Determine your optimal daily protein intake based on your body weight and activity level. See recommendations ranging from sedentary to competitive athlete levels, with targets in grams per day and per meal.
Protein is the macronutrient most tightly linked to body composition outcomes. Higher protein intake supports muscle building during strength training, preserves muscle during weight loss, increases satiety (helping with appetite control), and supports recovery from exercise and injury. The government's baseline recommendation — 0.36g of protein per pound of body weight (0.8g/kg) — is the bare minimum to prevent protein deficiency in sedentary adults. For active individuals, especially those trying to build muscle or lose fat, evidence-based recommendations are 2–4× higher.
Modern sports nutrition consensus, based on extensive research, suggests roughly: 0.6–0.8g per pound (1.4–1.7g/kg) for moderately active adults, 0.8–1.0g per pound (1.7–2.2g/kg) for those building muscle, and similar ranges for those losing weight while preserving muscle. Athletes in high-volume training, recovering from injury, or seniors fighting age-related muscle loss (sarcopenia) may benefit from the higher end of these ranges. For a 170-pound moderately-active adult building muscle, the target is roughly 136–170 grams per day — a meaningful amount that requires conscious meal planning.
This calculator estimates your daily protein target and per-meal target based on weight, activity level, goal, and number of meals. Use it as a planning anchor. Hitting the protein target consistently matters more than meal-to-meal precision — distributing protein roughly evenly across meals (20–40 grams each) is ideal but missing on any specific day or meal isn't consequential as long as the weekly average lands in range.
170-lb adult, sedentary, maintenance, 3 meals/day. Protein target: 170 × 0.5g/lb = 85g/day Per-meal target: ~28g per meal Hitting 28g of protein per meal is easy with a single solid protein source: a 4oz chicken breast (32g), a serving of Greek yogurt (20g) plus an egg (6g), or a small can of tuna (22g) with cottage cheese. This is well above the RDA baseline (0.36g/lb = 61g/day) but reflects modern evidence that higher intake supports satiety and body composition even without intense exercise.
200-lb male, active (5x/week resistance + cardio), weight loss, 4 meals/day. Protein target: 200 × 1.1g/lb = 220g/day Per-meal target: ~55g per meal 55g per meal is substantial. Hitting it consistently requires deliberate planning: 6oz chicken breast (48g) plus a small Greek yogurt (15g), or 6oz lean beef (40g) plus a protein shake (24g). Higher protein during fat loss serves two purposes: (1) preserves muscle during the calorie deficit (the body otherwise sacrifices muscle along with fat), and (2) increases satiety, making the calorie deficit more tolerable.
65-year-old, 160 lbs, light activity (walking, basic strength training 2x/week), maintenance, 3 meals/day. Protein target: 160 × 0.7g/lb = 112g/day (elevated to fight sarcopenia) Per-meal target: ~37g per meal Age-related muscle loss (sarcopenia) accelerates after 50 and is one of the major contributors to frailty and falls in seniors. Higher protein intake (combined with resistance training) is one of the most evidence-based interventions for preserving muscle mass with age. Many seniors eat well below this target — closer to 50-60g/day — and experience progressive muscle loss as a result. Conscious protein increase, often with whey protein supplementation, is widely recommended by gerontologists.
Use this calculator when starting a fitness or body composition program, after a weight loss plateau, when increasing training intensity, when recovering from injury or surgery, or simply when curious about whether current protein intake is adequate.
For weight loss specifically, higher protein has three benefits: it preserves muscle in the calorie deficit, increases satiety (making the deficit easier to sustain), and has a slightly higher thermic effect than carbohydrate or fat (uses more calories to digest). Dieters who hit 0.8-1.2g/lb consistently lose more body fat and less muscle than those eating closer to the RDA.
For muscle building, the protein target is one of the most important factors — though training stimulus (progressive overload) and adequate sleep matter as much. Higher protein supports muscle protein synthesis; without sufficient intake, even ideal training produces suboptimal results.
For seniors, fighting sarcopenia (age-related muscle loss) is one of the most important interventions for long-term health. Resistance training plus adequate protein (0.7g/lb or higher) preserves and can rebuild muscle mass into the 70s and 80s.
Pair this with the BMR, TDEE, calorie, and macro calculators for full nutritional planning. Protein is one of three macros (along with carbohydrates and fats) — total calories matter for weight management, but protein quality and amount drive body composition outcomes within any given calorie target.
Practical strategies for hitting protein targets:
1. **Anchor each meal with protein.** Decide the protein source first (chicken, fish, eggs, Greek yogurt, beef, tofu), then build the rest of the meal around it.
2. **Make breakfast count.** Many people eat low-protein breakfasts (cereal, toast, fruit). Adding eggs, Greek yogurt, cottage cheese, or a protein shake to breakfast often closes a large gap.
3. **Use whey protein strategically.** Whey protein powder is the most concentrated, cost-effective protein source. 1-2 scoops per day (24-48g protein) can bridge meals or fill the daily gap easily.
4. **Track for a week, then adjust.** Most people are surprised at how short of target they're running. Tracking apps (MyFitnessPal, Cronometer, MacroFactor) provide accurate per-food protein counts.
5. **Distribute reasonably.** Aim for 20-40g per meal across 3-5 meals. The "one massive protein meal per day" approach is suboptimal — body can't use more than ~40g per meal for muscle protein synthesis in a single sitting.
6. **Sustainability matters.** A diet you can't sustain is worse than one you can. If 1.0g/lb feels overwhelming, start at 0.7g/lb and build gradually.
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Daily Protein
85g
Per Meal
28g
Protein Calories
340 cal
Per Pound
0.5g/lb
1.1g/kg