How to Calculate Your Macros for Fat Loss (Step by Step)

If you've ever typed "how many calories should I eat" into Google, you know the answers are all over the place. Here's the simple version I walk my clients through.

Step 1: Estimate your maintenance calories

Your maintenance calories are what you burn in a normal day. The most reliable everyday formula is Mifflin-St Jeor:

• Men: (10 × weight in kg) + (6.25 × height in cm) − (5 × age) + 5
• Women: (10 × weight in kg) + (6.25 × height in cm) − (5 × age) − 161

Then multiply by an activity factor: about 1.2 if you sit most of the day, 1.375 for light activity, 1.55 for moderate training 3–5 days a week, and 1.725 for very active people.

Don't want to do the math? Use my free macro calculator.

Step 2: Create a moderate deficit

For fat loss, start around 15–20% below maintenance. Bigger deficits feel productive for a week, then hunger, low energy and bad sleep hit hard. A moderate deficit is one you can actually stick to, and consistency beats intensity every time.

Step 3: Set protein first

Protein protects muscle while you diet and keeps you full. A good target for most people is 0.7–1 gram per pound of goal body weight. If you're 200 lbs aiming for 170, start around 140–170 g a day.

Step 4: Split the rest between carbs and fat

• Fat: about 25–30% of your calories. Your hormones need it.
• Carbs: whatever is left. Carbs fuel your training, so don't fear them.

Step 5: Track, then adjust

Your numbers are a starting point, not a life sentence. Weigh yourself a few mornings a week and look at the weekly average. If it isn't moving down after two to three weeks, lower calories by about 100–150 a day. If you're losing more than about 1% of your body weight a week, eat a little more.

The part most people miss

The math is the easy part. What actually works is adjusting based on your results, staying consistent on busy weeks, and having someone in your corner when it gets hard. That's exactly what my 1:1 coaching covers: custom macros, biweekly check-ins and adjustments whenever your progress stalls.

This article is general education, not medical advice. Talk to your doctor before starting a new diet, especially if you have a health condition.