Tool 36/54·Planners
Set your daily protein, fat, and carb targets, then build your day meal by meal. Progress bars update instantly.
Enter grams per day, or pick a preset below.
g/day
g/day
g/day
Target calories: 1985 kcal|150g protein · 65g fat · 200g carbs
Browse and add foods to build your daily plan.
Calories Consumed
0
of 1985 target · 1985 remaining
Foods that won't push you over target.
Macro meal planning is one of the most effective strategies for changing body composition. Instead of simply counting calories, you track how much protein, fat, and carbohydrate you eat each day — giving you much finer control over muscle retention, energy levels, and fat loss. Whether your goal is to lose fat, build muscle, or simply maintain a healthy weight, hitting your macro targets consistently gets results.
The 4-9-4 Rule
Each gram of protein and carbohydrate provides 4 calories. Each gram of fat provides 9 calories. Your total daily calories are determined entirely by the sum of your macros. This means adjusting your macro targets automatically adjusts your calorie target — no separate calorie counting required.
Protein is the hardest macro to hit and the most important for body composition. Anchoring every meal around a protein source — chicken, fish, eggs, Greek yogurt, cottage cheese, or a protein shake — makes it far easier to reach your target. A good rule of thumb: aim for 25–40 g of protein per meal. Most people doing well with macro tracking eat 3–4 protein-anchored meals per day. Caloria's app makes it easy to scan foods and see your protein balance in real time.
01
Macros — short for macronutrients — are the three main energy-providing nutrients: protein, fat, and carbohydrates. Protein provides 4 cal/g and supports muscle repair and satiety. Fat provides 9 cal/g and is essential for hormones and brain health. Carbohydrates provide 4 cal/g and are the body's preferred fuel. Tracking macros rather than calories alone gives you better control over body composition, energy levels, and performance.
02
Most research supports 0.7–1.0 g of protein per pound of bodyweight (1.6–2.2 g/kg) for active individuals aiming to maintain or build muscle. Sedentary adults can do well with 0.5–0.7 g/lb. During a calorie deficit, erring toward the higher end of this range helps preserve lean muscle mass. For a 150 lb person, that is roughly 105–150 g of protein per day.
03
A common fat-loss macro split is 40% protein, 30% carbs, and 30% fat. On a 1,600 calorie diet that works out to roughly 160 g protein, 120 g carbs, and 53 g fat. The higher protein helps preserve muscle while in a deficit. Low-carb approaches like keto (75% fat, 20% protein, 5% carbs) can also work but are more restrictive. The best split is the one you can adhere to consistently.
04
Start by setting clear daily targets, then plan meals backward from those numbers. Protein is typically the hardest macro to hit, so anchor each meal around a protein source like chicken, eggs, fish, or Greek yogurt. Fill in carbs around training for energy, and use healthy fats (avocado, olive oil, nuts) to reach your fat target. Tools like this planner and apps like Caloria make it easy to see your balance in real time and adjust before eating.
05
Yes, and many people find a consistent meal rotation much easier to track. Eating similar "base" meals reduces decision fatigue and makes it straightforward to hit targets reliably. That said, rotating protein sources (chicken, fish, beef, legumes) and vegetables ensures you get a broader range of micronutrients. The goal is a plan you can actually follow long-term.
06
Yes, 100% free with no account needed. Set your protein, fat, and carb targets, add foods from the library, and watch your progress bars update instantly. For a full day of meal tracking with accurate barcode scanning and a database of millions of foods, the Caloria app takes it further.