Protein Intake Calculator

This protein intake calculator provides personalized daily protein recommendations based on your body weight, activity level, and fitness goals. Whether you're building muscle, losing fat, or maintaining your physique, adequate protein intake is essential for optimal health and performance.

How Much Protein Do You Need?

Protein requirements vary significantly based on your lifestyle. The baseline recommendation for sedentary adults is 0.8g per kilogram of body weight (0.36g per pound). However, active individuals and athletes require substantially more — typically 1.6-2.2g per kg (0.7-1.0g per lb) to support muscle recovery, growth, and performance.

Activity Level Guidelines

• Sedentary: 0.8-1.0g/kg — minimal exercise, desk job
• Lightly Active: 1.0-1.4g/kg — exercise 1-3 days per week
• Moderately Active: 1.2-1.6g/kg — exercise 3-5 days per week
• Very Active: 1.6-2.0g/kg — intense exercise 6-7 days per week
• Athletes: 1.8-2.2g/kg — professional training or competition

Protein for Different Goals

Your fitness goal significantly impacts protein needs. For muscle gain, aim for the higher end of recommendations (1.6-2.2g/kg) to maximize muscle protein synthesis. During fat loss, higher protein intake (1.8-2.2g/kg) helps preserve lean muscle mass while in a calorie deficit. For maintenance, moderate protein intake matched to your activity level is sufficient.

Why This Calculator Works

Our calculator uses evidence-based formulas from sports nutrition research and dietary guidelines. It accounts for body weight, activity patterns, and specific goals to provide accurate recommendations. Results include total daily protein, per-meal targets for optimal distribution, and ranges to account for individual variation. All calculations are instant, free, and private with no data stored.