What Should My Macros Be for Weight Loss, Muscle Gain, or Maintenance?

Your ideal macros depend on your goal, body weight, and activity level — but as a starting point, most people should set protein at 1.6–2.2 g/kg of body weight first, fat at a minimum of 0.8–1.0 g/kg, and fill remaining calories with carbohydrates. This "protein-first" approach is supported by decades of research and works across weight loss, muscle gain, maintenance, and body recomposition. The tables below give you specific numbers for each goal so you can stop guessing.

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Recommended Macros by Goal

The following table shows evidence-based macro ranges for four common goals. Protein is given in grams per kilogram of body weight; carbs and fat are expressed as percentages of total calories.

Goal	Protein (g/kg)	Fat (% of calories)	Carbs (% of calories)	Calorie Adjustment	Key Priority
Weight loss	1.8–2.4	25–35%	30–45%	-300 to -500 kcal deficit	Preserve muscle, maximize satiety
Muscle gain	1.6–2.2	20–30%	40–55%	+200 to +350 kcal surplus	Fuel training, support MPS
Maintenance	1.4–2.0	25–35%	40–50%	TDEE (no adjustment)	Sustain body composition
Body recomposition	2.0–2.6	25–30%	30–40%	TDEE to slight deficit (-100 to -200 kcal)	High protein, progressive overload

Sources: ISSN Position Stand on Diets and Body Composition (Aragon et al., 2017); Phillips & Van Loon, 2011; Helms et al., 2014 (JISSN).

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Worked Example: A 75 kg Person's Macros for Each Goal

Abstract percentages are hard to act on. Here is what the numbers look like for a 75 kg individual with moderate activity (TDEE of approximately 2,400 kcal).

Goal	Calories	Protein (g)	Fat (g)	Carbs (g)
Weight loss (-400 kcal)	2,000	150 (2.0 g/kg)	67 (30%)	183 (37%)
Muscle gain (+300 kcal)	2,700	150 (2.0 g/kg)	75 (25%)	338 (50%)
Maintenance	2,400	135 (1.8 g/kg)	73 (27%)	293 (49%)
Body recomposition (-150 kcal)	2,250	173 (2.3 g/kg)	63 (25%)	236 (42%)

Notice that protein stays high across all four goals. The main lever is carbohydrates — they decrease during a deficit and increase during a surplus. Fat stays relatively constant because it supports hormone production, brain function, and the absorption of fat-soluble vitamins (A, D, E, K).

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The Protein Priority Hierarchy

Calculating macros becomes much simpler when you follow this order:

1. Set protein first. This is the only macro with a strong physiological minimum for body composition. Use 1.8–2.2 g/kg for most goals.
2. Set fat at a healthy minimum. Below 0.7 g/kg, hormonal health (particularly testosterone and estrogen production) can be compromised. Aim for 0.8–1.2 g/kg or 25–35% of total calories.
3. Fill the rest with carbohydrates. Carbs are performance fuel. Active individuals and those doing resistance training benefit from keeping carbs as high as the calorie budget allows after protein and fat are set.

This hierarchy explains why two people at the same body weight with different calorie targets end up with very different carb intakes but similar protein and fat numbers. Nutrola's AI Diet Assistant follows this exact hierarchy when calculating your personalized macros — protein is always anchored first.

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Common Macro Splits Explained

You will see macro splits written as protein/carbs/fat percentages. Here is what the most popular ones mean and who they suit best.

Macro Split (P/C/F)	Common Name	Best For	Notes
30/40/30	Balanced	General fitness, maintenance	Moderate across all macros; good default
40/30/30	High-protein balanced	Weight loss, body recomp	Prioritizes satiety and muscle preservation
30/50/20	High-carb performance	Endurance athletes, high-volume training	Fuels glycogen; may be too low in fat for some
40/20/40	High-protein low-carb	Keto-adjacent, sedentary weight loss	Very low carb; difficult to sustain for active people
35/45/20	Moderate high-carb	Muscle gain during a surplus	Keeps protein solid with ample carb fuel
25/50/25	Standard athletic	Team sport athletes, CrossFit	High carb ceiling for glycogen replenishment

The problem with percentage-based splits is that they shift absolute grams when calories change. A 30% protein target at 1,800 calories gives 135g, but at 2,800 calories it gives 210g — an unnecessary amount for most people. This is why setting protein as a fixed gram target (g/kg) is more reliable. Nutrola calculates macros using absolute grams based on your body weight, not arbitrary percentages, and adjusts them as your weight and goals change.

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Your Macros by Body Weight: 55 kg to 100 kg

The tables below calculate specific macro targets in grams for each goal at body weights from 55 kg to 100 kg. All assume moderate activity (TDEE estimated via Mifflin-St Jeor equation with an activity multiplier of 1.55).

Weight Loss Macros (deficit of 400 kcal, protein at 2.0 g/kg, fat at 30%)

Body Weight	Est. TDEE	Target Calories	Protein (g)	Fat (g)	Carbs (g)
55 kg	1,850	1,450	110	48	137
60 kg	1,970	1,570	120	52	145
65 kg	2,090	1,690	130	56	155
70 kg	2,210	1,810	140	60	170
75 kg	2,400	2,000	150	67	183
80 kg	2,520	2,120	160	71	194
85 kg	2,640	2,240	170	75	203
90 kg	2,760	2,360	180	79	215
95 kg	2,880	2,480	190	83	225
100 kg	3,000	2,600	200	87	238

Muscle Gain Macros (surplus of 300 kcal, protein at 2.0 g/kg, fat at 25%)

Body Weight	Est. TDEE	Target Calories	Protein (g)	Fat (g)	Carbs (g)
55 kg	1,850	2,150	110	60	260
60 kg	1,970	2,270	120	63	271
65 kg	2,090	2,390	130	66	283
70 kg	2,210	2,510	140	70	295
75 kg	2,400	2,700	150	75	338
80 kg	2,520	2,820	160	78	347
85 kg	2,640	2,940	170	82	355
90 kg	2,760	3,060	180	85	366
95 kg	2,880	3,180	190	88	378
100 kg	3,000	3,300	200	92	390

Maintenance Macros (TDEE, protein at 1.8 g/kg, fat at 27%)

Body Weight	Target Calories (TDEE)	Protein (g)	Fat (g)	Carbs (g)
55 kg	1,850	99	56	220
60 kg	1,970	108	59	234
65 kg	2,090	117	63	248
70 kg	2,210	126	66	263
75 kg	2,400	135	72	293
80 kg	2,520	144	76	305
85 kg	2,640	153	79	320
90 kg	2,760	162	83	335
95 kg	2,880	171	86	350
100 kg	3,000	180	90	363

These are starting points, not fixed rules. Your actual needs depend on training volume, body fat percentage, metabolic adaptation, and food preferences. Nutrola's AI Diet Assistant uses your logged food data, body weight trends, and activity sync from Apple Health or Google Fit to refine these numbers weekly rather than relying on a one-time calculation.

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Why Generic Macro Calculators Get It Wrong

Most online macro calculators ask for your weight, height, age, and activity level, then output a single set of numbers. Here is what they miss:

Factor	What Calculators Miss	Why It Matters
Body composition	A 90 kg person at 15% body fat needs different macros than a 90 kg person at 35%	Lean mass drives protein needs and TDEE
Training type and volume	"Moderate activity" covers everything from 3 sessions to 6 sessions per week	Carb needs vary dramatically with training volume
Metabolic adaptation	Your TDEE decreases as you diet — sometimes by 10–15% beyond the predicted deficit	Static calculators never update
Food preferences	Some people sustain high-carb diets easily; others perform better with higher fat	Adherence is the strongest predictor of results
Progress data	A calculator gives you Day 1 numbers; it cannot adjust for Week 8 reality	Macros should be iterative, not static

Nutrola solves these limitations by continuously recalculating. As you log meals and your weight trends change, the AI Diet Assistant detects whether your rate of loss or gain matches your target and suggests macro adjustments. This turns static numbers into a dynamic system — no spreadsheet required.

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How to Set Your Macros in Nutrola

1. Enter your goal (weight loss, muscle gain, maintenance, or body recomposition) during onboarding.
2. Input your stats: body weight, height, age, and activity level. Nutrola estimates your TDEE using the Mifflin-St Jeor equation and applies the protein priority hierarchy.
3. Review your macro targets: protein in grams, fat in grams, carbs in grams — not vague percentages.
4. Start logging: use AI photo recognition, voice logging, or barcode scanning (95%+ accuracy) to track meals against your macro targets.
5. Let the AI adjust: the AI Diet Assistant monitors your weekly progress and suggests recalibrations if your weight trend deviates from your goal.

Nutrola starts at €2.5/month with a 3-day free trial. Every plan is ad-free, and all macro data is powered by a 100% nutritionist-verified food database.

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FAQ

What is the best macro split for weight loss?

A macro split of roughly 35–40% protein, 30–40% carbs, and 25–30% fat works well for most people during weight loss. However, setting protein as a fixed target of 1.8–2.4 g/kg of body weight is more reliable than using percentages, since percentages shift as your calorie target changes. Nutrola calculates your macros in absolute grams based on your body weight and adjusts them as you lose weight.

How do I calculate my macros for muscle gain?

Start with protein at 1.6–2.2 g/kg of body weight, set fat at 25% of total calories, and fill the rest with carbs. Add a caloric surplus of 200–350 kcal above your TDEE. For a 75 kg person at a TDEE of 2,400 kcal, that means roughly 150g protein, 75g fat, and 338g carbs at 2,700 calories. Nutrola's AI Diet Assistant can generate these numbers for you and adjust them based on your weekly weigh-in trends.

Should I track macros or just calories?

Tracking macros is significantly more effective if your goals include preserving muscle, improving body composition, or optimizing performance. A calorie-only approach ignores whether those calories come from protein (which preserves muscle) or refined carbs (which do not). Research by Longland et al. (2016) showed that subjects eating the same calories but with higher protein lost more fat and gained more lean mass. Nutrola tracks both calories and macros simultaneously with every logged meal.

What macros should I eat for body recomposition?

Body recomposition — losing fat while gaining muscle — requires the highest protein intake of any goal: 2.0–2.6 g/kg of body weight. Keep calories at or slightly below TDEE (a deficit of 100–200 kcal), set fat at 25–30%, and fill the rest with carbs. This strategy works best for beginners, people returning to training, and those with higher body fat percentages. Nutrola's AI Diet Assistant is particularly useful here because it tracks your weight trend to verify that recomp is actually happening.

Do my macros change as I lose weight?

Yes. As your body weight decreases, both your TDEE and your absolute protein target (in grams) decrease. A person who starts at 90 kg with a protein target of 180g (2.0 g/kg) and drops to 80 kg should adjust to 160g. Most people forget to recalculate, which leads to plateaus. Nutrola automatically recalculates your macro targets whenever you update your weight, and the AI Diet Assistant flags when an adjustment is needed based on your progress data.

Is 40/30/30 a good macro split for everyone?

The 40/30/30 split (protein/carbs/fat) is a solid starting point for weight loss and body recomposition because it keeps protein high for satiety and muscle preservation. However, it may provide too little carbohydrate for high-volume athletes or endurance trainees who need glycogen. For muscle gain, a split closer to 30/50/20 fuels training better. Rather than locking into a fixed ratio, Nutrola sets your macros in grams based on your body weight and goal, then adjusts dynamically as your needs evolve.