Protein Calculator
Result
Daily protein target
- Protein, low end
- 84 g
- Protein, high end
- 112 g
- Per kilogram of body weight
- 1.4 g/kg
Use this protein calculator to work out how many grams of protein your body weight and training volume call for. It multiplies your weight by the intake range for your activity level and prints the lower end, the upper end and the midpoint. Guidance is given as a range rather than a single figure because the evidence supports a band, and where you sit inside it depends on goals these two fields cannot see. If you are training to add muscle, aim at the upper half; if you are sedentary, the lower half is enough.
Protein intake by activity level, at 70 kg
| Activity level | Per kilogram | Per day at 70 kg |
|---|---|---|
| Sedentary | 0.8 – 1.0 g/kg | 56 – 70 |
| Light | 1.0 – 1.2 g/kg | 70 – 84 |
| Moderate | 1.2 – 1.6 g/kg | 84 – 112 |
| Active | 1.6 – 2.0 g/kg | 112 – 140 |
| Very active | 1.8 – 2.2 g/kg | 126 – 154 |
The five rows are the five settings in the activity field above; the short names here stand for the longer wording in the dropdown. The last column is the recommended range multiplied by a fixed 70 kg, so it moves with body weight in a way the table cannot show.
Formula
Protein (g/day) = body weight (kg) × grams per kg for your activity level
- body weight
- Body weight in kilograms (kg)
- grams per kg
- Intake range for the activity level you pick, 0.8 to 2.2 grams per kilogram
Use it when you want one number to build meals around. If the calories that carry the protein are the next question, set them with the calorie calculator; if you want the resting energy underneath both, use the BMR calculator.
Worked examples
A 70 kg adult at a moderate activity level
- Moderate activity carries 1.2 to 1.6 grams of protein per kilogram
- Lower end: 1.2 × 70 = 84 g per day
- Upper end: 1.6 × 70 = 112 g per day
- Midpoint: 1.4 × 70 = 98 g per day
- Spread over three meals, that is about 33 g each
The 28 g gap between the ends is the real width of the recommendation, not a rounding artefact — any figure inside it is defensible.
A 60 kg adult at the very active level
- Very active carries 1.8 to 2.2 g/kg, the top of the ladder
- Lower end: 1.8 × 60 = 108 g per day
- Upper end: 2.2 × 60 = 132 g per day
- Midpoint: 2.0 × 60 = 120 g per day
- At 4 kcal per gram that is 480 kcal, before any carbohydrate or fat
Doubling the training volume from sedentary to very active moves the target per kilogram from 0.9 to 2.0 — the activity level is the input that does the work here.
A 100 kg adult training six or seven days a week
- Active carries 1.6 to 2.0 g/kg
- Lower end: 1.6 × 100 = 160 g per day
- Upper end: 2.0 × 100 = 200 g per day
- Midpoint: 1.8 × 100 = 180 g per day
- Across four meals, that is 45 g each
A heavier body needs more protein in absolute grams, but the range per kilogram does not change with weight — which is why the per-kilogram row is the one to compare against other guidance.
Limitations
Anyone with chronic kidney disease should not use this number: impaired kidneys need protein limited, and the limit is set by a clinician from the stage of disease and whether dialysis is involved. For everyone else it is a target, not a ceiling — eating more than the top of the range is not harmful for healthy kidneys, it simply stops adding benefit. The ranges describe healthy adults; children, pregnancy and recovery from burns or surgery follow different figures entirely.
Frequently asked questions
- How much protein do I need a day?
- Between 0.8 and 2.2 grams per kilogram of body weight, depending on how much you train. That is roughly 56 to 154 grams of protein per day for a 70 kg adult. A sedentary adult sits at the bottom of that range, someone training most days sits in the middle, and athletes or people in physical jobs at the top.
- Do I need protein powder to hit these numbers?
- No — food is enough. Every figure on this page is reachable from ordinary meals: 100 grams of chicken breast carries about 31 grams of protein, a large egg about 6, and a 170 gram pot of Greek yogurt about 17. Powder is a convenience for people who find it hard to eat that much, not a requirement, and it is not absorbed better than food.
- Is more protein always better for muscle?
- No — gains in muscle mass rise with protein intake and then flatten. The best-known meta-analysis puts the flattening point near 1.6 grams per kilogram a day, though its authors still suggest up to 2.2 for people trying to maximise gain. Beyond that the extra is oxidised for energy or stored. Total calories, training stimulus and sleep matter as much as the gram count.
- What happens if I eat too much protein?
- For healthy kidneys, not much. Surplus protein is used for energy or stored as fat, and no upper limit has been set for adults without kidney disease. The picture changes for anyone with impaired kidney function, where protein has to be restricted under medical supervision. Very high intakes can also crowd fibre and micronutrients out of the diet.
- Should older adults eat more protein?
- Aging raises the requirement. From about 60 onward, muscle responds less strongly to the same amount of protein, so guidance for older adults tends to sit at the upper half of the range matching their activity level. Resistance training matters as much as the grams — protein without a training stimulus does not preserve muscle on its own.
References
- Nutrition and Athletic Performance — joint position statement — Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, Dietitians of Canada and American College of Sports Medicine, 2016
- Protein and amino acid requirements in human nutrition — FAO/WHO/UNU Expert Consultation — WHO Technical Report Series 935
- A systematic review, meta-analysis and meta-regression of the effect of protein supplementation on resistance training-induced gains in muscle mass and strength in healthy adults — Morton RW, et al. — British Journal of Sports Medicine, 2018