Protein calculator
How much protein do I need?
Protein needs scale with body weight, how much you train, and whether you're building muscle or losing fat. Enter a few details to see your target range in grams per day.
Your daily protein target
84–112 g / day
About 1.2–1.6 g/kg for your body weight (70 kg). A middle-of-range aim is roughly 98 g per day.
For reference, the RDA (0.8 g/kg, the intake that meets the requirements of about 97 to 98 percent of healthy sedentary adults) is about 56 g/day.
Needs differ with pregnancy, age, and kidney or liver conditions - see the full note below and check with a professional if any apply.
How the recommendation works
The Recommended Dietary Allowance (RDA) for protein is 0.8 grams per kilogram of body weight per day. An RDA is set to meet the requirements of about 97 to 98 percent of healthy people in the group it describes, so that is an adequate intake for nearly all sedentary adults rather than a bare minimum. It was not derived for people who train: the International Society of Sports Nutrition (ISSN) and ACSM/Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics guidance put the useful range at roughly 1.2-2.0 g/kg, rising toward 1.6-2.2 g/kg for building muscle and up to about 2.4 g/kg while dieting to preserve lean mass.
Spread protein across the day - roughly 20-40 g per meal - rather than in one large serving, and favour complete-protein sources or thoughtful plant combinations. These are general figures; individual needs vary with health, age, and training.
Quick answers
Protein calculator FAQ
How much protein do I need per day?
The RDA is 0.8 g per kilogram of body weight per day, which covers nearly all sedentary adults. People who train regularly are generally advised 1.2-2.0 g/kg, rising toward 1.6-2.2 g/kg for building muscle and up to about 2.4 g/kg while dieting to preserve lean mass. Enter your weight, activity level and goal above to see your own range in grams.
How do I convert my weight in pounds to kilograms?
Divide the pounds by 2.2. A 154 lb person weighs 70 kg. The calculator does the conversion for you when you switch the units, and converts the number you already typed so it keeps meaning the same weight.
Do older adults need more protein?
Guidelines for adults over 65 put the floor around 1.0-1.2 g/kg rather than the 0.8 g/kg RDA, because older muscle responds less strongly to the same amount of protein. Tick the over-65 box above and the calculator raises the sedentary floor accordingly.
Can too much protein harm your kidneys?
In healthy people there is no good evidence that a high protein intake damages the kidneys. Chronic kidney disease is different: protein intake is often deliberately limited there, and the higher bands this calculator can show are not appropriate without medical advice. Anyone with kidney or liver disease should follow the intake their clinician sets.
Should I spread protein across the day?
Yes. Roughly 20-40 g per meal across three or four meals is easier to use than one very large serving, and it makes a daily total simpler to reach. The tracker logs meal by meal for exactly that reason.