Protein Intake Calculator
Daily protein target by body weight and training goal.
Input sheet
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Protein is the nutrient that builds and preserves muscle, keeps you full, and supports recovery — and most people aiming for fitness undereat it. This tool sets a daily gram target scaled to your weight and training goal.
How it works
Body weight in kilograms times a grams-per-kg goal: ~0.8 for health, 1.6 to build, up to 2.2 when cutting.
The target is grams of protein per kilogram of body weight: around 0.8 g/kg covers basic health, 1.6 g/kg supports muscle building, and up to 2.2 g/kg helps preserve muscle while cutting calories. Your weight in pounds is converted to kilograms first.
Spreading protein across the day matters as much as the total. Aiming for 20-40 grams per meal across three to four meals keeps muscle protein synthesis elevated better than one large serving.
Daily protein (g) = body weight(kg) × target g/kg, where weight(kg) = weight(lb) ÷ 2.205.
Worked examples
A 175 lb (79.4 kg) lifter aiming to build muscle (1.6 g/kg). → About 127 g of protein per day (≈ 0.73 g per pound).
79.4 × 1.6 ≈ 127 g; 127 ÷ 175 ≈ 0.73 g/lb.
The same person cutting calories and preserving muscle (2.2 g/kg). → About 175 g of protein per day.
79.4 × 2.2 ≈ 175 g.
Tips & gotchas
- Anchor each meal around a protein source — eggs, dairy, meat, fish, tofu, or legumes — so the daily total takes care of itself.
- Aim for 20-40 g per meal; much beyond that in one sitting offers diminishing returns for muscle synthesis.
- Higher protein is especially valuable in a calorie deficit, where it protects muscle you'd otherwise lose.
- A protein shake is a convenient way to close the gap, but whole foods bring fiber and micronutrients a powder doesn't.
FAQ
Can too much protein harm my kidneys?
In healthy people there's no good evidence that high protein damages kidneys. Those with existing kidney disease should follow medical advice, but for the general population these targets are safe.
Should I count protein in grams of food or grams of protein?
Grams of actual protein. A 6 oz chicken breast is roughly 50 g of protein, not 170 g — read nutrition labels for the protein figure, not the food weight.
Does timing protein around workouts matter?
Total daily protein matters most. Spreading intake evenly helps, and having some protein within a few hours of training is sensible, but the strict 'anabolic window' is overstated.
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