Macro Calculator (Cut, Maintain, Bulk)

Turn your TDEE and goal into daily calorie targets and protein, carb, and fat grams using a goal-appropriate macronutrient split.

Inputs

Total daily energy expenditure — calories to maintain weight.

Adjusts calories relative to TDEE.

Protein/Carb/Fat percentages of calories.

Result

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How to use this calculator

  • Enter your TDEE (use a TDEE calculator if you do not know it).
  • Choose your goal: cut, maintain, or bulk.
  • Pick a macro split, or leave it on auto for a goal-based default.
  • Read your daily calorie target and protein/carb/fat grams.

About this calculator

Once you know your TDEE — the total calories you burn in a day — hitting a body-composition goal is a matter of adjusting intake and dividing it into the right macronutrients. This calculator first sets a calorie target: a cut subtracts about 20% for fat loss, maintenance keeps TDEE, and a bulk adds about 15% to support muscle growth. It then splits those calories into protein, carbohydrate, and fat. Using the Atwater factors (protein and carbs at 4 calories per gram, fat at 9), it converts each percentage into grams you can track. The default split is goal-aware — higher protein on a cut to preserve muscle, more carbs on a bulk to fuel training — and you can switch to balanced, high-protein, or low-carb presets. The percentages are sensible starting points; tune them to your results and preferences.

How it works — the formula

Calories = TDEE × (1 + goal adj) [cut −20%, maintain 0, bulk +15%] Protein g = Cal×P% ÷ 4 ; Carb g = Cal×C% ÷ 4 ; Fat g = Cal×F% ÷ 9

The goal scales the calorie target; the split allocates calories to each macro, converted to grams via the Atwater energy factors.

Source: FDA — Nutrition Facts Label (calorie/macro basics)

Worked examples

Example 1
TDEE 2500, cut, auto (40/30/30)
Inputs:
tdee=2500, goal=cut, split=auto
Output:
2000 kcal → P 200g, C 150g, F 67g
Example 2
TDEE 2500, maintain, balanced
Inputs:
tdee=2500, goal=maintain, split=balanced
Output:
2500 kcal → P 188g, C 250g, F 83g
Example 3
TDEE 3000, bulk, auto (30/45/25)
Inputs:
tdee=3000, goal=bulk, split=auto
Output:
3450 kcal → P 259g, C 388g, F 96g

Limitations

  • Splits are general guidelines, not individualized prescriptions.
  • Protein needs often scale with body weight and training, not just calories.
  • Requires an accurate TDEE input to be meaningful.

Educational fitness tool, not medical or dietetic advice.

Frequently asked

What are macros?+
Macronutrients — protein, carbohydrate, and fat — are the three nutrients that supply calories. Protein and carbs provide about 4 calories per gram and fat about 9. "Tracking macros" means hitting daily gram targets for each, not just a calorie total.
How do I convert calories to grams of each macro?+
Divide the calories allotted to a macro by its energy density: protein and carbs by 4, fat by 9. If 30% of a 2,000-calorie diet is fat, that is 600 calories ÷ 9 ≈ 67 grams of fat.
How much should I cut or bulk?+
A moderate cut is about 15–25% below maintenance; this tool uses 20%. A lean bulk is roughly 10–20% above; it uses 15%. Aggressive changes lose fat or gain muscle faster but with more muscle loss or fat gain respectively.
Why higher protein when cutting?+
In a calorie deficit, adequate protein helps preserve lean muscle and keeps you fuller, so a higher protein share (e.g. 40%) is common on a cut. Many guidelines target roughly 0.7–1 gram of protein per pound of body weight.
Are these macro splits medical advice?+
No. They are general starting points used in fitness and nutrition. Individual needs vary with body weight, activity, health conditions, and goals. Consult a registered dietitian or physician for personalized or medical guidance.
What is TDEE and how do I find it?+
TDEE (total daily energy expenditure) is the calories you burn per day including activity. It is usually estimated from your basal metabolic rate times an activity multiplier. Use a dedicated TDEE or calorie calculator to get your figure, then enter it here.

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