Protein Intake Calculator

How it works

grams per day = body weight × goal range · general health 0.8–1.1 g/kg (0.36–0.5 g/lb) · active 1.1–1.5 g/kg (0.5–0.7 g/lb) · endurance 1.2–1.6 g/kg · build muscle 1.5–2.2 g/kg (0.7–1.0 g/lb) · lose fat 1.8–2.4 g/kg (0.8–1.1 g/lb) · obesity 1.2–1.5 g/kg · 65+ 1.0–1.2 g/kg · + 25 g in the 2nd and 3rd trimesters and while breastfeeding · per meal = midpoint ÷ meals

The US RDA floor is 0.8 g per kg (0.36 g per lb) — enough to avoid deficiency, not optimal for training. Research on lifters and dieters supports about 1.6–2.2 g/kg (0.7–1 g/lb) for building muscle and up to about 2.4 g/kg (1.1 g/lb) during a calorie deficit to protect lean mass. Endurance athletes do well on 1.2–1.6 g/kg, and expert groups such as PROT-AGE recommend 1.0–1.2 g/kg for adults over 65 to slow muscle loss. With obesity, 1.2–1.5 g/kg of current weight (or the usual range applied to a goal weight, under More options) avoids an unrealistically high target. Pregnancy from the second trimester and breastfeeding add about 25 g a day. The calculator shows the range, its midpoint, the amount per meal for your number of meals, protein as a share of your calories if you enter them, and how many servings of common foods would cover the midpoint.

Worked example

A 170-lb (77.1 kg) lifter building muscle: 170 × 0.7–1.0 = 119–170 g of protein per day, midpoint 145 g. Over 4 meals that is about 36 g each — for example, 120 g of cooked chicken breast. On 2,500 kcal a day, 145 g of protein supplies 578 kcal, or 23% of calories.

Sources: National Academies — Dietary Reference Intakes for macronutrients (protein RDA, pregnancy and lactation) · Jäger R et al. (2017) — ISSN position stand: protein and exercise · Morton RW et al. (2018) — Protein supplementation and resistance-training gains, meta-analysis · Bauer J et al. (2013) — PROT-AGE recommendations on protein for older people · USDA FoodData Central — food protein values

Frequently asked questions