Health & Fitness
TDEE and macro calculator
Most calculators ask you to pick one word for how active you are, and that single choice is where nearly all of the error lives. This one asks what you actually do in a week, shows you the multiplier it worked out, and gives you a range instead of pretending it knows your metabolism to the calorie.
You
Used by the equations, which are fitted separately.
Optional, measured only.
Your week
Walking to lectures counts. Your phone knows this number.
Training
Resting
1780kcal
What you would burn doing nothing
Maintenance
2450kcal
Likely between 2205 and 2695
Multiplier
1.38x resting
What your week actually works out to
Mifflin-St Jeor, the most accurate equation that runs on height and weight alone. Measure your body fat and this page switches to Katch-McArdle, which is better still.
Of your 2450 kcal, 2225 comes from resting and daily living, and 225 is training averaged across the week. Training usually accounts for less than people expect, which is the single most common reason a calculator number does not match the scale.
The range is real. These equations land within 10% for roughly four people in five, so treat the middle number as a starting point, not a fact about you.
Pick a goal
Macros at 2450 kcal
Protein
128g
Fat
68g
Carbs
332g
Protein is set at 1.7 g per kg of bodyweight, inside the range the International Society of Sports Nutrition puts at 1.4 to 2.0 g/kg for people who train, held at the top of it here because you are lifting. Fat is floored rather than left as a percentage, because dropping it too low is where cutting starts to affect hormones and mood. Carbs take whatever is left, which is exactly the lever that should move between a cut and a bulk.
Now correct it against the scale
This is the step nearly every other calculator leaves out, and it is the only one that turns an estimate into your actual number. Eat at the target for two to three weeks, weigh yourself at the same time each morning, and average each week. Then put the average weekly change in here.
Negative if you lost weight, for example -0.2
Next
Body fat and FFMI
Measure your body fat with a tape and this page switches to the more accurate equation.
Cut or bulk timeline
Turn the target into a week by week plan, with the lean mass cost shown honestly.
One-rep max
Eating right only matters if the training progresses. Work out what to put on the bar.
If food or your body is taking up too much space
Tracking calories helps some people and hurts others. If counting is making you anxious, if you are eating less than these numbers say, or if you find yourself thinking about food most of the day, that is worth talking to someone about. Beat is the UK's eating disorder charity and their helpline is free and confidential on 0808 801 0677.
Get support from Beat