How it works
Protein is set by body weight, because that's how protein needs are usually expressed. Fat is a share of your calories. Carbs get whatever calories are left. Protein and carbs have 4 kcal per gram, fat has 9.
The presets
- Balanced: 1.2 g protein per kg, 30% fat.
- High protein: 1.6 g per kg, 25% fat. A common target for people who train regularly or are losing weight and want to keep muscle.
- Lower carb: 1.6 g per kg, 40% fat.
Healthy ranges
The US Institute of Medicine's acceptable ranges for adults are 10-35% of calories from protein, 20-35% from fat and 45-65% from carbs. The tool flags any split that falls outside them; lower-carb diets do by design.
