Protein Calculator
Find your daily protein target based on your body weight, activity level, and goal. Results follow ranges used in sports nutrition research and dietary guidelines.
Enter your weight to see your target.
How the calculation works
Protein needs scale with body weight. The RDA for sedentary adults is 0.8 g per kg of body weight, which prevents deficiency but is not optimal for active people. Research on athletes and older adults supports higher intakes: 1.2 to 1.6 g/kg for regularly active people, and 1.6 to 2.2 g/kg when building muscle. During weight loss, higher protein (1.6 to 2.4 g/kg) helps preserve lean mass while in a calorie deficit.
Tips for hitting your number
Spread protein across the day rather than loading it into dinner: 25 to 40 g per meal is a practical range. Palm-sized portions of chicken, fish, lean beef, tofu, tempeh, Greek yogurt, cottage cheese, eggs, and legumes all count. Most people do not need protein supplements, but a shake can be a convenient way to fill a gap.
This tool gives general estimates for healthy adults, not medical advice. People with kidney disease or other medical conditions should ask their doctor before increasing protein intake.
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