Find your optimal daily protein intake based on weight, activity, and goals
This tool estimates how many grams of protein you should eat each day based on your body weight, activity level, and primary goal. Protein is the key macronutrient for preserving and building muscle, and your needs shift meaningfully depending on whether you are cutting, maintaining, or in a dedicated muscle-building phase. A clear daily target makes it far easier to plan meals that actually support your training.
The calculation multiplies your body weight by a protein factor drawn from a sensible range. Common guidance for active people is roughly 1.6 to 2.2 grams per kilogram, which is about 0.7 to 1.0 grams per pound of bodyweight. Your goal and activity level select where you sit in that range: fat loss and muscle building push toward the higher end to protect lean tissue, while maintenance sits nearer the middle. In plain terms, daily protein equals your bodyweight times the grams-per-unit factor. The tool then shows the calories from that protein, using 4 calories per gram, and your intake per pound of bodyweight.
Take someone who weighs 70 kg / 154 lb and wants to build muscle while training regularly. Placing them near the top of the range at 2.0 grams per kilogram, the target is 70 times 2.0, which is 140 g of protein per day. Checked against the pound-based range, that is 140 divided by 154, or about 0.9 grams per pound, which lands right where the guidance expects. Those 140 g supply 560 calories, since protein carries 4 calories per gram. If the same person were maintaining instead, a factor of about 1.6 grams per kilogram would set the target near 112 g per day.
Enter your body weight and toggle between pounds and kilograms. Choose your activity level, such as Sedentary, Light, Moderate, or Very Active. Then select your goal, such as Lose Fat, Maintain, or Build Muscle. Press Calculate Protein Needs to see your daily gram target along with the calories from protein and your estimated intake per pound of bodyweight. Adjust the inputs to see how a change in goal shifts the number.
This is a general starting point, not a personalized prescription. Protein needs vary with age, training history, total calories, and health conditions, and some people, including those with kidney disease, need individualized guidance. Very lean or very heavy individuals may find bodyweight-based factors slightly over or underestimate their needs. Treat the number as a target to test and adjust over several weeks, and consult a physician or registered dietitian before making major dietary changes.
How much protein do most active people need? General guidelines suggest roughly 0.7 to 1 gram per pound of bodyweight, or about 1.6 to 2.2 grams per kilogram, with the higher end supporting muscle gain or retention during a deficit.
Does protein timing matter? Total daily intake is the main driver of results. Spreading protein across several meals supports consistent muscle protein synthesis through the day.
Should I use current or goal bodyweight? Most people use current bodyweight. If you carry a lot of excess fat, a target closer to your goal weight can keep the number reasonable.
Can I eat too much protein? For healthy people, moderate excess is generally used for energy rather than being harmful, but extreme intakes offer little added benefit and crowd out other foods.