How to Calculate Your Macros: A Beginner's Guide

By Jeff Jones, CPT · 2026-10-02

Macros (short for macronutrients) are the three nutrients that supply your calories: protein, carbohydrate and fat. Calculating them just means deciding how your daily calories get divided among the three, then turning that into grams you can plan meals around.

Here's a simple four-step method.

What macros are

Macro	Calories per gram	What it does
Protein	4	Building block of muscle and other tissue
Carbohydrate	4	Your body's main, most available energy source
Fat	9	Supports hormones, brain function and nutrient absorption

Carbs are not the enemy, and fat isn't either. All three play a role.

Step 1: Find your daily calories

Start with an estimate of your maintenance calories, called your TDEE, then adjust for your goal. If you haven't done this yet, read What Is TDEE? first.

For the example below, we'll use 2,725 calories a day.

Step 2: Choose a split

A split says what percent of your calories come from each macro. One approach is to use a different split on training days than on rest days, with more carbs on the days you train:

	Training day	Rest day
Carbohydrate	35%	25%
Protein	30%	35%
Fat	35%	40%

This is one approach, not the only right one. Adjust it to fit your preferences and how you feel.

Step 3: Convert percentages to grams

Multiply your calories by each percentage, then divide by the calories per gram.

Training day (2,725 calories):

• Carbs: 2,725 × 0.35 = 954 calories ÷ 4 = 238 g
• Protein: 2,725 × 0.30 = 818 calories ÷ 4 = 204 g
• Fat: 2,725 × 0.35 = 954 calories ÷ 9 = 106 g

Rest day (2,725 calories):

• Carbs: 2,725 × 0.25 = 681 calories ÷ 4 = 170 g
• Protein: 2,725 × 0.35 = 954 calories ÷ 4 = 238 g
• Fat: 2,725 × 0.40 = 1,090 calories ÷ 9 = 121 g

A protein-first alternative

If percentages feel abstract, start with protein. Many active people aim for roughly 0.7 to 1.0 grams of protein per pound of body weight per day, then divide the remaining calories between carbs and fat based on preference and activity. For a 180 lb person, that's about 126 to 180 grams.

People with kidney disease or other medical conditions should check with their doctor before choosing a protein target.

Step 4: Divide it across your meals

Divide each day's grams by the number of meals you eat. On the training day above, with four meals:

• Carbs: about 60 g per meal
• Protein: about 51 g per meal
• Fat: about 27 g per meal

You don't need a food scale forever. A rough hand guide works well once you've calibrated your eye:

• Protein: a palm-sized portion
• Carbs: a cupped handful
• Vegetables: a fist or more
• Fats: a thumb-sized portion

Weigh and measure for a couple of weeks to learn what your portions look like.

Keep it practical

• Treat the numbers as estimates. They give you a starting point, not a prescription.
• Check in after two to four weeks. Look at your energy, training, and weight trend, then adjust.
• Aim for consistency, not perfection. Hitting your targets most days beats hitting them perfectly for a week.

This article is general education, not medical advice. If you have a medical condition or take medication, talk to your doctor or a registered dietitian before changing your diet.

Let the spreadsheet do it

Our free Macro & Calorie Planner handles every step above. Pick your training and rest days, and it gives you daily grams and grams per meal for the whole week.

For the full explanation of protein, carbs, fat, and how to build a balanced meal, see Chapter 2 of the A.W.C.L. Foundations Guide.

This article is general education and not medical advice. Talk to your doctor or a registered dietitian before starting a new nutrition or exercise program. Calorie and macro figures are estimates. Results vary and are not guaranteed.