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Protein Intake Calculator
How much protein per day, as an evidence-based range by goal (RDA/maintain/muscle/fat-loss) and population (general/older/pregnant) — set on bodyweight or lean mass. Per-meal ≈ 0.4 g/kg for MPS; flags the "1 g/lb" myth. A fitness estimate, not medical advice. Accurate, instant and free — for United States.
What these mean:
What these mean:
≈ 126 g protein/day (Build muscle) — evidence-based range 112–154 g (1.6–2.2 g/kg of bodyweight). Across 4 meals that's about 32 g/meal (aim ≈ 0.4 g/kg per meal for muscle-protein synthesis). General guidance, not medical advice — pregnancy/lactation and kidney disease need a clinician.
Rates as of 2026Daily protein
112–154 g
Target (midpoint)
126 g
Per meal
32 g
Per-meal target
Across 4 meals/day that’s about 32 g protein/meal.
Muscle-protein synthesis is maximised at roughly 0.4 g/kg protein per meal (≈ 28 g for you). Your per-meal protein clears that anchor.
In g/kg and g/lb
Your midpoint target is 1.8 g/kg = 0.82 g/lb of bodyweight (g/lb = g/kg ÷ 2.2046).
The “1 g per lb” rule is the TOP of the range, not a floor
General guidance, not medical advice
How we calculate this
Reviewed by Reckonist Editorial · Last reviewed July 2026. Figures follow the methods and sources set out in our editorial standards.
Per-goal / per-population protein ranges (ACSM/ISSN/PRO-TAGE), 2026. General guidance, not medical or dietary advice.
ACSM · ISSN position stand (JISSN 2017) · PRO-TAGE (older adults) · Examine.com · ranges as of 2026
Fit protein into your full diet with the Macro Calculator, and track progress with the Weight-Loss Percentage Calculator.
Per-goal × per-population g/kg ranges on your bodyweight
Protein need is a range, not a single number. This tool sets protein per kg of bodyweight (or lean body mass), using an evidence-based low–high band for your goal (RDA / maintain / muscle / fat-loss) and highlights the end that suits your population(general / older adult / pregnant). Every value carries its unit — grams per day, grams per meal, and g/kg & g/lb.
Daily range
bodyweight × g/kg (low–high)
daily low = kg × low g/kg ; daily high = kg × high g/kg
Build muscle = 1.6–2.2 g/kg; maintain = 1.2–1.6; RDA = 0.8; fat-loss = 1.2–2.2. The midpoint is your headline target.
Per meal
≈ 0.4 g/kg for MPS
per meal = daily ÷ meals ; anchor ≈ 0.4 g/kg
Muscle-protein synthesis is maximised at roughly 0.4 g/kg protein per meal — the tool flags meals below that anchor.
- 1Daily range: 70 kg × 1.6 = 112 g to 70 kg × 2.2 = 154 g; midpoint 70 × 1.8 = 126 g.
- 2Per meal: 126 g ÷ 4 meals = ≈ 32 g/meal, which clears the ≈ 0.4 g/kg (≈ 28 g) per-meal MPS anchor.
Per-goal × per-population ranges — not one number
Most calculators hand you a single g/kg figure. But the evidence gives a range that shifts with your goal and life stage:
| Goal | Range (g/kg) | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| RDA (sedentary) | 0.8 | a floor, not an optimum |
| General / maintain | 1.2–1.6 | active but not chasing muscle |
| Build muscle | 1.6–2.2 | optimum ≈ 1.6; more isn’t much better |
| Fat loss | 1.2–2.2 | higher end protects muscle in a deficit |
Population then tilts the range: older adults (65+) benefit from 1.0–1.2 g/kg or higher (PRO-TAGE) to counter muscle loss, and pregnancy/lactation is elevated — but that case needs a clinician, not a general calculator.
Per-meal protein ≈ 0.4 g/kg for muscle-protein synthesis
Hitting your daily total is most of the game, but distribution matters for muscle. Muscle-protein synthesis (MPS) is maximised at roughly 0.4 g/kg of protein per meal — about 28 g for a 70 kg person. Spreading protein across 3–5 feedings that each clear this anchor tends to beat one or two very large hits. The calculator divides your daily target by your meals and flags any meal that falls short, so you can rebalance.
The “1 g per lb” rule is the ceiling, not the floor
The gym rule “1 g of protein per lb of bodyweight” equals about 2.2 g/kg — which is the top of the evidence-based range, not a floor. The optimum for building muscle is closer to 1.6 g/kg (≈ 0.73 g/lb). The 1 g/lb rule is a memorable upper bound, but it overshoots for higher-bodyweight people and can crowd out other foods for little extra benefit.
Set protein on your goal or lean weight, not a slogan
Lean body mass for higher bodyweight, and g/kg vs g/lb
Fat tissue needs little protein, so for higher-body-fat people, setting protein on total bodyweight can overshoot. Switch on lean body mass and enter your body-fat %: the range is then based on lean mass = weight × (1 − body-fat%). Units convert simply — g/lb = g/kg ÷ 2.2046 — so 1.6 g/kg ≈ 0.73 g/lb and 2.2 g/kg = 1.0 g/lb. Fit this into your full diet with the Macro Calculator.
Frequently asked questions
It depends on your goal, not a single number. The RDA floor is 0.8 g per kg of bodyweight for a sedentary adult. For general health or maintenance, aim for 1.2–1.6 g/kg; to build muscle, 1.6–2.2 g/kg; and on a fat-loss diet, 1.2–2.2 g/kg (protein is set higher in a deficit to protect muscle). For a 70 kg person building muscle that is roughly 112–154 g per day, with a midpoint near 126 g. Set protein by your bodyweight, not as a flat percentage of calories.
It is not wrong, but it is misunderstood. One gram per lb equals about 2.2 g per kg — which is the TOP of the evidence-based range, not a floor. The optimum for building muscle is closer to 1.6 g/kg (≈ 0.73 g/lb). The 1 g/lb rule is a safe upper bound that happens to be easy to remember, but it overshoots for higher-bodyweight people. Setting protein on your goal, or on your lean body mass, is more accurate.
Muscle-protein synthesis (MPS) is maximised at roughly 0.4 g of protein per kg of bodyweight per meal — about 28 g for a 70 kg person, or 20–40 g for most people. Spreading protein across 3–5 feedings that each clear this anchor tends to beat one or two large hits. This calculator divides your daily target by your meals and flags when a meal falls below the per-meal anchor.
More than the 0.8 g/kg RDA. Expert groups such as PRO-TAGE recommend 1.0–1.2 g/kg for healthy older adults (65+) to counter age-related muscle loss (sarcopenia), and higher still during illness or weight loss. Protein distribution across meals matters more with age because of "anabolic resistance". Choose the older-adult population option to see the higher end highlighted.
Protein needs are elevated in pregnancy and lactation (roughly 1.1 g/kg plus trimester-specific additions), but this is exactly the case where you should not rely on a general calculator. Pregnancy, lactation, and any kidney condition need individualised advice from a clinician or registered dietitian. This tool is general fitness guidance, not medical advice.
In people with healthy kidneys, higher-protein diets have not been shown to cause kidney damage. However, chronic kidney disease (CKD) often requires restricting protein, so if you have any kidney condition you must follow your clinician’s advice rather than a general calculator. This tool is a fitness estimate and does not account for medical conditions.
For most people, total bodyweight is fine. But if you carry higher body fat, setting protein on total weight can overshoot, because fat tissue needs little protein. In that case switch on "use lean body mass" and enter your body-fat %: the tool then bases the range on lean mass = weight × (1 − body-fat%), which is the more accurate anchor for higher-bodyweight users.
Method, ranges & references
Methodology: protein is set per kg of bodyweight (or lean body mass = weight × (1 − body-fat%)) using an evidence-based low–high range for your goal — RDA 0.8, maintain 1.2–1.6, build muscle 1.6–2.2, fat-loss 1.2–2.2 g/kg — with the midpoint as the headline target. Per-meal protein = daily ÷ meals, checked against the ≈ 0.4 g/kg muscle-protein-synthesis anchor. Older adults (65+) benefit from 1.0–1.2 g/kg (PRO-TAGE); pregnancy/lactation is elevated. Units kg/lb convert with fixed factors (g/lb = g/kg ÷ 2.2046). All calculations run client-side and nothing is stored. A fitness estimate — general guidance, not medical or dietary advice; pregnancy, lactation, and kidney disease (CKD restricts protein) need a clinician.
Cross-links
How we calculate this
Reviewed by Reckonist Editorial · Last reviewed July 2026. Figures follow the methods and sources set out in our editorial standards.
Protein ranges are set per kg of bodyweight (or lean body mass) by goal and population (ACSM / ISSN 2017 / PRO-TAGE / Examine), with a per-meal ≈ 0.4 g/kg anchor. This is a general fitness estimate — not medical or dietary advice. Pregnancy, lactation, and kidney disease (CKD restricts protein) need a clinician.
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