Protein Intake Calculator

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Protein Intake Calculator

Work out how much protein to eat a day from your weight and your goal, from the adult allowance for general health to the higher ranges used for building muscle or holding on to it while losing fat. The page splits the total across your meals, shows what it means in chicken, eggs, yogurt or lentils, and gives the share of your calories if you know them.

Every figuretap a card to copy its value

Your daily protein, goal by goal

Spread across the day

Where it comes fromservings to reach your daily target

Ranges are grams of protein per kilogram of body weight a day: 0.8 for the US Recommended Dietary Allowance, 1.0 to 1.2 for adults over 65 from the PROT AGE study group, 1.2 to 2.0 for athletes from the ACSM, Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics and Dietitians of Canada joint position, 1.6 to 2.2 for building muscle from meta analysis of training studies, 1.6 to 2.4 during a calorie deficit from the International Society of Sports Nutrition, and 1.1 and 1.3 for pregnancy and breastfeeding. Food values are typical USDA figures. People with kidney disease should follow their doctor’s advice on protein. This is general information, not medical advice. The CSV, image and printed report contain the values you entered, nothing preloaded.

How to use this tool

Enter your weight in pounds or kilograms and pick the goal that fits you best: general health, over 65, regular exercise, building muscle, losing fat while keeping muscle, pregnancy or breastfeeding. The daily range appears at the top, with the middle of the range, the amount per meal and the calories it supplies in the cards below.

Three optional boxes refine it. Meals a day changes the per meal split. A goal weight replaces your current weight in the sum, which is the better basis if you are carrying a lot of body fat. Daily calories, if you know them from a TDEE or macro calculation, add the share of your calories that protein would take. The side card turns one meal’s worth into chicken, eggs, yogurt or lentils, and the table at the bottom does the same for the whole day.

How the numbers are worked out

Protein recommendations are given in grams per kilogram of body weight a day, so the sum is a single multiplication. Your weight is converted to kilograms, multiplied by the low and high end of the range for your goal, and the middle of that range is split evenly over your meals. Each gram of protein supplies 4 kcal, which gives the calories and, if you entered them, the share of your total.

The ranges come from the bodies that set them: the US Recommended Dietary Allowance for general health, pregnancy and breastfeeding; the PROT AGE study group for adults over 65; the joint position of the American College of Sports Medicine, the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics and Dietitians of Canada for people who train; a 2018 meta analysis of resistance training studies for building muscle; and the International Society of Sports Nutrition, which advises two to three times the allowance during a calorie deficit.

Bar chart of daily protein for a 70 kg adult by goal: 56 g for general health, 70 to 84 g over 65, 84 to 140 g for regular exercise, 112 to 154 g for building muscle, 112 to 168 g for losing fat, 77 g in pregnancy and 91 g breastfeeding, beside a day of four meals of eggs and Greek yogurt, tuna and milk, cottage cheese and chicken breast adding up to 131 g
At 70 kg, building muscle calls for 112 to 154 g a day, and four ordinary meals of 28 to 40 g reach 131 g without a supplement.

Protein by weight and goal

WeightGeneral healthOver 65Regular exerciseBuilding muscleLosing fat
120 lb, 54 kg44 g54 to 65 g65 to 109 g87 to 120 g87 to 131 g
140 lb, 64 kg51 g64 to 76 g76 to 127 g102 to 140 g102 to 152 g
160 lb, 73 kg58 g73 to 87 g87 to 145 g116 to 160 g116 to 174 g
180 lb, 82 kg65 g82 to 98 g98 to 163 g131 to 180 g131 to 196 g
200 lb, 91 kg73 g91 to 109 g109 to 181 g145 to 200 g145 to 218 g
220 lb, 100 kg80 g100 to 120 g120 to 200 g160 to 220 g160 to 239 g
240 lb, 109 kg87 g109 to 131 g131 to 218 g174 to 239 g174 to 261 g
260 lb, 118 kg94 g118 to 142 g142 to 236 g189 to 259 g189 to 283 g

Grams of protein a day, from current weight. Anyone carrying a lot of body fat gets a truer figure from a goal weight.

What each goal range means

General health, 0.8 g per kg. The Recommended Dietary Allowance is set to cover nearly all healthy adults, so it is a floor for health rather than an average need. It does not account for hard training, and many nutrition scientists argue it is on the low side for older adults.

Over 65, 1.0 to 1.2 g per kg. Muscle responds less to protein with age, and the PROT AGE group recommends more than the adult allowance to help slow the loss of muscle and strength. Older adults who exercise, or who are recovering from illness, may need more again.

Regular exercise, 1.2 to 2.0 g per kg. The range in the sports nutrition joint position, covering both endurance and strength athletes. The lower end suits most people who train a few times a week; the upper end suits heavy training.

Building muscle, 1.6 to 2.2 g per kg. A 2018 meta analysis of 49 training studies found extra gains leveled off at around 1.6 g per kg, with 2.2 as the upper limit of where benefit might still appear. That upper figure is the old gym rule of a gram per pound.

Losing fat, keeping muscle, 1.6 to 2.4 g per kg. In a calorie deficit the body is more willing to break down muscle, and more protein, combined with resistance training, helps hold on to it. Protein also keeps you fuller than the same calories from fat or carbohydrate, which helps when eating less.

Pregnancy and breastfeeding, 1.1 and 1.3 g per kg. The allowance rises to support the growing baby and then milk production, with most of the extra needed in the second half of pregnancy.

A worked example you can check on paper

Take a 180 lb person lifting weights to build muscle. 180 lb times 0.4536 is 81.65 kg. The low end is 1.6 times 81.65, which is 131 g, and the high end is 2.2 times 81.65, which is 180 g. The middle of the range is 155 g a day.

Split over four meals that is 39 g each, roughly 125 g of cooked chicken breast, or a pot of Greek yogurt with two eggs and a glass of milk. At 4 kcal a gram the 155 g supplies 621 kcal; on a 2,500 kcal day that is 25 percent of calories, comfortably inside the 10 to 35 percent range the National Academies consider acceptable.

Now suppose the same person weighs 250 lb, wants to reach 190 lb, and is eating in a deficit. Working from 250 lb would give 181 to 272 g, more than most people could eat. Working from the goal weight of 190 lb, or 86.2 kg, gives 138 to 207 g, a far more realistic target that still protects muscle.

Spreading protein through the day

For building or keeping muscle, how the protein is spread matters as well as the total. The International Society of Sports Nutrition suggests about 0.25 g per kg of good quality protein at each meal, 20 to 40 g for most people, spaced every three to four hours. A common pattern is a light breakfast, moderate lunch and a large dinner; moving some of the dinner protein to breakfast is an easy improvement.

None of this means a large meal is wasted. The gut absorbs nearly all the protein you eat, and a bigger dose is used over a longer time. Even meals are a sensible default, not a rule to stress over.

Where the protein can come from

FoodServingProtein, gCalories, about
Chicken breast, cooked100 g31165
Tuna, canned in water, drained100 g25116
Cottage cheese, 1 percent1 cup28163
Greek yogurt, plain nonfat170 g pot17100
Lentils, cooked1 cup18230
Chickpeas, cooked1 cup14.5269
Egg, large1 egg6.372
Milk1 cup8122
Peanut butter2 tbsp7190
Whey protein powder1 scoop, check the label24120

Typical USDA values; brands vary, so the label on the packet wins. Milk is 2 percent fat.

Animal foods pack the most protein per calorie, and whey and dairy are rich in leucine, the amino acid that most strongly switches on muscle building. Plant proteins such as lentils, chickpeas, tofu and soy work too; they come with more calories and fiber per gram of protein, and mixing sources over the day covers the amino acids any one of them is short of.

Mistakes that catch people out

Treating the allowance as a target for training. 0.8 g per kg prevents deficiency; it is not what someone lifting weights needs.

Using total weight when carrying a lot of fat. Protein needs follow lean mass. Use a goal weight instead.

Counting the weight of the food, not the protein. 100 g of chicken is about 31 g of protein, not 100 g.

Chasing numbers well above 2.2 g per kg. For most people there is little extra to gain, and those calories could go to carbohydrate that fuels training.

Relying on shakes. Powders are convenient, but meals of meat, fish, eggs, dairy, beans or tofu bring the vitamins, minerals and fiber a powder lacks.

Popular calculations

Each opens the calculator with its own address, and every value can be changed once it is open.

Building muscle, by weight in pounds

100 lb, 73 to 100 g110 lb, 80 to 110 g120 lb, 87 to 120 g130 lb, 94 to 130 g140 lb, 102 to 140 g150 lb, 109 to 150 g160 lb, 116 to 160 g170 lb, 123 to 170 g180 lb, 131 to 180 g190 lb, 138 to 190 g200 lb, 145 to 200 g210 lb, 152 to 210 g220 lb, 160 to 220 g230 lb, 167 to 230 g240 lb, 174 to 239 g250 lb, 181 to 249 g260 lb, 189 to 259 g270 lb, 196 to 269 g280 lb, 203 to 279 g290 lb, 210 to 289 g300 lb, 218 to 299 g

Losing fat and keeping muscle

120 lb, 87 to 131 g130 lb, 94 to 142 g140 lb, 102 to 152 g150 lb, 109 to 163 g160 lb, 116 to 174 g170 lb, 123 to 185 g180 lb, 131 to 196 g190 lb, 138 to 207 g200 lb, 145 to 218 g210 lb, 152 to 229 g220 lb, 160 to 239 g230 lb, 167 to 250 g240 lb, 174 to 261 g250 lb, 181 to 272 g260 lb, 189 to 283 g270 lb, 196 to 294 g280 lb, 203 to 305 g290 lb, 210 to 316 g300 lb, 218 to 327 g

Losing fat, worked from a goal weight

180 lb to 150 lb, 109 to 163 g200 lb to 160 lb, 116 to 174 g220 lb to 170 lb, 123 to 185 g250 lb to 190 lb, 138 to 207 g280 lb to 200 lb, 145 to 218 g300 lb to 220 lb, 160 to 239 g

Regular exercise

100 lb, 54 to 91 g120 lb, 65 to 109 g140 lb, 76 to 127 g160 lb, 87 to 145 g180 lb, 98 to 163 g200 lb, 109 to 181 g220 lb, 120 to 200 g240 lb, 131 to 218 g260 lb, 142 to 236 g

General health, the daily allowance

100 lb, 36 g120 lb, 44 g140 lb, 51 g160 lb, 58 g180 lb, 65 g200 lb, 73 g220 lb, 80 g240 lb, 87 g260 lb, 94 g280 lb, 102 g300 lb, 109 g

Adults over 65

110 lb, 50 to 60 g130 lb, 59 to 71 g150 lb, 68 to 82 g170 lb, 77 to 93 g190 lb, 86 to 103 g210 lb, 95 to 114 g230 lb, 104 to 125 g

In kilograms

50 kg, 80 to 110 g55 kg, 88 to 121 g60 kg, 96 to 132 g65 kg, 104 to 143 g70 kg, 112 to 154 g75 kg, 120 to 165 g80 kg, 128 to 176 g85 kg, 136 to 187 g90 kg, 144 to 198 g95 kg, 152 to 209 g100 kg, 160 to 220 g105 kg, 168 to 231 g110 kg, 176 to 242 g115 kg, 184 to 253 g120 kg, 192 to 264 g50 kg, 40 g60 kg, 48 g70 kg, 56 g80 kg, 64 g90 kg, 72 g100 kg, 80 g

Pregnancy and breastfeeding

120 lb, 60 g140 lb, 70 g160 lb, 80 g180 lb, 90 g200 lb, 100 g120 lb, 71 g140 lb, 83 g160 lb, 94 g180 lb, 106 g200 lb, 118 g

How this was checked

The engine was tested in Node against hand calculations: 180 lb is exactly 81.647 kg, which gives 130.6 and 179.6 g for building muscle; 70 kg gives exactly 56 g at the allowance and 77 g in pregnancy; and a goal weight replaces the current weight in every figure. The per meal split, the calorie share and the food servings were checked the same way, along with the switch between pounds and kilograms.

Every address in the lists above was then opened and checked for a distinct title, the right answer, charts that render, and clean CSV, image and print output containing only that calculation, at desktop, tablet and phone widths.

Common questions

How much protein do I need a day?

The adult allowance is 0.8 g per kilogram of body weight, about 56 g a day at 70 kg or 154 lb, and it covers nearly all healthy adults who are not training hard. People who exercise regularly do better on 1.2 to 2.0 g per kg, and 1.6 to 2.2 g per kg suits building muscle.

Is 1 gram of protein per pound too much?

One gram per pound is 2.2 g per kilogram, the top of the range where studies still see extra muscle gain. It is safe for healthy people but more than most need: about 0.7 g per pound, or 1.6 g per kg, captures most of the benefit for someone lifting weights.

How much protein can you absorb in one meal?

The gut absorbs nearly all the protein you eat; the real question is how much goes to building muscle. The International Society of Sports Nutrition suggests 20 to 40 g, or about 0.25 g per kg, per meal, spread every three to four hours. A larger meal is not wasted, it simply takes longer to use.

Should I use my current weight or my goal weight?

If you carry a lot of body fat, use a goal weight. Protein needs follow lean mass rather than fat, so working from total weight overstates the target for a heavier person. For anyone near a healthy weight the two give almost the same answer.

Is a high protein diet bad for your kidneys?

Intakes of up to about 2 g per kg a day have not been shown to harm healthy kidneys. People with kidney disease are a different case and are often advised to eat less protein, so they should follow their own doctor’s advice.

How much protein do you need when pregnant?

The Recommended Dietary Allowance rises from 0.8 to 1.1 g per kg a day in pregnancy, about 71 g for a typical woman, and to 1.3 g per kg while breastfeeding. The extra is needed mostly in the second half of pregnancy.

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