How much protein do I need per day?

It depends on your weight and goal, but a common range is 1.6 to 2.2 grams per kilogram of bodyweight. This calculator defaults to 2.2 g/kg for fat loss and 1.8 g/kg for maintaining or building muscle, both within the range supported by sports nutrition research for people who train.

Is protein per meal or per day more important?

Total protein for the day matters most, but spreading it across 3 to 5 meals makes it easier to actually hit that number and may support muscle protein synthesis better than getting most of it in one sitting.

Do I need more protein to build muscle than to lose fat?

Slightly less, actually. This calculator uses a higher target for fat loss (2.2 g/kg) than for maintaining or building muscle (1.8 g/kg), since protein needs rise somewhat in a calorie deficit to help preserve muscle.

Tools

Protein Calculator

How much protein do I actually need? I built this around a simple bodyweight-based target: enough to support your goal, whether that's losing fat, maintaining, or building muscle, without a dozen inputs to fill in first.

Enter your weight and pick a goal, and I'll break the number down per day and per meal.

Your weight

Activity level

Goal

Meals per day

Protein per day

147g

37g per meal across 4 meals

At your weight and goal, I'd aim for about 147g of protein a day, to maintain.

Estimates, not medical or dietary advice.

Want calories and a full macro breakdown too?

TDEE calculator → Macro calculator →

Questions about this tool

How much protein do I need per day?: It depends on your weight and goal, but a common range is 1.6 to 2.2 grams per kilogram of bodyweight. This calculator defaults to 2.2 g/kg for fat loss and 1.8 g/kg for maintaining or building muscle, both within the range supported by sports nutrition research for people who train.
Is protein per meal or per day more important?: Total protein for the day matters most, but spreading it across 3 to 5 meals makes it easier to actually hit that number and may support muscle protein synthesis better than getting most of it in one sitting.
Do I need more protein to build muscle than to lose fat?: Slightly less, actually. This calculator uses a higher target for fat loss (2.2 g/kg) than for maintaining or building muscle (1.8 g/kg), since protein needs rise somewhat in a calorie deficit to help preserve muscle.