Protein Calculator: How Much Protein Do You Need Daily?

Protein Intake Calculator

Gender:

Weight:

lbs kg

Activity Level:

Body Fat Percentage (Optional):

Goal (Optional):

Goal Weight (Optional):

If provided, use the same unit (lbs/kg) as current weight.

Your Protein Recommendation:

Ideal Daily Target: grams

Recommended Range: grams

Calculation Method:

Want to know how much protein you really need each day to lose fat, build muscle, or maintain? You’ve probably seen a ton of differing recommendations that leave you more confused.

There isn’t a one-size-fits-all answer for everybody’s optimal protein needs. How much protein you’ll need daily can change depending on your goals, activity level, and body type.

Not knowing your specific protein needs can stall your progress by preventing fat loss and making muscle building just about impossible. And so many are unknowingly sabotaging their results by taking in the wrong amount of protein.

Above is my easy, science-backed, and evidence-based Protein Intake Calculator. You can use it to quickly get your personalized daily protein target and range to lose weight, gain muscle, or just maintain.

How to Calculate Your Protein Needs (Using the Calculator)

All you have to do is enter your information above into the Protein Intake Calculator to get your personalized protein target. Your privacy is my top concern, and none of this information entered into the calculator is stored, sold, sent to servers, etc.

Gender - Men and women have different body composition averages. Men usually have more metabolically active lean body mass, so protein needs can be higher.
Weight - Choose pounds or kilograms, whichever one is easier for you.
Body Fat% (optional) - If you know this, it helps make your results even more accurate. You can use a smart scale to determine your body fat %.
Activity Level - Sedentary, moderate, or active (because your protein needs change based on how much you move and train).
Goal (optional) - Are you aiming for maintenance, muscle gain, or fat loss? Each goal has a different ideal protein target.
Goal Weight (optional) - Helpful if you're overweight or obese and want a more realistic daily target.

Protein Intake Calculator Formulas

So how does the Protein Intake Calculator determine the right formula? It uses evidence-based nutrition science to select the best formula for your needs and goals. Here's how it decides:

A. For Most Users (Lean or Moderately Overweight)

Uses your body weight to calculate your daily protein target.
Why? For most people who are lean or have a healthy body fat percentage (men under 25%, women under 35%), body weight gives a reliable estimate because most of your mass is "metabolically active tissue" that needs protein.
You'll get a recommended range of 1.3-1.8 grams per kilogram, with 1.6 g/kg as the default target.
For lean mass/goal weight calculations
- The calculator uses a slightly higher multiplier of 1.8-2.2 g/kg, with 1.6 g/kg as the default target.
Goal (maintenance, muscle gain, fat loss)
- Muscle gain or fat loss bumps you to the higher end of the range. This is because fat loss requires more protein to prevent muscle loss. And you'll need more protein if you're trying to gain muscle.

B. For Overweight or Obese Users

Uses your lean body mass (LBM) or your goal weight instead of total weight.
Why? Protein is needed mainly by muscle, not by fat. Using total body weight could give an unrealistically high protein goal for those carrying a lot of extra body fat. This makes keeping up with the high daily protein needs harder and less sustainable.
How? If you enter your body fat %, the calculator estimates your LBM and uses that for calculation. And it can use your goal weight too.
If you select "sedentary," then your protein needs are lower. The RDA sets the daily protein intake at 0.8 g/kg for those who are sedentary to prevent muscle loss.¹

The Science Behind These Protein Intake Formulas

The default daily target is 1.6 g/kg of body weight, because a meta-analysis with data from 49 randomized controlled trials found this is the amount for maximizing strength and muscle gain, and there aren't many benefits with protein intake higher than this.²

1.6 g/kg is enough protein to maintain and even build muscle with resistance training, but higher amounts don't benefit recovery following a harder workout.³

There's an old bodybuilding myth that you need 1 g/lb (2.2 g/kg) of body weight for protein. This is way too high for most people, and studies don't back up having to consume that much protein daily.⁴ If anything, it just makes it harder to keep up with and less sustainable in the long run.

Consuming more protein than your body can use and take in ends up mostly being oxidized. Excess protein can also contribute to fat gain because it makes it easier to put yourself in a calorie surplus. Even if you're training harder, studies have found bodybuilders only need 1.6-1.7 g/kg a day for muscle mass and strength gains, even during intense training.⁵

But if your goal is to maximize muscle gains and or burn fat while keeping your muscle in a calorie deficit, then consuming a slightly higher amount at 1.8 g/kg of protein as an upper limit can be beneficial.⁶ And on the lower end of the range, studies have found that 1.3 g/kg of body weight was effective for muscle and strength gains.⁷

Key Takeaways:

So this is why I set 1.6 g/kg as the default daily protein target. It's enough for most people for maintenance, muscle gain, or fat loss. But I also provide a range so you can adjust your intake based on your goals, lifestyle, or dietary preferences.

Why Protein Matters For Results

One of the first things I tell my clients is to prioritize your protein.

Protein is crucial when dieting because it helps to preserve your lean muscle while you also lose fat. If you don't eat enough protein and a calorie deficit, your body will break down muscle for energy, which slows your metabolism and makes fat loss harder.⁸

If you want to lose weight and burn fat, then you need to be in a calorie deficit.⁹ But the quality of your calories matters just as much as the quantity. Getting enough protein daily should be your top nutrition priority. Protein can also help curb hunger and reduce cravings, making it easier to stick to a calorie deficit diet.¹⁰

When your body is in a calorie deficit, many people also lose a lot of muscle mass.¹¹

When you diet without enough protein or strength training, your body loses muscle along with fat. This is a problem because muscle is what keeps your body firm, strong, and defined. When you lose muscle, you'll end up risking becoming softer, flabbier, and saggier, even as weight comes off (the "skinny fat" effect).

Muscles are metabolically active tissue, meaning that they burn calories even when they are at rest.¹² So the less muscle you have, the slower your metabolism will run. This causes your results to plateau and makes it easier to gain the fat back and harder to keep it off.

There are decades of research that prove a higher protein diet helps you keep muscle, feel fuller, and burn more fat.¹³ So you will not only look thinner but also tighter, feel stronger, and keep getting lasting results.

Key Takeaways:

To prioritize your protein, say you're cutting your daily calorie intake to 1500 total calories. After using the protein intake calculator above, it was determined that you should be taking in 120 grams of protein daily. One gram of protein equals 4 calories, so that comes out to 480 calories daily from protein. 1500 total calories minus 480 calories from protein gives you 1020 calories to work with the rest of the day.

The Best High Protein Foods

I prefer and recommend that my clients get their protein from high-quality, complete protein food sources. I have to stress the importance of quality over quantity and eating high-quality protein from whole-food sources (not processed products).

This includes lean meats, poultry, fish, seafood, eggs, and dairy. For vegetarians and vegans, certain plant proteins like tofu (fermented soy) can be combined with legumes and grains.

Here's a list of the best protein food sources:

Chicken (breast > thighs)
Lean cuts of beef (like sirloin, round, or tenderloin)
Turkey (breast > thighs)
Eggs & egg whites
Lean cuts of pork (like pork loin)
Fish (like salmon, tuna, cod, tilapia, haddock)
Seafood (like shrimp, mussels, scallops, chowders)
Low-fat dairy (cottage cheese, Greek yogurt, skim or low-fat milk, part-skim cheese)
Organ meats
Whey protein powder

You can see my full Flat Belly Foods List by clicking on the button below:

CLICK HERE: Get the Food List Cheat Sheet ➔

Picking lean sources of high-protein foods is usually preferred in a calorie-deficient diet. They are not only lower in saturated fats but also contain fewer calories. This is especially helpful if your goal is fat loss and trying to stay in a calorie deficit.

While chicken and turkey breasts are leaner than the thighs, that doesn't mean you can't ever eat the thighs. It's just easier to stick with the leaner cuts when staying in a calorie deficit. But if you've made room for the fats and calories in your diet, then it's fine to have chicken or turkey thighs too.

I usually prefer to stick with animal proteins because they're complete by nature (contain all nine essential amino acids), while most plant proteins are incomplete unless combined. If dairy doesn't agree with your stomach digestion then you can replace it with other protein food sources.

Below is a list of high-protein foods if you're vegetarian or vegan:

Soy protein (tofu, tempe, edamame, soy milk)
Quinoa
Combinations of legumes + grains (like beans + rice, lentils + whole grains)

A low-carb whey protein powder or bar can also be a convenient way to get a large amount of protein quickly. Ideally, they're not a replacement for high-quality whole foods but are an easy "food swap" for busy lifestyles. They're easy and fast to consume, making them a great option if you're constrained for time or on the go.

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Protein Questions & Myths Debunked

Will eating too much protein hurt my kidneys?

This is one of the most common concerns with consuming a higher protein diet. But according to research, high-protein diets are safe for healthy people with normal kidney function. The kidney myth comes from studies on people who already have kidney disease and not the general population.

Will eating protein make me bulky?

Protein alone does not make you bulky, but it's actually much needed for a lean and toned physique. Women shouldn't fear protein, and building big muscles like that takes a ton of time, effort, and heavy training, and not just eating more protein.

Can I only absorb a certain amount of protein per meal?

There's a mythical protein limit that you can only have about 25-30g per meal, otherwise your body can't absorb it. Your body can use much more than just one sitting, but what matters the most is total daily intake and not the amount in each meal.

A study found that consuming 100g of protein in one meal leads to an increase in circulating amino acids. It increases plasma, muscle, and whole-body protein synthesis greater than the mythical 25 grams of protein maximum myth. Your body will use all the protein you eat, it'll just take longer to digest and absorb.

I recommend making protein the centerpiece of your meals. Build your meals around a quality protein and then add vegetables, healthy fats, and sometimes nuts or dairy.

Do I need to eat protein every 2-3 hours?

You don't need to eat every 2-3 hours to stoke your metabolism, but spreading your protein over 4-6 meals per day can help with appetite, energy, and muscle retention, but it's not a hard and fast magic rule. If it's easier for you to eat 2-3 meals per day but still get in your protein intake, then that's fine too.

The problem with having 4-6 meals per day is that it becomes easy to overconsume calories if you're not consistently meal prepping. Ideally, you'll be meal prepping and portioning out your daily macronutrients and calories for the day to make sure you're not over-consuming.

Do you need to consume protein right after working out?

I do recommend consuming protein after your workout to support muscle repair and growth. Your post-workout meal is one of the most important meals of your day, especially if you're wanting to have muscle retention or muscle growth during fat loss.

I'll usually have a high-quality, fast-digesting protein like whey protein and some carbohydrates to replenish glycogen stores.
The "anabolic window" is the idea that you have to consume protein within 30 to 60 minutes after training for optimal results.

The post-workout period is more of an opportunity to promote recovery and muscle protein synthesis. But the window isn't as tiny or as critical as some people say, and it's more for if you're trying to squeeze out every last bit of results.

Will protein turn to fat if I eat too much?

It's very hard for your body to convert protein to fat. This is especially true compared to excess carbs or fats. Most of the excess protein is oxidized and eliminated from your body. Protein has a high thermic effect, so eating a bit more protein is really a problem for fat loss.

It's a myth in common keto circles that eating too much protein will always get converted to sugar via gluconeogenesis and then kick you out of ketosis. Gluconeogenesis is demand-driven and not supply-driven, so your body only turns protein into glucose when it needs to, and not just because protein is available.

Are animal proteins unhealthy or carcinogenic?

Unprocessed animal proteins are not inherently dangerous, and traditional cultures have thrived on animal protein (whole animal, nose-to-tail eats are beneficial) for thousands of years. Grass-fed, pasture-raised, wild-caught sources are the foundation for optimal health.

Most health concerns are linked to processed meats like hot dogs, factory bacon, and lunch meat. This is factory-farmed, low-quality meat, and there's a world of difference between a fast-food hamburger and a grass-fed steak.

Plant proteins are incomplete because they're missing the essential amino acids, and they can become less bioavailable, meaning it's harder for your body to absorb them. Animal proteins are usually superior for building muscle, metabolic health, and overall nutrition.

I'm not anti-vegetarian or anti-vegan, but if you're a plant-based eater, then you need to be more careful about getting a complete amino acid profile.

Are protein supplements necessary?

Supplements aren't required to consume a high-protein diet, and whole foods are best. But protein powders can be very convenient to help reach your daily protein goals, especially if you're struggling to meet them.

I prefer not to rely on processed protein supplements and bars, but still consume them. Protein powders can come with unwanted additives and chemicals that make their way in during the manufacturing process. Be sure to find a low-carb protein powder that is additive-free and inspected for quality.