ONELIFE
TDEE & Macro Calculator • Designed for women in hormonal transition •
onefitlife.co.uk
About you
Weight — enter in any one field
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OR
Height — enter in any one field
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Activity level
1–3 light sessions per week — walks, yoga, light gym. Mainly desk-based day.
Goal
Fat loss−500 kcal
A meaningful deficit for faster fat loss. Use with caution — aggressive cuts raise cortisol, accelerate muscle loss, and can worsen sleep and belly fat during hormonal transition. Short-term use only.
Gentle deficit−250 kcal
The sweet spot for most clients. Steady fat loss while protecting muscle and keeping hormonal stress low. Research supports smaller deficits for women at any stage of hormonal transition.
Maintenance0
Eating at TDEE — ideal for body recomposition, supporting hormonal balance, energy, and sleep. Often more powerful than a deficit for women in this phase.
Muscle building+200 kcal
A small surplus to support muscle adaptation alongside strength training. Especially important post-menopause, when maintaining muscle mass is a critical health and longevity marker.
Enter any custom deficit (e.g. –350) or surplus (e.g. +150) to override the presets above.
Your results
BMR
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kcal / day
TDEE
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kcal / day
Daily target
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kcal / day
Weekly calories
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kcal / week
BMI
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Safety floor applied. The deficit you’ve entered would bring your daily calories below 1,100 kcal — the minimum safe threshold for women. Going below this level risks nutrient deficiency, accelerated muscle loss, metabolic adaptation, and worsened hormonal symptoms. Your daily target has been set to 1,100 kcal. To increase your rate of fat loss, consider increasing your activity level rather than reducing calories further. Always review large deficits with a qualified professional.
How to set your macros — evidence guide
Protein Start: 1.6g/kg → max: 2.5g/kg
Protein is the highest priority macro during hormonal transition. Oestrogen decline accelerates muscle breakdown, so dietary protein becomes essential for preservation. Start at 1.6g per kg of bodyweight — the minimum threshold supported by research for muscle protein synthesis in women over 40. If actively strength training 3+ sessions per week, move towards 2.0–2.2g/kg. Women who are post-menopausal or in a calorie deficit benefit most from the higher end, up to 2.5g/kg. Higher protein also improves satiety — a practical bonus when in a deficit.
Fat Min: 25% | Recommended: 30–35% | Max: 40%
Dietary fat is non-negotiable for hormonal health. Oestrogen, progesterone, and cortisol are all fat-derived hormones — cutting fat too low actively worsens symptoms. Never drop below 25% of total calories from fat. For women in perimenopause and menopause, 30–35% is the evidence-backed sweet spot, prioritising unsaturated fats from oily fish, avocado, nuts, seeds, and olive oil. The advisory maximum is around 40% — above this, carbohydrates fall too low to support training and cortisol management. Keep saturated fat under 10% of total calories.
Carbohydrates Remainder after protein + fat | Aim: >100g minimum
Carbohydrates are calculated from what remains — but that doesn’t make them unimportant. They are the primary fuel for training, brain function, and thyroid health. Cutting them too low raises cortisol, disrupts sleep, and can blunt the hormonal benefits of exercise. If your carbs fall below 100g per day, reduce your fat % slightly to free up more room. Prioritise complex, low-GI sources — oats, sweet potato, quinoa, legumes, and fruit — to support stable blood sugar. Most women do well with carbs providing 35–50% of total calories.
Set your macros
Protein—g
g / kg
Currently set to 1.6g/kg — the evidence-based starting point. Increase towards 2.0–2.5g/kg if strength training regularly or post-menopausal.
Fat—g
% cals
Currently 30% of calories from fat — a good hormonal baseline. Keep between 25–40%. Never go below 25%.
Carbohydrates—g
Calculated automatically from remaining calories.
Protein
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Fat
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Carbs
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Total calories
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