Daily Protein Intake Calculator
Enter your weight, goal and activity level to see how many grams of protein to eat each day, how to split it across meals and what that looks like in real food.
Per-meal plan
What your target looks like in food
| Food | Serving | Protein | Servings per meal | Servings per day |
|---|
Protein values are typical figures from USDA FoodData Central and nutrition labels; brands vary. Disclaimer: general information for healthy adults, not medical advice. People with kidney disease or other conditions should follow their doctor's or dietitian's advice.
How to use the Daily Protein Intake Calculator
- Enter your body weight and choose kg or lb.
- Pick your goal, for example general health, building muscle or losing fat.
- Choose your activity level. More training moves your target toward the top of the range.
- Optionally add body fat % for fat loss, to base the target on lean mass.
- Choose meals per day and read your daily target, per-meal amount and food equivalents.
Protein guidelines by goal
| Goal | Grams per kg per day | Grams per lb per day | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Healthy adult (minimum) | 0.8 | 0.36 | RDA, US National Academies |
| Endurance training | 1.2–1.4 | 0.55–0.64 | ACSM / AND / Dietitians of Canada (2009) |
| Most exercising people | 1.4–2.0 | 0.64–0.91 | ISSN position stand (Jäger et al. 2017) |
| Muscle gain | 1.6 (up to 2.2) | 0.73 (up to 1.0) | Morton et al. 2018 meta-analysis |
| Fat loss, lean and trained | 2.3–3.1 per kg lean mass | 1.0–1.4 per lb lean mass | Helms et al. 2014; ISSN |
| Adults 65 and older | 1.0–1.2 | 0.45–0.55 | PROT-AGE study group 2013; ESPEN |
| Pregnancy (2nd–3rd trimester) | 1.1 | 0.5 | RDA, US National Academies |
To convert, 1 g/kg equals about 0.454 g/lb. The calculator places you inside each range using your activity level: sedentary people sit at the low end, athletes at the top.
Worked example
A 75 kg (165 lb) person training for muscle gain 3–5 times a week falls in the middle of the 1.6–2.2 g/kg range: 1.9 g/kg × 75 kg ≈ 143 g of protein a day. Split over 4 meals that is about 36 g per meal, close to the 0.4 g/kg × 75 kg = 30 g per meal often suggested to maximize muscle protein synthesis. In food, 36 g is roughly 115 g of cooked chicken breast, or 6 eggs, or two 170 g pots of Greek yogurt.
Tips for reaching your protein target
- Anchor every meal. Include a palm-sized protein portion (about 20–40 g) at each meal rather than catching up at dinner.
- Use convenient sources. Greek yogurt, cottage cheese, eggs, canned tuna and protein powder take little preparation.
- Combine plant proteins. Legumes with grains, soy foods and seitan help vegetarians and vegans reach higher targets.
- Read labels per serving. "High protein" snacks can contain little protein relative to their calories.
- Drink enough water on higher-protein diets, and keep vegetables and fiber in the plan.
Protein quality and timing
Not all protein sources are equal. Animal proteins, soy and whey are "complete", supplying all nine essential amino acids in useful amounts, and they are rich in leucine, the amino acid that most strongly switches on muscle protein synthesis. Most other plant proteins are lower in one or more essential amino acids, which is easy to fix by eating a mix of legumes, grains, nuts and seeds through the day.
Timing matters less than the daily total, but a protein-rich meal within a few hours before or after training, and a serving of slow-digesting protein such as casein or cottage cheese before bed, are simple ways to support recovery if you train hard.
Frequently asked questions
How much protein do I need per day?
The RDA for healthy adults is 0.8 g per kg of body weight per day, about 60 g for a 75 kg (165 lb) person. That is a minimum to avoid deficiency. People who exercise, want to build muscle, are losing weight or are over 65 usually benefit from 1.0 to 2.2 g/kg.
How much protein do I need to build muscle?
Research pooled in a 2018 meta-analysis found that gains in muscle from resistance training level off at about 1.6 g/kg per day, with some people benefiting up to about 2.2 g/kg. Training is the main driver; protein supports it.
Is it better to spread protein across meals?
Yes, for muscle building, spreading protein over 3 to 6 meals of roughly 0.4 g/kg each (often 20 to 40 g) appears to work better than eating most of it in one meal. Total daily protein still matters most.
Can I eat too much protein?
For healthy people, intakes up to about 2 g/kg per day appear safe in research, and higher intakes have been studied short term without harm. People with kidney disease should follow medical advice, because they may need to limit protein.
Why does the fat loss goal use lean mass?
Protein needs are tied to muscle and other lean tissue, not body fat. When you enter your body fat percentage, the calculator uses 2.3 to 3.1 g per kg of lean mass, which avoids overestimating needs for people with higher body fat.
Do plant proteins count the same?
They count toward your total, but many plant proteins have less leucine and lower digestibility. Eating a variety of sources such as soy, legumes and grains, or aiming slightly higher, makes up the difference.