Your macros aren't broken. They're just wrong for your body.
Personalized Protein & Fat Targets for Carnivore, Keto, Low-Carb & Pescatarian Diets
You've been doing this for weeks, maybe months. Beef and butter, salt and water, all the things the community swears by. And you feel okay. Not great. Not the boundless energy people keep talking about. You're tired by 3pm, your sleep is weird, and the scale has moved exactly four pounds since January.
That's not a willpower problem. That's a math problem.
Here's what I see constantly with carnivore eaters: most people are undereating protein by 20-30g a day and overshooting fat by 40-60g. Not by a lot. 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.
The calculator below takes your body, your goal, and your activity level and gives you actual numbers. Not ranges. Not "eat until full." Numbers you can build a day around. 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
You'll find out your true metabolic baseline, not a generic chart number. Your age, weight, height, and sex determine your lean mass, and lean mass is what actually drives how many calories your body needs. Most people have never had this calculated for them specifically.
Step 2: Set Your Goal & Activity Level
You'll see how your goal changes everything. 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 what you're trying to do, this step alone will show 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 walk away with a daily protein target, a fat target, and a calorie number built for your body specifically. 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
Here's the protocol. Your protein target depends on what you're trying to accomplish. Fat fills the remaining calories. The table below shows research-backed ranges for a 180 lb person with roughly 140 lbs of lean mass.
| Goal | Protein Target | Fat Target | Example (180 lb) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fat Loss | 1.0-1.2g/lb lean mass | Fill remaining calories | 140-168g protein, ~100g fat |
| Muscle Gain | 1.2-1.6g/lb lean mass | Surplus of 300-500 cal | 168-224g protein, ~130g fat |
| Maintenance | 0.8-1.0g/lb lean mass | To satiety | 112-140g protein, ~120g fat |
| Athletic Performance | 1.4-1.8g/lb lean mass | Higher; carb-cycling optional | 196-252g protein, variable fat |
Based on research from Dr. Donald Layman and sports nutrition consensus.
You already ran your macro numbers. Most people close the tab and guess anyway.
Knowing your protein target and your fat target is step one. But step one doesn't tell you what to eat on day 14 when you're tired of ribeye, or what to say when your doctor asks why your LDL went up, or why you feel worse before you feel better. The gap between numbers and results is where most people quit.
The personalized protocol fills that gap with specifics. You get a 30-day meal plan built around your numbers, not a generic template. You get the metabolic roadmap that explains what's actually happening in your body week by week. And you get the adaptation and plateau sections that most people don't find until they've already given up.
- A 30-day meal plan matched to your exact macros, with real food and real variety
- A doctor conversation script so you walk into your next appointment knowing what to say about LDL, electrolytes, and why your labs look different
- A week-by-week adaptation guide plus a plateau protocol if your progress stalls after week 3
It comes with a 30-day guarantee. If you don't find it useful, you get your money back.
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 shows most adults need 1.0-1.6g protein per pound of lean body mass, depending on your goal. Fat loss? Aim higher (1.2-1.6g). Maintenance? 0.8-1.0g works. 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. First, calculate your lean body mass (total weight minus body fat). Set protein based on Dr. Layman's research for your goal. Fat fills the remaining calories. 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 universal, based on lean body mass and your goal. Whether you're strict carnivore or keto with vegetables, the underlying calculations are identical. The calculator doesn't care about diet labels. It gives you the numbers your body actually needs.