Daily calorie and macronutrient calculator

It combines the energy expenditure calculation with your goal and turns the result into grams of each macronutrient.

That second part is usually what is missing: knowing the calories is not enough if you do not know how to split them.

Basal metabolic rate is calculated, multiplied by the activity factor and adjusted for your goal. Protein is then set per kilo of body weight, fat at 25% of calories, and the remainder goes to carbohydrates.

An aggressive deficit is paid for in muscle

Cutting calories hard speeds up weight loss, but much of what is lost stops being fat. A moderate deficit, around twenty per cent of expenditure, alongside sufficient protein and some strength training, preserves lean mass far better. Losing fast and losing well are not the same thing.

Weight does not fall in a straight line

Water retention masks progress for days or weeks: changes in sodium, in carbohydrates, in the menstrual cycle or simply an intense workout move the scale by several kilos without any change in fat. That is why the weekly average matters more than the daily reading.

Labels carry a margin of error

Regulations allow a considerable tolerance between declared and actual content, and calorie estimation methods have their own margins. Added to the error in estimating your expenditure, calorie counting gives a useful order of magnitude rather than an exact figure.

This does not replace a professional

Any eating plan should be adapted to your situation, your blood work and any existing conditions. Where there is illness, pregnancy, breastfeeding, disordered eating or medication, consulting a doctor or registered dietitian is not optional.