Sources & methodology

Last updated: 1 August 2026

This page explains how MacroResolve estimates guided calorie and macronutrient targets, how Balance macros works, where food data comes from, and the important limitations of those estimates.

Guided calorie targets

Guided mode first estimates resting energy expenditure using the rounded form of the Mifflin–St Jeor equation. Weight is measured in kilograms, height in centimetres, and age in years.

Male: 10 × weight + 6.25 × height − 5 × age + 5
Female: 10 × weight + 6.25 × height − 5 × age − 161

MacroResolve then multiplies the estimate by the activity level selected by the user:

• Sedentary: 1.2
• Lightly active: 1.375
• Active: 1.55
• Very active: 1.725
• Athlete: 1.9

Finally, MacroResolve applies its objective adjustment: minus 300 kcal for Lose fat, no adjustment for Maintain, or plus 200 kcal for Gain muscle. Guided results are not set below 1,200 kcal per day. The activity multipliers, objective adjustments, and minimum are application assumptions used to produce a practical starting estimate; they are not a measurement of an individual’s energy expenditure.

Primary equation source: Mifflin MD et al., A new predictive equation for resting energy expenditure in healthy individuals.

Guided macronutrient targets

After estimating calories, Guided mode calculates:

• Protein: approximately 1.6 grams per kilogram of body weight.
• Fat: approximately 25% of the estimated calorie target.
• Carbohydrate: the calories remaining after the protein and fat calculations.

MacroResolve uses the standard approximate energy factors of 4 kcal per gram for protein, 4 kcal per gram for carbohydrate, and 9 kcal per gram for fat. Results are rounded to whole calories and grams.

The 1.6 g/kg protein setting is informed by research in healthy adults undertaking resistance training. It is not an individualised recommendation and may not be suitable for every person.

Custom targets

In Custom mode, the user selects the calorie target and the percentages assigned to protein and fat. Carbohydrate receives the remaining percentage. MacroResolve then converts those percentages to grams using the same approximate 4/4/9 energy factors described above. Custom targets are user choices, not recommendations made by MacroResolve.

Balance macros

Balance macros is a mathematical matching feature. It calculates the difference between the user’s selected daily targets and the food already logged for that day. It then compares those remaining calories and macros with candidate foods available in MacroResolve, including saved meals, custom foods, favourites, and recently used foods, and ranks possible additions by how closely they fit the remaining targets.

The feature does not diagnose a condition, assess allergies or intolerances, evaluate micronutrient adequacy, or produce a complete meal plan. Suggested foods are optional examples based only on the available calorie and macronutrient figures. Users should check the food, serving size, and nutrition values before adding a suggestion.

Food and nutrition data

Food records can come from several sources:

• Browse and text-search nutrition data is primarily provided by the fatsecret Platform API. MacroResolve currently uses the FatSecret U.S. dataset across supported launch markets.
• Barcode lookup checks FatSecret first and may use Open Food Facts as a fallback when FatSecret does not return a usable result.
• Custom-food information is entered by the user and is not independently verified by MacroResolve.

Nutrition data may vary because of serving choices, formulation changes, region, preparation, manufacturer information, source-data limitations, and user entry. Users should compare important values with current product packaging or another authoritative source.

Limitations and safety

• Predictive equations estimate population averages and can differ from an individual’s actual resting or total energy expenditure.
• Activity levels are broad categories and may not reflect actual daily movement, exercise, training load, or changes over time.
• Calorie and macro targets do not account for medical conditions, medications, pregnancy, breastfeeding, allergies, eating-disorder history, or other individual clinical needs.
• A qualified health professional should be consulted before making significant dietary changes or when personal medical or dietary guidance is needed.

References

1. Mifflin MD, St Jeor ST, Hill LA, Scott BJ, Daugherty SA, Koh YO. A new predictive equation for resting energy expenditure in healthy individuals. American Journal of Clinical Nutrition. 1990;51(2):241–247.
2. Morton RW et al. A systematic review, meta-analysis and meta-regression of the effect of protein supplementation on resistance training-induced gains in muscle mass and strength in healthy adults. British Journal of Sports Medicine. 2018;52(6):376–384.
3. Australian Government, National Health and Medical Research Council and New Zealand Ministry of Health. Macronutrient balance — Nutrient Reference Values for Australia and New Zealand.
4. U.S. Department of Agriculture, Food and Nutrition Information Center. Calories per gram of carbohydrate, protein, and fat.
5. fatsecret Platform API. Attribution Policy.
6. Open Food Facts. Open food-products database.

Questions

Questions about these methods can be sent to support@macroresolve.com.