HOW TO CALCULATE YOUR MACROS
If you've ever wondered how much you should actually be eating, you're not alone. Most people are guessing, and a lot of them are under-eating without realizing it.
The good news? You don't need a nutritionist or a spreadsheet to find your numbers. You need about two minutes and my free macro calculator at donsaladino.com/macros
BUT, first read this article to understand Macros!
FIRST, WHAT ARE MACROS?
Macros (short for macronutrients) are the three places your calories come from:
Protein (4 calories per gram): your muscle-building blocks
Carbohydrates (4 calories per gram): your body's primary energy source
Fat (9 calories per gram): a dense energy source, packing more calories into less food
When you know how many calories you need and how to split them between these three, you stop guessing and start eating with purpose.
THE SCIENCE BEHIND THE CALCULATOR
My calculator uses the Mifflin-St Jeor equation, the formula most dietitians and coaches rely on to estimate how many calories your body burns.
It was published in 1990 by researchers Mark Mifflin and Sachiko St Jeor. It isn't perfect, and no equation is, but it's a reliable, research-backed starting point. And a good starting point is all you need.
STEP 1: CALCULATE YOUR CALORIE NEEDS
This step finds your TDEE, or Total Daily Energy Expenditure. That's how many calories you burn in a full day, both at rest and while you're moving.
1a. Enter your age. Your metabolism naturally changes as you get older, so age is part of the equation.
1b. Select your gender. Men and women burn calories at slightly different rates because of differences in body composition, so the formula adjusts for each.
1c. Choose Imperial or Metric. Pick whichever you're comfortable with. Imperial uses feet, inches, and pounds. Metric uses centimeters and kilograms.
1d. Enter your height and weight. Use your current numbers, not your goal numbers. The calculator needs to know where you're starting from.
1e. Choose your activity level. This is where most people get it wrong, so be honest with yourself:
Sedentary: Limited exercise. Desk job, not much movement.
Light Activity: Light exercise less than three days per week.
Moderately Active: Moderate exercise most days of the week.
Very Active: Hard exercise every day.
Extra Active: Strenuous exercise two or more times per day.
If you're stuck between two, choose the lower one. It's easier to add calories later than to undo overestimating.
1f. Click "Calculate Your TDEE." Behind the scenes, the calculator first estimates your resting metabolism (the calories you'd burn lying on the couch all day). Then it multiplies that number by your activity level to get your TDEE.
1g. Adjust for your goal. Your TDEE is your maintenance number. From there:
Maintain weight: eat at your TDEE
Lose weight: subtract 250 calories
Gain muscle: add 250 calories
That number is your daily calorie target.
A quick note on weight loss goals
Have you ever downloaded a macro tracking app, told it you want to lose 20 pounds, and then watched it set your calories at something like 1,200 a day? You're not doing anything wrong. The app is usually working backward from a timeline that's way too aggressive, like losing all 20 pounds in a month.
To put that in perspective, losing 20 pounds in 30 days would mean cutting roughly 2,300 calories every single day. That isn't realistic, and it isn't sustainable. It leaves you exhausted, hungry, and likely to lose muscle along with the fat.
That's why I start with a simple 250 calorie adjustment. Losing weight means eating a little less than you burn, but it's a process. It doesn't happen in one week or two weeks. Small, steady changes add up, and they're the ones that last.
Understanding this is one of the most important parts of tracking your macros. Be patient with the process and let consistency do the work.
STEP 2: DECIDE YOUR MACRO BREAKDOWN
Now that you have your calories, it's time to split them between protein, carbs, and fat.
2a. Start with my go-to split: 35% protein, 35% carbs, 30% fat. This is where I start most people. It's especially effective if your goal is to lose body fat while holding on to muscle.
2b. Enter your calorie target into the TDEE box. Use the number from Step 1g (your goal-adjusted calories).
2c. Set your percentages. Use the sliders or type in your numbers. Just make sure all three add up to 100%.
2d. Read your results. The calculator converts your percentages into grams of protein, carbs, and fat. Those grams are your daily macro targets.
SEE IT IN ACTION
Let's walk through two real examples, one for losing weight and one for building muscle.
Meet Ryan. He's 45 years old, 5'10", 175 pounds, and works out 5 days a week. His goal is to put on about 15 pounds of muscle.
Step 1: Ryan enters his age, selects male, enters his height and weight, and chooses Moderately Active.
His resting metabolism comes out to about 1,685 calories
Multiplied by his activity level, his TDEE is about 2,610 calories
His goal is to gain muscle, so he adds 250. His daily target is 2,860 calories
Step 2: Ryan enters 2,860. Because he's building muscle, he shifts a little more of his calories toward carbs to fuel his training and uses a 30/45/25 split. Since he's eating more overall, 30% still gives him plenty of protein:
Protein: 30% of 2,860 = 858 calories ÷ 4 = 215g
Carbs: 45% of 2,860 = 1,287 calories ÷ 4 = 322g
Fat: 25% of 2,860 = 715 calories ÷ 9 = 79g
Meet Sarah. She's 45 years old, 5'5", 175 pounds, and works out 3 days a week. Her goal is to lose weight and body fat.
Step 1: Sarah enters her age, selects female, enters her height and weight, and chooses Moderately Active.
Her resting metabolism comes out to about 1,440 calories
Multiplied by her activity level, her TDEE is about 2,230 calories
Her goal is to lose weight, so she subtracts 250. Her daily target is 1,980 calories
Step 2: Sarah enters 1,980 and uses the 35/35/30 split:
Protein: 35% of 1,980 = 693 calories ÷ 4 = 173g
Carbs: 35% of 1,980 = 693 calories ÷ 4 = 173g
Fat: 30% of 1,980 = 594 calories ÷ 9 = 66g
That's it. Sarah now knows exactly what she's aiming for every day.
Same calculator, same steps, completely different numbers. That's why your macros should be built around you and your goal, not someone else's.
STEP 3: TRACK YOUR MACROS
Numbers only help if you use them. "Tracking macros" simply means logging what you eat.
The easiest way is an app like Cronometer or MyFitnessPal. Both have a barcode scanner that adds a food to your log in seconds. If you prefer pen and paper, a simple food journal works too.
Two tips that make tracking more accurate:
Weigh your food. A simple kitchen scale takes the guesswork out of portions.
Read the label. On any Nutrition Facts panel, check the serving size first, then calories, total fat, total carbohydrate, and protein. If a food or recipe isn't in your app, add it once and save it for next time.
And remember, you don't need to hit your numbers perfectly. A few grams over or under is completely fine. Consistency beats perfection every time.
A FEW THINGS TO KEEP IN MIND
These are starting points. Give your numbers two to three weeks, then adjust based on your energy, hunger, and progress.
Recalculate as you change. If you lose or gain a significant amount of weight, run the calculator again.
Don't fear eating more. Many of my clients have increased their calories and seen their body composition improve. Under-eating often leaves you tired, hungry at night, and stuck.
READY TO FIND YOUR NUMBERS?
It takes two minutes and it's completely free.
Calculate Your Macros Now (donsaladino.com/macros)
Want help turning those numbers into real meals? The Protein Protocol gives you 45 high protein recipes with full macros, so hitting your targets is as simple as following the plate.
FOR THE CURIOUS: THE ACTUAL FORMULA
Optional for readers who want to see the math.
Men: (10 × weight in kg) + (6.25 × height in cm) − (5 × age) + 5
Women: (10 × weight in kg) + (6.25 × height in cm) − (5 × age) − 161
That gives your resting metabolism. Multiply it by your activity level to get your TDEE:
Sedentary: × 1.2
Light Activity: × 1.375
Moderately Active: × 1.55
Very Active: × 1.725
Extra Active: × 1.9
This article is for general educational purposes and is not medical advice. Consult a qualified healthcare professional before making significant changes to your nutrition.