Macro & TDEE calculator
This calculator estimates your daily calories from the Mifflin-St Jeor equation and your activity level, then splits them into protein, carbs and fat for your goal — losing fat, maintaining, or building muscle. Enter your details below.
Estimates based on the Mifflin-St Jeor equation. Adjust by ±10% after 2–3 weeks based on your real weight trend.
How your numbers are built
- BMR — the calories you'd burn at complete rest, from Mifflin-St Jeor: (10 × kg) + (6.25 × cm) − (5 × age) + s (s = +5 for men, −161 for women).
- TDEE — your BMR multiplied by an activity factor (1.2 sedentary up to 1.9 very active).
- Target — your TDEE adjusted for your goal (−20% to cut, +10% to build), then split into protein (≈2 g/kg), fat (≈25% of calories) and carbs (the remainder).
Frequently asked questions
What are macros?
Macros (macronutrients) are the three nutrients that supply calories: protein (4 kcal/g), carbohydrates (4 kcal/g) and fat (9 kcal/g). Hitting a calorie target while getting enough protein is what drives fat loss or muscle gain, so most plans set a target for each macro rather than calories alone.
What is TDEE and how is it calculated?
TDEE (Total Daily Energy Expenditure) is the total calories you burn in a day. This calculator estimates your BMR with the Mifflin-St Jeor equation, then multiplies it by an activity factor (1.2 sedentary up to 1.9 very active) to get TDEE. Eating at your TDEE maintains weight; below it loses fat; above it builds mass.
How much protein should I eat?
For building or keeping muscle, aim for roughly 1.6–2.2 g of protein per kg of bodyweight per day. This calculator uses about 2.0 g/kg (2.2 g/kg when cutting, to better protect muscle in a deficit). The rest of your calories are split between fat (~25%) and carbohydrates.
How do I set macros for cutting or bulking?
To lose fat, eat below your TDEE — this tool applies a ~20% deficit. To build muscle, eat slightly above — a ~10% surplus (a 'lean bulk') limits fat gain. Keep protein high in both cases and adjust carbs and fat to hit your calorie target.
How accurate is the result?
Equations give a solid starting point, but real-world burn varies by person. Track your weight for 2–3 weeks: if it isn't trending the way you want, adjust calories by about ±10% and recheck. Plyko's adaptive macros do this automatically from your logged weight trend.
Let your macros adapt automatically
Plyko tracks your meals and weight, then nudges your calorie target from your real trend — no re-running the math every few weeks. Free on iOS and Android, with AI photo logging.