Keto Macro Calculator
Work out a starting point for your daily macros, then see which recipes actually fit them.
What this is, and what it is not
These are population level planning estimates, not measurements of your metabolism and not medical advice. Energy needs are worked out with the Mifflin St Jeor equation, or the Katch McArdle equation when you supply a body fat figure, then adjusted for how active you are and for your goal.
Protein is set from estimated lean body mass at 2 grams per kilogram, net carbs are whatever you choose, and fat takes the remaining energy. Two people with identical numbers can still need different amounts, so treat this as a starting point and adjust from how you actually feel.
The calculator will not return a target below 1,000 calories a day. The NIDDK Body Weight Planner flags goals under that as too low, and a plan that low needs a doctor or a registered dietitian, not a web page.
Keto macro questions
How accurate is this?
It is an estimate, not a measurement. The equations behind it predict energy needs for a population, and two people with identical height, weight, age and activity can still differ by several hundred calories a day. Use it as a starting point and adjust from how you actually feel and what the scale does over a few weeks.
Why is my protein so high?
Protein is set from your estimated lean body mass rather than your total weight, at 2 grams per kilogram. That protects muscle while you are losing fat, and it is the figure most people are surprised by. If you gave a body fat percentage the estimate is more direct; without one we assume 25 per cent.
Why does it not use 70 percent fat?
Because a percentage is a result, not a target. Protein comes from your lean mass, carbs are the number you choose, and fat takes whatever energy is left. The percentages fall out of that, and they will not always land on the ratios you see quoted elsewhere.
How many net carbs should I pick?
Twenty grams a day is the usual starting point for getting into ketosis, and it is what the calculator defaults to. Some people hold ketosis comfortably at thirty or more, particularly if they are very active. Start at twenty, and raise it only once things are steady.
Why will it not give me a lower number?
It refuses to return a target under 1,000 calories a day. The NIDDK Body Weight Planner treats goals below that as too low to plan unsupervised, and a plan that aggressive needs a doctor or a registered dietitian rather than a web page.