Health
Protein Calculator
Find how many grams of protein to eat per day from your body weight and goal — staying healthy, building muscle, training endurance, or losing fat while keeping muscle. Live results in kg or lb, with a per-meal breakdown.
How much protein per day?
Your body weight and your goal set the target.
Goal
Meals per day
To split the target evenly across meals.
4
Daily protein target
120–165g/day
Aim for around 143 g — the middle of the range — for build muscle.
1.6–2.2 g per kg of body weight
Per meal · 4 meals
30–41 g each
Spreading protein across meals helps you actually hit the total.
Low end
120 g
High end
165 g
Updates live
Try an example
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The basics
Why protein, and why per kilogram?
Protein is the raw material your body uses to repair muscle, build enzymes and hormones, and keep you full. Unlike fat, you don't store a reserve of it — so you need a steady daily supply. How much depends on how big you are and how hard you train, which is why every guideline is given per kilogram of body weight rather than as a single flat number.
protein = g/kg × body weight
It scales with your size
A bigger body has more tissue to maintain, so it needs more protein. Multiplying a per-kilogram figure by your weight gives a target that fits you, not an average stranger.
75 kg × 1.6 g/kg = 120 g/day
a range, not a point
The science gives bands
Studies report ranges because the right amount varies with training hard, age, and how aggressively you're dieting. The low end is a solid minimum; the high end suits harder blocks.
muscle: 1.6–2.2 g/kg
Method
How to work out your protein target
Three steps turn a body weight and a goal into grams per day.
- 1
Convert your weight to kilograms
The multipliers are per kilogram, so start there. If you weigh in pounds, multiply by 0.4536. A 165 lb person is 75 kg.
165 lb × 0.4536 = 75 kg - 2
Pick your goal multiplier
Choose the g/kg band that matches what you're doing — general fitness, building muscle, endurance, or fat loss. Each goal has a low and a high end.
Build muscle → 1.6–2.2 g/kg - 3
Multiply for the range
Multiply your weight in kg by each end of the band. The two products are your daily range; the midpoint is the single number to aim at.
75 × 1.6 = 120 g · 75 × 2.2 = 165 g
Reference
Protein by goal
The recommended grams per kilogram and per pound for each goal, drawn from sports-nutrition position stands (ISSN, ACSM). These are the bands the calculator uses.
| Goal | g / kg | g / lb | When to use |
|---|---|---|---|
Sedentary (RDA) Minimum to avoid deficiency | 0.8 | 0.4 | The minimum to prevent deficiency in inactive adults — a floor, not a target for anyone training. |
General fitness Active, staying healthy | 1.2–1.4 | 0.5–0.6 | Active people who exercise a few times a week and want to stay healthy and recover well. |
Endurance training Running, cycling, swimming | 1.2–1.6 | 0.5–0.7 | Runners, cyclists, and swimmers logging real mileage — protein repairs the steady damage of long efforts. |
Build muscle Hypertrophy, strength training | 1.6–2.2 | 0.7–1 | Anyone lifting to add size or strength; the upper end suits a hard, high-volume training block. |
Lose fat, keep muscle Cutting in a calorie deficit | 1.8–2.7 | 0.8–1.2 | Dieting in a calorie deficit, where extra protein blunts hunger and protects the muscle you'd otherwise lose. |
Worked examples
The same person across every goal
One 75 kg (≈ 165 lb) person, run through each goal's multiplier. Only the band changes — the arithmetic is identical.
Given 75 kg person · build muscle (1.6–2.2 g/kg)
Low: 75 × 1.6 = 120 g
High: 75 × 2.2 = 165 g
Midpoint: (120 + 165) ÷ 2 = 143 g/day
Per meal (÷ 4): ≈ 35.6 g
Target ≈ 120–165 g/day
In food
How much is that on a plate?
A target in grams only helps if you can turn it into meals. Here's the protein in common foods — mix a few and a 120–150 g day comes together fast.
| Food | Serving | Protein | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chicken breast | 100 g cooked | 31 g | Lean, the staple high-protein meat |
| Lean beef (sirloin) | 100 g cooked | 29 g | Plus iron and zinc |
| Salmon | 100 g cooked | 25 g | With omega-3 fats |
| Canned tuna | 1 can (drained, ~120 g) | 26 g | Cheap, shelf-stable |
| Whey protein | 1 scoop (~30 g) | 24 g | Fast, convenient |
| Greek yogurt | 170 g (1 cup) | 17 g | Twice the protein of regular yogurt |
| Cottage cheese | 100 g | 11 g | Slow-digesting casein |
| Eggs | 2 large | 12 g | About 6 g each |
| Tofu (firm) | 100 g | 17 g | Complete plant protein |
| Tempeh | 100 g | 19 g | Fermented soy |
| Lentils | 1 cup cooked (~200 g) | 18 g | Plus fibre and carbs |
| Black beans | 1 cup cooked (~170 g) | 15 g | Pair with rice for all amino acids |
| Milk | 1 cup (240 ml) | 8 g | Whey + casein blend |
| Peanut butter | 2 tbsp (~32 g) | 7 g | Calorie-dense — watch portions |
| Quinoa | 1 cup cooked (~185 g) | 8 g | One of the few complete grains |
| Almonds | 28 g (a handful) | 6 g | Snackable, fat-rich |
Approximate values per the listed serving (USDA averages). Cooking and cut change them slightly.
Quick chart
Protein target by bodyweight
The at-a-glance lookup: daily protein (low–high grams) for a range of bodyweights crossed with every goal. Switch between kilograms and pounds.
Protein by bodyweight
Daily grams (low–high) for each weight and goal. Find your row, then your column.
| Weight | Sedentary (RDA) | General fitness | Endurance training | Build muscle | Lose fat, keep muscle |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 50 kg | 40 | 60–70 | 60–80 | 80–110 | 90–135 |
| 60 kg | 48 | 72–84 | 72–96 | 96–132 | 108–162 |
| 70 kg | 56 | 84–98 | 84–112 | 112–154 | 126–189 |
| 80 kg | 64 | 96–112 | 96–128 | 128–176 | 144–216 |
| 90 kg | 72 | 108–126 | 108–144 | 144–198 | 162–243 |
| 100 kg | 80 | 120–140 | 120–160 | 160–220 | 180–270 |
| 110 kg | 88 | 132–154 | 132–176 | 176–242 | 198–297 |
All figures in grams of protein per day. The RDA column is the flat 0.8 g/kg minimum.
Where it shows up
Why protein matters
The same target serves very different goals — protein is the common thread through muscle gain, fat loss, and healthy aging.
repair & grow
Building muscle
Resistance training tears muscle down; protein rebuilds it bigger. Pair your target with a calorie surplus and hard training to add size. Plan the rest of your plate with the macro calculator.
keep what you have
Losing fat
In a deficit, high protein keeps you full and shields muscle so the weight you lose is fat. Set the deficit with your TDEE calculator.
fight the slow loss
Healthy aging
Muscle fades with age (sarcopenia). Older adults often need protein at the higher end — around 1.2–1.6 g/kg — plus resistance work to hold onto strength and independence.
Worth knowing
Myths and pitfalls
Protein attracts more bad advice than almost any nutrient. The facts that keep your target honest.
absorption ≠ 30 g cap
The per-meal limit is a myth
You absorb essentially all the protein you eat. What plateaus per meal is the muscle-building response, not absorption — so a big-protein meal isn't wasted.
healthy kidneys are fine
The kidney scare is misplaced
High protein only restricts to people who already have kidney disease. With healthy kidneys, the ranges here are considered safe — stay hydrated.
high body fat → lean mass
Scale off lean mass if very lean-deficient
At high body fat, total weight overshoots, because protein feeds lean tissue, not fat. Use lean (fat-free) mass or a target weight instead.
spread it out
Spread it across the day
Three to five protein-containing meals make the daily total easy to reach and keep the muscle-building signal topped up — more reliable than two big hits.
total beats timing
Hit the daily total first
The narrow post-workout window is overstated. Day-to-day total is what drives results; timing is a minor optimisation on top.
quality counts too
Variety covers amino acids
Animal sources are complete; most single plant sources miss one or two amino acids. Eat a variety — beans with grains, for example — and you cover them all.
More health tools
Round out your nutrition
Protein is one slice of the picture. Set your full daily calories with the TDEE calculator, then split those calories into carbs, protein, and fat with the macro calculator. Together they turn a protein goal into a complete daily plan.
FAQ
Common questions
It depends on your body weight and your goal. The sedentary minimum (RDA) is 0.8 g per kg, but active people do better at 1.2–1.4 g/kg, those building muscle at 1.6–2.2 g/kg, and people dieting to lose fat while keeping muscle at 1.8–2.7 g/kg. For a 75 kg (165 lb) person building muscle, that's roughly 120–165 g a day. Enter your weight and goal above for your exact range.
For most people, total body weight is fine and is what the standard multipliers assume. The exception is anyone carrying a lot of body fat: protein supports lean tissue, not fat, so scaling off a very high total weight overshoots. If your body fat is high, calculate off your lean (fat-free) mass or a target weight instead, and you'll land on a sensible number.
The popular claim that you can only use 20–30 g of protein per meal is a myth. Your body absorbs essentially all the protein you eat; what plateaus is the muscle-building (MPS) response from a single meal, around 0.4 g/kg. Spreading protein across 3–5 meals is a good habit because it makes the daily total easier to hit and keeps that response topped up — not because extra protein is wasted.
In people with healthy kidneys, there is no good evidence that a high-protein diet causes harm. The concern comes from patients who already have kidney disease, for whom protein is restricted on medical advice. If your kidneys are healthy, intakes in the ranges this calculator gives — up to about 2.7 g/kg — are considered safe. Stay hydrated and, if you have a kidney condition, follow your doctor's guidance.
Research converges on 1.6–2.2 g per kg of body weight per day for maximising muscle gain alongside resistance training. Going much above ~2.2 g/kg doesn't build more muscle, though a little extra does no harm. Just as important as the total is training hard, eating enough total calories, and spreading protein across the day.
When cutting calories, aim higher — 1.8–2.7 g/kg. More protein in a deficit does two things: it keeps you fuller so you eat less overall, and it protects the muscle you'd otherwise lose along with fat. That keeps your metabolism and your shape intact while the fat comes off.
Yes, with a little planning. Lean on tofu, tempeh, lentils, beans, edamame, seitan, Greek yogurt or soy yogurt, and a soy or pea protein shake. Plant sources are often lower in one or two amino acids, so eat a variety across the day (beans with grains, for example) and you'll cover everything. The food table above lists the protein in common plant sources.
Far less than the daily total. Hitting your target each day is what drives the results; the old idea of a narrow post-workout 'anabolic window' has been overstated. That said, including protein at each meal and getting some within a few hours of training is a sensible, easy default — it spreads the muscle-building signal across the day.
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Ugo CharlesBuilt and fact-checked against our editorial standards · Last updated June 2026
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