How it works
Protein and carbohydrate both provide about 4 kcal per gram, while fat provides about 9 kcal per gram — more than double, because fat is a denser energy source. This calculator splits your calorie target across the three by percentage, then divides each share by its own kcal-per-gram figure to land on a gram target.
grams = (calories × share%) ÷ kcal per gram
protein & carbs: 4 kcal/g · fat: 9 kcal/g
The four presets are common starting points, not the only valid splits — "balanced" roughly mirrors general dietary guidelines, "high-protein" and "low-carb" suit many training goals, and "keto" is a specific high-fat, very-low-carb approach some people use for metabolic reasons. None of them is correct for everyone; treat this as a starting ratio to adjust against how you actually feel and perform.
Worked example
A 2,000 kcal/day target on the Balanced split.
- Protein (30%): 2,000 × 0.30 = 600 kcal ÷ 4 = 150 g.
- Carbs (40%): 2,000 × 0.40 = 800 kcal ÷ 4 = 200 g.
- Fat (30%): 2,000 × 0.30 = 600 kcal ÷ 9 = 67 g.
Roughly 150 g protein, 200 g carbs and 67 g fat — check: 600 + 800 + 600 = 2,000 kcal.
Common questions
Which split should I use?
It depends on your goal and what you can sustain. Balanced suits general health, higher protein tends to help with strength training and appetite control, low-carb and keto suit specific goals or medical guidance. There's no single split that's objectively best for everyone.
Why does fat use a different kcal-per-gram figure?
Protein and carbohydrate each provide about 4 kcal per gram; fat provides about 9 kcal per gram because it's a more energy-dense molecule. That's why the same percentage share of calories turns into fewer grams of fat than of protein or carbs.
Where do I get my calorie target from?
The Calorie / TDEE Calculator works out maintenance calories and targets for loss or gain from your age, weight, height and activity level — any of those figures can be typed straight into this calculator.