Protein · Carbs · Fat
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Nutrition Science

Your perfect
macro
breakdown

Get your personalised daily targets for protein, carbohydrates, and fat — optimised for your calorie intake and goal, whether you're cutting, bulking, or maintaining.

Weight loss Muscle gain Maintenance
MACROS per day Protein 30% Carbs 45% Fat 25% PROTEIN —g CARBS —g FAT —g
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Macros Calculator

Protein · Carbohydrates · Fat — daily targets

Daily calorie target
Maintenance
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Macro targets are evidence-based estimates. Individual needs vary with training intensity, health conditions, and food preferences. The most important factor is consistency — hitting your calorie target matters more than hitting exact macro percentages every day.

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Start simple

If macro tracking feels overwhelming, start by just hitting your protein target. Research shows that adequate protein alone — without counting carbs or fat — significantly improves body composition results in most people.

What are macros?

Macros — short for macronutrients — are the three main nutrients that provide calories: protein, carbohydrates, and fat. Protein and carbohydrates each provide 4 calories per gram, while fat provides 9 calories per gram. Understanding your macro targets lets you optimise not just how many calories you consume, but what those calories are made of.

This matters because the same calorie total can produce very different body composition outcomes depending on the macro split. A diet of 2,000 calories with 180 g of protein and regular resistance training will produce a very different physique outcome than 2,000 calories with 60 g of protein, even if total weight change is identical.

Why protein is the most important macro

Protein is the building block of muscle tissue and is the most critical macro to track for body composition. It has the highest thermic effect — your body burns roughly 25–30% of protein calories just through digestion, compared to 6–8% for carbs and 2–3% for fat. It is also the most satiating macro, reducing hunger and making it easier to maintain a calorie deficit.

Macro splits by goal

GoalProteinCarbsFat
Weight loss30–35%35–45%25–30%
Maintenance25–30%40–50%25–30%
Muscle gain25–30%45–55%20–25%

Carbohydrates — not the enemy

Carbohydrates are the body's preferred fuel source, particularly for high-intensity exercise. They are stored as glycogen in muscles and the liver, and adequate glycogen levels directly improve training performance and recovery. The key is choosing quality carbohydrate sources — whole grains, vegetables, legumes, and fruit — rather than eliminating carbs entirely.

Frequently asked questions

Macros are the three main nutrients that provide calories: protein (4 kcal/g), carbohydrates (4 kcal/g), and fat (9 kcal/g). Tracking macros lets you optimise not just how many calories you eat, but what those calories are made of — which significantly impacts body composition, energy levels, and performance.
For general health, the minimum is around 0.8 g per kg of bodyweight per day. For body composition goals, most research supports 1.6–2.2 g per kg per day. Higher protein increases satiety, supports muscle protein synthesis, and has a higher thermic effect than carbs or fats.
For weight loss, higher protein (30–35% of calories) is well-supported by research, as it preserves muscle mass and improves satiety during a calorie deficit. Fat typically accounts for 25–30%, with the remainder from carbohydrates. The specific split matters less than maintaining a calorie deficit consistently.
For muscle gain, protein remains high at 25–30% of calories (or 1.6–2.2 g per kg bodyweight). Carbohydrates are typically higher (45–55%) to fuel training and support recovery. Fat covers the remainder at 20–25%. Total calories should be slightly above your TDEE — a surplus of 200–400 calories is typical for a lean bulk.
Both approaches work. Counting calories is simpler and sufficient for most weight management goals. Tracking macros gives more precision over body composition — particularly useful if you want to preserve or build muscle while losing fat. Many people find that simply hitting a protein target each day produces excellent results without needing to track every gram of carbs and fat.
The most practical approach is a food tracking app like MyFitnessPal, Cronometer, or Lose It. These apps have large food databases and automatically calculate macros from your food log. Weigh your food with a kitchen scale for the first few weeks to calibrate your portion sense — most people significantly underestimate portions when estimating by eye.