Calorie and macro calculator
Your maintenance calories, your calories for your goal and your protein / carb / fat split, with the same method as the PrimeFeat app.
How it works
- Resting metabolism: Mifflin-St Jeor equation (10 × weight + 6.25 × height − 5 × age, +5 for men, −161 for women).
- Maintenance: resting metabolism × activity factor (1.2 for 0 to 1 workout a week, 1.375 up to 3, 1.55 up to 5, 1.725 for 6, 1.9 above).
- Goal: +300 kcal to build muscle, −400 kcal to lose weight.
- Macros: protein 2 g/kg (2.5 g/kg when losing weight), fat 25% of calories, carbs for the rest.
These are starting estimates: your weight over 2 to 3 weeks tells you whether your real expenditure is higher or lower. In the app, PrimeFeat recalculates your real expenditure from your food log and your weight.
FAQ
How many calories do I need to build muscle?
About 300 kcal above your maintenance, with 2 g of protein per kg of body weight and regular strength training. Adjust after 2 to 3 weeks based on how your weight moves.
How many calories to lose fat without losing muscle?
A moderate deficit of about 400 kcal a day, higher protein (about 2.5 g/kg) and keeping up your strength training to preserve muscle.
How is maintenance (TDEE) calculated?
Resting energy expenditure is estimated with the Mifflin-St Jeor equation (weight, height, age, sex), then multiplied by an activity factor from 1.2 to 1.9 depending on your weekly sessions.
Open the app → Download on the App Store
Sources
- Mifflin MD, St Jeor ST, et al. A new predictive equation for resting energy expenditure in healthy individuals. Am J Clin Nutr. 1990;51(2):241-247. doi.org/10.1093/ajcn/51.2.241
- FAO/WHO/UNU. Human energy requirements. Rome; 2004. www.fao.org/4/y5686e/y5686e00.htm
- Jäger R, Kerksick CM, et al. ISSN Position Stand: protein and exercise. J Int Soc Sports Nutr. 2017;14:20. doi.org/10.1186/s12970-017-0177-8
- Helms ER, Zinn C, et al. Dietary protein during caloric restriction in resistance trained lean athletes. Int J Sport Nutr Exerc Metab. 2014;24(2):127-138. doi.org/10.1123/ijsnem.2013-0054
General estimate, not medical advice. If you have a medical condition, are pregnant or have an eating disorder, talk to a health professional.