Calculate Your Daily Protein, Fat, and Calorie Targets
Personalized Protein & Fat Targets for Carnivore, Keto, Low-Carb & Pescatarian Diets
You've been doing this for weeks. Beef and butter, salt and water. And you feel okay. Not great. Not the boundless energy people keep talking about. Tired by 3pm, weird sleep, and the scale barely moved.
That's not a willpower problem. It's a math problem.
Most carnivore eaters are undereating protein by 20-30g a day and overshooting fat by 40-60g. Just enough to keep your body in a holding pattern where it never fully commits to burning fat or building anything. You feel fine but not fixed.
This calculator takes your body, your goal, and your activity level and gives you actual numbers. Not ranges. Not "eat until full." Takes 90 seconds.
"I had a reader message me last month, six weeks into carnivore, convinced she was doing everything right. Turned out she was eating 80g of protein a day. Her target was 130g. She increased it over two weeks and wrote back to say the afternoon crashes were gone. She didn't change what she ate. She changed how much." Sarah, Carnivore Weekly Health Coach
How the Calculator Works
Step 1: Enter Your Stats
Your age, weight, height, and sex determine your metabolic rate, which drives how many calories you need. Not a generic chart number. Your real baseline, calculated using the Mifflin-St Jeor equation.
Step 2: Set Your Goal & Activity Level
Fat loss and muscle gain need completely different protein targets, and activity level shifts your numbers more than most people expect. If you've been eating the same macros for months regardless of your goal, this step shows you why nothing's moving. Whether you're building muscle on carnivore or focused on fat loss, the targets are different.
Step 3: Get Your Personalized Targets
You'll get a daily protein target, fat target, and calorie number built for your body. Most people discover their protein has been off by 20-30g and their fat is way higher than it needs to be. That gap is usually the whole story behind the stall. Want to understand more about breaking through weight loss plateaus? Our wiki breaks it down.
Protein Targets by Goal
Our calculator uses approximately 2g of protein per kilogram of body weight (about 0.9g per pound). This is a well-established baseline that works across goals. The table below shows how your goal shifts the final number, using a 180 lb person as an example.
| Goal | Protein Target | Fat Target | Example (180 lb) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fat Loss | ~0.9g/lb body weight | Fill remaining calories | ~163g protein, ~100g fat |
| Muscle Gain | ~0.9g/lb body weight | Surplus of 300-500 cal | ~163g protein, ~150g fat |
| Maintenance | ~0.9g/lb body weight | To satiety | ~163g protein, ~130g fat |
| Athletic Performance | ~0.9g/lb + activity surplus | Higher; adjust to energy needs | ~163g protein, variable fat |
Protein baseline from the 2g/kg recommendation supported by Dr. Donald Layman's research. Calorie adjustments via Mifflin-St Jeor equation. Your goal changes your calorie target, which shifts the protein-to-fat ratio.
What the Full Carnivore Playbook Includes
Knowing your protein and fat target doesn't tell you what to eat on day 14 when you're tired of ribeye, or what to say when your doctor asks about your LDL. That gap between numbers and results is where most people quit.
- A 30-day meal plan matched to your exact macros
- A doctor conversation script for your next bloodwork appointment
- Week-by-week adaptation guide + plateau protocol
$29 — unlocks at the end of the calculator below.
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Want a printable cheat sheet + 14-day tracker? Grab the bundle on Etsy - $7.99
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the carnivore diet?
The carnivore diet is a meat-based eating approach popularized by Dr. Shawn Baker, author of "The Carnivore Diet," and Dr. Paul Saladino, who wrote "The Carnivore Code." You eat animal products only: beef, pork, chicken, fish, eggs, and some dairy. No vegetables, fruits, or grains. Many carnivore followers eat nose-to-tail, including organ meats like liver for maximum nutrients.
How much protein do I need on carnivore?
Dr. Donald Layman's research supports roughly 2g of protein per kilogram of body weight (about 0.9g per pound) as a strong baseline for most adults. Fat loss? You'll need that protein to preserve muscle while cutting calories. Maintenance? The same baseline keeps you covered. Most people undereat protein by 20-30g daily. Apps like Cronometer can help you track if you're hitting your target. Our calculator figures out your personalized number in 90 seconds.
How do I calculate carnivore macros?
The standard approach uses the Mifflin-St Jeor equation to estimate your base metabolism, then adjusts for activity. Protein is set at roughly 2g per kilogram of your body weight. Fat fills the remaining calories. Your goal (fat loss, maintenance, or muscle gain) determines the calorie target, which shifts how much fat you eat. Our free calculator handles this math automatically. If you want to track manually, Cronometer makes it simple.
Do I need to track calories on carnivore?
Not always. The r/carnivore community on Reddit shows many people thrive eating to satiety without tracking. But tracking helps if you've stalled, want muscle gain, or feel exhausted. Apps like Cronometer or MyFitnessPal make it painless. I'd say: try intuitive eating for 30 days first. If results stall, knowing your numbers removes the guesswork.
What's the difference between carnivore and keto?
Keto allows 20-50g carbs from vegetables, nuts, and low-carb foods. Carnivore eliminates all plants. Dr. Ken Berry, a popular keto advocate, often discusses both approaches. Dr. Shawn Baker focuses strictly on carnivore. Both achieve ketosis, but carnivore is simpler: just meat, eggs, and animal products. Carnivore also tends to prioritize higher protein than traditional keto.
Is the carnivore calculator free?
Yes, completely free. No email, no signup, no waiting. You get your protein target, fat target, and daily calories the moment you finish the three steps. The $29 upgrade unlocks your full personalized protocol inside the calculator. It includes a 30-day meal plan built to your exact macros, a doctor conversation script for when your bloodwork raises questions, and a week-by-week adaptation guide plus plateau protocol. If you've ever nodded along to cholesterol advice you weren't sure applied to you, that script alone is worth it. But the free version gives you exactly what you need to start.
Can I use this calculator for keto or low-carb diets?
Absolutely. This works for keto, carnivore, pescatarian, or what Dr. Paul Saladino calls "animal-based" eating. The protein math is the same across all diets: roughly 2g per kilogram of body weight. What changes is the food list and carb allowance. Carnivore keeps carbs at zero. Keto allows 20-50g from low-carb vegetables. The calculator adjusts automatically based on which diet you select.
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