Macro Nutrient & Calorie Deficit Allocator
Distribute daily calorie targets into specific gram counts for protein, carbohydrates, and fats based on your body weight and fitness goals — cut, maintain, or bulk.
Macro Nutrient Allocator
How to use the Macro Nutrient Allocator
Enter your target daily calorie intake and body weight. Select your goal: Cut (calorie deficit), Maintain, or Bulk (calorie surplus). The macro distribution updates instantly with protein allocated first based on body weight, then remaining calories split between carbohydrates and fat.
Convert a daily calorie target into specific gram targets for protein, carbohydrates, and fat, giving you a concrete meal plan framework.
Compare how macro ratios shift between cutting, maintaining, and bulking to understand the nutritional strategy behind each phase.
Generate macro targets to enter into MyFitnessPal, Cronometer, or other tracking apps, ensuring your daily targets align with evidence-based recommendations.
How macros are calculated
Protein allocation
Cut: 2.2g per kg bodyweight. Maintain: 1.8g/kg. Bulk: 2.0g/kg. Each gram of protein provides 4 kcal. Protein is allocated first because it is the most critical macronutrient for muscle preservation.
Carbohydrate allocation
Cut: 30% of remaining calories. Maintain: 50%. Bulk: 55%. Each gram provides 4 kcal. Higher carbs support workout performance and recovery during surplus phases.
Fat allocation
Fills remaining calorie allocation. Each gram provides 9 kcal. Fat is kept at a minimum of 20% of total calories for hormonal health and fat-soluble vitamin absorption.
Caloric density
1g Protein equals 4 kcal. 1g Carbohydrate equals 4 kcal. 1g Fat equals 9 kcal. These are the standard Atwater values used by all major dietary tracking applications.
Frequently asked questions
How do I know my daily calorie target?
Calculate your Total Daily Energy Expenditure (TDEE) using a BMR calculator based on your age, sex, weight, and activity level. Your TDEE is your maintenance calories. For a cut, subtract 300-500 kcal from TDEE (a 500 kcal deficit loses about 0.45 kg per week). For a lean bulk, add 200-300 kcal above TDEE. The tool lets you enter any target, so experiment with different values.
How much protein do I actually need?
For general health, 0.8 g/kg is the minimum RDA -- a 75 kg person needs at least 60 g per day. For athletes and people doing resistance training, 1.6-2.2 g/kg supports muscle protein synthesis. The tool allocates 2.2 g/kg during a cut (to preserve muscle), 2.0 g/kg during a bulk, and 1.8 g/kg during maintenance. Going above 2.2 g/kg shows diminishing returns for most people.
Are carbs or fats more important?
Both serve essential functions that the other cannot replace. Carbs are the preferred fuel for high-intensity exercise and brain function -- glycogen stores power your workouts. Fats are critical for hormone production (testosterone, estrogen), cell membrane integrity, and absorption of vitamins A, D, E, and K. The tool never drops either below minimum viable levels.
Should I use net carbs or total carbs?
Net carbs (total minus fibre and sugar alcohols) are used for ketogenic diets where the goal is staying under 20-50 g of digestible carbs per day. For general fitness goals -- losing fat, building muscle, or maintaining weight -- tracking total carbohydrates is standard practice. Fibre is included in total carbs on nutrition labels in most countries.
Why does protein get allocated first?
Protein is the most critical macronutrient for preserving lean muscle mass during a calorie deficit. If you cut calories without adequate protein, up to 25-30% of weight lost can be muscle rather than fat. By allocating protein first at 2.2 g/kg, the tool ensures you hit the evidence-based minimum before remaining calories are split between carbs and fat.
Can I use this tool for a ketogenic diet?
The default allocations are not keto-specific. For keto, you would need approximately 70-75% of calories from fat, 20-25% from protein, and 5-10% from carbs (under 50 g net carbs per day). This tool does not currently support custom macro ratios, but you can use the output gram values as a starting point and adjust manually.