SHOP ARTICLES WORKOUTS COMMUNITY 0 Search supplements, plans, or articles... Nutrition | Calculators Macro Calculator: Count Your Macros Like a Pro! Find your macronutrient ratio for flexible dieting and "if it fits your macros." Build a meal plan around your ideal ratio of proteins, carbs, and fats! CALORIES | MACRONUTRIENTS | LEAN BODY MASS | BASAL METABOLIC RATE In recent years, a dietary approach called IIFYM, or "if it fits your macros," has taken the fitness world by storm. Also known as "flexible dieting," it turns old-school, calorie-based dieting on its head by focusing instead on the amount of protein, carbohydrates, and fats making up those calories. As long as you come close to your numbers (how close remains a subject of debate), you have a lot of flexibility on what foods you can use to get there. Sound a little advanced? It is. If you're wondering if this approach is right for you, trainer and health coach Sohee Lee provides guidance in her article,"To Macro or Not: Should You Track Your Macro Intake?" If you know you're ready to know your macros, the macro calculator below can help you determine your daily targets for three goals: Weight loss Weight gain Overall health and weight maintenance You can find in-depth explanations of our preferred macros for each goal below. And if you'd like to use the calculator to determine your targets for the macros of your choice—say, you're starting a ketogenic diet and want to know how many grams of fats make up 80 percent of your calories—click Customize My Macros to dial in your personalized numbers! MACRO CALCULATOR AGE Years SEX Male Female HEIGHT Feet Meters Feet Inches WEIGHT Pounds Kilograms Pounds GOAL Maintain Current Weight Lose Weight Gain Weight ACTIVITY LEVEL Sedentary (Little or no exercise) Lightly active (Light exercise/sports 3-5 days a week) Moderately active (Moderate exercise/sports 3-5 days a week) Very active (Hard exercise/sports 6-7 days a week) Extra active (Hard exercise/sports 6-7 days a week, plus physical job) Customize Your Macro Ratio CALCULATE LEARN WHICH GOAL AND ACTIVITY LEVEL YOU SHOULD CHOOSE SHOULD I TRACK MY MACROS? HOW DID WE CALCULATE YOUR CALORIES? Not everybody needs to track their macronutrient intake. But plenty of people find that as their fitness and physique goals get more specific, dialing in their nutrition in this way helps them fuel their training and achieve better results. According to one expert, it can be helpful even if it's just a temporary experiment: Bodybuilding.com's macro calculator starts with the Mifflin St. Jeor equation, which is considered by our nutritionists and dieticians to be the "gold standard" of calorie calculators. Here's how it works: "I think everybody would benefit from tracking macros for at least a 3-6month period of their life," recommends Dr. Bill Campbell director of the Performance & Physique Enhancement Laboratory at the University of South Florida, in an episode of the Bodybuilding.com Podcast. "You just learn so much about making food choices, about overeating, undereating, and hunger. Someone might not change their behavior, but they'll know, 'Oh, that doughnut is a lot different than that chicken sandwich.' Even though the calories may be the same." Calculate basal metabolic rate (BMR), or the calories your body burns simply by being alive. For men: 10 x weight (kg) + 6.25 x height (cm) – 5 x age (y) + 5 (kcal / day) For women: 10 x weight (kg) + 6.25 x height (cm) – 5 x age (y) -161 (kcal / day) This content cannot be displayed because you have disabled Experience cookies. Update your cookie settings to show this content. Then, this BMR count is multiplied, depending on your activity level: Sedentary = 1.2 Lightly active = 1.375 Moderately active = 1.550 Very active = 1.725 Extra active = 1.9 Update Cookie Settings Episode 33: The Science of Physique Enhancement With Dr. Bill Campbell. Researcher and "Physique Scientist" Dr. Bill Campbell, the head of the Physique Enhancement Laboratory at the University of South Florida, talks about two groundbreaking studies he's worked on regarding protein intake for women and flexible dieting, as well as the incredible science of strength training for fat loss. The calorie count is then adjusted based on your goal: Weight loss: Reduce by 10-20% Weight gain: Add 500 calories Weight maintenance: Unchanged Publish Date: Monday, December 11, 2017 This calorie count is split into macronutrient percentages in the following ratios, based on splits commonly recommended by our nutrition experts for muscle gain, weight loss, and weight maintenance. (Yes, weight gain and maintenance are the same ratio, but the calories and macros are different.) CONSIDERING TRACKING YOUR MACROS? LEARN THE ESSENTIALS OF FLEXIBLE DIETING FROM THE EXPERTS To Macro Or Not: Should You… Your No-BS Approach To For some of us, calculating macro… Is flexible dieting the answer Weight loss: 40/40/20 (carbohydrates/protein/fats) Weight gain: 40/30/30 Weight maintenance: 40/30/30 DOES FLEXIBLE DIETING WORK? These daily grams of each "macro" come from applying those percentages to your daily calorie number. Each gram of a macronutrient is "worth" this many calories: A significant meta-study from 2020 concluded that the old-school model of restriction-based dieting, such as those that cut back on calories by minimizing carbs or fat, are largely ineffective for long-term, sustainable weight loss. This wasn't news to the thousands of frustrated dieters out there! Protein: 4 calories Carbs: 4 calories Fats: 9 calories But is counting and balancing macronutrients any better? A study from 2005 comparing strict and flexible dieting found that people following a restrictive approach to dieting were more likely to have a higher BMI, reduced feelings of self-control, and more psychological stress related to weight and food intake. Chalk this up as another victory for IIFYM! But don't think that just because a macro-based approach is "flexible," it's perfect. It has advantages and drawbacks like any other nutritional approach. Advantages of macro-focused nutrition: Can be customized to athletic and fitness goals Helps objectively compare different meals and foods Reflects food quality better than calories alone Combats temptation to cut calories too low, or let them creep too high Allows flexibility for personal taste and indulgences Disadvantages of macro-focused nutrition: Can be confusing to the inexperienced Requires weighing and portioning food Doesn't take micronutrients into account Can undervalue protein quality, fiber, and vegetables Food labels aren't necessarily accurate To get the most out of this dietary approach, Campbell recommends these approaches: 1. Don't make it a free-for-all. Build your diet around nutrient-rich foods, but leave room for indulgences. 2. Lift weights. "If your goal is to lose weight, flexible dieting by itself can work great. But you're not going to change your body shape without resistance training. Without it, you'll just be a smaller, puffier version of yourself." 3. Don't let the scale tell the whole story. "If you're gaining muscle and losing fat, your body is changing for the better—regardless of the number on the scale." 4. Prioritize protein. "Do whatever works best for you with carbs and fat—I don't care. Just don't cut back on protein." IIFYM WORKS BEST WITH CONSISTENT PROTEIN INTAKE. SHAKES ARE AN EASY WAY TO GET CLOSER TO YOUR MACRO TARGET DAY IN AND DAY OUT. - VIEW ALL 9.3 Gold Standard 100% Whey Protein, 2.2 Kilograms ३,८७१.९० 9.2 Pro JYM Protein Powder, 1.8 Kilograms ३,६७७.६३ GO NOW GO NOW 9.3 8.8 ISO100® Hydrolyzed 100% Whey Protein Isolate, 2.2 Kilograms ४,८४०.०४ Signature 100% Whey Protein Powder, 2.2 Kilograms ३,२२६.४८ GO NOW GO NOW HOW DO I CALCULATE THE MACROS IN MY FOOD? You can do this using food labels, as well as by weighing out your food on a food scale and using one of the many online nutritional databases. Weighing food may seem like a lot of counting and not much fun, but it gets easier over time. Fitness coach Vince Del Monte says in the article, "From Here to Macros: 4 Steps to Better Nutrition" that you quickly learn to "eyeball" quantities of both calories and macronutrients after just a few weeks of practice. Bodybuilding.com has also created visual guides to help you learn these skills: Counting Macros: High Protei… Measuring Your Macros: Wha… Measuring Your Macro Want to build muscle and lose fat?… Carbs are your body's favorite ene… Contrary to popular belief GET SYSTEMATIC ABOUT YOUR RESULTS Once you have your daily calorie intake, it's time to take the same kind of strategic approach to the rest of your training and nutrition. These popular calculators can help you dial in your plan! Calorie Calculator: How Many Calorie Should You Eat Per Day? 1RM Calculator: Calculate Your Max Weight for Lifts Calculate Your Lean Body Mass Protein Calculator: Calculate How Much Protein You Need to Eat Each Day 4 COMMENTS Please keep comments positive and constructive. Help the community by reporting inappropriate comments. Inappropriate comments may be reported and/or removed. Leave a comment… POST COMMENT Comments rajbaghelrahul But here its wrong aproved protein bodyweight ratio and fat bodyweight ratio for gaining November 22nd, 2021 • Report • Reply milakirchner (Camila) Don't stick to "approved". ISSN suggest up to 4g/kg of bodyweight depending on tour goals. Every nutritional information that is "generalized", is not trustworthy. Well, saturated fat is demonized... And sugar approved. Is sugar healthy and saturated fat not healthy? (Retorical question). December 12th, 2021 • Report userDQSE0HGTHI2 (Ahmed Maher) I need help with the meal plans... haven't seen any listing here... September 25th, 2021 • Report • Reply henryjohan Drop me a DM on instagram @HenryJFitness for a food Plan :D January 5th, 2022 • Report michaelfrye2 (Michael Frye) When weighing out carbs, should you be going by total gross weight or net weight? March 27th, 2021 • Report • Reply kassandratyra12 (Kassandra Tyra) 5'10'' F sedentary job, but intense exercise popped out as 1600 ish calories.... That seems REALLY low.... December 18th, 2020 • Report • Reply darthzak (Zak Quinn) Depends on your goals. March 23rd, 2021 • Report Connect With Us GET THE LATEST NEWS SENT RIGHT TO YOUR INBOX! OK Your Email Need Help Orders & Shipping Help Center Order Status Email Support Returns/Exchanges Live Chat Shipping Support Choose Shop Location INDIA Send us Feedback Careers About Us Affiliates Privacy Settings Advertise with us Help Site map © 1999-2022 Bodybuilding.com. All rights reserved. Bodybuilding.com™ and BodySpace® are trademarks of Bodybuilding.com. Always consult with a qualified healthcare professional prior to beginning any diet or exercise program or taking any dietary supplement. 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