Protein Intake Calculator

kg
years
meals

Your goal & activity

Regular exercise or a physically active job. 1.2–1.4 g/kg

Pregnant or breastfeeding?

More detail: height, body fat, goal weight, calories

At a high body weight the grams per kilogram overshoot, so guidance uses an adjusted or goal weight. Height or body fat lets the page do that.

cm
%
kg
kcal

Weight to work from

Recommended protein per day

84–98 g

A good target is around 91 g

70 kg × 1.2–1.4 g/kg = 84–98 g, using your goal's range, on your body weight.

  • These figures are for adults 18 and over.

RDA minimum

56 g

0.8 g/kg — the floor that prevents deficiency

Per meal · 4 meals

About 23 g

Within the 20–40 g most adults use well at a time

Build a day of protein

Add servings and watch them add up to your target. Typical values; brands and recipes vary.

Your day so far0 g of 91 g

91 g to go.

  • Chicken breast

    100 g cooked · 31 g

    0

  • Salmon

    100 g cooked · 25 g

    0

  • Tuna, canned

    100 g drained · 25 g

    0

  • Eggs

    2 large · 13 g

    0

  • Greek yogurt

    150 g · 15 g

    0

  • Milk

    1 cup (240 ml) · 8 g

    0

  • Paneer or cheese

    100 g · 18 g

    0

  • Cottage cheese

    1/2 cup (113 g) · 12 g

    0

  • Whey protein

    1 scoop (30 g) · 24 g

    0

  • Tempeh

    100 g · 19 g

    0

  • Seitan

    100 g · 25 g

    0

  • Firm tofu

    100 g · 15 g

    0

  • Edamame

    1 cup shelled · 17 g

    0

  • Lentils

    1 cup cooked · 18 g

    0

  • Chickpeas

    1 cup cooked · 15 g

    0

  • Soy milk

    1 cup (240 ml) · 7 g

    0

  • Peanut butter

    2 tbsp · 8 g

    0

  • Almonds

    28 g (a handful) · 6 g

    0
Where these numbers come from
  1. Institute of Medicine (2005). Dietary Reference Intakes for Energy, Carbohydrate, Fiber, Fat, Fatty Acids, Cholesterol, Protein, and Amino Acids. National Academies Press. doi:10.17226/10490Used for: The RDA of 0.8 g/kg, and 1.1 g/kg for pregnancy and 1.3 g/kg while breastfeeding.
  2. Jäger R. et al. (2017). International Society of Sports Nutrition Position Stand: protein and exercise. J Int Soc Sports Nutr 14:20. doi:10.1186/s12970-017-0177-8Used for: 1.4–2.0 g/kg for active people, and the higher figures for strength training and a calorie deficit.
  3. Thomas D.T., Erdman K.A., Burke L.M. (2016). Position of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, Dietitians of Canada, and the American College of Sports Medicine: Nutrition and Athletic Performance. J Acad Nutr Diet 116:501–528. doi:10.1016/j.jand.2015.12.006Used for: 1.2–2.0 g/kg for athletes depending on training.
  4. Morton R.W. et al. (2018). A systematic review, meta-analysis and meta-regression of the effect of protein supplementation on resistance training-induced gains in muscle mass and strength in healthy adults. Br J Sports Med 52:376–384. doi:10.1136/bjsports-2017-097608Used for: Little extra muscle gain beyond about 1.6 g/kg, with 2.2 g/kg as the upper limit of the range.
  5. Bauer J. et al. (2013). 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 14:542–559. doi:10.1016/j.jamda.2013.05.021Used for: 1.0–1.2 g/kg or more for healthy adults over 65.
  6. Ikizler T.A. et al. (2020). KDOQI Clinical Practice Guideline for Nutrition in CKD: 2020 Update. Am J Kidney Dis 76(3 Suppl 1):S1–S107. doi:10.1053/j.ajkd.2020.05.006Used for: Why people with kidney disease get a plan from their care team, not a figure from this page.

General guidance, not medical advice. Protein needs vary with health, medicines and kidney function — check with a doctor or dietitian before big changes.

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Nothing is uploaded. Just open it and start.

A protein intake calculator

Free, no sign-up, no app. Enter your body weight and pick the goal that fits you, and see how many grams of protein to eat each day — from the RDA minimum of 0.8 g/kg up to the 1.6–2.4 g/kg ranges used for building muscle and losing fat, adjusted for age, pregnancy and a high body weight, with a per-meal split and a food planner.

Matched to your goal

Sedentary, active, endurance, muscle or fat loss, adjusted for your age, pregnancy and body weight — each maps to a research-backed g/kg range.

Grounded in standards

Built on the RDA and sports-nutrition guidance, with the sources listed and linked on the page.

Per-meal breakdown and a food planner

See how many grams to aim for at each meal, and build a day of vegan, vegetarian or any foods that adds up to it.

100% private

Runs in your browser. Your body weight is never sent to a server.

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Frequently asked questions

How much protein do I need per day?
The Recommended Dietary Allowance (RDA) is 0.8 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight per day — that's the minimum to prevent deficiency in a sedentary adult, roughly 56 g for a 70 kg person. Most people who exercise, are trying to build muscle, are losing weight, or are older benefit from more: commonly 1.2–2.0 g/kg. This calculator multiplies your weight by the range that matches your goal.
What protein range should I use for building muscle?
The International Society of Sports Nutrition position stand puts strength-training athletes at roughly 1.6–2.2 g/kg per day, and the Morton et al. 2018 meta-analysis found little extra muscle gain beyond about 1.6 g/kg, with 2.2 g/kg as the upper limit of the range. If you are in a calorie deficit and want to protect muscle, the upper end (up to about 2.4 g/kg) can help. For comparison, the joint position of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, Dietitians of Canada and the American College of Sports Medicine gives 1.2–2.0 g/kg for athletes in general.
Why does the calculator give a range instead of one number?
Because the science supports a band, not a single point. Within each goal there's a low end (enough) and a high end (optimal for that goal), and where you land depends on training intensity, age, and whether you're gaining or losing weight. We show the range and a sensible midpoint to aim for.
Is a high-protein diet bad for your kidneys?
For people with healthy kidneys, current evidence does not show that higher protein intakes in the ranges here cause kidney damage. But if you have kidney disease or another medical condition, protein needs are different and often lower — talk to your doctor or a dietitian. This tool is general guidance, not medical advice.
Does it matter if protein comes from plants or animals?
You can meet your target on a fully plant-based diet — it just takes a little planning, because most plant foods are lower in protein per serving and some are lower in the amino acid lysine. Eating a variety of legumes, soy (tofu, tempeh, edamame), seitan, grains, nuts and seeds across the day covers all the essential amino acids. The calculator lists both animal and plant portions so you can see what hits your number.
How should I split protein across the day?
Muscle protein synthesis responds best when protein is spread across meals rather than loaded into one, so the calculator divides your target by the number of meals you set (default four) and tells you when a meal would fall under about 20 g or over about 40 g, with a meal count that fits. Those limits are a practical rule of thumb for most adults, not a hard cut-off.
I weigh a lot. Should I use my full body weight?
Not necessarily. The g/kg figures come from studies of people at lower weights, so at a BMI of 30 or more they can overshoot badly (150 kg times 2.4 g/kg is 360 g). Guidance uses an adjusted weight, a goal weight or lean mass instead. Enter your height or body-fat percentage and the calculator works from an adjusted weight, which counts your fat-free mass in full and a quarter of the rest, or choose your goal weight. It tells you which weight it used.
What if I am pregnant, breastfeeding, over 65 or have kidney disease?
Pregnancy and breastfeeding have their own RDAs (1.1 and 1.3 g/kg), so the activity goal is not applied and you should plan training or weight loss with your doctor or midwife. From 65, the calculator takes the higher of your goal's range and the 1.0–1.2 g/kg older-adult range, so training never lowers it. If you have kidney disease or have been told to limit protein, no number is shown: your care team sets it for your stage.
Is the protein calculator free and private?
Yes. It's free, there's no sign-up, and every calculation runs entirely in your browser — your weight and goal are never uploaded. Your last inputs are saved only to this browser's local storage for convenience.

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