Macronutrient Calculator for Runners

Calculate Your Optimal Daily Protein, Carbohydrate, and Fat Needs for Running

This calculator is designed based on the latest sport science research on optimal daily intakes of protein, carbohydrates, and fats for running performance.

Macronutrient Calculator for Runners

Fat Preference:

How to use the calculator

To use the calculator, you need to know two things:

  1. Your body mass in pounds
  2. Your daily maintenance calorie amount — the number of calories required to maintain your body mass.

If you do not know this amount, use a food tracker to monitor your intake for 10 days. Eat as you normally would (without aiming to gain or lose weight), then average your daily calorie intake over the 10 days.

Note that there's a range of acceptable fat values, 20-30%. You have the choice depending on your dietary preference. However, I recommend going on the higher end (25-30%) if you have a low daily energy expendature (<1800 kcals) simply because 20% of <1800 kcals is only <380 kcals of fat which is fairly low for most people. Also note, this calculator is designed for endurance-trained individuals. If you have a high body fat percentage (i.e., you are overweight), the protein requirements may be too high for you, as they are calculated based on athlete studies.

How the calculator works

  • Protein is set at 0.82 grams per pound of body mass per day (1.8 g/kg/day).
  • Fat is set at 20–30% of total daily calories.
  • Carbohydrate intake makes up the remainder, typically ranging from 1.8 to 3.8 g per pound of body mass per day (4–8 g/kg/day) for most individuals.

    This approach ensures optimal protein consumption for recovery, adequate fat intake for health and energy, and a high carbohydrate intake, which is necessary for replenishing muscle glycogen between training sessions.

The science behind the calculator

This calculator is based on numerous sport science research papers on protein and carbohydrate requirements for running performance and recovery. If you are interested in the research supporting the protein requirements used in this calculator, read our blog article 'How much protein do runners need?'.

I am currently working on the supporting articles for the carbohydrate and fat values. Once completed, they will be linked here also. For now, the research used is listed below in the references section.

Joe Clark, co-owner of Thrive Protein Canada.

About the author

Joe is a certified personal trainer, strength and conditioning coach, and nutrition coach. He holds a Bachelor of Science with Honours in Sport and Exercise Science, graduating with First Class standing. During his studies, Joe focused on human physiology and performance, and he applies this knowledge of exercise science to his work with Thrive. He is the co-founder of Thrive Protein, a Canadian family-run supplement company focused on clean, scientifically backed nutrition products — including protein powders, greens, and electrolytes.

References

PROTEIN

Houltham, S. D., & Rowlands, D. S. (2014). A snapshot of nitrogen balance in endurance-trained women. Applied physiology, nutrition, and metabolism = Physiologie appliquee, nutrition et metabolisme,39(2), 219–225. Link

Kato, H., Suzuki, K., Bannai, M., & Moore, D. R. (2016). Protein Requirements Are Elevated in Endurance Athletes after Exercise as Determined by the Indicator Amino Acid Oxidation Method.PloS one,11(6), e0157406. Link

Williamson, E., Fung, H. J. W., Adams, C., West, D. W. D., & Moore, D. R. (2023). Protein Requirements Are Increased in Endurance-Trained Athletes but Similar between Females and Males during Postexercise Recovery.Medicine and science in sports and exercise,55(10), 1866–1875. Link

CARBOHYDRATE AND FAT

McArdle, W. D., Katch, F. I., & Katch, V. L. (2015). Exercise physiology : nutrition, energy, and human performance(8th ed). Wolters Kluwer Health/Lippincott Williams & Wilkins.

Jeukendrup, Asker. (2003). High-carbohydrate versus high-fat diets in endurance sports. Schweizerische Zeitschrift fur Sportmedizin und Sporttraumatologie. 51. Link

Thomas, D. T., Erdman, K. A., & Burke, L. M. (2016). Position of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, Dietitians of Canada, and the American College of Sports Medicine: Nutrition and Athletic Performance.Journal of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics,116(3), 501–528. Link

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