Protein Calculator: How Much Protein Do You Need Per Day?
Enter your weight, goal and activity level. You'll get a daily protein range in grams and how much to eat at each meal, based on the ranges used in published nutrition research.
Enter your weight to see your daily protein target.
Daily protein target
- Per meal ({meals} meals a day)
- Per-meal muscle marker (0.4 g/kg)
If you have a lot of weight to lose, try your goal weight instead of your current weight.
See recipes with 30 g+ protein per servingHow the numbers are calculated
The calculator converts your weight to kilograms and multiplies it by a range of grams per kilogram that matches your goal and how active you are. The daily range is rounded to the nearest 5 g.
| Goal | Mostly sitting | Active 3+ days | Strength training 3+ days |
|---|---|---|---|
| Maintain | 0.8–1.0 | 1.0–1.4 | 1.4–1.8 |
| Lose weight | 1.2–1.6 | 1.2–1.6 | 1.6–2.2 |
| Build muscle | 1.6–2.2 | 1.6–2.2 | 1.6–2.2 |
The low end for maintaining weight while mostly sitting is the RDA, 0.8 g/kg, the amount set to prevent deficiency in healthy adults. The ranges for exercise and muscle gain come from the International Society of Sports Nutrition and a large meta-analysis that found gains from extra protein level off around 1.6 g/kg, with some people benefiting up to about 2.2 g/kg. Higher intakes while losing weight help you keep more lean mass and feel fuller on fewer calories. If you're 65 or older, the calculator raises your range to at least 1.0–1.2 g/kg, the minimum an expert group of geriatric researchers recommends for healthy older adults.
One adjustment matters if you have a lot of weight to lose: base protein on your goal weight rather than your current weight. Using current weight can give a number that's higher than you need and hard to eat day after day.
Why it matters how you split it across meals
Your daily total matters most. How you spread it comes second, but it's where most people fall short: a light breakfast, a sandwich at lunch, and most of the day's protein at dinner. Research on muscle building points to about 0.4 g of protein per kilogram of body weight per meal, over at least four meals. For a 150 lb (68 kg) person that's about 27 g per meal.
That's why every recipe on this site has at least 30 g of protein per serving. Three or four of those meals put most adults inside their range without tracking every gram.
What 30 grams of protein looks like
Most single foods land a little under 30 g in a normal portion:
- 1 cup cottage cheese: about 28 g
- 4 oz raw chicken breast: about 26 g
- 1 cup nonfat Greek yogurt: about 23 g
- 5 large egg whites: about 18 g
Getting to 30 g usually means building a meal around one of these and adding a second protein source, like Greek yogurt in a sauce or egg whites in a batter. That's how our recipes are built.
Frequently asked questions
How much protein do I need per day?
The official minimum for healthy adults is 0.8 g per kilogram of body weight, about 55 g a day for a 150 lb person. That number prevents deficiency; it is not a target for active people. If you exercise, want to lose fat or build muscle, research supports roughly 1.2 to 2.2 g per kilogram, depending on the goal.
Should I use my current weight or my goal weight?
Use your current weight if you are close to a healthy weight. If you have a lot of weight to lose, base the number on your goal weight instead. Current weight can give a target that is higher than you need and hard to eat every day.
Can your body use more than 30 grams of protein in one meal?
Yes. The idea of a strict 30 g limit per meal is not supported by the research. Your body absorbs all of it; the open question is how much goes toward building muscle. A practical approach from the research is about 0.4 g per kilogram per meal, spread over at least four meals, which lands near 25 to 40 g for most adults.
Can I eat too much protein?
The ranges in this calculator top out at 2.2 g per kilogram, the upper end used in the studies cited below. If you have kidney disease or another medical condition, or you are pregnant, talk to your doctor or a registered dietitian before raising your protein intake.
Sources
- National Academies of Sciences. Dietary Reference Intakes for Energy, Carbohydrate, Fiber, Fat, Fatty Acids, Cholesterol, Protein, and Amino Acids. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press; 2005. (RDA 0.8 g/kg.)
- Jäger R, et al. International Society of Sports Nutrition Position Stand: protein and exercise. J Int Soc Sports Nutr. 2017;14:20.
- Morton RW, et al. A systematic review, meta-analysis and meta-regression of the effect of protein supplementation on resistance training-induced gains in muscle mass and strength. Br J Sports Med. 2018;52:376–384.
- Leidy HJ, et al. The role of protein in weight loss and maintenance. Am J Clin Nutr. 2015;101(6):1320S–1329S.
- Bauer J, et al. Evidence-based recommendations for optimal dietary protein intake in older people: a position paper from the PROT-AGE Study Group. J Am Med Dir Assoc. 2013;14(8):542–559.
- Schoenfeld BJ, Aragon AA. How much protein can the body use in a single meal for muscle-building? Implications for daily protein distribution. J Int Soc Sports Nutr. 2018;15:10.