Protein Intake Calculator
Work out how much protein you need per day and per meal from your body weight and goal, with evidence-based ranges for health, exercise and muscle gain.
- Daily protein range
- 84–112 g
- Middle of range
- 98 g
- Protein per meal
- 25 g
What this protein intake calculator does
This protein intake calculator gives you a daily protein range in grams and splits it into a per-meal target. It uses four inputs:
- Body weight, in kilograms or pounds.
- Goal, which sets the grams per kilogram range.
- Meals and snacks per day, used to divide the middle of your range.
It multiplies your weight by the low and high end of the range for your goal, takes the middle, and divides it by the number of eating occasions. The ranges come from published guidance, listed below with sources. The result is a sensible starting point, not a prescription, and the "right" number within the range depends on your appetite, budget and preferences.
The ranges used
| Goal | Grams per kg per day | Grams per lb per day | Where it comes from |
|---|---|---|---|
| General health | 0.8–1.0 | 0.36–0.45 | Adult RDA (US National Academies) and slightly above |
| Regular exercise or endurance hiking | 1.2–1.6 | 0.55–0.73 | Sports nutrition position stands |
| Building muscle with strength training | 1.6–2.2 | 0.73–1.0 | ISSN position stand, meta-analyses |
| Losing fat while keeping muscle | 1.8–2.4 | 0.82–1.1 | Research on energy restriction in trained people |
| Adults over 65 | 1.0–1.2 | 0.45–0.55 | PROT-AGE and ESPEN expert groups |
The RDA of 0.8 g per kg is the amount that meets the needs of nearly all healthy adults, but it is a minimum to avoid deficiency rather than an optimal target for active people. The International Society of Sports Nutrition suggests 1.4 to 2.0 g per kg for most exercising people, and a widely cited meta-analysis in the British Journal of Sports Medicine found benefits for muscle gain levelled off around 1.6 g per kg on average, with an upper confidence range near 2.2 g per kg.
Worked example
A 70 kg person who hikes and exercises regularly picks "Regular exercise or endurance hiking" and four meals and snacks per day.
- Low end: 70 × 1.2 = 84 g.
- High end: 70 × 1.6 = 112 g.
- Middle: (84 + 112) ÷ 2 = 98 g.
- Per meal: 98 ÷ 4 ≈ 25 g.
That's the default in the calculator. Change the goal to muscle gain and the range becomes 112–154 g, with about 33 g per meal.
Example in pounds
A 180 lb person lifting weights three times a week chooses pounds and "Building muscle with strength training", with four meals. The calculator converts 180 lb to about 81.6 kg, then gives a range of roughly 131–180 g per day, a middle of about 155 g, and around 39 g per meal. If that feels like a lot of food, five eating occasions bring each one down to about 31 g, which is a large Greek yogurt bowl or a chicken breast. Either way, the total matters more than perfect timing.
Protein targets by body weight
| Body weight | General health (0.8–1.0) | Active (1.2–1.6) | Muscle gain (1.6–2.2) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 50 kg (110 lb) | 40–50 g | 60–80 g | 80–110 g |
| 60 kg (132 lb) | 48–60 g | 72–96 g | 96–132 g |
| 70 kg (154 lb) | 56–70 g | 84–112 g | 112–154 g |
| 80 kg (176 lb) | 64–80 g | 96–128 g | 128–176 g |
| 90 kg (198 lb) | 72–90 g | 108–144 g | 144–198 g |
| 100 kg (220 lb) | 80–100 g | 120–160 g | 160–220 g |
How to use the calculator, step by step
- Enter your weight and choose kilograms or pounds. The calculator converts pounds to kilograms internally.
- Choose the goal that best matches your week, not your best week. If you strength train twice a week and hike at weekends, "Regular exercise" fits.
- Enter how many times you eat in a typical day, counting substantial snacks.
- Read the range. Aim for anywhere inside it. The middle is a reasonable default.
- Use the per-meal figure to plan breakfast, lunch, dinner and snacks.
- Check after two weeks. If you're always hungry, sore or not recovering, moving toward the top of the range may help; if hitting the number feels like a chore, the lower end is still fine for most goals.
Choosing current weight vs goal weight
Protein needs track lean body mass more than fat mass. For most people near a healthy weight, current weight works. If you have a high body fat percentage, multiplying current weight by 2 g per kg can produce a number that's hard to eat and unnecessary. Two common fixes:
- Use goal weight: enter the weight you're working toward.
- Use the lower end of the range for your goal.
Neither is perfect, but both give realistic targets.
Turning grams into food
The per-meal target is easier to hit when you know what 25 or 30 g of protein looks like.
| Food | Amount for about 25 g protein | Calories (approx.) |
|---|---|---|
| Chicken breast, cooked | 80 g | 130 kcal |
| Canned tuna in water, drained | 100 g | 115 kcal |
| Greek yogurt, non-fat | 250 g | 145 kcal |
| Cottage cheese, low-fat | 225 g | 180 kcal |
| Eggs | 4 large | 290 kcal |
| Firm tofu | 165 g | 240 kcal |
| Lentils, cooked | 280 g | 325 kcal |
| Whey protein powder | 1 scoop (30 g) | 120 kcal |
| Peanut butter | 100 g | 590 kcal |
Values approximate, from USDA FoodData Central. The last row shows why nut butters are poor protein sources on their own: you'd need nearly 600 kcal to reach 25 g. Compare any food with the protein density calculator, and look at cost with the protein cost calculator.
Sample days
100 g protein day
| Meal | Food | Protein |
|---|---|---|
| Breakfast | Greek yogurt bowl with oats and berries | 25 g |
| Lunch | Tuna and bean salad wrap | 30 g |
| Snack | Cottage cheese with fruit | 20 g |
| Dinner | Chicken stir-fry with rice | 30 g |
| Total | 105 g |
140 g protein day
| Meal | Food | Protein |
|---|---|---|
| Breakfast | 3-egg omelette with cheese and toast | 30 g |
| Lunch | Chicken, quinoa and edamame bowl | 40 g |
| Snack | Protein smoothie with milk and Greek yogurt | 30 g |
| Dinner | Salmon, potatoes and vegetables | 40 g |
| Total | 140 g |
More ideas are in high protein breakfast ideas, high protein lunch ideas for work, easy high-protein meals and high protein vegetarian meals.
Protein per meal: why spreading it out helps
Muscle protein synthesis responds to each protein-containing meal. Studies in young adults often find around 20 to 25 g of high-quality protein (about 0.25 to 0.3 g per kg) produces a near-maximal response at one sitting, with older adults needing a little more, around 0.4 g per kg. Larger amounts aren't wasted; they're still used, and newer work suggests the body can make use of bigger servings over a longer time. In practice, three to five meals with 20 to 40 g each is easy to plan and works for most goals.
Protein for hikers and backpackers
On long trail days, calories matter first. If you eat 2,000 kcal while burning 4,000, your body will break down some protein for energy regardless of how much you eat. Aim to cover energy with fat and carbohydrate and use protein to support recovery:
- Day hikes: your normal target is fine; add a 20 g protein snack after long days.
- Multi-day trips: many hikers aim for around 1.2 to 1.6 g per kg, which for a 70 kg hiker is 85–110 g a day.
- Shelf-stable sources: tuna and chicken pouches, jerky, powdered milk, TVP, protein bars, cheese for the first days, and nut butters (for calories more than protein).
Plan the calories with the hiking calorie estimator and turn them into meals with the trail meal planner. For trail food ideas see high protein hiking snacks and backpacking dinner ideas.
Protein and weight loss
Higher protein intakes help many people feel fuller and keep more muscle while eating fewer calories. That's why the fat loss range in the calculator is higher than the muscle gain range. Practical steps:
- Build each meal around a lean protein first.
- Fill the rest of the plate with vegetables and a moderate portion of starch.
- Use high-protein snacks (Greek yogurt, cottage cheese, eggs) instead of crackers or biscuits.
- Keep strength training so the protein goes to muscle.
Protein for older adults
Ageing reduces the muscle-building response to protein, which is one reason expert groups such as PROT-AGE recommend 1.0 to 1.2 g per kg for healthy adults over 65, and more for those with acute or chronic illness under medical supervision. Spreading protein evenly through the day, rather than eating most at dinner, is especially helpful. Breakfast is often the lowest-protein meal for older adults; eggs, yogurt or milk-based oats fix that.
Plant-based diets
Plant proteins are generally a little less digestible and have different amino acid profiles, so some dietitians suggest vegans aim for the upper half of their range. Combining legumes with grains through the day, using soy foods, and including seitan or pea protein make it straightforward. See lentils protein for one of the cheapest plant sources.
Who should be careful
This calculator is for healthy adults. Talk to a doctor or registered dietitian before raising protein intake if you:
- Have chronic kidney disease or reduced kidney function.
- Are pregnant or breastfeeding (needs are higher and individual).
- Are under 18.
- Have a medical condition affecting liver function or metabolism.
The National Kidney Foundation has guidance on protein and kidney health.
Common mistakes
- Using grams of food instead of grams of protein. 100 g of chicken is about 31 g of protein, not 100 g.
- Counting protein from bread and pasta as a main source. They add up, but slowly.
- Saving it all for dinner. A 15 g breakfast and a 70 g dinner is harder on appetite than four 25 to 30 g meals.
- Chasing the top of the range when the middle is fine.
- Forgetting calories. A high-protein diet still needs enough energy, especially for hikers and athletes.
Limits of this calculator
The calculator applies ranges to body weight. It doesn't measure body composition, training volume, health status or how well you digest specific foods. Research ranges are averages from groups of people; your individual best intake may sit higher or lower. Use it to plan, then adjust based on how you feel and perform.
Sources: ISSN position stand on protein and exercise; Morton et al., British Journal of Sports Medicine meta-analysis; adult protein RDA from the US National Academies Dietary Reference Intakes, summarised by the NIH Office of Dietary Supplements; nutrient values from USDA FoodData Central. General information, not personalised medical or dietary advice.
Frequently asked questions
How much protein do I need per day?
The adult RDA is 0.8 g per kg of body weight per day, which prevents deficiency in most healthy adults. Active people often benefit from 1.2 to 1.6 g per kg, and people building muscle with strength training are commonly advised 1.6 to 2.2 g per kg.
How much protein should I eat per meal?
Many studies use 20 to 40 g of protein per meal, or roughly 0.3 to 0.4 g per kg of body weight, spread over three to five meals. Spreading protein through the day is practical and may support muscle repair better than one very large meal.
Can you eat too much protein?
For healthy adults, intakes up to about 2 g per kg per day appear safe in research. People with kidney disease, or at risk of it, should follow medical advice because they may need to limit protein.
Should I use my current weight or goal weight?
Use your current weight if you're near a healthy weight. If you carry a lot of excess body fat, using a goal or adjusted weight gives a more realistic number, since protein needs track lean mass more closely than total weight.
Do hikers need more protein?
Long days of hiking increase energy needs more than protein needs, but many endurance athletes are advised 1.2 to 1.6 g per kg. On multi-day trips the bigger risk is eating too few total calories, which makes the body use protein for energy.