Protein calculator
Find out how much protein you need a day. Enter a few details to get your daily protein target in grams — whether you’re losing fat or building muscle — along with the calories and the rest of your macros to go with it. Then turn that number into meals that actually hit it. Free, runs in your browser, no signup.
Your details
Takes about 20 seconds.
≈ 2,630 cal · 135g protein · 75g fat · 355g carbs to maintain weight.
This is an estimate, not medical advice.
How much protein do you need?
For most active adults the well-supported range is 0.7 to 1 gram of protein per pound of body weight a day (about 1.6 to 2.2 grams per kilogram). A simple rule that works for most people is to aim for 1 gram per pound of your goalbody weight — useful if you’re carrying a lot of fat to lose, since you don’t need extra protein to maintain fat.
This calculator sets your protein at around 0.8 grams per pound, near the middle of that range, and treats it as a target to reach rather than a cap. Want the full reasoning behind why protein leads? Read “Why protein matters most”.
Protein for weight loss vs muscle gain
The target is close for both goals, which is convenient. When losing fat, lean toward the higher end: protein protects the muscle your body would otherwise burn in a deficit, and it keeps you fullest, which makes the diet far easier to hold.
When building muscle, roughly 1 gram per pound covers it — more than that doesn’t build extra muscle, it just adds calories. Protein is the raw material; training and enough total calories are what turn it into muscle. Here’s the full muscle-building guide.
Now hit your protein target
Knowing your number is the easy part — hitting it across real food is where people fall short. Calculate above, then let the Adviser rank high-protein foods and meals that fit what you have left, or give the Solver the foods you want and get the exact grams to reach your protein target. For ideas, our list of high-protein, low-calorie foods makes the number easy to reach.
Common questions
- How much protein do I need a day?
- For most active adults, a daily target of about 0.7 to 1 gram of protein per pound of body weight (roughly 1.6 to 2.2 grams per kilogram) works well. A simple rule that suits most people is 1 gram per pound of your goal body weight. This calculator sets protein at around 0.8 grams per pound, near the middle of that range.
- How does this protein calculator work?
- It takes your body weight and sets a protein target from it — roughly 0.8 grams per pound — which is a well-supported amount for people who are active or trying to keep muscle while losing fat. It also works out your calories and your fat and carb targets at the same time, so the protein number sits inside a full, usable plan rather than on its own.
- How much protein should I eat to lose weight?
- Lean toward the higher end of the range while losing fat. In a calorie deficit, protein does double duty: it protects the muscle your body would otherwise burn alongside fat, and it is the most filling macro, so it keeps hunger down. Around 1 gram per pound of goal body weight is a good target on a cut.
- How much protein do I need to build muscle?
- About the same — roughly 1 gram per pound of goal body weight per day. Past that point, extra protein does not build extra muscle; it just becomes fuel. What matters alongside it is training with progressive overload and eating enough total calories, since protein is the raw material but training is the signal to grow.
- Can you eat too much protein?
- For people with healthy kidneys, there is no good evidence that a high-protein diet is harmful — the kidney warning applies to those with existing kidney disease. There is a point of diminishing returns, though: beyond about 1 gram per pound, extra protein stops adding muscle and just becomes calories. So you cannot easily eat a dangerous amount, but you can eat a pointless one.
This calculator gives general estimates for healthy adults and is not medical or nutritional advice. If you have a medical condition, including kidney disease, or are pregnant, talk to a professional before changing how you eat.