Protein Calculator
Estimate how many grams of protein to eat each day for your goal, the range studies point to, and how much that is per meal. The math runs in your browser: nothing you type is sent anywhere.
Your estimated daily protein
Fill in the form and press Calculate to see your daily protein estimate, the range from studies and how much that is per meal.
- Daily protein estimate
- Per kg of body weight
- Low end of the range (1.6 g per kg)
- High end of the range (2.2 g per kg)
- Per meal, over 4 meals
These are estimates, not medical or dietary advice. How we estimate, with sources
How much protein should you eat a day?
For people who lift, a meta-analysis of training studies found that gains in lean mass levelled off at about 1.6 g of protein per kg of body weight a day, with a statistical range reaching about 2.2 g per kg. This calculator uses 1.6 g per kg as its estimate, or 1.8 to build muscle, and shows the 1.6–2.2 range next to it.
For example, at 80 kg (176 lb) the estimate is 128 g a day, and the range from studies runs from 128 to 176 g. The general recommendation for adults, 0.8 g per kg, was set to cover the needs of nearly all healthy adults, not for building muscle.
Protein to keep muscle while losing fat
When you eat less, part of the weight you lose can be muscle. In a randomized trial, people training hard in a calorie deficit kept, and even gained, lean mass on a higher-protein diet, and lost more fat. That is why this estimate stays at 1.6 g per kg while you lose fat instead of dropping with your calories.
Protein per meal
A review on protein per meal suggested spreading the day's protein over at least four meals, about 0.4 g per kg each, to reach 1.6 g per kg a day. The calculator divides your estimate by four as a guide. Fewer, bigger meals still count toward the daily total.
How this protein calculator works
It multiplies your body weight by 1.6 g per kg, or 1.8 if your goal is to build muscle, the same rule the BodyMacros app uses for your starting targets. In the app, your targets are then re-estimated each week from your weight trend, with the reason in plain words.
FAQ
How do you calculate how much protein you need a day?
Multiply your body weight in kg by a protein factor. This calculator uses 1.6 g per kg, or 1.8 to build muscle, based on a meta-analysis where lean-mass gains levelled off near 1.6. For example, 70 kg × 1.6 is 112 g a day. In pounds, divide by 2.2 first. Treat the result as an estimate.
Is 100 g of protein per day a lot?
It depends on your weight. For a 62 kg person, 100 g is about 1.6 g per kg, right at this calculator's estimate. For someone at 90 kg it is about 1.1 g per kg, below it. Divide 100 by your weight in kg to see where you land compared with the 1.6–2.2 g per kg range.
Is 30 g of protein a day too little?
For almost every adult, yes. The general recommendation is 0.8 g per kg of body weight a day, so 30 g would only cover it for someone under about 38 kg. For people who lift, studies point to about 1.6 g per kg. Thirty grams is closer to the amount in one meal.
How much protein should I eat a day to lose weight and gain muscle?
This calculator estimates 1.6 g per kg of body weight a day while you lose fat, and 1.8 g per kg to build muscle. Studies on lifters put the useful range at about 1.6 to 2.2 g per kg, and a trial during a calorie deficit found more lean mass kept with higher protein. Keep lifting either way.
How much protein per kg for muscle gain?
This calculator uses 1.8 g per kg of body weight a day when your goal is to build muscle. In a meta-analysis of training studies, lean-mass gains levelled off at about 1.6 g per kg, with the statistical range reaching about 2.2. Any amount in that range is a reasonable estimate to start from.
How much protein a day to lose weight?
This calculator keeps protein at 1.6 g per kg of body weight a day while you lose fat, the same as for maintenance, instead of lowering it with your calories. For a 70 kg person that is about 112 g. In a trial of people training in a deficit, more protein meant more lean mass kept and more fat lost.
How do I reach 120 g or 200 g of protein a day?
Split it over your meals. 120 g is four meals of 30 g; 200 g is four meals of 50 g, or five of 40 g. Build each meal around a protein food such as meat, fish, eggs, dairy, tofu or legumes, and log it for a few days to see how close you get.
How many eggs make 30 g of protein?
About five. A large egg of roughly 50 g has about 6 g of protein in food tables such as USDA FoodData Central, so 30 g takes around five eggs. To reach 30 g in one meal, you can also combine eggs with other protein foods such as dairy, meat or legumes.
Track this in the app
Log your food and your lifts in one place. Your estimates adjust each week to how you eat and train.
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