Protein Intake Calculator
Find your daily protein target in grams from body weight and goal, from the 0.8 g/kg RDA to muscle-building ranges.
Tool guide
What this tool does
The Protein Intake Calculator multiplies your body weight, or a goal weight, by evidence-based g/kg ranges for sedentary adults, older adults, endurance and strength athletes, fat loss and pregnancy. It shows the daily range, per-meal amounts, the share of your calories and how many servings of common foods get you there.
Protein recommendations range widely because they answer different questions. The recommended dietary allowance of 0.8 g per kg of body weight is the amount that prevents deficiency in almost all healthy adults, not the amount that best supports muscle growth or healthy ageing. Sports nutrition bodies and research groups have published higher ranges for people who train, are dieting or are over 65.
This calculator collects those ranges: 0.8 to 1.0 g/kg for sedentary adults, 1.0 to 1.2 g/kg for over-65s (PROT-AGE), 1.2 to 1.6 g/kg for regular and endurance exercise, 1.6 to 2.2 g/kg for muscle building (ISSN and the Morton 2018 meta-analysis), 1.8 to 2.7 g/kg when losing fat and 1.1 g/kg in later pregnancy. It multiplies your chosen range by your weight, splits it across meals and checks it against a per-meal dose of about 0.4 g/kg.
How to use Protein Intake Calculator
- Choose units and enter your current weight.
- Select the goal or situation that best describes you.
- If you are well above a healthy weight, switch on "Use a goal weight instead" and enter it.
- Set the number of meals you eat per day.
- Optionally enter your daily calories to see protein as a percentage of energy.
- Read the daily range, the per-meal amount and the food examples in the table.
Tips for better results
- Spread protein across three to five meals rather than loading it into dinner.
- Include a protein-rich food at breakfast, the meal where intake is usually lowest.
- Plant eaters can meet the same targets by combining legumes, soy, grains and nuts across the day.
Common use cases
- Setting a protein goal for a strength-training programme.
- Checking whether an older relative eats enough protein to limit muscle loss.
- Planning a vegetarian diet with tofu, paneer and lentils.
- Making sure a calorie deficit still protects lean mass.
Common mistakes to avoid
- Using current weight when carrying substantial excess fat, which can inflate the target.
- Relying on supplements when food can provide the same protein along with other nutrients.
- Following high-protein advice with chronic kidney disease without medical guidance.
Frequently asked questions
How much protein do I need a day?
A sedentary 70 kg adult needs at least 56 g (0.8 g/kg). Someone of the same weight lifting weights to build muscle would typically aim for about 112 to 154 g (1.6 to 2.2 g/kg).
Is too much protein harmful?
For healthy adults, intakes up to around 2 g/kg appear safe in research. People with kidney disease are the main exception and should follow their doctor's advice.
How much protein can the body use in one meal?
Research by Schoenfeld and Aragon suggests about 0.4 g/kg per meal across four meals maximises muscle protein synthesis. Larger servings are still digested and used, just less efficiently for building muscle.
Do older adults need more protein?
Yes. The PROT-AGE group recommends 1.0 to 1.2 g/kg for healthy people over 65, and more for those who are ill or very active, to counter age-related muscle loss.
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