Protein Calculator

It depends on your weight and activity. The RDA is 0.8 g per kg of body weight for sedentary adults, 1.0 g/kg for active adults, and 1.6 g/kg or more when building muscle or losing fat. This calculator applies the right factor to your weight automatically.

0.8 g/kg is the minimum RDA to prevent deficiency, but most people benefit from more - especially if you exercise, are over 50, or are trying to lose weight while keeping muscle. 1.0-1.6 g/kg is a healthier target for active adults.

Aim for 20-40 g of protein per meal, spread across 3-5 meals, to maximize muscle protein synthesis. Enter how many meals you eat and this calculator divides your daily target evenly so each meal hits that range.

For healthy adults, up to about 2.0-2.5 g/kg per day appears safe, and there is little benefit above roughly 1.6-2.2 g/kg unless you are an elite athlete. Going far beyond that for long periods can strain the kidneys in people with pre-existing kidney disease, but healthy kidneys handle high protein intakes fine. The bigger risk is displacing carbs, fiber, and healthy fats, so build your meals around whole foods rather than endless shakes.

Highest protein-to-calorie ratio comes from very lean foods: skinless chicken and turkey breast, white fish like cod and tilapia, egg whites, non-fat Greek yogurt, cottage cheese, and tofu or seitan. Shrimp and canned tuna are also excellent. Legumes, whole eggs, and lean beef still provide quality protein but with more calories from fat or carbs, so portion size matters when cutting.

Yes. Adults over 50 are less sensitive to protein, so 1.0-1.2 g/kg helps preserve muscle and prevent age-related loss (sarcopenia). Higher intakes around 1.2-1.5 g/kg are especially useful during recovery from illness or when activity drops. Spread intake across meals because older muscles need a bigger per-meal dose to trigger synthesis.

Plant proteins can fully meet your needs, but most are missing one or more essential amino acids, so aim for a slightly higher total (about 1.0-1.6 g/kg) and eat a variety - beans, lentils, tofu, tempeh, seitan, peas, and whole grains. Soy and pea protein are close to whey for muscle building, and combining sources across the day covers the amino acid gaps.

Yes - completely free with no sign-up. Your inputs are saved in your browser and encoded in the URL so you can bookmark or share your target. Nothing is sent to a server.