How to Calculate Your Macros for Weight Loss

Macros Are the Real Detail Behind Your Calories

Once you know your target daily calories, splitting them into protein, carbohydrates, and fat (your 'macros') determines whether those calories actually support fat loss, muscle retention, and how satisfied you feel — not just the total number.

Step 1: Set Protein First

Protein is the priority macro during weight loss — it preserves lean muscle and is the most filling macronutrient gram-for-gram. A solid target is 1.6-2.2g per kg of body weight per day. For a 70kg person, that's 112-154g of protein.

Step 2: Set a Reasonable Fat Floor

Fat shouldn't drop below roughly 20-25% of total calories — it's essential for hormone production, including hormones that regulate appetite and metabolism. For a 1,800 kcal target, that's a floor of about 40-50g of fat.

Step 3: Fill the Rest with Carbohydrates

Whatever calories remain after protein and fat are accounted for go to carbohydrates — your body's preferred fuel for moderate-to-high intensity training. There's no single 'best' carb percentage; it depends on your training volume and personal preference.

A Real Worked Example

For a 1,800 kcal target with 130g protein (520 kcal) and 50g fat (450 kcal): that leaves 830 kcal for carbs, or about 207g.

Macros Aren't Magic

Hitting your macro targets doesn't override the calorie deficit itself — it's still the deficit that drives weight loss. Macros determine the *quality* of that deficit, not whether it happens at all.

Important Note

These are general population guidelines. Athletes, people with metabolic conditions, or those on medically supervised diets should get individualized macro targets from a registered dietitian rather than relying solely on generic formulas.