Nutrition advice online is a firehose, but the practical core is small: know roughly how many calories you burn, decide how to split them across protein, carbs, and fat, and make sure protein is high enough. Get those three right and the rest is refinement.
You don’t need an app or a coach to start — three quick calculators here give you the numbers, and this guide explains how they connect.
Step 1 — Find your calories
Everything starts with your Total Daily Energy Expenditure — roughly how many calories you burn in a day. The TDEE calculator estimates it from your size, sex, and activity. Eat around that number to maintain, below it to lose, above it to gain.
Step 2 — Split them into macros
Once you have a calorie target, macros tell you how to fill it. The macro calculator turns your calories into grams of protein, carbs, and fat using a split that fits your goal. A balanced 30/40/30 works for most people; higher protein suits muscle-building.
Step 3 — Anchor on protein
Protein is the macro most people under-eat, and the one that most protects muscle while you lose fat. The protein calculator gives a daily gram range from your weight and goal. Hit that first, then let carbs and fat fill the rest of your calories.
Want to track body composition rather than just weight? The body fat calculator gives a tape-measure estimate you can watch over time.
Common questions
- Do I need to count calories forever?
- No. Most people count for a few weeks to learn portion sizes, then coast on the habits they built.
- How much protein is enough?
- Roughly 1.2–2.2 g per kg of body weight depending on your goal — the protein calculator gives your range.
- Are these calculators exact?
- They’re solid estimates using standard formulas. Use them as starting points and adjust based on real-world results over a few weeks.