Protein Intake Calculator
Estimate how much protein to eat each day, in grams, based on your body weight and your goal — from general health to building muscle or losing fat while keeping it.
Why protein matters
Protein is the macronutrient your body uses to build and repair tissue — muscle, skin, hair, enzymes, hormones and immune cells. Unlike fat and (to a degree) carbohydrate, the body does not store a reserve of spare protein, so a steady daily supply keeps repair and maintenance running smoothly. Getting enough is one of the highest-impact diet habits for most people: it supports muscle building and recovery from exercise, helps you feel full so you eat less without trying, and becomes increasingly important with age to slow the natural loss of muscle (sarcopenia).
How much you need depends mainly on your body weight and how active you are, which is why this calculator works from grams per kilogram (or pound) of body weight rather than a one-size-fits-all number.
How to use this calculator
Enter your weight in your preferred units and choose the goal or activity level that best describes you — from general health to regular training or actively building muscle. The calculator multiplies your weight by an appropriate grams-per-kilogram range and returns a daily protein target, often with a rough per-meal amount so you can spread intake sensibly across the day.
How it's calculated
The method is simple: daily protein (grams) = your body weight × a grams-per-kilogram factor chosen for your goal. The official baseline to prevent deficiency, the RDA, is about 0.8 g/kg for sedentary adults — but that is a minimum to avoid shortfall, not an optimum for active people. Those who exercise regularly generally do better around 1.2–1.6 g/kg, and people doing serious strength training are commonly advised to aim for 1.6–2.2 g/kg. The International Society of Sports Nutrition (ISSN) puts most exercising people at 1.4–2.0 g/kg and notes that 2.3–3.1 g/kg may be needed to hold on to muscle while dieting, which is why the calculator’s “lose fat, keep muscle” setting runs up to 2.4 g/kg. Older adults often benefit from the higher end of the general range to counter age-related muscle loss. If you weigh in pounds, divide by 2.2 to convert to kilograms first.
Spreading protein across the day helps too. The ISSN suggests about 0.25 g per kg of body weight — roughly 20–40 g of quality protein — per meal, spaced evenly every 3–4 hours, so the calculator shows a per-meal amount for four meals.
Worked example
A 70 kg recreational lifter who chooses Build muscle gets 1.6–2.2 g/kg: 70 × 1.6 = 112 g up to 70 × 2.2 = 154 g of protein a day, with a midpoint of 133 g. Split across four meals, that is about 33 g each: for instance a chicken breast, a serving of Greek yogurt, a scoop of whey, and a portion of beans or eggs.
| Calculator setting | Protein (g/kg) | Example: 70 kg person |
|---|---|---|
| General health (sedentary) | 0.8–1.0 | ~56–70 g/day |
| Active / general fitness | 1.2–1.6 | ~84–112 g/day |
| Endurance training | 1.4–2.0 | ~98–140 g/day |
| Build muscle | 1.6–2.2 | ~112–154 g/day |
| Lose fat, keep muscle | 1.6–2.4 | ~112–168 g/day |
Daily protein by body weight
These charts show the daily range the calculator gives for each goal setting at common body weights. The ranges are worked out from the weight in pounds. The kilogram figures are the calculator’s own conversion, rounded to one decimal, so entering them in metric mode can move one end of a range by 1 g. For your exact weight, a midpoint target and a per-meal amount, enter your details above.
Everyday and endurance goals
| Body weight | General health (sedentary) | Active / general fitness | Endurance training |
|---|---|---|---|
| 100 lb (45.4 kg) | 36–45 | 54–73 | 64–91 |
| 120 lb (54.4 kg) | 44–54 | 65–87 | 76–109 |
| 140 lb (63.5 kg) | 51–64 | 76–102 | 89–127 |
| 160 lb (72.6 kg) | 58–73 | 87–116 | 102–145 |
| 180 lb (81.6 kg) | 65–82 | 98–131 | 114–163 |
| 200 lb (90.7 kg) | 73–91 | 109–145 | 127–181 |
| 220 lb (99.8 kg) | 80–100 | 120–160 | 140–200 |
| 240 lb (108.9 kg) | 87–109 | 131–174 | 152–218 |
| 260 lb (117.9 kg) | 94–118 | 142–189 | 165–236 |
| 280 lb (127 kg) | 102–127 | 152–203 | 178–254 |
| 300 lb (136.1 kg) | 109–136 | 163–218 | 191–272 |
Muscle goals
| Body weight | Build muscle | Lose fat, keep muscle |
|---|---|---|
| 100 lb (45.4 kg) | 73–100 | 73–109 |
| 120 lb (54.4 kg) | 87–120 | 87–131 |
| 140 lb (63.5 kg) | 102–140 | 102–152 |
| 160 lb (72.6 kg) | 116–160 | 116–174 |
| 180 lb (81.6 kg) | 131–180 | 131–196 |
| 200 lb (90.7 kg) | 145–200 | 145–218 |
| 220 lb (99.8 kg) | 160–220 | 160–239 |
| 240 lb (108.9 kg) | 174–239 | 174–261 |
| 260 lb (117.9 kg) | 189–259 | 189–283 |
| 280 lb (127 kg) | 203–279 | 203–305 |
| 300 lb (136.1 kg) | 218–299 | 218–327 |
Limitations & tips
Not all protein sources are equal. Complete proteins — meat, fish, eggs, dairy, soy and quinoa — contain all the essential amino acids your body cannot make. Most plant proteins are "incomplete," but eating a variety across the day (beans with grains, for example) easily covers the full set, so vegetarians and vegans can meet their needs with a little planning. The ranges in this calculator top out at 2.4 g/kg, within what the ISSN discusses for exercising people; intakes above that are mainly discussed for specific situations, such as dieting while strength training. These are general estimates, not medical advice: if you have kidney disease or another condition that affects how your body handles protein, check with your doctor or a registered dietitian before raising your intake significantly.
Frequently asked questions
How much protein do I need per day?
It depends on weight and activity. General health is around 0.8 g per kg of body weight; active people and those building muscle do better at 1.6–2.2 g/kg, and up to about 2.4 g/kg can help keep muscle while losing fat. The calculator gives a range and a midpoint for your goal.
Should I count protein per kilogram or per pound?
Research uses grams per kilogram of body weight. If you weigh in pounds, the calculator converts for you — just enter your weight in whichever units you prefer.
Can I eat too much protein?
The ranges in this calculator top out at 2.4 g/kg, within what the International Society of Sports Nutrition discusses for exercising people; the ISSN cites 2.3–3.1 g/kg to help preserve lean mass in resistance-trained people during calorie restriction. If you have kidney disease, check with your doctor before raising protein significantly.
How much protein can my body use in one meal?
Muscle protein synthesis is stimulated well by roughly 20–40 g of quality protein per meal. Larger amounts still get used for other purposes and aren't "wasted," but for muscle gain it's more effective to spread protein across three or four meals than to load it all at once.
What are the best protein sources?
Complete sources — meat, poultry, fish, eggs, dairy, soy and quinoa — supply all essential amino acids. Most plant foods are incomplete on their own, but combining varieties such as beans with grains over the day covers everything, so balanced vegetarian and vegan diets meet protein needs well.
Do I need protein right after a workout?
The old "anabolic window" of 30 minutes is now considered much wider — what matters most is your total daily protein. Having a protein-containing meal within a few hours of training is plenty; you don't need to rush a shake the moment you finish.
How much protein do I need if I weigh 160 pounds?
At 160 lb (72.6 kg), the calculator gives 58–73 g a day for general health, 87–116 g for an active lifestyle, 102–145 g for endurance training, 116–160 g to build muscle and 116–174 g to lose fat while keeping muscle. Choose the setting that best matches your routine.
How much protein do I need if I weigh 200 pounds?
At 200 lb (90.7 kg), the ranges are 73–91 g a day for general health, 109–145 g for an active lifestyle, 127–181 g for endurance training, 145–200 g to build muscle and 145–218 g to lose fat while keeping muscle.
Sources & references
- National Academies (Institute of Medicine) — Dietary Reference Intakes for Energy, Carbohydrate, Fiber, Fat, Fatty Acids, Cholesterol, Protein, and Amino Acids — source of the 0.8 g/kg RDA for protein used as this calculator's baseline.
- International Society of Sports Nutrition — Position Stand: Protein and Exercise — source of the 1.4–2.0 g/kg/day range for most exercising people, the 2.3–3.1 g/kg/day that may be needed to keep muscle while dieting, and about 0.25 g/kg (20–40 g) per meal every 3–4 hours.
Last updated: September 2026 · How we calculate
BriskToolbox provides estimates for general information only and is not medical advice. Talk to a healthcare professional about your individual health.