Cutting Macro Calculator

How the cutting target is built

Two steps. First the calorie adjustment: your entered maintenance figure is changed by −20% for a deficit. Then the split: 40% protein / 35% carb / 25% fat, converted to grams at 4 kcal/g for protein and carbs and 9 kcal/g for fat, and divided by your meals-per-day for the per-meal figures.

Worked example

Maintenance 2,500 kcal → cutting target 2,000 kcal. High-protein split: protein 2,000 × 0.40 ÷ 4 = 200 g, carbs 2,000 × 0.35 ÷ 4 = 175 g, fat 2,000 × 0.25 ÷ 9 = 56 g. Across 4 meals: 50 g protein, 44 g carb, 14 g fat each.

Why this split for this goal

Protein goes up in a deficit for two reasons: it blunts muscle loss when energy is scarce, and it is the most filling macro per calorie, which makes the deficit easier to hold. Aim for at least 1.8–2.2 g per kg of bodyweight — if the gram figure above is below that, lower carbs or fat a little and add the difference to protein. Fat is kept at 25% (roughly 0.5–0.8 g/kg) so hormones and vitamin absorption are covered; carbs take the rest and fuel training.

The other goals

• Bulking — Muscle gain — balanced split, calories 10% above maintenance.
• Maintenance — Hold weight — balanced split at maintenance calories.
• Keto — Very low carb — ~5% of calories from carbs, at maintenance.
• Body recomposition — Lose fat and gain muscle at once — high protein, a slight 5% deficit.

The plain macro calculator lets you pick any split by hand. Get your calorie number first with the TDEE calculator or the calorie calculator, and check your protein target against your bodyweight from the BMI or body fat calculators.