Carnivore Diet Protein Calculator

A Carnivore Diet Protein Calculator estimates your ideal daily protein and fat intake based on your body stats and activity level. Unlike standard macro calculators, it omits carbohydrates entirely and focuses on animal-sourced macros — primarily protein and fat. It uses your BMR (Basal Metabolic Rate) as a foundation to personalize recommendations.

Most carnivore diet practitioners recommend between 0.6 and 1.0 grams of protein per pound of lean body mass. If you're actively trying to build muscle or lose fat, aiming for the higher end is typically better. This calculator provides both a low-end and high-end range to give you flexibility based on your goals.

On a carnivore diet, fat replaces carbohydrates as your primary energy source. Fat intake is typically set to meet your remaining caloric needs after protein is accounted for. Higher fat intake is recommended if you feel low on energy, experience constipation, or are managing an autoimmune condition.

Strict carnivore diet adherents often argue you don't need to count calories because animal foods are highly satiating and naturally regulate appetite. However, understanding your approximate calorie and macro targets can be helpful when starting out or when troubleshooting weight loss plateaus.

The Katch-McArdle formula calculates Basal Metabolic Rate using lean body mass rather than total body weight, making it more accurate than other BMR methods for people who know their body fat percentage. It calculates BMR as: 370 + (21.6 × lean body mass in kg). This calculator uses that value multiplied by your activity factor to determine total daily energy expenditure.

The carnivore diet consists entirely of animal-based foods. This includes beef, pork, lamb, poultry, fish, seafood, eggs, and some dairy products like butter and hard cheeses. All plant foods — including vegetables, fruits, grains, legumes, and nuts — are excluded. The strictest version limits intake to ruminant meat and water only.

Dairy is a gray area on the carnivore diet. Many practitioners allow butter, ghee, and hard aged cheeses since they are low in lactose and casein. Milk, soft cheeses, and cream are more debated. If you have autoimmune concerns or digestive issues, it's often recommended to eliminate dairy initially and reintroduce it gradually.

This calculator estimates ideal body weight using the Devine formula, which is based on height and gender. For males: IBW = 50 kg + 2.3 kg per inch over 5 feet. For females: IBW = 45.5 kg + 2.3 kg per inch over 5 feet. This gives a baseline target weight that is then used to help calibrate your protein and fat recommendations.