Updated
Carb Cycling Calculator for Coaches (Weekly Macro Plan)
Enter a maintenance estimate, then choose the daily deficit or surplus, protein, fat and carbohydrate allocation. The calculator preserves the weekly calorie target. Defaults are examples, not recommendations.
Estimates for planning, not medical advice.
Use the calculator
Estimates for planning, not medical advice. Inputs stay in this browser and are not saved or sent to an AI service.
Method and assumptions
Target = maintenance + daily adjustment. Protein and fat stay constant on each active day. Weekly carbohydrate grams = (target − protein × 4 − fat × 9) × 7 ÷ 4. Allocate that pool by the three shares, then divide each allocation by the number of that type of day.
Days must total seven and shares must total 100%. A zero-day type needs a zero share. ‘High’, ‘medium’ and ‘low’ are your labels; check that your chosen allocation actually produces the ordering you intend. Display values round to two decimals; calculations keep full precision.
Optional maintenance estimate: Mifflin-St Jeor resting estimate × a factor you enter. Mifflin MD et al., Am J Clin Nutr 1990;51(2):241–247 (PubMed), citation checked 9 October 2026. Weight is converted from lb using 0.45359237 and height from inches using 2.54. The activity factor is a separate assumption, not part of the equation.
Worked example with default inputs
- Maintenance input method
- direct
- Maintenance calories (kcal/day)
- 2400
- Body weight
- 80
- Weight unit
- kg
- Daily calorie adjustment (negative = deficit)
- -200
- Protein grams per selected body-weight unit (example)
- 1.8
- Protein rate: grams per
- kg
- Fat grams per day
- 70
- High days
- 2
- Medium days
- 3
- Low days
- 2
- High days: share of weekly carbohydrate (%)
- 50
- Medium days: share of weekly carbohydrate (%)
- 35
- Low days: share of weekly carbohydrate (%)
- 15
Maintenance input: 2400 kcal/day. Target and weekly average: 2200 kcal/day. Weekly total: 15400 kcal. Display rounding can cause small differences when you add displayed values.
| Day type | Days | kcal/day | Protein g | Carbs g | Fat g |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| High | 2 | 2945.5 | 144 | 434.88 | 70 |
| Medium | 3 | 2017.77 | 144 | 202.94 | 70 |
| Low | 2 | 1727.85 | 144 | 130.46 | 70 |
Related resources
Frequently asked questions
Does carb cycling change the weekly calorie target?
Not in this calculator. It redistributes carbohydrate across the chosen day types while keeping the weekly total equal to seven times the target.
What do the percentages mean?
They allocate the whole week's carbohydrate grams to each day type, not a percentage of each day's calories. The allocation is divided equally among that type's days.
Are these inputs recommendations?
No. The defaults are arithmetic examples. Review suitability and nutrition decisions with an appropriately qualified professional.