Skip to content
Bodybuilder Models

Free Calorie & Macro Calculator

Train With Purpose. Fuel With a Plan.

Get a starting estimate for your daily calories and macros—so you can approach fat loss, muscle building, or maintenance with a clearer nutrition plan.

Free to use. No account required. Results on this page.

Find Your Starting Targets

Enter your details, choose your goal, and see an estimate you can put into practice.

Units

Whole years, 19–78.

Sex used by the equation

The equation uses sex-specific coefficients. It may be less accurate for some people, including people receiving hormone therapy.

77.2–661.3 lb. Your current weight.

Height

4 ft 3.2 in to 7 ft 6.5 in. Inches from 0 up to 11.9.

Overall activity

Think about a typical week: your daily movement and your training together. Exercise is already included in this factor, so don’t add exercise calories again later.

Goal

Calculated in your browser. Your entries aren’t sent, saved or tracked.

Your Starting Estimate

Your results will appear here after you calculate.

You’re Training. But Are You Clear on Your Fuel?

You can show up for every workout and still feel unsure about your nutrition. How much should you eat? How much protein do you need? Should your intake change when your goal changes?

This calculator turns those questions into a starting estimate you can review and refine.

Know What You’re Starting With

  • 01

    Your Daily Energy Estimate

    See estimated maintenance calories and a goal-based starting target.

  • 02

    Your Protein Target

    Get a daily protein estimate to help organize your meals.

  • 03

    Your Carbs and Fats

    See one practical way to allocate the remaining calories.

  • 04

    Your Next Step

    Download your numbers and learn how to review them against your real-world progress.

From Guesswork to a Starting Plan

  1. 1

    Enter your measurements and overall activity.

    Age, weight, height, the sex used by the equation, and one activity level that covers both daily movement and training.

  2. 2

    Choose maintenance, fat loss, or muscle building.

    Your goal adjusts the starting calorie target up, down, or not at all.

  3. 3

    Review your estimates and monitor your response.

    Use the numbers for 2–3 weeks, then compare them with your weight trend, energy, recovery, and training.

These are estimates, not guarantees. Bodies, routines, and measurement habits differ, so expect to adjust your intake over time based on how you actually respond.

Understand the Method Behind Your Numbers

This calorie and macro calculator uses a published equation for resting energy, then applies a few transparent planning assumptions. Here is every step.

  1. 1. Resting energy

    Estimated with the simplified Mifflin–St Jeor equations, published in 1990 from measurements of 498 healthy adults aged 19–78:

    Male: 10 × kg + 6.25 × cm − 5 × age + 5
    Female: 10 × kg + 6.25 × cm − 5 × age − 161

  2. 2. Maintenance

    Resting energy × an activity factor from 1.2 (mostly seated) to 1.9 (very high). The factor covers daily movement and training together.

  3. 3. Goal

    Maintain uses maintenance. Lose fat uses maintenance × 0.85. Build muscle uses maintenance × 1.10.

  4. 4. Macros

    Protein is set at 1.8 g per kg of body weight. The International Society of Sports Nutrition position stand describes 1.4–2.0 g/kg/day as sufficient for most exercising individuals, with needs varying by context. Fat is set at 30% of calories, and carbohydrates fill the rest.

Worked example — example inputs

A 30-year-old male, 75 kg, 175 cm, activity factor 1.55:

  • 10 × 75 + 6.25 × 175 − 5 × 30 + 5 = 1,698.75
  • Estimated resting energy ≈ 1,699 kcal/day
  • 1,698.75 × 1.55 = 2,633.06
  • Estimated maintenance ≈ 2,633 kcal/day
  • Protein: 1.8 × 75 = 135 g/day

These are example inputs to show the arithmetic, not a recommended target for every visitor.

What is and isn’t from the research. The resting energy equations are published. Activity factors, goal adjustments, and the macro split are planning assumptions; they are not all part of the original Mifflin equation, and this page is not a clinical validation of the whole calculator.

Built-in checks. If your BMI is below 18.5 or a goal target would fall below your resting energy, you’ll see maintenance instead, with an explanation. If carbohydrates would drop below 20% of calories, no macro split is suggested.

Sources

  • Mifflin MD, St Jeor ST, et al. A new predictive equation for resting energy expenditure in healthy individuals. Am J Clin Nutr. 1990. PubMed
  • Jäger R, Kerksick CM, et al. International Society of Sports Nutrition Position Stand: protein and exercise. J Int Soc Sports Nutr. 2017. PubMed

Is This the Right Starting Tool for You?

Suitable for

  • Generally healthy adults aged 19–78.
  • Recreational lifters and fitness enthusiasts.
  • People seeking an initial estimate rather than a medical nutrition plan.

Personalized guidance is more appropriate for

  • Pregnancy or breastfeeding.
  • Eating disorder treatment or recovery.
  • Medical conditions requiring nutrition management.
  • Competition preparation or unusually demanding athletic requirements.

A registered dietitian or your healthcare team can build a plan around your circumstances.

Calorie and Macro Calculator FAQ

How does this calorie and macro calculator work?

It estimates resting energy with the simplified Mifflin–St Jeor equation, multiplies it by your activity factor to estimate maintenance, adjusts for your goal, then sets protein at 1.8 g/kg, fat at 30% of calories, and carbohydrates from the remaining calories.

Does this calculator work for women and men?

Yes. Choose female or male for the resting-energy equation, which has separate published coefficients (−161 for women, +5 for men). That is the only place your selection changes the numbers. Activity factors, goal adjustments and the macro rules are the same for everyone, and protein stays at 1.8 g per kg of body weight rather than changing by sex.

How do I choose my activity level?

Pick the description that best matches a typical week, counting both your daily movement (job, walking, chores) and your training. If you’re between two levels, start with the lower one and adjust based on your progress.

Should I eat back exercise calories?

Not with these numbers. The activity factor already includes your exercise, so adding exercise calories from a watch or app on top would count it twice.

Will these numbers guarantee fat loss or muscle gain?

No. They are a starting estimate. Results depend on many things, including how consistently you follow the plan, your training, sleep, stress, and individual differences.

How accurate are the results?

Prediction equations estimate the average for people with similar measurements; any one person can sit noticeably above or below that. Treat the result as a reasonable first guess and let your own progress refine it.

What if my progress does not match the estimate?

Look at your average weight trend, energy, recovery, and training over 2–3 weeks rather than day-to-day changes. If the trend isn’t moving in the direction you intended, a modest adjustment and another review period is a sensible next step. If anything feels off, check in with a qualified professional.

Do I need to create an account?

No. The calculator runs in your browser, shows results on this page, and lets you download or print them. Your entries aren’t sent or saved.

Can I use it for bodybuilding competition preparation?

It isn’t designed for that. Contest preparation usually involves larger, carefully staged changes that are better planned with an experienced coach or registered dietitian.

Give Your Training a Clearer Nutrition Starting Point.

Calculate your estimated daily calories and macros, then use your progress to guide the next adjustment.