Do cyclists need more calories than this calculator suggests?
Often yes during peak training weeks. Treat the result as a starting point and add 10–15% on the heaviest training week if appetite, weight trend and performance all support it.
Macro Calculator for cyclists
Sport-driven macros are not the same as desk-driven macros. cyclists burn more, recover more and need carbs in a way generic charts ignore. This page is the macro calculator tuned for cyclists: realistic calorie totals, a protein band that protects training adaptations, and enough carbs to refill glycogen between sessions.
Why carbs matter for cyclists
Glycogen pays for high-quality training. For cyclists, carbs typically land at 4–7 g/kg in heavy training weeks — far above what sedentary recommendations suggest. Under-eating carbs is the most common avoidable mistake in this group; performance and recovery suffer long before fat-loss does.
Place the bigger carb meals around sessions. The total still dominates, but timing helps adherence and how training feels.
Protein and fat for cyclists
Protein anchors at 1.8–2.2 g/kg — the upper end of the validated band, because turnover stays elevated after every hard session. Fat fills 25–30% of total calories; below 20% starts to compromise hormones and palatability over time.
For cyclists, do not let protein crowd out carbs. Both win when training is the priority.
How AJYX programs around training
Inside AJYX, macros shift with your week: more carbs on heavy days, lower volume on rest days, with protein steady throughout. cyclists get a plan that respects schedule rather than averaging everything into a single static number.
Use this page as the standalone read. Move into the app once you want the macros to ride with your training week.
FAQ
Should cyclists carb-load before events?
For sustained efforts over 90 minutes, yes — raise carbs to 8–10 g/kg in the 24–48 hours before. For shorter sessions the daily total is enough.
How do cyclists adjust macros on rest days?
Hold protein steady. You can drop carbs by 50–100 g and add a bit of fat back if needed; keeping a single set of macros across the week also works fine if you prefer simplicity.