Daily Protein
Protein Intake Calculator
How much protein should you eat a day? Enter your weight and goal for a daily protein intake target in grams, based on the protein intakes research supports for active people and for keeping muscle.
How much protein you need
Protein needs scale with body weight and how active you are. For people who train or who are losing fat, the commonly recommended range is about 1.6 to 2.2 grams per kilogram of body weight a day; more sedentary maintenance sits lower, and the bare minimum (the RDA) is 0.8 g/kg. This tool turns that into a gram target for your weight and goal.
Why protein matters most in a deficit
When you eat fewer calories than you burn, enough protein is what helps your body hold on to muscle and lose fat instead. That is why the target nudges higher when your goal is fat loss. Pair it with your calorie deficit target and your macros.
Common questions
How much protein do I need a day?
For active people and anyone trying to keep muscle while losing fat, roughly 1.6 to 2.2 grams per kilogram of body weight per day is the commonly recommended range — this tool uses 1.6–2.2 g/kg for its “active” setting. Someone who is largely sedentary needs less: this tool uses 1.4–1.8 g/kg for general health, and the bare RDA floor is 0.8 g/kg.
Does protein need change when losing weight?
Yes — protein matters more in a calorie deficit, because adequate protein helps preserve muscle while you lose fat. This tool uses 1.8–2.4 g/kg for fat loss, in line with reviews of resistance-trained people dieting down.
What protein should I eat to build muscle?
Keep protein at roughly 1.6–2.2 g per kg of body weight (this tool’s “active” range), set calories at a modest surplus above your TDEE, and let carbohydrate take most of the remainder to fuel training. As with fat loss, the exact carb–fat balance matters less than hitting calories and protein.
Should I use total weight or lean mass?
This calculator uses total body weight, which is the simplest and most common approach. If you carry a lot of body fat, basing the figure on lean mass can give a more conservative target — but total weight is a fine starting point for most people.