standard ketogenic macro split: 70-75% fat, 20-25% protein, 5% carbohydrates. At 2,000 kcal, this means approximately 155g fat, 100g protein, and 25g carbs. Carbs must be kept below 20-50g net carbs per day to maintain ketosis. Select the Keto preset in this calculator for the standard 70/25/5 split, then adjust to your preference.

Macro Calculator - LazyTools

Q: How do I calculate my macros?

Enter your weight, height, age, sex and activity level. Choose a goal (fat loss, maintenance or muscle gain). Your BMR is calculated using the Mifflin-St Jeor formula, then multiplied by an activity factor to get TDEE. A calorie target is set based on your goal and target rate of change. The calorie target is split into protein, carbs and fat grams using your chosen macro ratios. Select a diet preset (Standard, High-Protein, Keto, etc.) or enter custom percentages.

Q: What is the Mifflin-St Jeor formula?

The Mifflin-St Jeor equation is the most accurate widely-used BMR formula. For men: BMR = 10 x weight(kg) + 6.25 x height(cm) - 5 x age + 5. For women: BMR = 10 x weight(kg) + 6.25 x height(cm) - 5 x age - 161. It is more accurate than the older Harris-Benedict equation, particularly for overweight individuals. This calculator uses Mifflin-St Jeor.

Q: Macro calculator for weight loss free

Enter weight, height, age, sex and activity level. Set goal to Fat Loss and choose your weekly target (0.5-1 lb/week recommended). The calculator shows your calorie target and protein/carbs/fat in grams. Choose High-Protein preset for optimal fat loss macros. Enter goal weight for a timeline showing weeks to reach your target and the expected date.

Key Features

Macro-First — What Competing TDEE Tools Miss

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Macro targets front and centre — grams, not just percentages — TDEE calculators tell you how many calories to eat. That is necessary but not sufficient. This calculator takes the next step: it converts your calorie target into exact grams of protein, carbs and fat per day — the numbers you actually need to track in MyFitnessPal, Cronometer or any food log. The donut chart shows the ratio visually alongside the gram targets.

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5 diet presets — goal-matched and evidence-based — Standard (30/40/30), High-Protein (40/30/30), Keto (25/5/70), Low-Carb (30/20/50) and Vegan (20/55/25). Selecting a goal auto-suggests the optimal preset — fat loss and muscle gain both default to High-Protein since the evidence for preserving or building muscle mass is strongest for protein-prioritised splits. Enter any custom percentages for specific dietary requirements.

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Per-meal breakdown — absent on TDEE tools — Knowing your daily totals is only half the work — you need to know what to put on your plate at each meal. Set your meals per day (1–8) and the tool divides daily protein, carbs, fat and calories by that number. Three meals a day gives you the target per plate. Six small meals shows what a meal-prep approach looks like.

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Protein adequacy check — catches under-eating protein — Low-calorie diets with poor macro splits often result in inadequate protein. This is the most common mistake in fat loss — insufficient protein causes muscle loss alongside fat loss, slowing metabolism. The calculator checks your protein gram target against the evidence-based minimum for your goal (0.7–1.0g per pound of bodyweight) and warns if your current split falls short.

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Weight loss timeline with target date — Enter your goal weight and the calculator shows how many weeks it will take at your chosen rate of change, plus the specific calendar date you should reach your goal. Based on the 3,500 kcal ‗ weekly lb loss formula. Results assume consistent adherence — actual results vary with metabolic adaptation and training.

Comparison

LazyTools vs Other Macro Calculators

Feature	LazyTools	IIFYM.com	Cronometer	MyFitnessPal
Macro targets in grams	✅ Yes	✅ Yes	✅ Yes	✅ Yes
Per-meal breakdown	✅ Yes	❌ No	⚠ Manual	⚠ Manual
5 diet presets	✅ Yes	⚠ Basic	❌ No	⚠ 3 goals
Protein adequacy warning	✅ Yes	❌ No	❌ No	❌ No
Weight loss timeline + date	✅ Yes	✅ Yes	❌ No	⚠ App only
No account required	✅ Yes	⚠ Soft-gate	❌ Account	❌ Account
Custom macro ratios	✅ Yes	✅ Yes	✅ Yes (paid)	⚠ Paid

Reference

Activity Multipliers & Macro Ratios Reference

Activity level	Multiplier	Description	Example
Sedentary	1.2x	Little or no exercise	Desk job, no gym
Lightly active	1.375x	Exercise 1–3 days/week	2–3 gym sessions/week
Moderately active	1.55x	Exercise 3–5 days/week	Regular gym-goer
Very active	1.725x	Exercise 6–7 days/week	Daily training
Extremely active	1.9x	Physical job + daily training	Athlete, manual labourer

Guide

How to Use Your Macro Targets — A Practical Guide

Macro calculator for weight loss — why high protein matters

During a calorie deficit, your body can draw energy from both fat and muscle. The goal is to maximise fat loss while preserving muscle mass. Higher protein intake achieves this through two mechanisms: protein is more satiating than carbohydrates or fat (reducing hunger on fewer calories) and protein provides the amino acids needed to maintain muscle tissue even without a calorie surplus. Research consistently shows that protein intakes of 0.7–1.0g per pound of bodyweight during fat loss produce better body composition outcomes than lower protein intakes at the same calorie level. This is why the fat loss preset defaults to 40% protein.

What is IIFYM (If It Fits Your Macros)?

IIFYM is a flexible dieting approach where food choices are unrestricted as long as daily macro targets are met. Unlike rigid meal plans, IIFYM allows any food — including processed foods — as long as the protein, carb and fat gram targets for the day are hit. This flexibility improves long-term dietary adherence compared to elimination-based diets. The practical application is to track meals in a food log, check the running macro totals throughout the day and make food choices that keep you on target for protein first, then carbs and fat.

Macro calculator for keto diet

A ketogenic diet requires carbohydrates to be kept below approximately 20–50g net carbs per day to induce and maintain ketosis. At 2,000 kcal/day on the keto preset (25% protein, 5% carbs, 70% fat), macros are approximately 125g protein, 25g carbs and 156g fat. The critical number to track on keto is net carbs (total carbs minus fibre), not total carbs. Most vegetables, nuts and seeds are low in net carbs and are compatible with keto. The adaptation period (“keto flu”) typically lasts 1–2 weeks before the body efficiently uses ketones for fuel.

FAQ

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I calculate my macros?▾

Enter weight, height, age, sex and activity level. Choose your goal and rate of change. Select a diet preset. Your daily protein, carbs and fat targets in grams are calculated instantly using Mifflin-St Jeor BMR and TDEE.

What macro split is best for fat loss?▾

High-Protein (40/30/30) is most effective for fat loss. Higher protein preserves muscle in a deficit and increases satiety. Target 0.8g protein per pound of bodyweight. Keep carbs moderate to fuel exercise and fat above 20% for hormonal health.

What is TDEE?▾

Total Daily Energy Expenditure — your BMR multiplied by an activity factor. Sedentary: 1.2x. Light activity: 1.375x. Moderate: 1.55x. Very active: 1.725x. Extremely active: 1.9x. Eating at TDEE maintains weight. Below TDEE causes fat loss. Above TDEE enables muscle gain.

How many grams of protein do I need?▾

0.7g/lb for maintenance, 0.8g/lb for fat loss, 1.0g/lb for muscle gain. For a 160 lb person: 112g, 128g or 160g respectively. This calculator checks whether your chosen split meets the minimum and warns if not.

What are keto macros?▾

Standard keto: 70% fat, 25% protein, 5% carbs. At 2,000 kcal: ~156g fat, ~125g protein, ~25g carbs. Carbs must stay below 20–50g net carbs/day to maintain ketosis. Select the Keto preset above.

Macro calculator for weight loss free▾

Enter your stats and set goal to Fat Loss. Choose High-Protein preset. Results show your calorie target and exact protein/carbs/fat in grams per day and per meal. Enter goal weight for a weight loss timeline. Free, no account.

What is the Mifflin-St Jeor formula?▾

Men: BMR = 10 x weight(kg) + 6.25 x height(cm) - 5 x age + 5. Women: BMR = 10 x weight(kg) + 6.25 x height(cm) - 5 x age - 161. More accurate than the older Harris-Benedict equation, particularly for people who are overweight. Used by this calculator.

How many calories for muscle gain?▾

TDEE plus 200–500 kcal/day surplus. 200–300 kcal is a lean bulk (minimal fat gain). 400–500 kcal is a standard bulk. Above 500 kcal risks excessive fat gain alongside muscle. Select Muscle Gain goal and your preferred rate above.

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