What Should My Macros Be? A Simple Guide for Any Fitness Goal

"What should my macros be?"

It's one of the most common questions in fitness, and one of the most frustrating to search for — because every answer you find gives slightly different numbers, uses different formulas, and comes with a different set of caveats.

So let's cut through the noise. This guide will walk you through how to calculate your macros from scratch, give you specific targets based on your goal, and show you how to adjust over time as your body responds. No ambiguity, no conflicting advice — just a clear system you can start using today. If you are still deciding whether to track calories only or full macros, read macro tracking vs. calorie counting first — it clarifies when each approach earns its complexity.

Step 1: Calculate Your Maintenance Calories (TDEE)

Before you can set your macros, you need to know how many total calories your body needs to maintain its current weight. This is your Total Daily Energy Expenditure (TDEE).

Calculate Your BMR

Your Basal Metabolic Rate is the number of calories your body burns at rest — just existing, breathing, pumping blood, keeping your brain running.

Mifflin-St Jeor Equation (most widely validated):

• Men: BMR = (10 × weight in kg) + (6.25 × height in cm) − (5 × age in years) + 5
• Women: BMR = (10 × weight in kg) + (6.25 × height in cm) − (5 × age in years) − 161

Quick conversion: 1 lb = 0.453 kg. 1 inch = 2.54 cm.

Example: A 28-year-old woman, 5'6" (167.6 cm), 150 lbs (68 kg): BMR = (10 × 68) + (6.25 × 167.6) − (5 × 28) − 161 = 680 + 1,047.5 − 140 − 161 = 1,426 calories

Apply Your Activity Multiplier

Multiply your BMR by the factor that best describes your typical week:

Be honest with this.

Our example: She trains 4 days a week. TDEE = 1,426 × 1.55 = 2,210 calories/day

That's her maintenance — the number of calories at which she'd neither gain nor lose weight.

Step 2: Adjust Calories for Your Goal

Your goal determines whether you eat above, below, or at your maintenance number.

Fat Loss (Cutting)

Subtract 300–500 calories from TDEE.

A moderate deficit of ~400 calories per day produces about 0.8 lbs of fat loss per week — fast enough to see results, slow enough to preserve muscle and maintain energy.

Our example: 2,210 − 400 = 1,810 calories/day for fat loss

Don't go below BMR. Extreme deficits (eating less than your basal metabolic rate) tank your energy, metabolism, hormones, and mood. They also cause more muscle loss. Aggressive does not mean effective.

Muscle Gain (Lean Bulk)

Add 200–350 calories above TDEE.

A modest surplus provides the extra energy needed for muscle growth without excessive fat gain. The "dirty bulk" mentality of eating everything in sight is outdated — you'll gain muscle at the same rate with a controlled surplus but accumulate far less fat.

Our example: 2,210 + 250 = 2,460 calories/day for lean bulking

Maintenance

Eat at your TDEE.

Use this after reaching your goal weight, during deload periods, or when you want a mental break from cutting/bulking while maintaining your current physique.

Our example: 2,210 calories/day for maintenance

Body Recomposition (Lose Fat + Build Muscle)

Eat at or slightly below TDEE (0–200 calorie deficit) with high protein.

Recomp works best for beginners, people returning to training after a break, or those who are overweight with limited training experience. It's the slowest approach but the most forgiving — you don't need to commit to a strict cut or bulk.

Our example: 2,210 − 100 = 2,110 calories/day for recomp

Step 3: Set Your Macro Ratios

Now divide those total calories into protein, carbs, and fat. The order matters — set protein first, fat second, carbs last.

Protein: The Priority

Protein is the most important macro to get right, regardless of your goal.

Higher protein during fat loss and recomp protects muscle mass when calories are restricted. During a bulk, you don't need as much because the caloric surplus itself has a muscle-sparing effect.

Our example (150 lb woman, cutting): 150 × 1.0 = 150g protein → 150 × 4 = 600 calories from protein

Fat: The Floor

Dietary fat is essential for hormone production (including testosterone and estrogen), brain function, and nutrient absorption. Don't go too low.

Minimum: 0.3g per lb of body weight (or ~25% of total calories) General range: 25–35% of total calories

Our example: 1,810 × 0.28 = 507 calories from fat → 507 ÷ 9 = ~56g fat

Carbs: The Remainder

Whatever calories are left after protein and fat go to carbs. This isn't because carbs are less important — they're your primary fuel source. It's because protein and fat have minimum thresholds for health, and carbs are the most flexible macro.

Our example:

• Total: 1,810 calories
• Protein: 600 calories
• Fat: 507 calories
• Carbs: 1,810 − 600 − 507 = 703 calories → 703 ÷ 4 = ~176g carbs

The Final Numbers

Our example's cutting macros: 150g protein / 176g carbs / 56g fat (1,810 calories)

Macro Ratios by Goal (Quick Reference)

Here are starting-point macro splits for common goals. These are percentages of total calories:

These are starting points, not prescriptions. Individual preferences, food intolerances, training style, and how your body responds will all influence your ideal split. Some people thrive on higher carbs. Others feel better with more fat. The percentages above are a starting point — you adjust from there.

Complete Worked Examples

Example 1: 180 lb Man, Lean Bulking

• BMR: (10 × 81.6) + (6.25 × 178) − (5 × 25) + 5 = 1,808
• TDEE: 1,808 × 1.55 = 2,802
• Bulk: 2,802 + 300 = 3,102 calories
• Protein: 180 × 0.9 = 162g (648 cal)
• Fat: 3,102 × 0.23 = 713 cal → 79g
• Carbs: 3,102 − 648 − 713 = 1,741 cal → 435g

Macros: 162g protein / 435g carbs / 79g fat

Example 2: 200 lb Man, Cutting

• BMR: (10 × 90.7) + (6.25 × 183) − (5 × 35) + 5 = 1,875
• TDEE: 1,875 × 1.55 = 2,906
• Cut: 2,906 − 450 = 2,456 calories
• Protein: 200 × 1.0 = 200g (800 cal)
• Fat: 2,456 × 0.27 = 663 cal → 74g
• Carbs: 2,456 − 800 − 663 = 993 cal → 248g

Macros: 200g protein / 248g carbs / 74g fat

Example 3: 130 lb Woman, Recomp

• BMR: (10 × 59) + (6.25 × 163) − (5 × 30) − 161 = 1,277
• TDEE: 1,277 × 1.375 = 1,756
• Recomp: 1,756 − 100 = 1,656 calories
• Protein: 130 × 1.1 = 143g (572 cal)
• Fat: 1,656 × 0.30 = 497 cal → 55g
• Carbs: 1,656 − 572 − 497 = 587 cal → 147g

Macros: 143g protein / 147g carbs / 55g fat

How to Skip the Math

If formulas and activity multipliers make your eyes glaze over, you have options. Many apps calculate your macros during onboarding by asking a few simple questions — your age, weight, height, activity level, and goal. You can always fine-tune later, but a good app gives you a research-backed starting point without touching a calculator.

How to Adjust Your Macros Over Time

Setting your macros is step one. Adjusting them based on how your body actually responds is step two — and it's where most people either stall or break through.

The Feedback Loop

Weigh yourself daily (first thing in the morning, after using the bathroom) and take the weekly average. Compare weekly averages, not daily numbers, because daily weight fluctuates based on water, sodium, carb intake, sleep, and stress.

If you're cutting and losing 0.5–1 lb per week: Your macros are working. Don't change anything.

If you're cutting and weight isn't moving after 2–3 weeks: Reduce calories by 100–150 (preferably from carbs or fat, not protein).

If you're bulking and gaining 0.5–1 lb per month: Good pace. Stay the course.

If you're bulking and gaining more than 1 lb per week: Too fast. You're gaining excessive fat. Reduce surplus by 100–200 calories.

When to Recalculate Entirely

• After losing or gaining 10+ lbs (your TDEE has changed)
• After a significant change in activity level (new job, new training program)
• After a long diet break or reverse diet
• If progress has stalled for 3+ weeks despite consistent tracking

Reverse Dieting

After a prolonged cut, don't jump straight back to maintenance or a surplus. Gradually add 50–100 calories per week (primarily from carbs) until you reach your new maintenance level. This helps your metabolism adjust and minimizes fat rebound.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

Setting Protein Too Low

If you're active and your protein target is under 0.7g per pound, it's too low. Bump it up. This is the single most impactful change most people can make.

Slashing Carbs Unnecessarily

Unless you're following a specific low-carb protocol (like keto for medical reasons), don't fear carbs. They fuel your workouts, your brain, and your mood. Cutting carbs too aggressively is the fastest way to feel terrible and hate your diet.

Cutting Fat Too Low

Going below 20% of calories from fat compromises hormone production. For women especially, very low-fat diets can disrupt menstrual cycles and bone health. Keep fat at a minimum of 0.3g per pound.

Copying Someone Else's Macros

The macros that work for your favorite fitness influencer are calibrated to their body, their activity level, their metabolism, and their goals. Even if you share the same stats on paper, your macros should be based on your own calculations and adjusted based on your own body's response.

Ignoring the Data

If you set your macros but never check whether they're working — never weigh yourself, never take progress photos, never notice how your clothes fit — you're flying blind. The whole point of setting specific targets is to create a feedback loop. Use it.

Never Adjusting

Your macros at the start of a 16-week cut shouldn't be the same as your macros at week 12. As you lose weight, your TDEE drops. As you gain muscle, it rises. Static macros in a changing body lead to plateaus.

The 80/20 Rule of Macros

If the precision of macro tracking feels overwhelming, here's the simplified version that captures most of the benefit:

1. Hit your protein target. This is the one number that matters most.
2. Stay within 100 calories of your total calorie target. Don't stress about the exact carb/fat split.
3. Eat mostly whole foods. This naturally keeps your carb and fat ratios reasonable.

Getting Started

1. Calculate your TDEE using the formulas above.
2. Set your calorie target based on your current goal.
3. Divide into macros: protein first, fat second, carbs last.
4. Track for 2–3 weeks and observe your body's response.
5. Adjust based on results, not feelings or impatience.

Your macros are a starting point, not a life sentence. Treat them as a hypothesis about what your body needs, test that hypothesis with consistent tracking, and refine based on the evidence. That's all there is to it.

The best macro split is the one that moves you toward your goal, keeps you energized, and doesn't make you dread mealtimes. Calculate, track, adjust, repeat. That's the whole system.