How much protein do you need? This free protein calculator estimates your daily protein in grams from your weight, activity and goal — from the general RDA to muscle-building targets — with a per-meal guide.
Your details
Recommendations scale with body weight and how active you are. The general RDA is 0.8 g/kg; active people and those building muscle benefit from more.
Suggested daily protein
— g/day
Enter your weight
Per kg
—
Midpoint
—
Per meal (×4)
—
Calories from protein
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General guidance for healthy people. Spreading protein across meals helps. If you have kidney disease or another medical condition, do not increase protein without medical advice — higher intakes aren’t suitable for everyone.
Use this free protein calculator to find how much protein you need a day. Enter your weight and choose your activity and goal to see a daily protein target in grams, with a per-meal guide.
What this protein calculator shows you
A protein calculator estimates your daily protein needs from your body weight and how active you are. The general RDA is 0.8 g per kg, while active people and those building muscle benefit from more — typically 1.2 to 2.2 g per kg.
How much protein do I need?
Goal / activity
Protein
Sedentary / general health
0.8 g/kg
Active / general fitness
1.2–1.6 g/kg
Building muscle / strength
1.6–2.2 g/kg
Endurance training
1.2–1.4 g/kg
Older adults (preserve muscle)
1.0–1.2 g/kg
So a 70 kg active person needs roughly 84–112 g a day, while someone building muscle at 75 kg might aim for 120–165 g.
Tips for hitting your protein target
Spread it across meals — around 20–40 g per meal is well used.
Lead with protein — eggs, dairy, fish, poultry, lean meat, tofu, beans, lentils.
Include some at breakfast, which many people skimp on.
Plant or animal both work — variety helps cover all amino acids.
Can you eat too much protein?
For healthy people, moderately high protein is generally safe. But if you have kidney disease or another medical condition, higher protein may not be appropriate — speak to a doctor before increasing it. More protein also isn’t automatically better; beyond your needs, extra is just calories.
How to use the protein calculator
Enter your weight (tap to switch kg/lb).
Choose your activity and goal.
Read your daily target and per-meal guide.
Protein FAQ
How much protein do I need per day?
The Recommended Dietary Allowance (RDA) for healthy adults is 0.8 g per kilogram of body weight. Active people often aim for 1.2–1.6 g/kg, while those building muscle commonly target 1.6–2.2 g/kg. For a 70 kg active person, that’s roughly 84–112 g of protein a day.
How do I calculate my protein intake?
Multiply your body weight in kilograms by a protein target that matches your activity level and goal. This calculator does the maths for you and provides a recommended daily range plus a suggested amount per meal.
How much protein do I need to build muscle?
Research commonly supports around 1.6–2.2 g of protein per kilogram of body weight per day when training for muscle growth. Spreading that protein across several meals may help maximise muscle protein synthesis.
How much protein should I eat per meal?
Around 20–40 g of protein per meal is sufficient for most people. Distributing protein evenly across the day is generally more effective than consuming most of it in a single meal.
Can too much protein be harmful?
For most healthy people, moderately high protein intakes are considered safe. However, people with kidney disease or certain medical conditions may need different recommendations, so check with a doctor before making major changes.
Is the protein calculator free to use?
Yes, this protein calculator is completely free, requires no sign-up, and provides instant results directly in your browser. It is intended for informational purposes only and is not nutrition or medical advice.
