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Protein Intake Calculator

How much protein you actually need per day to build or keep muscle — with a sense of what that looks like on a plate.

Enter your bodyweight.

Where the numbers come from

Protein requirements for people who lift are far better studied than most nutrition questions, and the findings converge. Across the research, muscle-building benefits plateau somewhere around 1.6 g per kg of bodyweight per day. Intakes above that don't hurt, but they stop adding muscle — the extra is simply used as energy.

The exception is dieting. In a calorie deficit your body is more willing to break down muscle for fuel, and protein requirements rise to counter it. That's why the cutting range here runs higher, up to about 2.7 g/kg, and why protein is the one macro that should stay fixed while calories move.

Grams per kilo, not percentages

Protein is best expressed relative to bodyweight rather than as a percentage of calories, because the requirement tracks how much tissue you're carrying, not how much you happen to be eating. A diet at 30% protein means something completely different at 1,800 kcal than at 3,500 kcal — the absolute grams are what matter.

If you carry a lot of body fat, calculating from lean mass rather than total bodyweight gives a more sensible number: fat tissue has essentially no protein requirement, so a ratio applied to total weight overshoots.

Hitting the target

Most people who miss their protein target miss it at breakfast. A typical day is light in the morning, moderate at lunch and heavy at dinner, and no amount of chicken in the evening rescues a day that started at 5 g. Front-loading is the single most effective fix.

  • Anchor every meal with a protein source before you decide anything else on the plate.
  • Aim for 30–40 g per meal across three or four meals rather than one enormous serving.
  • Use the easy sources — Greek yoghurt, cottage cheese, whey, eggs, tinned fish. Convenience is what makes a target sustainable.
  • Weigh food for a week if you've never tracked. Most people are surprised in one direction or the other, and a week is enough to calibrate your eye permanently.

Fitting it into the day

Protein is one third of the picture. Once you have your number, set your total intake withthe TDEE calculator and divide the rest between carbs and fat using the macro calculator — which uses this same protein target as its starting point.

Frequently asked questions

How much protein do I need to build muscle?

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About 1.6 g per kg of bodyweight per day is where the benefit levels off for most people — roughly 0.7 g per pound. Going to 2.2 g/kg adds a small margin for error and does no harm, but there's little evidence of extra muscle beyond that.

Do I need more protein when cutting?

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Yes. In a deficit protein has a second job — protecting the muscle you already have — and the requirement rises to roughly 1.8–2.7 g/kg. The leaner you already are and the steeper the deficit, the higher in that range you should sit.

Is too much protein bad for your kidneys?

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In people with healthy kidneys, high-protein diets have not been shown to cause damage, including in studies running well over 2 g/kg for months. If you have existing kidney disease, that's a genuine exception and a conversation for your doctor rather than a calculator.

Does it matter when I eat protein?

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Much less than the daily total. Spreading intake over three or four meals of 30–40 g is marginally better than one enormous serving, mostly because it's easier to eat that way. The 'anabolic window' immediately after training turned out to be several hours wide, not thirty minutes.

Can I hit these numbers on a plant-based diet?

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Yes, though it takes more planning. Plant proteins are generally lower in leucine and less complete in amino acid profile, so aim for the upper end of the range and vary the sources — legumes, soy, seitan, and a supplement if the total is hard to reach from food alone.

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