How the split is built
Most macro calculators start with percentages. That is backwards: a 40/30/30 split gives a 55 kg woman and a 110 kg man wildly different protein per kilo. We build from the body up:
- Protein first: 1.8 g/kg to maintain or bulk, 2.2 g/kg when cutting. This is the lever that protects muscle.
- Fat second: at least 0.8 g/kg (never below 20% of calories) for hormones, absorption of vitamins and satiety.
- Carbs fill the rest: they fuel training, recovery and your brain. More on hard days, fewer on rest days.
Cut, maintain or lean bulk
The calorie target comes from your TDEE: 20% below for a cut, 10% above for a lean bulk. Both paces are chosen to change body composition without wrecking adherence or piling on fat.
Then stop calculating
The best macro split is the one your weight trend confirms. After two weeks, the only thing that matters is whether you are moving at the rate you wanted. Vitalume compares your logged intake with your smoothed trend every week, adjusts calories and carbs, and keeps protein where it needs to be, then tells you why.