Macro Calculator

What are macros?

Macronutrients, or macros, are the three nutrients that give your food its calories: carbohydrates, protein and fat. Each does a different job, and the balance between them affects your energy, hunger and how your body changes.

How are your macros calculated?

• First, work out your daily calorie needs from your BMR (Mifflin-St Jeor equation) and your activity level. Our calorie calculator does this for you.
• Next, adjust that figure for your goal: about 550 kcal less to lose half a kilo a week, or about 275 kcal more to gain a quarter kilo a week. Do not go below 1,200 kcal for women or 1,500 kcal for men without medical advice.
• Finally, split the calories using your diet type and convert each share into grams.

For example, a moderately active 30-year-old man who is 175 cm tall and weighs 70 kg needs about 2,556 kcal a day to maintain his weight. On a balanced diet that is about 320 g of carbohydrates, 128 g of protein and 85 g of fat.

Choosing a diet type

• Balanced suits most people and fits the way many Indian meals are built around grains, dal and vegetables.
• High protein helps you feel full while losing weight and supports muscle gain when paired with strength training.
• Low carb can help some people control appetite or blood sugar, but talk to your doctor first if you have diabetes or take medication.
• Low fat can suit people who prefer more rice, roti and fruit, or who have been advised to limit fat.

The best diet type is the one you can follow for months, not weeks. Total calories matter most for weight change; macros fine-tune how you feel and what the weight you lose or gain is made of.

How much protein do you need?

Indian dietary guidelines recommend about 0.8 g of protein per kg of body weight a day as a minimum for healthy adults. People who exercise regularly, are losing weight or are trying to build muscle often do better with around 1.2 to 2 g per kg.

Many Indian diets are high in grains and low in protein, so the protein target is often the hardest one to hit. Divide your daily protein in grams by your weight in kg to check it against these ranges.

Protein-rich Indian foods

• Dals and pulses: moong, masoor, toor, chana and rajma.
• Dairy: paneer, curd, Greek-style yoghurt and milk.
• Soya: soya chunks, tofu and soya milk.
• Eggs, fish and chicken, if you eat them.
• Sprouts, besan (gram flour) and sattu.
• Nuts and seeds such as peanuts, almonds and pumpkin seeds, in small portions because they are high in fat.

Tips for hitting your macros

• Build each meal around a protein source first, then add grains and vegetables.
• Use a food-tracking app for a couple of weeks to learn what your portions contain.
• Measure cooking oil and ghee: fat adds up quickly at 9 kcal per gram.
• Choose whole grains, millets and vegetables for most of your carbohydrates.
• Aim to be within about 10 g of each target on most days rather than perfect every day.

How accurate is a macro calculator?

Your macros are only as accurate as the calorie estimate they start from, which can be 10% or more off for any one person. Use the numbers as a starting plan, follow them for two or three weeks, and adjust calories if your weight is not moving the way you want.

Frequently asked questions