Carbs and fats are important macronutrients, but their specific ratios have minimal impact when it comes to muscle gain or fat loss. Amounts should vary based on personal preferences and dietary needs. Instead of prescribing specific ratios, this calculator focuses on protein and total calories, which are the most crucial factors for achieving your goals. By hitting your calorie and protein targets, you have the flexibility to adjust carbs and fats in a way that suits your lifestyle and keeps your diet sustainable while avoiding macro tetris.

The calculator uses the Mifflin-St Jeor equation, a highly regarded formula for estimating calorie needs. However, individual variations such as metabolism, medical conditions, lifestyle factors and body fat percentage can affect it's accuracy. Use the results as a starting point and adjust based on your progress.

The protein level depends on your goals and lifestyle.

Low: The minimum amount of protein you need to maximize muscle building and to preserve your muscle in a fat loss phase.

Moderate: Ideal for most fat loss and muscle maintenance goals. This is a great place for most people to be.

High: Suited for intense training or steep calorie deficits. In a large calorie deficit, more protein is required to preserve your muscle.

Slow fat loss is a more sustainable approach with a smaller calorie reduction, which helps preserve muscle and energy levels. Rapid fat loss involves a bigger reduction and may lead to faster weight loss but can be harder to maintain and you might risk losing muscle mass. I recommend the slower approach if you have a lot of weight to lose and/or plan on being in it for a longer time period (12 weeks or longer).

If you’re not seeing progress after 3-4 weeks, revisit your activity level or calorie intake. Adjust slightly by reducing or increasing calories based on your goal and monitor changes.